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 56,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade

Decade:

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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21.

Moving Pictures

Rush

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

1,009 charts

Rank Score:

9,348

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

162

Average Rating:

82 (1,288 votes)

Comments:

85.

Permanent Waves

Rush

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

455 charts

Rank Score:

3,121

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

558

Average Rating:

80 (620 votes)

Comments:

113.

I'm Your Man

Leonard Cohen

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

352 charts

Rank Score:

2,321

Rank in 1988:

Rank in 1980s:

113

Overall Rank:

755

Average Rating:

79 (377 votes)

Comments:

229.

Wrong

NoMeansNo

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

157 charts

Rank Score:

1,183

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

229

Overall Rank:

1,450

Average Rating:

79 (144 votes)

Comments:

234.

Freedom

Neil Young

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

278 charts

Rank Score:

1,165

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

234

Overall Rank:

1,473

Average Rating:

77 (324 votes)

Comments:

237.

Reckless

Bryan Adams

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

198 charts

Rank Score:

1,126

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

237

Overall Rank:

1,524

Average Rating:

71 (256 votes)

Comments:

238.

Signals

Rush

Year of Release:

1982

Appears in:

225 charts

Rank Score:

1,126

Rank in 1982:

Rank in 1980s:

238

Overall Rank:

1,526

Average Rating:

79 (357 votes)

Comments:

255.

The Trinity Session

Cowboy Junkies

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

238 charts

Rank Score:

1,028

Rank in 1988:

Rank in 1980s:

255

Overall Rank:

1,655

Average Rating:

76 (213 votes)

Comments:

331.

Grace Under Pressure

Rush

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

164 charts

Rank Score:

756

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

331

Overall Rank:

2,164

Average Rating:

77 (261 votes)

Comments:

367.

Power Windows

Rush

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

129 charts

Rank Score:

662

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

367

Overall Rank:

2,412

Average Rating:

76 (244 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 23. Page 1 of 3

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	120	12%
1981	119	12%
1982	108	11%
1983	96	10%
1984	101	10%
1985	83	8%
1986	96	10%
1987	87	9%
1988	96	10%
1989	94	9%

Artist	Albums	%

The Cure	10	1%
Rush	8	1%
Iron Maiden	8	1%
Depeche Mode	8	1%
The Smiths	8	1%
Talking Heads	7	1%
U2	7	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	416	42%
	390	39%
	40	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	23	2%
	11	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	964	96%
Yes	36	4%

Live?	Albums	%
No	978	98%
Yes	22	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	988	99%
Yes	12	1%

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

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