Best Albums of the 1980s

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
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.
Year 1980Albums The number of albums from each year featuring in the greatest album charts. 2,233Score Total rank score for each year (made up of the total rank score from all albums in that year) 191,547Top Ranked Album The top ranked album from each year and where it ranks in the overall chart.
Year 1981Albums The number of albums from each year featuring in the greatest album charts. 2,278Score Total rank score for each year (made up of the total rank score from all albums in that year) 119,602Top Ranked Album The top ranked album from each year and where it ranks in the overall chart.
Year 1982Albums The number of albums from each year featuring in the greatest album charts. 2,247Score Total rank score for each year (made up of the total rank score from all albums in that year) 147,119Top Ranked Album The top ranked album from each year and where it ranks in the overall chart.
Year 1983Albums The number of albums from each year featuring in the greatest album charts. 2,258Score Total rank score for each year (made up of the total rank score from all albums in that year) 134,046Top Ranked Album The top ranked album from each year and where it ranks in the overall chart.
Murmur (137th)by R.E.M.
Year 1984Albums The number of albums from each year featuring in the greatest album charts. 2,228Score Total rank score for each year (made up of the total rank score from all albums in that year) 168,113Top Ranked Album The top ranked album from each year and where it ranks in the overall chart.
Year 1985Albums The number of albums from each year featuring in the greatest album charts. 2,259Score Total rank score for each year (made up of the total rank score from all albums in that year) 141,972Top Ranked Album The top ranked album from each year and where it ranks in the overall chart.
Year 1986Albums The number of albums from each year featuring in the greatest album charts. 2,374Score Total rank score for each year (made up of the total rank score from all albums in that year) 167,249Top Ranked Album The top ranked album from each year and where it ranks in the overall chart.
Year 1987Albums The number of albums from each year featuring in the greatest album charts. 2,587Score Total rank score for each year (made up of the total rank score from all albums in that year) 159,336Top Ranked Album The top ranked album from each year and where it ranks in the overall chart.
Year 1988Albums The number of albums from each year featuring in the greatest album charts. 2,694Score Total rank score for each year (made up of the total rank score from all albums in that year) 150,376Top Ranked Album The top ranked album from each year and where it ranks in the overall chart.
Year 1989Albums The number of albums from each year featuring in the greatest album charts. 2,731Score Total rank score for each year (made up of the total rank score from all albums in that year) 193,390Top Ranked Album The top ranked album from each year and where it ranks in the overall chart.
Year TotalAlbums The number of albums from each year featuring in the greatest album charts. 23,889Score Total rank score for each year (made up of the total rank score from all albums in that year) 1,572,751Top Ranked Album The top ranked album from each year and where it ranks in the overall chart.

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:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
189
Rank in 1980:
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:
1980
Appears in:
Rank Score:
188
Rank in 1980:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1988
Appears in:
Rank Score:
188
Rank in 1988:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1982
Appears in:
Rank Score:
188
Rank in 1982:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
188
Rank in 1989:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
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  • iTunes
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  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
188
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1985
Appears in:
Rank Score:
188
Rank in 1985:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1989
Appears in:
Rank Score:
188
Rank in 1989:
Rank in 1980s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Buy album United States
  • Amazon
  • eBay
  • iTunes
  • Spotify
  • #Sponsored
Year of Release:
1986
Appears in:
Rank Score:
188
Rank in 1986:
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 119 12%
1981 119 12%
1982 107 11%
1983 99 10%
1984 101 10%
1985 81 8%
1986 97 10%
1987 87 9%
1988 95 10%
1989 95 10%
Artist Albums %


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


United Kingdom 417 42%
United States 390 39%
Australia 40 4%
Mixed Nationality 27 3%
Canada 23 2%
Germany 22 2%
Ireland 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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