Best Albums of the 1980s

Listed below are the best albums of the 1980s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 59,000 greatest album charts. (Chart last updated: 3 hours ago).
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1980s decade summaryThe best artists of the 1980s were The Smiths, Prince, The Cure, Pixies, Talking Heads, U2, Metallica, Kate Bush, R.E.M. and The Stone Roses.
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Year of Release:
1982
Appears in:
Rank Score:
354
Rank in 1982:
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Average Rating:
Comments:
"For me, it's a shame that these two pieces (Different Trains and Electric Counterpoint) were released together and for the purposes of album rating must be reviewed as one. Different Trains is, for me, a masterpiece in threading together the melody from voice technique with field recordings of tr..."  [+]  Reply
- ForegroundNoise | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful) Help A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
353
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Year of Release:
1987
Appears in:
Rank Score:
352
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Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
352
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"This self-titled album, Indigo Girls' second full-length, is one of the most iconic of my college years, and the album that my high school sweetheart loved more than any other. In terms of production, it's a big step forward from their self-produced debut Strange Fire, and it includes some well-c..."  [+]  Reply
- buzzdainer | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | 0 votes (0 helpful | 0 unhelpful) Help A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
352
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Average Rating:
Comments:
"Less feedback and perfectly suited to that late 80's sound of Stone Roses and the like, than Pyschocandy. Still got that edgy sound, especially the last 4 tracks (I have the 10 track vinyl version). First six songs are crackers with Blues From A Gun my favourite track of theirs."  Reply
- Rich150 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful) Help A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
351
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Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
"Another Mixed Bag Elvis Costello who, besides his unique songwriting skills, is known for his musical versatility and his desire to expand borders. This trait has given him new fans, but has also meant that he has lost some under way since his early albums with The Attactions. This album, which i..."  [+]  Reply
- Rovers | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +2 votes (2 helpful | 0 unhelpful) Help A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
351
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Average Rating:
Comments:
"My introduction to the retro sounds of The Hoodoo Gurus - and I will forever feel blessed. A combination of Beatlesque chiming guitars, tribal drumming, and Cramps-like cemetery humor, "Stoneage Romeos" plays it hard and fast, and gives notice that this group from down under would be around for a..."  [+]  Reply
- TheDude85 | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +1 votes (1 helpful | 0 unhelpful) Help A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
350
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"It was always Billy Braggs laconic singing voice that attracted me to his music. Hard to describe this album he is a folk rock punk protest singer with heart, intelligence and humour. One of Britains great performers an original album also"  Reply
- BraddlesHendo | Helpful?  (Log in to vote) | +3 votes (3 helpful | 0 unhelpful) Help A maximum of 5 top-voted qualifying comments are selected for each album. To provide the best experience for visitors, comments are excluded if they refer to data corrections, contain excessive profanity, are written in all caps, are non-English, are too short, consist of conversations between users, or contain lists of best tracks etc.
Year of Release:
1988
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Rank Score:
350
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
348
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Total albums: 1,000. Page 61 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Best Albums of 1983
1. Murmur by R.E.M.
2. Violent Femmes by Violent Femmes
3. Power, Corruption & Lies by New Order
4. Synchronicity by The Police
5. War by U2
6. Speaking In Tongues by Talking Heads
7. Swordfishtrombones by Tom Waits
8. Kill 'Em All by Metallica
9. Let's Dance by David Bowie
10. The Final Cut by Pink Floyd