Best Albums of the 1980s

« View best albums of the 1970sView best albums of the 1990s »

Listed below are the best albums of the 1980s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 53,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade

Decade:

Year:

1980s decade summary

Year	Albums 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.
1980	2,117	193,987	Remain In Light (27th)by Talking Heads
1981	2,157	120,060	Moving Pictures (154th)by Rush
1982	2,129	148,193	Thriller (77th)by Michael Jackson
1983	2,128	135,385	Murmur (142nd)by R.E.M.
1984	2,133	170,954	Purple Rain (81st)by Prince And The Revolution
1985	2,136	143,896	Hounds Of Love (58th)by Kate Bush
1986	2,261	170,449	The Queen Is Dead (17th)by The Smiths
1987	2,462	162,552	The Joshua Tree (52nd)by U2
1988	2,556	152,034	Daydream Nation (69th)by Sonic Youth
1989	2,568	197,173	Doolittle (18th)by Pixies
Total	22,647	1,594,684

The 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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561.

Radio

LL Cool J

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

124 charts

Rank Score:

399

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

561

Overall Rank:

3,640

Average Rating:

72 (122 votes)

Comments:

562.

Naked

Talking Heads

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

111 charts

Rank Score:

399

Rank in 1988:

Rank in 1980s:

562

Overall Rank:

3,642

Average Rating:

69 (246 votes)

Comments:

563.

Bonded By Blood

Exodus (US)

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

78 charts

Rank Score:

397

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

563

Overall Rank:

3,661

Average Rating:

77 (87 votes)

Comments:

564.

Argybargy

Squeeze

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

90 charts

Rank Score:

397

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

564

Overall Rank:

3,664

Average Rating:

75 (113 votes)

Comments:

565.

Still

Joy Division

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

92 charts

Rank Score:

396

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

565

Overall Rank:

3,665

Average Rating:

77 (157 votes)

Comments:

566.

Lightning To The Nations

Diamond Head

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

91 charts

Rank Score:

396

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

566

Overall Rank:

3,669

Average Rating:

76 (82 votes)

Comments:

567.

Fear And Whiskey

Mekons

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

88 charts

Rank Score:

395

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

567

Overall Rank:

3,673

Average Rating:

76 (98 votes)

Comments:

568.

Skid Row

Skid Row (US)

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

92 charts

Rank Score:

393

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

568

Overall Rank:

3,683

Average Rating:

71 (123 votes)

Comments:

569.

Melissa

Mercyful Fate

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

79 charts

Rank Score:

391

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

569

Overall Rank:

3,696

Average Rating:

75 (101 votes)

Comments:

570.

Thunder & Consolation

New Model Army

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

58 charts

Rank Score:

391

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

570

Overall Rank:

3,701

Average Rating:

78 (58 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 57 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	116	12%
1981	121	12%
1982	111	11%
1983	97	10%
1984	102	10%
1985	80	8%
1986	95	10%
1987	88	9%
1988	93	9%
1989	97	10%

Artist	Albums	%

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

Country	Albums	%

	418	42%
	385	39%
	39	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	23	2%
	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%

« View best albums of the 1970sView best albums of the 1990s »

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