Best Albums of 1981

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Listed below are the best albums of 1981 as calculated from their overall rankings in over 56,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade

Decade:

Year:

summaryThe best artists of 1981 were Rush, Kraftwerk, King Crimson, Siouxsie And The Banshees, Brian Eno & David Byrne, Electric Light Orchestra, The Cure, The Human League, Black Flag and This Heat.

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51.

Wild Gift

X (US)

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

135 charts

Rank Score:

534

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

434

Overall Rank:

2,874

Average Rating:

75 (138 votes)

Comments:

52.

Greatest Hits
Compilation

Queen

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

132 charts

Rank Score:

525

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

443

Overall Rank:

2,905

Average Rating:

83 (388 votes)

Comments:

53.

Scientist Rids The World Of The Evil Curse Of The Vampires

Scientist

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

67 charts

Rank Score:

489

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

470

Overall Rank:

3,082

Average Rating:

76 (59 votes)

Comments:

54.

No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith
Live

Motörhead

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

129 charts

Rank Score:

485

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

474

Overall Rank:

3,104

Average Rating:

79 (168 votes)

Comments:

55.

Pretenders II

Pretenders

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

127 charts

Rank Score:

464

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

488

Overall Rank:

3,211

Average Rating:

75 (140 votes)

Comments:

56.

Friday Night In San Francisco
Live

Al Di Meola / John McLaughlin / Paco De Lucía

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

76 charts

Rank Score:

457

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

494

Overall Rank:

3,247

Average Rating:

78 (89 votes)

Comments:

57.

Mask

Bauhaus

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

132 charts

Rank Score:

454

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

497

Overall Rank:

3,273

Average Rating:

76 (156 votes)

Comments:

58.

Speak & Spell

Depeche Mode

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

147 charts

Rank Score:

449

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

503

Overall Rank:

3,307

Average Rating:

70 (226 votes)

Comments:

59.

Hard Promises

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

137 charts

Rank Score:

446

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

506

Overall Rank:

3,327

Average Rating:

75 (163 votes)

Comments:

60.

Solid Gold

Gang Of Four

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

119 charts

Rank Score:

430

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

524

Overall Rank:

3,435

Average Rating:

77 (145 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 6 of 100

Best Albums of 1981 composition

Artist	Albums	%

Various Artists	17	2%
Frank Zappa	5	1%
Scientist	3	0%
Herbert von Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra	3	0%
Tangerine Dream	3	0%
David Bowie	3	0%
喜多郎 [Kitarō]	3	0%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	316	32%
	276	28%
	60	6%
	40	4%
	35	4%
	30	3%
	29	3%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	937	94%
Yes	63	6%

Live?	Albums	%
No	970	97%
Yes	30	3%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	990	99%
Yes	10	1%

« View best albums of 1980View best albums of 1982 »

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