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Pitchfork

pitchfork.com

Highest Rated Albums of the 1980s

Decade
Source
Genre
1980s
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989

1.

Glenn Gould - Bach: The Goldberg Variations
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

2.

Liquid Liquid - Optimo
January 1, 1983
Dance Punk
Score
100
Source →
Amazon

3.

Glenn Branca - The Ascension
No Wave
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

4.

Prince - 1999
October 27, 1982
Synth Funk
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

5.

Prince - Dirty Mind
October 8, 1980
Synth Funk
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

6.

Kate Bush - Hounds of Love
September 16, 1985
Art Pop
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

7.

XTC - English Settlement
February 12, 1982
New Wave
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

8.

Prince - Sign
March 31, 1987
Pop Rock
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

9.

Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden
September 16, 1988
Post-Rock
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

10.

De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising
March 3, 1989
Hip Hop
Score
100
Source →
Amazon

11.

Galaxie 500 - On Fire
September 1, 1989
Slowcore
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

12.

Prince & The Revolution - Purple Rain
June 25, 1984
R&B
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

13.

The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace
September 23, 1985
Post-Punk
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music

14.

Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
April 14, 1988
Hip Hop
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

15.

Bruce Springsteen - Nebraska
September 30, 1982
Rock
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

16.

Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction
July 21, 1987
Hard Rock
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

17.

My Bloody Valentine - Isn't Anything
November 1, 1988
Shoegaze
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

18.

The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
May 2, 1989
Alternative Rock
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

19.

The Replacements - Let It Be
October 2, 1984
Alternative Rock
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

20.

Pixies - Surfer Rosa
March 21, 1988
Alternative Rock
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

21.

Metallica - Ride the Lightning
July 27, 1984
Thrash Metal
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

22.

Metallica - Master of Puppets
March 3, 1986
Thrash Metal
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

23.

Talking Heads - Remain in Light
October 8, 1980
New Wave
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

24.

Joy Division - Closer
July 18, 1980
Post-Punk
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify

25.

The Smiths - The Queen is Dead
June 16, 1986
Jangle Pop
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
1
2
3
4
...
14
NOTE: This is not a year end list. This list is ordered by the ratings Pitchfork awarded albums throughout 1980.
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