Best Albums of the 1980s

Listed below are the best albums of the 1980s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 54,000 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.
19802,199193,375
19812,236120,872
19822,189147,600
19832,230134,997
Murmur (140th)by R.E.M.
19842,198169,782
19852,226143,562
19862,343168,987
19872,554160,757
19882,646151,587
19892,682196,537
Total23,5031,588,057

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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Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1988
Appears in:
Rank Score:
190
Rank in 1988:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
190
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1984
Appears in:
Rank Score:
190
Rank in 1984:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1987
Appears in:
Rank Score:
190
Rank in 1987:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1987
Appears in:
Rank Score:
190
Rank in 1987:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1988
Appears in:
Rank Score:
189
Rank in 1988:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • iTunes
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  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
189
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
189
Rank in 1989:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
188
Rank in 1989:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
188
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 1,000. Page 100 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year Albums %


1980 118 12%
1981 121 12%
1982 107 11%
1983 98 10%
1984 102 10%
1985 80 8%
1986 95 10%
1987 88 9%
1988 94 9%
1989 97 10%
Artist Albums %


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


United Kingdom 417 42%
United States 390 39%
Australia 40 4%
Mixed Nationality 26 3%
Canada 23 2%
Germany 22 2%
Argentina 12 1%
Show all
Compilation? Albums %
No 968 97%
Yes 32 3%
Live? Albums %
No 978 98%
Yes 22 2%
Soundtrack? Albums %
No 988 99%
Yes 12 1%
Popular  Charts
1. 100 Best Albums - 2024 Edition by Apple Music (2024)
2. 200 Greatest Albums of All Time by Uncut (2016)
3. The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time by New Music Express (2013)
4. The Top 100 Albums by VH1 (2001)
5. The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone (2020)
6. Virgin All-Time Top 1000 Albums by Virgin (2000)
7. Top 100 Albums by ABC (2006)
8. The Definitive 200 by National Association of Recording Merchandisers (2007)
9. The 300 Greatest Albums of All Time (1-100) by Paste (2024)
10. Die 100 besten Alben der Musikgeschichte by radioeins (2019)
11. Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by Melody Maker (2000)
12. The 100 Greatest Albums Of All Time by Absolute Radio (2012)
13. 100 Greatest Albums Ever by Q (2006)
14. Die 20 besten Alben der Geschichte by Musikexpress.de (2011)
15. The Greatest Rock Albums by uDiscoverMusic (2015)
16. The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time by Consequence of Sound (2022)
17. Die 100 besten Platten des Jahrhunderts by Wiener (1999)
18. Los 48 mejores discos de la historia by Esquire España (2022)
19. Die 100 Alben des Jahrhunderts by Spex (2000)
20. Greatest 100 Albums of All Time by The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums with NME (2006)
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