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	2,131	193,911	Remain In Light (27th)by Talking Heads
1981	2,176	120,600	Moving Pictures (156th)by Rush
1982	2,138	148,324	Thriller (76th)by Michael Jackson
1983	2,151	135,620	Murmur (143rd)by R.E.M.
1984	2,153	170,972	Purple Rain (81st)by Prince And The Revolution
1985	2,166	144,142	Hounds Of Love (58th)by Kate Bush
1986	2,282	170,074	The Queen Is Dead (17th)by The Smiths
1987	2,481	162,479	The Joshua Tree (52nd)by U2
1988	2,567	151,841	Daydream Nation (69th)by Sonic Youth
1989	2,591	197,494	Doolittle (18th)by Pixies
Total	22,836	1,595,457

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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531.

Street Fighting Years

Simple Minds

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

80 charts

Rank Score:

425

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

531

Overall Rank:

3,449

Average Rating:

68 (104 votes)

Comments:

532.

Forever Now

The Psychedelic Furs

Year of Release:

1982

Appears in:

93 charts

Rank Score:

425

Rank in 1982:

Rank in 1980s:

532

Overall Rank:

3,450

Average Rating:

77 (94 votes)

Comments:

533.

Punch The Clock

Elvis Costello And The Attractions

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

99 charts

Rank Score:

425

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

533

Overall Rank:

3,451

Average Rating:

72 (159 votes)

Comments:

534.

Solid Gold

Gang Of Four

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

114 charts

Rank Score:

423

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

534

Overall Rank:

3,467

Average Rating:

77 (134 votes)

Comments:

535.

Hi Infidelity

REO Speedwagon

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

98 charts

Rank Score:

422

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

535

Overall Rank:

3,476

Average Rating:

72 (112 votes)

Comments:

536.

Don't Break The Oath

Mercyful Fate

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

101 charts

Rank Score:

421

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

536

Overall Rank:

3,480

Average Rating:

75 (129 votes)

Comments:

537.

Jamboree

Beat Happening

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

84 charts

Rank Score:

419

Rank in 1988:

Rank in 1980s:

537

Overall Rank:

3,495

Average Rating:

78 (91 votes)

Comments:

538.

Surfing With The Alien

Joe Satriani

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

101 charts

Rank Score:

419

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

538

Overall Rank:

3,502

Average Rating:

74 (131 votes)

Comments:

539.

Throwing Muses (1986)

Throwing Muses

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

76 charts

Rank Score:

418

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

539

Overall Rank:

3,509

Average Rating:

76 (70 votes)

Comments:

540.

Still

Joy Division

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

94 charts

Rank Score:

418

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

540

Overall Rank:

3,511

Average Rating:

77 (157 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 54 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	93	9%
1987	86	9%
1988	93	9%
1989	99	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	39%
	41	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	22	2%
	12	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	967	97%
Yes	33	3%

Live?	Albums	%
No	978	98%
Yes	22	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	988	99%
Yes	12	1%

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

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