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Highest Rated Albums of the 1980s
Decade
1980s
All Time
2020s
2010s
2000s
1990s
1980s
1970s
1960s
Source
Pitchfork
All
AllMusic
Entertainment Weekly
Pitchfork
Rolling Stone
Sputnikmusic
Genre
All
All
Alternative Rock
Ambient
Art Pop
Electronic
Experimental Rock
Hard Rock
Hip Hop
Indie Pop
Jangle Pop
Metal
Minimalism
New Wave
Noise Rock
Pop
Pop Rock
Post-Punk
Psychedelic
Punk
Punk Rock
Rock
Singer-Songwriter
Sophisti-Pop
Synthpop
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 "O" the Times
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.
PITCHFORK'S HIGHEST RATED ALBUMS OF ...
2021
2020
1981
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