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

Decade:

Year:

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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51.

Desire

Tuxedomoon

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

77 charts

Rank Score:

523

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

447

Overall Rank:

2,909

Average Rating:

76 (88 votes)

Comments:

52.

Scientist Rids The World Of The Evil Curse Of The Vampires

Scientist

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

67 charts

Rank Score:

520

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

450

Overall Rank:

2,918

Average Rating:

77 (55 votes)

Comments:

53.

Pretenders II

Pretenders

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

121 charts

Rank Score:

475

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

487

Overall Rank:

3,149

Average Rating:

75 (131 votes)

Comments:

54.

No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith
Live

Motörhead

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

123 charts

Rank Score:

470

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

491

Overall Rank:

3,178

Average Rating:

80 (161 votes)

Comments:

55.

Playing With A Different Sex

Au Pairs

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

84 charts

Rank Score:

464

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

495

Overall Rank:

3,211

Average Rating:

78 (79 votes)

Comments:

56.

Wild Gift

X (US)

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

129 charts

Rank Score:

458

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

497

Overall Rank:

3,249

Average Rating:

75 (135 votes)

Comments:

57.

Hard Promises

Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

128 charts

Rank Score:

453

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

502

Overall Rank:

3,271

Average Rating:

75 (157 votes)

Comments:

58.

The Durutti Column

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

83 charts

Rank Score:

452

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

505

Overall Rank:

3,279

Average Rating:

75 (91 votes)

Comments:

59.

Mask

Bauhaus

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

124 charts

Rank Score:

450

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

506

Overall Rank:

3,283

Average Rating:

77 (151 votes)

Comments:

60.

Speak & Spell

Depeche Mode

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

140 charts

Rank Score:

447

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

510

Overall Rank:

3,301

Average Rating:

70 (211 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 6 of 100

Best Albums of 1981 composition

Artist	Albums	%

Various Artists	15	2%
Frank Zappa	5	1%
Kitarō	3	0%
Herbert von Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra	3	0%
David Bowie	3	0%
Simple Minds	3	0%
Gary Numan	3	0%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	305	31%
	285	29%
	58	6%
	39	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%

« View best albums of 1980View best albums of 1982 »

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