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	2,124	194,135	Remain In Light (27th)by Talking Heads
1981	2,158	120,299	Moving Pictures (155th)by Rush
1982	2,131	148,247	Thriller (78th)by Michael Jackson
1983	2,129	135,470	Murmur (142nd)by R.E.M.
1984	2,137	171,264	Purple Rain (81st)by Prince And The Revolution
1985	2,139	143,774	Hounds Of Love (59th)by Kate Bush
1986	2,269	170,561	The Queen Is Dead (17th)by The Smiths
1987	2,470	162,632	The Joshua Tree (52nd)by U2
1988	2,561	152,133	Daydream Nation (68th)by Sonic Youth
1989	2,582	197,619	Doolittle (18th)by Pixies
Total	22,700	1,596,134

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.

Twitch

Ministry

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

29 charts

Rank Score:

191

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

991

Overall Rank:

6,735

Average Rating:

72 (41 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:

6,736

Average Rating:

71 (61 votes)

Comments:

993.

Songs To Learn And Sing
Compilation

Echo & The Bunnymen

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

43 charts

Rank Score:

191

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

993

Overall Rank:

6,737

Average Rating:

80 (71 votes)

Comments:

994.

Filigree & Shadow

This Mortal Coil

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

62 charts

Rank Score:

191

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

994

Overall Rank:

6,743

Average Rating:

75 (66 votes)

Comments:

995.

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:

996.

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:

996

Overall Rank:

6,758

Average Rating:

73 (50 votes)

Comments:

997.

Tonight

David Bowie

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

102 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

998.

...Off The Bone
Compilation

The Cramps

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

26 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

998

Overall Rank:

6,770

Average Rating:

73 (47 votes)

Comments:

999.

Famous Blue Raincoat

Jennifer Warnes

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

25 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

999

Overall Rank:

6,778

Average Rating:

69 (31 votes)

Comments:

1000.

All Over The Place

The Bangles

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

54 charts

Rank Score:

189

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

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	122	12%
1982	111	11%
1983	97	10%
1984	103	10%
1985	80	8%
1986	94	9%
1987	87	9%
1988	93	9%
1989	97	10%

Artist	Albums	%

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

Country	Albums	%

	416	42%
	386	39%
	40	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	23	2%
	12	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	966	97%
Yes	34	3%

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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Best Albums of 1992
1. Automatic For The People by R.E.M.
2. Rage Against The Machine by Rage Against The Machine
3. Slanted And Enchanted by Pavement
4. Dirt by Alice In Chains
5. Selected Ambient Works 85-92 by Aphex Twin
6. The Chronic by Dr. Dre
7. Angel Dust by Faith No More
8. Little Earthquakes by Tori Amos
9. Down Colorful Hill by Red House Painters
10. Wish by The Cure
11. Images And Words by Dream Theater
12. Bone Machine by Tom Waits
13. Core by Stone Temple Pilots
14. Dirty by Sonic Youth
15. Check Your Head by Beastie Boys
16. Harvest Moon by Neil Young
17. Vulgar Display Of Power by Pantera
18. Copper Blue by Sugar
19. Dry by PJ Harvey
20. The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion by The Black Crowes