Paste's 80 Best Albums of the 1980s

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80. X - Los Angeles

April 26, 1980

Punk Rock

Critic Score

2 reviews

79. Leonard Cohen - I'm Your Man

February 2, 1988

Singer-Songwriter, Sophisti-Pop

Critic Score

4 reviews

78. Eric B. & Rakim - Paid in Full

July 7, 1987

Boom Bap, East Coast Hip Hop

Critic Score

100

2 reviews

77. Lou Reed - The Blue Mask

February 23, 1982

Singer-Songwriter, Art Rock

Critic Score

3 reviews

76. Black Flag - Damaged

December 5, 1981

Hardcore Punk

Critic Score

3 reviews

75. my bloody valentine - Isn't Anything

November 21, 1988

Shoegaze, Noise Pop

Critic Score

2 reviews

74. Depeche Mode - Music for the Masses

September 28, 1987

Synthpop, Darkwave

Critic Score

4 reviews

73. The Soft Boys - Underwater Moonlight

June 28, 1980

Neo-Psychedelia, Jangle Pop, Post-Punk

Critic Score

3 reviews

72. The Blasters - Hard Line

February 1, 1985

Critic Score

1 review

71. Dinosaur - You're Living All Over Me

December 14, 1987

Noise Rock, Indie Rock, Slacker Rock, Alternative Rock

Critic Score

4 reviews

70. The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me

June 17, 1987

Alternative Rock, Power Pop

Critic Score

2 reviews

69. The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms

April 1, 1980

Post-Punk, Art Punk

Critic Score

2 reviews

68. The Waterboys - Fisherman's Blues

October 1, 1988

Folk Rock

Critic Score

2 reviews

67. Indigo Girls - Indigo Girls

February 28, 1989

Singer-Songwriter, Folk

Critic Score

2 reviews

66. Run-D.M.C. - Raising Hell

May 15, 1986

Hardcore Hip Hop, East Coast Hip Hop, Rap Rock

Critic Score

100

2 reviews

65. Nirvana - Bleach

June 15, 1989

Grunge, Alternative Rock

Critic Score

4 reviews

64. Guadalcanal Diary - 2X4

January 1, 1987

Critic Score

1 review

63. Bruce Cockburn - Humans

November 1, 1980

Singer-Songwriter, Pop Rock, Folk

Critic Score

1 review

62. Pretenders - Pretenders

December 27, 1979

New Wave, Punk Rock, Pop Rock

Critic Score

100

2 reviews

61. Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden

September 16, 1988

Art Rock, Post-Rock, Jazz-Rock

Critic Score

6 reviews

60. Camper Van Beethoven - Key Lime Pie

September 1, 1989

Alternative Rock, Indie Rock

Critic Score

3 reviews

59. The Fall - Hex Enduction Hour

March 8, 1982

Post-Punk, Art Punk

Critic Score

3 reviews

58. Midnight Oil - Diesel and Dust

August 1, 1987

Pop Rock, Alternative Rock

Critic Score

2 reviews

57. Fugazi - 13 Songs

October 1, 1989

Post-Hardcore

Critic Score

2 reviews

56. Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking

August 23, 1988

Alternative Rock, Hard Rock, Alternative Metal, Funk Rock, Psychedelic Rock

Critic Score

3 reviews

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

September 12, 1980

New Wave, Art Rock, Post-Punk, Art Pop

Critic Score

4 reviews

54. Steve Earle - Guitar Town

March 5, 1986

Country Rock, Alt-Country

Critic Score

2 reviews

53. Los Lobos - By the Light of the Moon

January 1, 1987

Critic Score

1 review

52. Squeeze - East Side Story

May 15, 1981

Pop Rock, New Wave

Critic Score

3 reviews

51. John Hiatt - Bring the Family

May 29, 1987

Roots Rock, Singer-Songwriter, Americana, Blues Rock, Soft Rock

Critic Score

2 reviews

50. Crowded House - Crowded House

June 1, 1986

Pop Rock

Critic Score

2 reviews

49. The Pogues - Rum Sodomy & the Lash

August 5, 1985

Critic Score

5 reviews

Amazon

iTunes

Music

48. Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms

May 13, 1985

Pop Rock, Blues Rock

Critic Score

3 reviews

47. Tears For Fears - Songs from the Big Chair

February 25, 1985

Synthpop, New Wave, Pop Rock

Critic Score

4 reviews

46. The Clash - Sandinista!

December 12, 1980

Post-Punk, Dub

Critic Score

3 reviews

45. The dB's - Stands for Decibels

January 1, 1981

Power Pop, Jangle Pop

Critic Score

2 reviews

Amazon

Spotify

44. The Smiths - The Smiths

February 20, 1984

Jangle Pop, Indie Pop

Critic Score

5 reviews

43. Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime

July 1, 1984

Post-Punk, Post-Hardcore

Critic Score

3 reviews

42. Marshall Crenshaw - Marshall Crenshaw

April 28, 1982

Power Pop, Pop Rock, New Wave, Rockabilly

Critic Score

2 reviews

41. Ornette Coleman - In All Languages

February 1, 1987

Jazz, Free Jazz

Critic Score

2 reviews

Amazon

40. Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill

November 15, 1986

East Coast Hip Hop, Rap Rock

Critic Score

3 reviews

39. Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine

October 20, 1989

Industrial Rock, Electro-Industrial

Critic Score

4 reviews

38. U2 - The Unforgettable Fire

October 1, 1984

Alternative Rock, Pop Rock

Critic Score

4 reviews

37. Van Halen - 1984

January 9, 1984

Hard Rock, Glam Metal

Critic Score

3 reviews

36. The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy

November 18, 1985

Noise Pop, Post-Punk

Critic Score

3 reviews

35. Echo & the Bunnymen - Ocean Rain

May 4, 1984

Post-Punk, Jangle Pop, Baroque Pop

Critic Score

3 reviews

34. Hüsker Dü - New Day Rising

January 1, 1985

Post-Hardcore, Alternative Rock, Noise Pop, Indie Rock, Hardcore Punk

Critic Score

100

3 reviews

33. XTC - Skylarking

October 27, 1986

Neo-Psychedelia, Psychedelic Pop, Pop Rock

Critic Score

4 reviews

32. The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses

May 2, 1989

Baggy, Jangle Pop, Neo-Psychedelia

Critic Score

3 reviews

31. Joy Division - Closer

July 18, 1980

Post-Punk, Gothic Rock

Critic Score

3 reviews

Original Source: http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2012/02/the-80-best-albums-of-the-1980s.html

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