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 53,000 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	2,129	194,072	Remain In Light (27th)by Talking Heads
1981	2,163	120,414	Moving Pictures (156th)by Rush
1982	2,136	148,541	Thriller (76th)by Michael Jackson
1983	2,131	135,706	Murmur (142nd)by R.E.M.
1984	2,144	171,124	Purple Rain (81st)by Prince And The Revolution
1985	2,146	143,928	Hounds Of Love (58th)by Kate Bush
1986	2,277	170,252	The Queen Is Dead (17th)by The Smiths
1987	2,473	162,510	The Joshua Tree (52nd)by U2
1988	2,562	151,891	Daydream Nation (69th)by Sonic Youth
1989	2,586	197,472	Doolittle (18th)by Pixies
Total	22,747	1,595,908

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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281.

Blackout

Scorpions

Year of Release:

1982

Appears in:

185 charts

Rank Score:

936

Rank in 1982:

Rank in 1980s:

281

Overall Rank:

1,801

Average Rating:

76 (215 votes)

Comments:

282.

Heartattack And Vine

Tom Waits

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

190 charts

Rank Score:

930

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

282

Overall Rank:

1,812

Average Rating:

75 (254 votes)

Comments:

283.

Victorialand

Cocteau Twins

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

176 charts

Rank Score:

927

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

283

Overall Rank:

1,821

Average Rating:

77 (216 votes)

Comments:

284.

Infected

The The

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

147 charts

Rank Score:

925

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

284

Overall Rank:

1,830

Average Rating:

74 (163 votes)

Comments:

285.

You Made Me Realise

My Bloody Valentine

Year of Release:

1988

Appears in:

143 charts

Rank Score:

919

Rank in 1988:

Rank in 1980s:

285

Overall Rank:

1,838

Average Rating:

83 (269 votes)

Comments:

286.

Boys Don't Cry
Compilation

The Cure

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

161 charts

Rank Score:

912

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

286

Overall Rank:

1,850

Average Rating:

78 (308 votes)

Comments:

287.

Porcupine

Echo & The Bunnymen

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

198 charts

Rank Score:

906

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

287

Overall Rank:

1,859

Average Rating:

77 (233 votes)

Comments:

288.

I Just Can't Stop It

The Beat (UK)

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

147 charts

Rank Score:

902

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

288

Overall Rank:

1,865

Average Rating:

77 (159 votes)

Comments:

289.

Please

Pet Shop Boys

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

184 charts

Rank Score:

900

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

289

Overall Rank:

1,871

Average Rating:

76 (204 votes)

Comments:

290.

Diary Of A Madman

Ozzy Osbourne

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

196 charts

Rank Score:

893

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

290

Overall Rank:

1,883

Average Rating:

77 (262 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 29 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	117	12%
1981	123	12%
1982	110	11%
1983	96	10%
1984	102	10%
1985	81	8%
1986	93	9%
1987	86	9%
1988	93	9%
1989	99	10%

Artist	Albums	%

The Cure	10	1%
Iron Maiden	8	1%
Depeche Mode	8	1%
Rush	8	1%
U2	7	1%
The Smiths	7	1%
R.E.M.	7	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	415	42%
	386	39%
	41	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	22	2%
	12	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	967	97%
Yes	33	3%

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

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	987	99%
Yes	13	1%

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

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