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 55,000 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	2,223	192,070	Remain In Light (26th)by Talking Heads
1981	2,264	120,252	Moving Pictures (156th)by Rush
1982	2,234	147,406	Thriller (71st)by Michael Jackson
1983	2,246	134,520	Murmur (139th)by R.E.M.
1984	2,218	168,965	Purple Rain (77th)by Prince And The Revolution
1985	2,241	143,065	Hounds Of Love (53rd)by Kate Bush
1986	2,354	168,208	The Queen Is Dead (16th)by The Smiths
1987	2,572	160,009	The Joshua Tree (52nd)by U2
1988	2,678	151,010	Daydream Nation (73rd)by Sonic Youth
1989	2,708	195,137	Doolittle (19th)by Pixies
Total	23,738	1,580,643

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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991.

Iron Fist

Motörhead

Year of Release:

1982

Appears in:

68 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1982:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

992.

In God We Trust, Inc

Dead Kennedys

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

49 charts

Rank Score:

190

Rank in 1981:

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Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

993.

Friday The 13th
Live

The Playn Jayn

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

6 charts

Rank Score:

189

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

994.

The Only Fun In Town

Josef K

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

53 charts

Rank Score:

189

Rank in 1981:

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Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

995.

Cry Tuff Dub Encounter Chapter III

Prince Far I & The Arabs

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

29 charts

Rank Score:

188

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

996.

Live... In The Heart Of The City
Live

Whitesnake

Year of Release:

1980

Appears in:

32 charts

Rank Score:

188

Rank in 1980:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

997.

Nena

Year of Release:

1983

Appears in:

35 charts

Rank Score:

188

Rank in 1983:

Rank in 1980s:

997

Overall Rank:

6,812

Average Rating:

72 (39 votes)

Comments:

998.

Vengeance

New Model Army

Year of Release:

1984

Appears in:

28 charts

Rank Score:

188

Rank in 1984:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

999.

Clan Of Xymox

Year of Release:

1985

Appears in:

32 charts

Rank Score:

188

Rank in 1985:

Rank in 1980s:

999

Overall Rank:

6,826

Average Rating:

77 (35 votes)

Comments:

1000.

Runaway Horses

Belinda Carlisle

Year of Release:

1989

Appears in:

37 charts

Rank Score:

188

Rank in 1989:

Rank in 1980s:

1,000

Overall Rank:

6,831

Average Rating:

74 (42 votes)

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 100 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year	Albums	%

1980	119	12%
1981	120	12%
1982	108	11%
1983	98	10%
1984	103	10%
1985	81	8%
1986	97	10%
1987	87	9%
1988	92	9%
1989	95	10%

Artist	Albums	%

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

Country	Albums	%

	420	42%
	389	39%
	39	4%
	27	3%
	23	2%
	22	2%
	11	1%
Show all

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

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

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

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

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Best Albums of the 1950s
1. Kind Of Blue by Miles Davis
2. Mingus Ah Um by Charles Mingus
3. Time Out by The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4. Blue Train by John Coltrane
5. Elvis Presley by Elvis Presley
6. In The Wee Small Hours by Frank Sinatra
7. Here's Little Richard by Little Richard
8. The Shape Of Jazz To Come by Ornette Coleman
9. Art Blakey And The Jazz Messengers by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
10. Berry Is On Top by Chuck Berry
11. Lady In Satin by Billie Holiday
12. Songs For Swingin' Lovers! by Frank Sinatra
13. Brilliant Corners by Thelonious Monk
14. Somethin' Else by Cannonball Adderley
15. The "Chirping" Crickets by The Crickets
16. Saxophone Colossus by Sonny Rollins
17. Chet Baker Sings by Chet Baker
18. Buddy Holly by Buddy Holly
19. Birth Of The Cool by Miles Davis
20. Moanin' In The Moonlight by Howlin' Wolf