Best Albums of 1981

Listed below are the best albums of 1981 as calculated from their overall rankings in over 50,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade
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Year:
1981 year summaryThe best artists of 1981 were Rush (CA), Kraftwerk, King Crimson, Siouxsie And The Banshees, Brian Eno & David Byrne, Electric Light Orchestra, The Cure, The Human League, Black Flag and This Heat.
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
10,843
Rank in 1981:
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Average Rating:
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,716
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,365
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
3,048
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,870
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,777
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,320
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,225
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
2,125
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
1,961
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Total albums: 1,000. Page 1 of 100

Best Albums of 1981 composition

Country Albums %


United States 302 30%
United Kingdom 283 28%
Germany 58 6%
Mixed Nationality 38 4%
Australia 35 4%
France 30 3%
Japan 28 3%
Show all
Compilation? Albums %
No 946 95%
Yes 54 5%
Live? Albums %
No 978 98%
Yes 22 2%
Soundtrack? Albums %
No 990 99%
Yes 10 1%
Best Albums of 1987
1. The Joshua Tree by U2
2. Appetite For Destruction by Guns N' Roses
3. Sign 'O' The Times by Prince
4. Strangeways, Here We Come by The Smiths
5. You're Living All Over Me by Dinosaur Jr.
6. Document by R.E.M.
7. Bad by Michael Jackson
8. Music For The Masses by Depeche Mode
9. Sister by Sonic Youth
10. Hysteria by Def Leppard
11. Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me by The Cure
12. Louder Than Bombs by The Smiths
13. Substance by New Order
14. Kick by INXS
15. Darklands by The Jesus And Mary Chain
16. Come On Pilgrim by Pixies
17. Paid In Full by Eric B. & Rakim
18. Diesel And Dust by Midnight Oil
19. Tango In The Night by Fleetwood Mac
20. Tunnel Of Love by Bruce Springsteen
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