Best Albums of the 1980s

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

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	2,117	193,909	Remain In Light (27th)by Talking Heads
1981	2,157	120,019	Moving Pictures (154th)by Rush
1982	2,130	148,133	Thriller (77th)by Michael Jackson
1983	2,128	135,445	Murmur (142nd)by R.E.M.
1984	2,134	170,932	Purple Rain (81st)by Prince And The Revolution
1985	2,137	143,843	Hounds Of Love (58th)by Kate Bush
1986	2,262	170,377	The Queen Is Dead (17th)by The Smiths
1987	2,464	162,559	The Joshua Tree (52nd)by U2
1988	2,561	152,049	Daydream Nation (69th)by Sonic Youth
1989	2,573	197,300	Doolittle (18th)by Pixies
Total	22,663	1,594,566

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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431.

Swoon

Prefab Sprout

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

82 charts

Rank Score:

552

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

431

Overall Rank:

2,790

Average Rating:

74 (104 votes)

Comments:

432.

Energy

Operation Ivy

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

129 charts

Rank Score:

550

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

432

Overall Rank:

2,801

Average Rating:

75 (150 votes)

Comments:

433.

Album - Generic Flipper

Flipper

Year of Release:

1982

Appears in:

106 charts

Rank Score:

547

Rank in 1982:

Rank in 1980s:

433

Overall Rank:

2,808

Average Rating:

76 (121 votes)

Comments:

434.

Horse Rotorvator

Coil

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

97 charts

Rank Score:

546

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

434

Overall Rank:

2,817

Average Rating:

77 (114 votes)

Comments:

435.

Standing On A Beach - The Singles
Compilation

The Cure

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

103 charts

Rank Score:

545

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

435

Overall Rank:

2,819

Average Rating:

83 (214 votes)

Comments:

436.

A Secret Wish

Propaganda (DE)

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

88 charts

Rank Score:

538

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

436

Overall Rank:

2,839

Average Rating:

78 (76 votes)

Comments:

437.

Telekon

Gary Numan

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

70 charts

Rank Score:

537

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

437

Overall Rank:

2,841

Average Rating:

74 (84 votes)

Comments:

438.

The Correct Use Of Soap

Magazine

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

85 charts

Rank Score:

537

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

438

Overall Rank:

2,846

Average Rating:

76 (90 votes)

Comments:

439.

Follow The Leader

Eric B. & Rakim

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

123 charts

Rank Score:

536

Rank in 1988:

Rank in 1980s:

439

Overall Rank:

2,850

Average Rating:

78 (123 votes)

Comments:

440.

Tango: Zero Hour

Astor Piazzolla

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

87 charts

Rank Score:

534

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

440

Overall Rank:

2,860

Average Rating:

79 (87 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 44 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	116	12%
1981	121	12%
1982	111	11%
1983	98	10%
1984	101	10%
1985	80	8%
1986	95	10%
1987	88	9%
1988	93	9%
1989	97	10%

Artist	Albums	%

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

Country	Albums	%

	418	42%
	385	39%
	39	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	23	2%
	12	1%
Show all

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

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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8. Deserter's Songs by Mercury Rev
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12. Car Wheels On A Gravel Road by Lucinda Williams
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16. This Is Hardcore by Pulp
17. TNT by Tortoise
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19. Yield by Pearl Jam
20. System Of A Down by System Of A Down