Best Albums of the 1980s

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

Listed below are the best albums of the 1980s as calculated from their overall rankings in over 56,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade

Decade:

Year:

summaryThe 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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21.

Ride The Lightning

Metallica

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

903 charts

Rank Score:

9,359

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

165

Average Rating:

84 (1,351 votes)

Comments:

22.

Sign "O" The Times

Prince

Year of Release:

1987

Appears in:

875 charts

Rank Score:

9,312

Rank in 1987:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

167

Average Rating:

81 (940 votes)

Comments:

23.

The Smiths

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

967 charts

Rank Score:

8,285

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

188

Average Rating:

83 (1,466 votes)

Comments:

24.

Born In The U.S.A.

Bruce Springsteen

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

922 charts

Rank Score:

8,150

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

193

Average Rating:

78 (1,319 votes)

Comments:

25.

Violent Femmes

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

903 charts

Rank Score:

8,034

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

198

Average Rating:

81 (991 votes)

Comments:

26.

Let It Be

The Replacements

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

820 charts

Rank Score:

7,495

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

217

Average Rating:

82 (928 votes)

Comments:

27.

Brothers In Arms

Dire Straits

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

850 charts

Rank Score:

7,290

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

226

Average Rating:

78 (1,165 votes)

Comments:

28.

Peter Gabriel

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

798 charts

Rank Score:

7,252

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

228

Average Rating:

80 (921 votes)

Comments:

29.

It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

Public Enemy

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

846 charts

Rank Score:

7,225

Rank in 1988:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

230

Average Rating:

80 (996 votes)

Comments:

30.

Paul's Boutique

Beastie Boys

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

864 charts

Rank Score:

7,005

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

235

Average Rating:

82 (1,031 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 3 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	119	12%
1981	120	12%
1982	107	11%
1983	99	10%
1984	101	10%
1985	81	8%
1986	97	10%
1987	87	9%
1988	95	10%
1989	94	9%

Artist	Albums	%

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

Country	Albums	%

	418	42%
	389	39%
	40	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	22	2%
	11	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	966	97%
Yes	34	3%

Live?	Albums	%
No	978	98%
Yes	22	2%

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

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