Best Albums of the 1980s

Listed below are the best albums of the 1980s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 50,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade
Decade:
Year:
1980s decade summary
YearAlbums The number of albums from each year featuring in the greatest album charts. Score Total rank score for each year (made up of the total rank score from all albums in that year) Top Ranked Album The top ranked album from each year and where it ranks in the overall chart.
19802,032199,756
19812,065123,139
19822,027149,794
19832,017137,657
Murmur (146th)by R.E.M.
19842,034174,975
19852,006145,662
19862,108175,419
19872,291167,088
19882,441157,313
19892,447204,886
Total21,4681,635,690

The best artists of the 1980s were The Smiths, Pixies, Prince, The Cure, Talking Heads, U2, Metallica, Kate Bush, R.E.M. and The Stone Roses.
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Sort by
Year of Release:
1987
Appears in:
Rank Score:
21,168
Rank in 1987:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
42.
War 
Ireland U2
Year of Release:
1983
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,597
Rank in 1983:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
4,122
Rank in 1984:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
116.
Boy 
Ireland U2
Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,373
Rank in 1980:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Year of Release:
1988
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,505
Rank in 1988:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Year of Release:
1987
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,075
Rank in 1987:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Year of Release:
1988
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,018
Rank in 1988:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
316.
Ireland U2
Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
822
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Year of Release:
1983
Appears in:
Rank Score:
586
Rank in 1983:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Year of Release:
1983
Appears in:
Rank Score:
338
Rank in 1983:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 12. Page 1 of 2

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year Albums %


1980 112 11%
1981 121 12%
1982 110 11%
1983 95 10%
1984 102 10%
1985 83 8%
1986 98 10%
1987 87 9%
1988 93 9%
1989 99 10%
Artist Albums %


The Cure 10 1%
Iron Maiden 8 1%
Depeche Mode 8 1%
Rush (CA) 8 1%
The Fall 7 1%
The Smiths 7 1%
R.E.M. 7 1%
Show all
Country Albums %


United Kingdom 414 41%
United States 395 40%
Australia 34 3%
Mixed Nationality 30 3%
Canada 24 2%
Germany 23 2%
Ireland 12 1%
Show all
Compilation? Albums %
No 965 97%
Yes 35 4%
Live? Albums %
No 978 98%
Yes 22 2%
Soundtrack? Albums %
No 988 99%
Yes 12 1%
Best Ever Albums
1. OK Computer by Radiohead
2. The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd
3. Abbey Road by The Beatles
4. Revolver by The Beatles
5. Kid A by Radiohead
6. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles
7. In Rainbows by Radiohead
8. Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd
9. The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars by David Bowie
10. The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico
11. Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys
12. Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV) by Led Zeppelin
13. The Beatles (The White Album) by The Beatles
14. Funeral by Arcade Fire
15. Nevermind by Nirvana (US)
16. In The Aeroplane Over The Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel
17. The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths
18. Doolittle by Pixies
19. London Calling by The Clash
20. To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar
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