Best Albums of the 1980s

Listed below are the best albums of the 1980s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 51,000 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.
19802,083195,769
19812,121120,921
19822,086148,197
19832,095136,284
Murmur (142nd)by R.E.M.
19842,095172,893
19852,099143,978
19862,198173,905
19872,412164,149
19882,499154,266
19892,503201,731
Total22,1911,612,094

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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58.
Stop Making Sense 
Live soundtrack
Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
4,351
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Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,007
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Year of Release:
1982
Appears in:
Rank Score:
746
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Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
673
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Year of Release:
1983
Appears in:
Rank Score:
645
Rank in 1983:
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Year of Release:
1982
Appears in:
Rank Score:
581
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Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
Rank Score:
488
Rank in 1986:
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
474
Rank in 1981:
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Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
428
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572.
Paris 
Live
Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
390
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Total albums: 23. Page 1 of 3

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year Albums %


1980 114 11%
1981 122 12%
1982 108 11%
1983 98 10%
1984 102 10%
1985 82 8%
1986 96 10%
1987 85 9%
1988 92 9%
1989 101 10%
Artist Albums %


The Cure 10 1%
Rush (CA) 8 1%
Iron Maiden 8 1%
Depeche Mode 8 1%
Talking Heads 7 1%
U2 7 1%
The Fall 7 1%
Show all
Country Albums %


United Kingdom 417 42%
United States 387 39%
Australia 40 4%
Mixed Nationality 26 3%
Canada 24 2%
Germany 21 2%
Ireland 12 1%
Show all
Compilation? Albums %
No 965 97%
Yes 35 4%
Live? Albums %
No 977 98%
Yes 23 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. To Pimp A Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar
20. London Calling by The Clash
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