Best Albums

Rolling Stone

www.rollingstone.com

Highest Rated Albums of 1981

1980s
- All Time
- 2020s
- 2010s
- 2000s
- 1990s
- 1980s
- 1970s
- 1960s

Genre

1981

1. The J. Geils Band - Freeze-Frame

The J. Geils Band - Freeze-Frame

October 26, 1981

Yacht Rock, New Wave, Pop Rock

Score

100

2. Rickie Lee Jones - Pirates

Rickie Lee Jones - Pirates

July 15, 1981

Singer-Songwriter, Jazz Pop

Score

100

3. Rolling Stones - Tattoo You

Rolling Stones - Tattoo You

August 24, 1981

Hard Rock, Rock & Roll

Score

100

4. Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays - As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls

Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays - As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls

April 27, 1981

Jazz Fusion, New Age, Progressive Electronic

Score

90

5. Black Uhuru - Red

Black Uhuru - Red

May 1, 1981

Score

90

6. King Crimson - Discipline

King Crimson - Discipline

September 22, 1981

Progressive Rock, Art Rock, New Wave

Avant-Prog, Funk Rock

Score

90

7. Human Switchboard - Who's Landing in My Hangar?

Human Switchboard - Who's Landing in My Hangar?

1981

Score

90

8. Black Flag - Damaged

December 5, 1981

Noise Rock, Punk Rock

Score

90

9. Felá Anikũlapo-Kuti & Egypt 80 - Original Sufferhead

Felá Anikũlapo-Kuti & Egypt 80 - Original Sufferhead

1981

Score

90

10. X - Wild Gift

X - Wild Gift

May 4, 1981

Score

90

11. Earl Thomas Conley - Fire and Smoke

Earl Thomas Conley - Fire and Smoke

October 14, 1981

Score

80

12. George Strait - Strait Country

George Strait - Strait Country

September 4, 1981

Neo-Traditionalist Country

Honky Tonk, Urban Cowboy

Score

80

13. Dexter Gordon - Gotham City

Dexter Gordon - Gotham City

1981

Score

80

14. Tom Tom Club - Tom Tom Club

Tom Tom Club - Tom Tom Club

June 23, 1981

New Wave, Art Pop

Synth Funk, Synthpop, Disco Rap

Score

80

15. ABBA - The Visitors

ABBA - The Visitors

November 30, 1981

Synthpop, Psychedelic Pop, Progressive Pop, Art Pop

Score

80

16. Smokey Robinson - Being With You

Smokey Robinson - Being With You

February 17, 1981

Score

80

17. Al Green - Higher Plane

Al Green - Higher Plane

February 1981

Score

80

18. Peter Tosh - Wanted Dread & Alive

Peter Tosh - Wanted Dread & Alive

1981

Score

80

19. The Undertones - Positive Touch

The Undertones - Positive Touch

May 5, 1981

Score

80

20. Carly Simon - Torch

Carly Simon - Torch

August 1, 1981

Standards, Traditional Pop, Baroque Pop, Adult Contemporary

Score

80

21. Public Image Ltd. - The Flowers of Romance

Public Image Ltd. - The Flowers of Romance

April 10, 1981

Post-Punk, Experimental Rock, Industrial

Ritual Ambient, Musique Concrète, Industrial, No Wave

Score

80

22. CHIC - Take It Off

CHIC - Take It Off

November 16, 1981

Score

80

23. Earth, Wind & Fire - Raise!

Earth, Wind & Fire - Raise!

November 14, 1981

Disco, Smooth Soul, Contemporary R&B

Score

80

24. Rick James - Street Songs

Rick James - Street Songs

April 7, 1981

Synth Funk, Contemporary R&B

Boogie, Disco, Smooth Soul

Score

80

25. Muddy Waters - King Bee

Muddy Waters - King Bee

1981

Score

80

1

...

NOTE: This is not a year end list. This list is ordered by the ratings Rolling Stone awarded albums throughout 1981.

Become a Subscriber
Subscriber badge, no ads + more benefits.

Advertisement

New Album Releases

81

Boards of Canada

73

81

The Boys of Dungeon Lane

83

For Love of Grace & The Hereafter

80

Philadelphia's been good to me