Best Albums of the 1980s

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
YearAlbums 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.
19802,211192,878
19812,252120,525
19822,216147,423
19832,233134,833
Murmur (140th)by R.E.M.
19842,211169,417
19852,233143,289
19862,348168,544
19872,562160,318
19882,668151,454
19892,695195,832
Total23,6291,584,513

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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Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1987
Appears in:
Rank Score:
189
Rank in 1987:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
189
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1981
Appears in:
Rank Score:
189
Rank in 1981:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
189
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1987
Appears in:
Rank Score:
189
Rank in 1987:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
189
Rank in 1989:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1988
Appears in:
Rank Score:
189
Rank in 1988:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
Rank Score:
189
Rank in 1986:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
Rank Score:
188
Rank in 1986:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • eBay
  • iTunes
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  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1988
Appears in:
Rank Score:
188
Rank in 1988:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 1,000. Page 100 of 100

Best Albums of the 1980s composition

Year Albums %


1980 118 12%
1981 121 12%
1982 109 11%
1983 97 10%
1984 104 10%
1985 79 8%
1986 95 10%
1987 88 9%
1988 94 9%
1989 96 10%
Artist Albums %


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


United Kingdom 416 42%
United States 392 39%
Australia 39 4%
Mixed Nationality 28 3%
Canada 23 2%
Germany 22 2%
Argentina 12 1%
Show all
Compilation? Albums %
No 969 97%
Yes 32 3%
Live? Albums %
No 978 98%
Yes 23 2%
Soundtrack? Albums %
No 990 99%
Yes 11 1%
Popular  Charts
1. The Top 100 Albums by VH1 (2001)
2. The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone (2020)
3. 200 Greatest Albums of All Time by Uncut (2016)
4. The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time by New Music Express (2013)
5. 100 Best Albums - 2024 Edition by Apple Music (2024)
6. Top 100 Albums by ABC (2006)
7. The Definitive 200 by National Association of Recording Merchandisers (2007)
8. Virgin All-Time Top 1000 Albums by Virgin (2000)
9. The Greatest Rock Albums by uDiscoverMusic (2015)
10. Die 100 Alben des Jahrhunderts by Spex (2000)
11. 100 Greatest Albums Ever by Q (2006)
12. Los 48 mejores discos de la historia by Esquire España (2022)
13. The 300 Greatest Albums of All Time (1-100) by Paste (2024)
14. Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by Melody Maker (2000)
15. Die 100 besten Platten des Jahrhunderts by Wiener (1999)
16. The 100 Greatest Albums Of All Time by Absolute Radio (2012)
17. The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time by Consequence of Sound (2022)
18. Mojo Readers: The 100 Greatest Albums Ever Made by Mojo (1996)
19. Greatest 100 Albums of All Time by The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles & Albums with NME (2006)
20. Die 20 besten Alben der Geschichte by Musikexpress.de (2011)
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