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 54,000 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	2,197	193,807	Remain In Light (26th)by Talking Heads
1981	2,232	120,825	Moving Pictures (155th)by Rush
1982	2,187	147,790	Thriller (72nd)by Michael Jackson
1983	2,230	135,155	Murmur (139th)by R.E.M.
1984	2,196	169,905	Purple Rain (78th)by Prince And The Revolution
1985	2,222	143,863	Hounds Of Love (56th)by Kate Bush
1986	2,340	169,087	The Queen Is Dead (17th)by The Smiths
1987	2,552	161,011	The Joshua Tree (53rd)by U2
1988	2,645	151,832	Daydream Nation (71st)by Sonic Youth
1989	2,679	196,896	Doolittle (19th)by Pixies
Total	23,480	1,590,172

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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991.

Clan Of Xymox

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

32 charts

Rank Score:

191

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

991

Overall Rank:

6,731

Average Rating:

77 (34 votes)

Comments:

992.

The Only Fun In Town

Josef K

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

53 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

993.

Robespierre's Velvet Basement

Nikki Sudden & Dave Kusworth Jacobites

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

27 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

993

Overall Rank:

6,744

Average Rating:

71 (24 votes)

Comments:

994.

Earth, Sun, Moon

Love And Rockets

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

48 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

994

Overall Rank:

6,749

Average Rating:

74 (63 votes)

Comments:

995.

If'n

fIREHOSE

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

38 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

995

Overall Rank:

6,751

Average Rating:

73 (36 votes)

Comments:

996.

Songs To Learn And Sing
Compilation

Echo & The Bunnymen

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

46 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

996

Overall Rank:

6,766

Average Rating:

80 (73 votes)

Comments:

997.

Stay On These Roads

a-ha

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

52 charts

Rank Score:

189

Rank in 1988:

Rank in 1980s:

997

Overall Rank:

6,768

Average Rating:

70 (93 votes)

Comments:

998.

Batman™ (Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Soundtrack

Prince

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

75 charts

Rank Score:

189

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

998

Overall Rank:

6,774

Average Rating:

68 (118 votes)

Comments:

999.

Place Without A Postcard

Midnight Oil

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

32 charts

Rank Score:

189

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

1000.

Man Of Colours

Icehouse

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

38 charts

Rank Score:

189

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

1,000

Overall Rank:

6,792

Average Rating:

68 (56 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 100 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	118	12%
1981	121	12%
1982	107	11%
1983	98	10%
1984	101	10%
1985	80	8%
1986	95	10%
1987	89	9%
1988	94	9%
1989	97	10%

Artist	Albums	%

The Cure	10	1%
The Smiths	8	1%
Rush	8	1%
Iron Maiden	8	1%
Depeche Mode	8	1%
R.E.M.	7	1%
Talking Heads	7	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	416	42%
	390	39%
	41	4%
	26	3%
	23	2%
	22	2%
	12	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	968	97%
Yes	32	3%

Live?	Albums	%
No	979	98%
Yes	21	2%

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

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

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Best Albums of the 1960s
1. Abbey Road by The Beatles
2. Revolver by The Beatles
3. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles
4. The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico
5. Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys
6. The Beatles (The White Album) by The Beatles
7. In The Court Of The Crimson King (An Observation By King Crimson) by King Crimson
8. Highway 61 Revisited by Bob Dylan
9. Rubber Soul by The Beatles
10. The Doors by The Doors
11. Blonde On Blonde by Bob Dylan
12. Are You Experienced by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
13. Led Zeppelin II by Led Zeppelin
14. Electric Ladyland by The Jimi Hendrix Experience
15. Let It Bleed by The Rolling Stones
16. Led Zeppelin by Led Zeppelin
17. Astral Weeks by Van Morrison
18. A Love Supreme by John Coltrane
19. Forever Changes by Love
20. Magical Mystery Tour by The Beatles