Pitchfork's Top 100 Albums of the 1980s

Critic Score

2 reviews

98. Cocteau Twins - Treasure

November 1, 1984

Dream Pop

Critic Score

1 review

97. Mekons - The Mekons Rock 'n' Roll

September 1, 1989

Critic Score

2 reviews

96. Rites of Spring - Rites of Spring

June 1, 1985

Post-Hardcore

Critic Score

1 review

95. Duran Duran - Rio

May 10, 1982

Synthpop

Critic Score

1 review

94. Meat Puppets - Meat Puppets II

April 1, 1984

Critic Score

100

1 review

93. David Bowie - Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)

September 12, 1980

Art Rock

Critic Score

3 reviews

92. Kate Bush - Hounds of Love

September 16, 1985

Art Pop

Critic Score

2 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.

91. X - Los Angeles

April 1, 1980

Punk Rock

Critic Score

100

1 review

90. Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking

August 23, 1988

Critic Score

2 reviews

89. Boredoms - Soul Discharge

December 1, 1989

Noise Rock

Critic Score

1 review

88. Spacemen 3 - Playing With Fire

February 27, 1989

Neo-Psychedelia

Critic Score

1 review

87. Prince - Dirty Mind

October 8, 1980

Funk

Critic Score

6 reviews

86. The Police - Ghost in the Machine

October 2, 1981

New Wave

Critic Score

2 reviews

85. Paul Simon - Graceland

August 12, 1986

Singer-Songwriter

Critic Score

100

5 reviews

84. ESG - Come Away with ESG

January 1, 1983

Critic Score

2 reviews

Spotify

83. Talk Talk - The Colour of Spring

Art Rock

Critic Score

1 review

82. The Fall - Perverted by Language

December 12, 1983

Critic Score

1 review

81. Cocteau Twins - Blue Bell Knoll

September 19, 1988

Dream Pop

Critic Score

3 reviews

80. Hüsker Dü - New Day Rising

January 1, 1985

Post-Hardcore

Critic Score

100

2 reviews

79. Manuel Göttsching - E2-E4

January 1, 1984

Electronic

Critic Score

2 reviews

78. They Might Be Giants - Lincoln

September 25, 1988

Critic Score

2 reviews

77. The Smiths - Strangeways, Here We Come

September 28, 1987

Critic Score

3 reviews

76. The dB's - Stands for Decibels

January 1, 1981

Power Pop

Critic Score

1 review

Spotify

75. Boogie Down Productions - Criminal Minded

March 3, 1987

Hip Hop

Critic Score

100

2 reviews

74. Mekons - Fear and Whiskey

June 1, 1985

Critic Score

1 review

73. Coil - Horse Rotorvator

Industrial

Critic Score

100

1 review

72. Meat Puppets - Up on the Sun

March 1, 1985

Critic Score

1 review

71. The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me

July 7, 1987

Critic Score

2 reviews

70. Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Trust

January 23, 1981

Pop Rock

Critic Score

3 reviews

69. The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms

April 1, 1980

Critic Score

100

1 review

68. Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense

September 1, 1984

New Wave

Critic Score

2 reviews

67. The Pogues - Rum Sodomy & the Lash

August 1, 1985

Folk Punk

Critic Score

3 reviews

66. The Dukes Of Stratosphear - Psonic Psunspot

August 1, 1987

Psychedelic Pop

Critic Score

1 review

65. The Soft Boys - Underwater Moonlight

June 28, 1980

Neo-Psychedelia

Critic Score

3 reviews

64. Television Personalities - ...And Don't the Kids Just Love It

January 1, 1981

Critic Score

2 reviews

63. Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth

February 1, 1980

Critic Score

8 reviews

62. R.E.M. - Reckoning

April 9, 1984

Critic Score

4 reviews

61. Nurse with Wound - Homotopy to Marie

January 1, 1982

Industrial

Critic Score

2 reviews

Spotify

60. Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska

September 30, 1982

Rock

Critic Score

4 reviews

59. Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction

July 21, 1987

Hard Rock

Critic Score

6 reviews

58. Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Imperial Bedroom

July 2, 1982

Pop Rock

Critic Score

3 reviews

57. Pixies - Come on Pilgrim

September 28, 1987

Critic Score

3 reviews

56. King Crimson - Discipline

September 22, 1981

Progressive Rock

Critic Score

1 review

55. The Police - Synchronicity

June 1, 1983

New Wave

Critic Score

2 reviews

54. Big Black - Songs About Fucking

January 1, 1987

Noise Rock

Critic Score

1 review

53. Mission of Burma - Signals, Calls and Marches

July 4, 1981