Best Albums of the 1980s

Listed below are the best albums of the 1980s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 50,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade
Decade:
Year:
1980s decade summary
YearAlbums 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.
19802,032199,769
19812,065123,165
19822,027149,844
19832,016137,687
Murmur (146th)by R.E.M.
19842,034175,015
19852,006145,555
19862,107175,509
19872,290167,119
19882,441157,255
19892,446204,908
Total21,4641,635,827

The best artists of the 1980s were The Smiths, Pixies, Prince, The Cure, Talking Heads, U2, Metallica, Kate Bush, R.E.M. and The Stone Roses.
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Year of Release:
1982
Appears in:
Rank Score:
958
Rank in 1982:
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Average Rating:
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Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
Rank Score:
940
Rank in 1986:
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Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
939
Rank in 1980:
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Comments:
Year of Release:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
934
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Year of Release:
1982
Appears in:
Rank Score:
928
Rank in 1982:
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Year of Release:
1988
Appears in:
Rank Score:
927
Rank in 1988:
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Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
925
Rank in 1984:
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
920
Rank in 1981:
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Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
920
Rank in 1985:
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Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
917
Rank in 1985:
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Total albums: 1,000. Page 29 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year Albums %


1980 112 11%
1981 121 12%
1982 110 11%
1983 95 10%
1984 102 10%
1985 83 8%
1986 98 10%
1987 87 9%
1988 93 9%
1989 99 10%
Artist Albums %


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


United Kingdom 414 41%
United States 395 40%
Australia 34 3%
Mixed Nationality 30 3%
Canada 24 2%
Germany 23 2%
Ireland 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%
Best Albums of the 1950s
1. Kind Of Blue by Miles Davis
2. Mingus Ah Um by Charles Mingus
3. Time Out by The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4. Blue Train by John Coltrane
5. Elvis Presley by Elvis Presley
6. In The Wee Small Hours by Frank Sinatra
7. The Shape Of Jazz To Come by Ornette Coleman
8. Here's Little Richard by Little Richard
9. Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
10. Chuck Berry Is On Top by Chuck Berry
11. Brilliant Corners by Thelonious Monk
12. Lady In Satin by Billie Holiday
13. Songs For Swingin' Lovers! by Frank Sinatra
14. Somethin' Else by Cannonball Adderley
15. Saxophone Colossus by Sonny Rollins
16. The "Chirping" Crickets by The Crickets
17. Chet Baker Sings by Chet Baker
18. Birth Of The Cool by Miles Davis
19. Buddy Holly by Buddy Holly
20. Moanin' In The Moonlight by Howlin' Wolf
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