Best Albums of 1981

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Listed below are the best albums of 1981 as calculated from their overall rankings in over 54,000 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 Human League, The Cure, Black Flag and This Heat.

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21.

Architecture & Morality

Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

203 charts

Rank Score:

1,083

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

247

Overall Rank:

1,590

Average Rating:

76 (218 votes)

Comments:

22.

Nightclubbing

Grace Jones

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

225 charts

Rank Score:

1,083

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

248

Overall Rank:

1,591

Average Rating:

78 (202 votes)

Comments:

23.

Escape

Journey

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

191 charts

Rank Score:

989

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

268

Overall Rank:

1,709

Average Rating:

71 (253 votes)

Comments:

24.

Business As Usual

Men At Work

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

204 charts

Rank Score:

875

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

293

Overall Rank:

1,909

Average Rating:

75 (191 votes)

Comments:

25.

Diary Of A Madman

Ozzy Osbourne

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

204 charts

Rank Score:

870

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

294

Overall Rank:

1,917

Average Rating:

77 (265 votes)

Comments:

26.

Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret

Soft Cell

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

192 charts

Rank Score:

870

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

296

Overall Rank:

1,920

Average Rating:

74 (197 votes)

Comments:

27.

Tin Drum

Japan

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

144 charts

Rank Score:

859

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

299

Overall Rank:

1,942

Average Rating:

78 (165 votes)

Comments:

28.

Talk Talk Talk

The Psychedelic Furs

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

163 charts

Rank Score:

853

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

303

Overall Rank:

1,954

Average Rating:

78 (182 votes)

Comments:

29.

The Visitors

ABBA

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

155 charts

Rank Score:

847

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

305

Overall Rank:

1,962

Average Rating:

73 (209 votes)

Comments:

30.

Abacab

Genesis

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

170 charts

Rank Score:

792

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

317

Overall Rank:

2,073

Average Rating:

70 (310 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 3 of 100

Best Albums of 1981 composition

Artist	Albums	%

Various Artists	15	2%
Frank Zappa	5	1%
Herbert von Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra	3	0%
David Bowie	3	0%
Simple Minds	3	0%
Scientist	3	0%
喜多郎 [Kitarō]	3	0%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	312	31%
	279	28%
	60	6%
	38	4%
	35	4%
	29	3%
	28	3%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	939	94%
Yes	61	6%

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

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	991	99%
Yes	9	1%

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

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