Best Albums of the 1980s

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Listed below are the best albums of the 1980s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 57,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade

Decade:

Year:

1980s decade 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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This chart is currently filtered to only show albums from 1983. (Remove this filter)

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18.

Murmur

R.E.M.

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

1,147 charts

Rank Score:

10,015

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

136

Average Rating:

83 (1,420 votes)

Comments:

23.

Violent Femmes

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

918 charts

Rank Score:

8,029

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

186

Average Rating:

81 (1,005 votes)

Comments:

31.

Power, Corruption & Lies

New Order

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

799 charts

Rank Score:

6,384

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

254

Average Rating:

81 (938 votes)

Comments:

41.

Synchronicity

The Police

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

818 charts

Rank Score:

5,535

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

305

Average Rating:

79 (1,049 votes)

Comments:

43.

War

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

778 charts

Rank Score:

5,292

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

320

Average Rating:

79 (1,206 votes)

Comments:

46.

Speaking In Tongues

Talking Heads

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

625 charts

Rank Score:

5,003

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

340

Average Rating:

81 (803 votes)

Comments:

50.

Swordfishtrombones

Tom Waits

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

624 charts

Rank Score:

4,514

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

371

Average Rating:

81 (756 votes)

Comments:

85.

Kill 'Em All

Metallica

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

516 charts

Rank Score:

3,203

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

544

Average Rating:

78 (954 votes)

Comments:

96.

Let's Dance

David Bowie

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

543 charts

Rank Score:

2,771

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

616

Average Rating:

75 (832 votes)

Comments:

113.

Script Of The Bridge

The Chameleons

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

302 charts

Rank Score:

2,253

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

113

Overall Rank:

766

Average Rating:

80 (337 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 97. Page 1 of 10

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	119	12%
1981	120	12%
1982	106	11%
1983	97	10%
1984	102	10%
1985	83	8%
1986	94	9%
1987	87	9%
1988	98	10%
1989	94	9%

Artist	Albums	%

The Cure	10	1%
Iron Maiden	8	1%
Depeche Mode	8	1%
The Smiths	8	1%
Rush	8	1%
R.E.M.	7	1%
Talking Heads	7	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	417	42%
	388	39%
	40	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	20	2%
	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%

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Best Artists of the 1980s
1. The Smiths
2. Prince
3. Pixies
4. The Cure
5. Talking Heads
6. U2
7. Metallica
8. Kate Bush
9. R.E.M.
10. The Stone Roses
11. Sonic Youth
12. Michael Jackson
13. Bruce Springsteen
14. Iron Maiden
15. Prince And The Revolution
16. Tom Waits
17. Joy Division
18. New Order
19. Talk Talk
20. Rush