Best Albums of 1981

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

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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31.

Beauty And The Beat

Go-Go's

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

177 charts

Rank Score:

789

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

322

Overall Rank:

2,103

Average Rating:

75 (165 votes)

Comments:

32.

October

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

197 charts

Rank Score:

777

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

325

Overall Rank:

2,127

Average Rating:

72 (419 votes)

Comments:

33.

Abacab

Genesis

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

163 charts

Rank Score:

773

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

326

Overall Rank:

2,129

Average Rating:

70 (305 votes)

Comments:

34.

Dolmen Music

Meredith Monk

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

70 charts

Rank Score:

727

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

342

Overall Rank:

2,236

Average Rating:

75 (78 votes)

Comments:

35.

La Voce Del Padrone

Franco Battiato

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

67 charts

Rank Score:

707

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

349

Overall Rank:

2,286

Average Rating:

77 (86 votes)

Comments:

36.

Foreigner

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

169 charts

Rank Score:

694

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

355

Overall Rank:

2,319

Average Rating:

72 (213 votes)

Comments:

37.

Mob Rules

Black Sabbath

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

153 charts

Rank Score:

693

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

357

Overall Rank:

2,324

Average Rating:

75 (247 votes)

Comments:

38.

Bella Donna

Stevie Nicks

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

172 charts

Rank Score:

691

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

359

Overall Rank:

2,332

Average Rating:

76 (193 votes)

Comments:

39.

Fair Warning

Van Halen

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

150 charts

Rank Score:

687

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

362

Overall Rank:

2,342

Average Rating:

75 (256 votes)

Comments:

40.

Trust

Elvis Costello And The Attractions

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

147 charts

Rank Score:

659

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

372

Overall Rank:

2,422

Average Rating:

78 (190 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 4 of 100

Best Albums of 1981 composition

Artist	Albums	%

Various Artists	15	2%
Frank Zappa	5	1%
Simple Minds	3	0%
Gary Numan	3	0%
Scientist	3	0%
David Bowie	3	0%
Herbert von Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra	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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Best Artists of 1990
1. Depeche Mode
2. Cocteau Twins
3. Ride
4. Megadeth
5. Pixies
6. Sonic Youth
7. Jane's Addiction
8. Fugazi
9. The La's
10. Public Enemy
11. Soda Stereo
12. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
13. Nick Cave
14. The Sundays
15. Happy Mondays
16. Angelo Badalamenti
17. They Might Be Giants
18. Sinéad O'Connor
19. Judas Priest
20. Alice In Chains