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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941.

Common One

Van Morrison

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

61 charts

Rank Score:

202

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

942.

Another Perfect Day

Motörhead

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

51 charts

Rank Score:

201

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

942

Overall Rank:

6,432

Average Rating:

77 (79 votes)

Comments:

943.

The Singles 81→85
Compilation

Depeche Mode

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

35 charts

Rank Score:

201

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

943

Overall Rank:

6,434

Average Rating:

78 (89 votes)

Comments:

944.

Boomtown

David & David

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

19 charts

Rank Score:

201

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

944

Overall Rank:

6,461

Average Rating:

73 (23 votes)

Comments:

945.

Stray Cats

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

64 charts

Rank Score:

200

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

946.

Abigail

King Diamond

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

51 charts

Rank Score:

200

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

946

Overall Rank:

6,488

Average Rating:

78 (66 votes)

Comments:

947.

Kite

Kirsty MacColl

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

45 charts

Rank Score:

199

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

947

Overall Rank:

6,492

Average Rating:

74 (32 votes)

Comments:

948.

Alles Ist Gut

D.A.F.

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

58 charts

Rank Score:

199

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

949.

Falco 3

Falco

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

46 charts

Rank Score:

199

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

949

Overall Rank:

6,500

Average Rating:

71 (51 votes)

Comments:

950.

Chris Isaak

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

46 charts

Rank Score:

199

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

950

Overall Rank:

6,506

Average Rating:

71 (66 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 95 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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