Best Albums of the 1980s

Listed below are the best albums of the 1980s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 56,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade
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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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Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1987
Appears in:
Rank Score:
19,136
Rank in 1987:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
43.
War 
Ireland U2
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1983
Appears in:
Rank Score:
5,483
Rank in 1983:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,817
Rank in 1984:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
122.
Boy 
Ireland U2
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,177
Rank in 1980:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1988
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,449
Rank in 1988:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1987
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,220
Rank in 1987:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1988
Appears in:
Rank Score:
930
Rank in 1988:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
322.
Ireland U2
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
773
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1983
Appears in:
Rank Score:
569
Rank in 1983:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1983
Appears in:
Rank Score:
325
Rank in 1983:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 11. Page 1 of 2

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year Albums %


1980 118 12%
1981 119 12%
1982 107 11%
1983 99 10%
1984 101 10%
1985 81 8%
1986 99 10%
1987 86 9%
1988 95 10%
1989 95 10%
Artist Albums %


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


United Kingdom 417 42%
United States 391 39%
Australia 40 4%
Mixed Nationality 27 3%
Canada 23 2%
Germany 21 2%
Ireland 11 1%
Show all
Compilation? Albums %
No 966 97%
Yes 34 3%
Live? Albums %
No 978 98%
Yes 22 2%
Soundtrack? Albums %
No 988 99%
Yes 12 1%
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