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 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	2,119	193,720	Remain In Light (27th)by Talking Heads
1981	2,158	120,090	Moving Pictures (154th)by Rush
1982	2,131	148,056	Thriller (77th)by Michael Jackson
1983	2,127	135,194	Murmur (141st)by R.E.M.
1984	2,135	170,799	Purple Rain (81st)by Prince And The Revolution
1985	2,138	143,733	Hounds Of Love (58th)by Kate Bush
1986	2,264	170,304	The Queen Is Dead (17th)by The Smiths
1987	2,464	162,490	The Joshua Tree (52nd)by U2
1988	2,561	151,937	Daydream Nation (69th)by Sonic Youth
1989	2,575	197,238	Doolittle (18th)by Pixies
Total	22,672	1,593,560

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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991.

Songs To Learn And Sing
Compilation

Echo & The Bunnymen

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

43 charts

Rank Score:

192

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

991

Overall Rank:

6,720

Average Rating:

80 (71 votes)

Comments:

992.

Kings Of Metal

Manowar

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

27 charts

Rank Score:

191

Rank in 1988:

Rank in 1980s:

992

Overall Rank:

6,721

Average Rating:

71 (61 votes)

Comments:

993.

Filigree & Shadow

This Mortal Coil

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

62 charts

Rank Score:

191

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

993

Overall Rank:

6,728

Average Rating:

75 (66 votes)

Comments:

994.

Vun Drinne Noh Drusse

BAP

Year of Release:

1982

Appears in:

17 charts

Rank Score:

191

Rank in 1982:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

995.

Squirrel And G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out)

Happy Mondays

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

44 charts

Rank Score:

191

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

995

Overall Rank:

6,742

Average Rating:

73 (50 votes)

Comments:

996.

...Off The Bone
Compilation

The Cramps

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

26 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

996

Overall Rank:

6,751

Average Rating:

73 (47 votes)

Comments:

997.

The Pink Opaque
Compilation

Cocteau Twins

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

41 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

997

Overall Rank:

6,761

Average Rating:

78 (69 votes)

Comments:

998.

Famous Blue Raincoat

Jennifer Warnes

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

25 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

998

Overall Rank:

6,763

Average Rating:

69 (31 votes)

Comments:

999.

All Over The Place

The Bangles

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

54 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

1000.

Death Church

Rudimentary Peni

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

26 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

1,000

Overall Rank:

6,771

Average Rating:

75 (30 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 100 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	116	12%
1981	121	12%
1982	111	11%
1983	98	10%
1984	102	10%
1985	80	8%
1986	95	10%
1987	87	9%
1988	93	9%
1989	98	10%

Artist	Albums	%

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

Country	Albums	%

	417	42%
	386	39%
	40	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	23	2%
	12	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	966	97%
Yes	35	3%

Live?	Albums	%
No	978	98%
Yes	23	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	989	99%
Yes	12	1%

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

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Best Albums of the 1960s
1. Abbey Road by The Beatles
2. Revolver by The Beatles
3. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles
4. The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico
5. Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys
6. The Beatles (The White Album) by The Beatles
7. In The Court Of The Crimson King (An Observation By King Crimson) by King Crimson
8. Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan
9. Rubber Soul by The Beatles
10. The Doors by The Doors
11. Blonde On Blonde by Bob Dylan
12. Are You Experienced by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
13. Led Zeppelin II by Led Zeppelin
14. Let It Bleed by The Rolling Stones
15. Electric Ladyland by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
16. Led Zeppelin by Led Zeppelin
17. Astral Weeks by Van Morrison
18. Forever Changes by Love
19. A Love Supreme by John Coltrane
20. Magical Mystery Tour by The Beatles