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	2,129	194,045	Remain In Light (27th)by Talking Heads
1981	2,163	120,381	Moving Pictures (156th)by Rush
1982	2,135	148,511	Thriller (75th)by Michael Jackson
1983	2,131	135,604	Murmur (142nd)by R.E.M.
1984	2,144	171,120	Purple Rain (81st)by Prince And The Revolution
1985	2,146	143,754	Hounds Of Love (58th)by Kate Bush
1986	2,277	170,255	The Queen Is Dead (17th)by The Smiths
1987	2,474	162,412	The Joshua Tree (52nd)by U2
1988	2,562	151,763	Daydream Nation (69th)by Sonic Youth
1989	2,586	197,313	Doolittle (18th)by Pixies
Total	22,747	1,595,157

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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181.

Screaming For Vengeance

Judas Priest

Year of Release:

1982

Appears in:

265 charts

Rank Score:

1,549

Rank in 1982:

Rank in 1980s:

181

Overall Rank:

1,141

Average Rating:

78 (369 votes)

Comments:

182.

Little Creatures

Talking Heads

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

285 charts

Rank Score:

1,541

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

182

Overall Rank:

1,147

Average Rating:

76 (409 votes)

Comments:

183.

Black Sea

XTC

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

204 charts

Rank Score:

1,537

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

183

Overall Rank:

1,153

Average Rating:

78 (219 votes)

Comments:

184.

Searching For The Young Soul Rebels

Dexys Midnight Runners

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

227 charts

Rank Score:

1,534

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

184

Overall Rank:

1,154

Average Rating:

76 (264 votes)

Comments:

185.

Hats

The Blue Nile

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

194 charts

Rank Score:

1,527

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

185

Overall Rank:

1,156

Average Rating:

79 (211 votes)

Comments:

186.

13 Songs
Compilation

Fugazi

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

235 charts

Rank Score:

1,520

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

186

Overall Rank:

1,161

Average Rating:

80 (285 votes)

Comments:

187.

Colossal Youth

Young Marble Giants

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

257 charts

Rank Score:

1,515

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

187

Overall Rank:

1,169

Average Rating:

78 (257 votes)

Comments:

188.

Faith

George Michael

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

279 charts

Rank Score:

1,513

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

188

Overall Rank:

1,172

Average Rating:

73 (330 votes)

Comments:

189.

Never For Ever

Kate Bush

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

251 charts

Rank Score:

1,507

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

189

Overall Rank:

1,180

Average Rating:

79 (361 votes)

Comments:

190.

Heaven Up Here

Echo & The Bunnymen

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

260 charts

Rank Score:

1,490

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

190

Overall Rank:

1,193

Average Rating:

77 (319 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 19 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	117	12%
1981	123	12%
1982	110	11%
1983	96	10%
1984	102	10%
1985	81	8%
1986	95	10%
1987	86	9%
1988	93	9%
1989	98	10%

Artist	Albums	%

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

Country	Albums	%

	416	42%
	385	38%
	41	4%
	28	3%
	23	2%
	22	2%
	12	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	968	97%
Yes	33	3%

Live?	Albums	%
No	977	98%
Yes	24	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	988	99%
Yes	13	1%

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

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