Best Albums of 1981

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Listed below are the best albums of 1981 as calculated from their overall rankings in over 55,000 greatest album charts.

Best albums by year or decade

Decade:

Year:

1981 year summaryThe best artists of 1981 were Rush, Kraftwerk, King Crimson, Siouxsie And The Banshees, Brian Eno & David Byrne, Electric Light Orchestra, The Human League, The Cure, Black Flag and This Heat.

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91.

The Friends Of Mr. Cairo

Jon & Vangelis

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

40 charts

Rank Score:

267

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

758

Overall Rank:

5,125

Average Rating:

74 (41 votes)

Comments:

92.

Penguin Cafe Orchestra

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

56 charts

Rank Score:

266

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

760

Overall Rank:

5,133

Average Rating:

73 (64 votes)

Comments:

93.

Songs Of Pain

Daniel Johnston

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

51 charts

Rank Score:

258

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

768

Overall Rank:

5,243

Average Rating:

77 (58 votes)

Comments:

94.

Almost Blue

Elvis Costello And The Attractions

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

56 charts

Rank Score:

258

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

769

Overall Rank:

5,244

Average Rating:

70 (88 votes)

Comments:

95.

Sons And Fascination/Sister Feelings Call
Compilation

Simple Minds

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

50 charts

Rank Score:

258

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

770

Overall Rank:

5,259

Average Rating:

73 (98 votes)

Comments:

96.

Psychedelic Jungle

The Cramps

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

65 charts

Rank Score:

256

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

777

Overall Rank:

5,295

Average Rating:

73 (71 votes)

Comments:

97.

The Electric Spanking Of War Babies

Funkadelic

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

43 charts

Rank Score:

244

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

806

Overall Rank:

5,486

Average Rating:

73 (38 votes)

Comments:

98.

Lounge Lizards

The Lounge Lizards

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

61 charts

Rank Score:

242

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

812

Overall Rank:

5,525

Average Rating:

76 (52 votes)

Comments:

99.

Tom Tom Club

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

83 charts

Rank Score:

241

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

819

Overall Rank:

5,549

Average Rating:

72 (107 votes)

Comments:

100.

Sleep No More

The Comsat Angels

Year of Release:

1981

Appears in:

50 charts

Rank Score:

237

Rank in 1981:

Rank in 1980s:

Overall Rank:

Average Rating:

Comments:

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Total albums: 1,000. Page 10 of 100

Best Albums of 1981 composition

Artist	Albums	%

Various Artists	15	1%
Frank Zappa	5	0%
Tangerine Dream	3	0%
Herbert von Karajan / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra	3	0%
喜多郎 [Kitarō]	3	0%
David Bowie	3	0%
Simple Minds	3	0%
Show all

Country	Albums	%

	312	31%
	277	28%
	60	6%
	39	4%
	36	4%
	29	3%
	29	3%
Show all

Compilation?	Albums	%
No	940	94%
Yes	61	6%

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

Soundtrack?	Albums	%
No	992	99%
Yes	9	1%

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