Best Albums
Discover
New Releases
Lists
Genres
News
Community
Sign In
Pitchfork's Top 100 Albums of the 1980s
Original Source →
Comments
Sort
Low → High
Low → High
High → Low
100
.
Minor Threat - Out of Step
April 0, 1983
Hardcore Punk
Critic Score
90
1 review
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
99
.
Gang of Four - Songs of the Free
January 1, 1982
Post-Punk
Critic Score
70
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
98
.
Cocteau Twins - Treasure
November 1, 1984
Dream Pop
Critic Score
90
1 review
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
97
.
Mekons - The Mekons Rock 'n' Roll
September 1, 1989
Post-Punk
Critic Score
85
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
96
.
Rites of Spring - Rites of Spring
June 1, 1985
Post-Hardcore
Critic Score
60
1 review
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
95
.
Duran Duran - Rio
May 10, 1982
Synthpop
Critic Score
90
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
94
.
Meat Puppets - Meat Puppets II
April 1, 1984
Alternative Rock
Critic Score
100
1 review
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
93
.
David Bowie - Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)
September 12, 1980
Art Rock
Critic Score
90
3 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
92
.
Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
September 16, 1985
Art Pop
Critic Score
97
3 reviews
With her self-produced fifth album, Kate Bush became a total auteur, embracing the possibilities of digital sampling synthesizers and creating a perfect marriage of technique and exploration.
Full Review →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
91
.
X - Los Angeles
April 26, 1980
Punk Rock
Critic Score
100
1 review
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
90
.
Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking
August 23, 1988
Alternative Rock
Critic Score
90
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
89
.
Boredoms - Soul Discharge
December 1, 1989
Noise Rock
Critic Score
90
1 review
Amazon
88
.
Spacemen 3 - Playing With Fire
February 27, 1989
Neo-Psychedelia
Critic Score
90
1 review
Amazon
iTunes
Music
87
.
Prince - Dirty Mind
October 8, 1980
Synth Funk
Critic Score
99
6
reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
86
.
The Police - Ghost in the Machine
October 2, 1981
New Wave
Critic Score
75
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
85
.
Paul Simon - Graceland
August 12, 1986
Singer-Songwriter
Critic Score
100
5
reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
84
.
ESG - Come Away with ESG
January 1, 1983
Post-Punk
Critic Score
85
3 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
83
.
Talk Talk - The Colour of Spring
February 17, 1986
Art Rock
Critic Score
85
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
82
.
The Fall - Perverted by Language
December 12, 1983
Post-Punk
Critic Score
80
1 review
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
81
.
Cocteau Twins - Blue Bell Knoll
September 19, 1988
Dream Pop
Critic Score
81
3 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
80
.
Hüsker Dü - New Day Rising
January 1, 1985
Post-Hardcore
Critic Score
100
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
79
.
Manuel Göttsching - E2-E4
January 1, 1984
Electronic
Critic Score
96
2 reviews
Amazon
78
.
They Might Be Giants - Lincoln
September 25, 1988
Alternative Rock
Critic Score
75
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
77
.
The Smiths - Strangeways, Here We Come
September 28, 1987
Alternative Rock
Critic Score
81
3 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
76
.
The dB's - Stands for Decibels
January 1, 1981
Power Pop
Critic Score
90
1 review
Amazon
Spotify
75
.
Boogie Down Productions - Criminal Minded
March 3, 1987
Hip Hop
Critic Score
100
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
74
.
Mekons - Fear and Whiskey
June 1, 1985
Post-Punk
Critic Score
94
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
73
.
Coil - Horse Rotorvator
Industrial
Critic Score
100
1 review
Amazon
72
.
Meat Puppets - Up on the Sun
March 1, 1985
Alternative Rock
Critic Score
90
1 review
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
71
.
The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me
July 7, 1987
Alternative Rock
Critic Score
87
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
70
.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Trust
January 23, 1981
Pop Rock
Critic Score
93
3 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
69
.
The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
April 1, 1980
Post-Punk
Critic Score
96
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
68
.
Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense
September 1, 1984
New Wave
Critic Score
84
5
reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
67
.
The Pogues - Rum Sodomy & the Lash
August 1, 1985
Folk Punk
Critic Score
85
4
reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
66
.
The Dukes Of Stratosphear - Psonic Psunspot
August 1, 1987
Psychedelic Pop
Critic Score
82
2 reviews
Amazon
65
.
The Soft Boys - Underwater Moonlight
June 28, 1980
Neo-Psychedelia
Critic Score
95
3 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
64
.
Television Personalities - ...And Don't the Kids Just Love It
January 1, 1981
Post-Punk
Critic Score
85
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
63
.
Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth
February 1, 1980
Post-Punk
Critic Score
90
8
reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
62
.
R.E.M. - Reckoning
April 9, 1984
Alternative Rock
Critic Score
91
4
reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
61
.
Nurse with Wound - Homotopy to Marie
January 1, 1982
Industrial
Critic Score
78
2 reviews
Amazon
Spotify
60
.
Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska
September 30, 1982
Rock
Critic Score
91
4
reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
59
.
Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction
July 21, 1987
Hard Rock
Critic Score
90
6
reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
58
.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Imperial Bedroom
July 2, 1982
Pop Rock
Critic Score
93
3 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
57
.
Pixies - Come on Pilgrim
September 28, 1987
Alternative Rock
Critic Score
84
3 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
56
.
King Crimson - Discipline
September 22, 1981
Progressive Rock
Critic Score
85
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
55
.
The Police - Synchronicity
June 1, 1983
New Wave
Critic Score
90
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
54
.
Big Black - Songs About Fucking
January 1, 1987
Noise Rock
Critic Score
90
1 review
Amazon
53
.
Mission of Burma - Signals, Calls and Marches
July 4, 1981
Post-Punk
Critic Score
94
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
52
.
Eric B. & Rakim - Paid in Full
July 7, 1987
Hip Hop
Critic Score
93
3 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
51
.
Leonard Cohen - I'm Your Man
February 2, 1988
Singer-Songwriter
Critic Score
89
4
reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
Next
Original Source:
https://pitchfork.com/features/lists-and-guides/the-top-100-albums-of-the-1980s/
Related
Pitchfork Lists
Comments
Comments
Sign in
to comment
No one has said anything yet.
Connect with AOTY
Like Us
Follow Us
Become a Donor
Donor badge, no ads + more benefits.
Advertisement
Recent List Comments
Luckybroad49
commented on
Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time [2020]
boombapisnotit
commented on
The Ringer's Best Albums of 2020
daft punk said gay rights 🏳️🌈
commented on
Amazon's 100 Best Albums of 2013
mannypoko
commented on
Idolator's 70 Best Pop Albums Of 2020
Quet
commented on
2020 List Aggregate
Blyizz
commented on
2013 List Aggregate
Fantasio
commented on
Alternative Press's 50 Best Albums of 2020
Fantasio
commented on
BBC Culture's Best Albums of 2020
Hydon
commented on
Complex's Best Albums of 2018
favbloom
commented on
2018 List Aggregate
View More
Recent Best Music
View More
Advertisement