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	2,209	192,901	Remain In Light (26th)by Talking Heads
1981	2,246	120,613	Moving Pictures (157th)by Rush
1982	2,207	147,283	Thriller (73rd)by Michael Jackson
1983	2,223	135,063	Murmur (138th)by R.E.M.
1984	2,203	169,467	Purple Rain (79th)by Prince And The Revolution
1985	2,234	143,246	Hounds Of Love (56th)by Kate Bush
1986	2,345	168,495	The Queen Is Dead (17th)by The Smiths
1987	2,559	160,597	The Joshua Tree (52nd)by U2
1988	2,662	151,541	Daydream Nation (72nd)by Sonic Youth
1989	2,690	195,968	Doolittle (19th)by Pixies
Total	23,578	1,585,176

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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171.

Searching For The Young Soul Rebels

Dexys Midnight Runners

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

231 charts

Rank Score:

1,632

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

171

Overall Rank:

1,080

Average Rating:

76 (273 votes)

Comments:

172.

The Sensual World

Kate Bush

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

334 charts

Rank Score:

1,628

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

172

Overall Rank:

1,082

Average Rating:

78 (434 votes)

Comments:

173.

The Game

Queen

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

308 charts

Rank Score:

1,618

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

173

Overall Rank:

1,088

Average Rating:

75 (498 votes)

Comments:

174.

Fables Of The Reconstruction

R.E.M.

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

316 charts

Rank Score:

1,615

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

174

Overall Rank:

1,094

Average Rating:

76 (464 votes)

Comments:

175.

Parade
Soundtrack

Prince And The Revolution

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

304 charts

Rank Score:

1,606

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

175

Overall Rank:

1,103

Average Rating:

77 (385 votes)

Comments:

176.

Bad Brains

Year of Release:

1982

Appears in:

261 charts

Rank Score:

1,591

Rank in 1982:

Rank in 1980s:

176

Overall Rank:

1,114

Average Rating:

77 (295 votes)

Comments:

177.

Blizzard Of Ozz

Ozzy Osbourne

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

316 charts

Rank Score:

1,583

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

177

Overall Rank:

1,119

Average Rating:

78 (413 votes)

Comments:

178.

Tunnel Of Love

Bruce Springsteen

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

288 charts

Rank Score:

1,582

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

178

Overall Rank:

1,120

Average Rating:

75 (512 votes)

Comments:

179.

Texas Flood

Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

293 charts

Rank Score:

1,582

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

179

Overall Rank:

1,121

Average Rating:

79 (345 votes)

Comments:

180.

Viva Hate

Morrissey

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

273 charts

Rank Score:

1,578

Rank in 1988:

Rank in 1980s:

180

Overall Rank:

1,122

Average Rating:

77 (326 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 18 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	118	12%
1981	121	12%
1982	107	11%
1983	98	10%
1984	103	10%
1985	79	8%
1986	94	9%
1987	88	9%
1988	96	10%
1989	96	10%

Artist	Albums	%

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

Country	Albums	%

	415	42%
	392	39%
	39	4%
	26	3%
	23	2%
	22	2%
	12	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	969	97%
Yes	31	3%

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

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	989	99%
Yes	11	1%

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

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Best Albums of the 1970s
1. The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd
2. Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd
3. The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars by David Bowie
4. Untitled (Led Zeppelin IV) by Led Zeppelin
5. London Calling by The Clash
6. Rumours by Fleetwood Mac
7. The Wall by Pink Floyd
8. Animals by Pink Floyd
9. Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division
10. Who's Next by The Who
11. Blood On The Tracks by Bob Dylan
12. Exile On Main St. by The Rolling Stones
13. Marquee Moon by Television
14. Hunky Dory by David Bowie
15. What's Going On by Marvin Gaye
16. Pink Moon by Nick Drake
17. Paranoid by Black Sabbath
18. Low by David Bowie
19. Sticky Fingers by The Rolling Stones
20. Blue by Joni Mitchell