Best Albums of 1981

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Listed below are the best albums of 1981 as calculated from their overall rankings in over 53,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade

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1981 year summaryThe best artists of 1981 were Rush, 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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131.

The Complete Score From The Broadway Production Of "The Catherine Wheel"
Live soundtrack

David Byrne

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

26 charts

Rank Score:

162

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182.

Chariots Of Fire
Soundtrack

Vangelis

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

43 charts

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252.

Raiders Of The Lost Ark
Soundtrack

John Williams (US)

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

28 charts

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340.

Thief
Soundtrack

Tangerine Dream

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

17 charts

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480.

Heavy Metal (Music From The Motion Picture)
Soundtrack compilation

Various Artists

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

9 charts

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541.

Christiane F. Wir Kinder Vom Bahnhof ZOO
Soundtrack

David Bowie

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

9 charts

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563.

Diva (Bande Originale Du Film)
Soundtrack

Vladimir Cosma

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

2 charts

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601.

Escape From New York (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Soundtrack

John Carpenter

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

10 charts

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604.

Le Professionnel
Soundtrack

Ennio Morricone

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

5 charts

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994.

Safe Mode: On

Double Art
Soundtrack

Various Artists

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

1 chart

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Total albums: 10. Page 1 of 1

Best Albums of 1981 composition

Artist	Albums	%

Various Artists	16	2%
Frank Zappa	5	1%
Scientist	3	0%
Simple Minds	3	0%
Kitarō	3	0%
Gary Numan	3	0%
Herbert von Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra	3	0%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	305	31%
	284	28%
	58	6%
	41	4%
	36	4%
	29	3%
	27	3%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	938	94%
Yes	62	6%

Live?	Albums	%
No	970	97%
Yes	30	3%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	990	99%
Yes	10	1%

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Best Albums of the 1980s
1. The Queen Is Dead by The Smiths
2. Doolittle by Pixies
3. Remain In Light by Talking Heads
4. Disintegration by The Cure
5. The Stone Roses by The Stone Roses
6. The Joshua Tree by U2
7. Hounds Of Love by Kate Bush
8. Daydream Nation by Sonic Youth
9. Thriller by Michael Jackson
10. Closer by Joy Division
11. Purple Rain by Prince And The Revolution
12. Surfer Rosa by Pixies
13. Master Of Puppets by Metallica
14. Rain Dogs by Tom Waits
15. Appetite For Destruction by Guns N' Roses
16. Graceland by Paul Simon
17. Spirit Of Eden by Talk Talk
18. Back In Black by AC/DC
19. Murmur by R.E.M.
20. Moving Pictures by Rush