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.

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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:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,521
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,322
Rank in 1984:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1982
Appears in:
Rank Score:
872
Rank in 1982:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
836
Rank in 1984:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1987
Appears in:
Rank Score:
646
Rank in 1987:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
540
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
531
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
Rank Score:
368
Rank in 1986:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
351
Rank in 1989:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1983
Appears in:
Rank Score:
336
Rank in 1983:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 23. Page 1 of 3

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year Albums %


1980 119 12%
1981 119 12%
1982 108 11%
1983 96 10%
1984 101 10%
1985 83 8%
1986 95 10%
1987 87 9%
1988 97 10%
1989 95 10%
Artist Albums %


The Cure 10 1%
Iron Maiden 8 1%
Depeche Mode 8 1%
The Smiths 8 1%
Rush 8 1%
U2 7 1%
The Fall 7 1%
Show all
Country Albums %


United Kingdom 416 42%
United States 390 39%
Australia 40 4%
Mixed Nationality 27 3%
Germany 23 2%
Canada 23 2%
Argentina 11 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%
Best Albums of 1963
1. The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady by Charles Mingus
2. The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan by Bob Dylan
3. Please Please Me by The Beatles
4. James Brown Live At The Apollo by James Brown
5. With The Beatles by The Beatles
6. Night Beat by Sam Cooke
7. Monk's Dream by The Thelonious Monk Quartet
8. A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector by Various Artists
9. Duke Ellington & John Coltrane by Duke Ellington & John Coltrane
10. Money Jungle by Duke Ellington / Charlie Mingus / Max Roach
11. Samba Esquema Novo by Jorge Ben
12. Midnight Blue by Kenny Burrell
13. Night Train by The Oscar Peterson Trio
14. In Dreams by Roy Orbison
15. Surfer Girl by The Beach Boys
16. Ballads by John Coltrane Quartet
17. John Coltrane And Johnny Hartman by John Coltrane & Johnny Hartman
18. Beethoven: IX. Symphonie by Herbert Von Karajan / Berliner Philharmoniker
19. Back At The Chicken Shack by Jimmy Smith
20. Surfin' U.S.A. by The Beach Boys
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