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 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	2,210	192,946	Remain In Light (26th)by Talking Heads
1981	2,247	120,615	Moving Pictures (157th)by Rush
1982	2,208	147,327	Thriller (73rd)by Michael Jackson
1983	2,227	135,089	Murmur (138th)by R.E.M.
1984	2,207	169,528	Purple Rain (79th)by Prince And The Revolution
1985	2,233	143,336	Hounds Of Love (56th)by Kate Bush
1986	2,346	168,530	The Queen Is Dead (17th)by The Smiths
1987	2,559	160,626	The Joshua Tree (52nd)by U2
1988	2,663	151,563	Daydream Nation (72nd)by Sonic Youth
1989	2,691	195,939	Doolittle (19th)by Pixies
Total	23,591	1,585,497

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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331.

Killing Joke

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

186 charts

Rank Score:

755

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

331

Overall Rank:

2,166

Average Rating:

77 (211 votes)

Comments:

332.

Vs.

Mission Of Burma

Year of Release:

1982

Appears in:

163 charts

Rank Score:

750

Rank in 1982:

Rank in 1980s:

332

Overall Rank:

2,174

Average Rating:

78 (183 votes)

Comments:

333.

Born Sandy Devotional

The Triffids

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

128 charts

Rank Score:

750

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

333

Overall Rank:

2,175

Average Rating:

76 (129 votes)

Comments:

334.

A Kind Of Magic

Queen

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

188 charts

Rank Score:

740

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

334

Overall Rank:

2,201

Average Rating:

69 (320 votes)

Comments:

335.

...And Don't The Kids Just Love It

Television Personalities

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

153 charts

Rank Score:

737

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

335

Overall Rank:

2,203

Average Rating:

77 (144 votes)

Comments:

336.

Kings Of The Wild Frontier

Adam And The Ants

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

144 charts

Rank Score:

735

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

336

Overall Rank:

2,206

Average Rating:

71 (201 votes)

Comments:

337.

...But Seriously

Phil Collins

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

147 charts

Rank Score:

732

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

337

Overall Rank:

2,210

Average Rating:

69 (173 votes)

Comments:

338.

Fair Warning

Van Halen

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

152 charts

Rank Score:

729

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

338

Overall Rank:

2,218

Average Rating:

75 (259 votes)

Comments:

339.

Alchemy
Live

Dire Straits

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

131 charts

Rank Score:

728

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

339

Overall Rank:

2,220

Average Rating:

75 (220 votes)

Comments:

340.

Scoundrel Days

a-ha

Year of Release:

1986

Appears in:

116 charts

Rank Score:

727

Rank in 1986:

Rank in 1980s:

340

Overall Rank:

2,222

Average Rating:

72 (180 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 34 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	95	10%
1987	88	9%
1988	96	10%
1989	96	10%

Artist	Albums	%

The Cure	10	1%
Rush	8	1%
Depeche Mode	8	1%
Iron Maiden	8	1%
The Smiths	8	1%
Talking Heads	7	1%
U2	7	1%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	415	41%
	392	39%
	39	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	22	2%
	12	1%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	970	97%
Yes	31	3%

Live?	Albums	%
No	978	98%
Yes	23	2%

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	990	99%
Yes	11	1%

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

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