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	2,127	194,396	Remain In Light (27th)by Talking Heads
1981	2,159	120,309	Moving Pictures (154th)by Rush
1982	2,134	148,313	Thriller (77th)by Michael Jackson
1983	2,131	135,604	Murmur (142nd)by R.E.M.
1984	2,142	171,082	Purple Rain (82nd)by Prince And The Revolution
1985	2,141	143,720	Hounds Of Love (59th)by Kate Bush
1986	2,268	170,234	The Queen Is Dead (17th)by The Smiths
1987	2,471	162,353	The Joshua Tree (52nd)by U2
1988	2,563	151,751	Daydream Nation (69th)by Sonic Youth
1989	2,584	197,591	Doolittle (18th)by Pixies
Total	22,720	1,595,352

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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321.

Hi, How Are You: The Unfinished Album

Daniel Johnston

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

132 charts

Rank Score:

793

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

321

Overall Rank:

2,095

Average Rating:

73 (164 votes)

Comments:

322.

Like A Virgin

Madonna

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

213 charts

Rank Score:

793

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

322

Overall Rank:

2,096

Average Rating:

73 (303 votes)

Comments:

323.

Beauty And The Beat

Go-Go's

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

177 charts

Rank Score:

790

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

323

Overall Rank:

2,107

Average Rating:

75 (165 votes)

Comments:

324.

Jeopardy

The Sound

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

127 charts

Rank Score:

783

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

324

Overall Rank:

2,120

Average Rating:

77 (144 votes)

Comments:

325.

October

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

198 charts

Rank Score:

778

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

325

Overall Rank:

2,124

Average Rating:

72 (419 votes)

Comments:

326.

Hallowed Ground

Violent Femmes

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

135 charts

Rank Score:

777

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

326

Overall Rank:

2,126

Average Rating:

77 (157 votes)

Comments:

327.

Ambient 4: On Land

Brian Eno

Year of Release:

1982

Appears in:

154 charts

Rank Score:

769

Rank in 1982:

Rank in 1980s:

327

Overall Rank:

2,139

Average Rating:

78 (198 votes)

Comments:

328.

Rebel Yell

Billy Idol

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

177 charts

Rank Score:

768

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

328

Overall Rank:

2,143

Average Rating:

74 (193 votes)

Comments:

329.

Kings Of The Wild Frontier

Adam And The Ants

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

144 charts

Rank Score:

765

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

329

Overall Rank:

2,153

Average Rating:

71 (194 votes)

Comments:

330.

Alchemy
Live

Dire Straits

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

132 charts

Rank Score:

765

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

330

Overall Rank:

2,156

Average Rating:

75 (217 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 33 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	117	12%
1981	122	12%
1982	111	11%
1983	96	10%
1984	102	10%
1985	80	8%
1986	95	10%
1987	86	9%
1988	93	9%
1989	98	10%

Artist	Albums	%

The Cure	10	1%
Rush	8	1%
Iron Maiden	8	1%
Depeche Mode	8	1%
Talking Heads	7	1%
U2	7	1%
The Fall	7	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	416	42%
	385	39%
	41	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	23	2%
	12	1%
Show all

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

Live?	Albums	%
No	977	98%
Yes	23	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	987	99%
Yes	13	1%

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

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Best Albums of 1988
1. Daydream Nation by Sonic Youth
2. Surfer Rosa by Pixies
3. Spirit Of Eden by Talk Talk
4. It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back by Public Enemy
5. ...And Justice For All by Metallica
6. Isn't Anything by My Bloody Valentine
7. Tracy Chapman by Tracy Chapman
8. Straight Outta Compton by N.W.A
9. Green by R.E.M.
10. Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son by Iron Maiden
11. Nothing's Shocking by Jane's Addiction
12. I'm Your Man by Leonard Cohen
13. The Traveling Wilburys, Vol. 1 by The Traveling Wilburys
14. Operation: Mindcrime by Queensrÿche
15. 16 Lovers Lane by The Go-Betweens
16. If I Should Fall From Grace With God by The Pogues
17. Viva Hate by Morrissey
18. Tender Prey by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
19. Starfish by The Church
20. Rattle And Hum by U2