Best Albums of the 1980s

« View best albums of the 1970sView best albums of the 1990s »

Listed below are the best albums of the 1980s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 57,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade

Decade:

Year:

summaryThe best artists of the 1980s were The Smiths, Prince, Pixies, The Cure, Talking Heads, U2, Metallica, Kate Bush, R.E.M. and The Stone Roses.

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51.

The Head On The Door

The Cure

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

631 charts

Rank Score:

4,533

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

377

Average Rating:

82 (799 votes)

Comments:

52.

Skylarking

XTC

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

588 charts

Rank Score:

4,475

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

381

Average Rating:

80 (635 votes)

Comments:

53.

Stop Making Sense
Live soundtrack

Talking Heads

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

482 charts

Rank Score:

4,359

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

390

Average Rating:

83 (703 votes)

Comments:

54.

Bad

Michael Jackson

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

600 charts

Rank Score:

4,296

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

395

Average Rating:

76 (926 votes)

Comments:

55.

Zen Arcade

Hüsker Dü

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

505 charts

Rank Score:

4,200

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

404

Average Rating:

79 (601 votes)

Comments:

56.

Peter Gabriel (1980)

Peter Gabriel

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

536 charts

Rank Score:

4,122

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

412

Average Rating:

81 (598 votes)

Comments:

57.

On Fire

Galaxie 500

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

504 charts

Rank Score:

4,122

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

413

Average Rating:

82 (593 votes)

Comments:

58.

3 Feet High And Rising

De La Soul

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

559 charts

Rank Score:

4,043

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

422

Average Rating:

78 (605 votes)

Comments:

59.

The Colour Of Spring

Talk Talk

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

475 charts

Rank Score:

4,035

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

423

Average Rating:

80 (573 votes)

Comments:

60.

Tracy Chapman

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

565 charts

Rank Score:

3,976

Rank in 1988:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

431

Average Rating:

77 (638 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 6 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	118	12%
1981	120	12%
1982	108	11%
1983	97	10%
1984	102	10%
1985	83	8%
1986	94	9%
1987	85	9%
1988	97	10%
1989	96	10%

Artist	Albums	%

The Cure	10	1%
The Smiths	8	1%
Rush	8	1%
Iron Maiden	8	1%
Depeche Mode	8	1%
R.E.M.	7	1%
Talking Heads	7	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	416	42%
	388	39%
	40	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	22	2%
	11	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	966	97%
Yes	34	3%

Live?	Albums	%
No	977	98%
Yes	23	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	988	99%
Yes	12	1%

« View best albums of the 1970sView best albums of the 1990s »

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