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Rolling Stone
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Highest Rated Albums of 1986
Decade
1980s
All Time
2020s
2010s
2000s
1990s
1980s
1970s
1960s
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Genre
All
All
Alternative Rock
Art Pop
Dance
Dance-Pop
Experimental Rock
Gothic Rock
Hard Rock
Heavy Metal
Hip Hop
Jazz
Metal
New Wave
Noise Rock
Pop
Pop Rock
Post-Punk
Psychedelia
Punk
Punk Rock
R&B
Rock
Singer-Songwriter
Synthpop
1980s
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1
.
Metallica - Master of Puppets
March 3, 1986
Thrash Metal
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
2
.
Peter Gabriel - So
May 19, 1986
Pop Rock
,
Art Pop
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
3
.
Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill
November 15, 1986
East Coast Hip Hop
,
Rap Rock
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
4
.
Bad Brains - I Against I
November 1, 1986
Hardcore Punk
,
Alternative Metal
,
Funk Metal
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
5
.
Run-D.M.C. - Raising Hell
May 15, 1986
Hardcore Hip Hop
,
East Coast Hip Hop
,
Rap Rock
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
6
.
Paul Simon - Graceland
August 12, 1986
Pop Rock
,
Singer-Songwriter
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
7
.
The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
June 16, 1986
Jangle Pop
,
Indie Pop
Score
100
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
8
.
Slayer - Reign in Blood
October 7, 1986
Thrash Metal
Score
90
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
9
.
Big Black - Atomizer
Post-Hardcore
,
Industrial Rock
,
Noise Rock
,
Pigfuck
Score
90
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
10
.
Depeche Mode - Black Celebration
March 17, 1986
Synthpop
,
Darkwave
Score
90
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
11
.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Blood & Chocolate
September 15, 1986
Score
90
Source →
Amazon
Music
12
.
Prince & The Revolution - Parade: Music from the Motion Picture Under the Cherry Moon
March 31, 1986
Psychedelic Soul
,
Art Pop
Score
90
Source →
Amazon
13
.
Butthole Surfers - Rembrandt Pussyhorse
April 18, 1986
Experimental Rock
,
Psychedelic Rock
Score
80
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
14
.
Abdullah Ibrahim - Water from an Ancient Well
Jazz
,
Cool Jazz
Score
80
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
15
.
XTC - Skylarking
October 27, 1986
Neo-Psychedelia
,
Psychedelic Pop
,
Pop Rock
Score
80
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
16
.
Throwing Muses - Throwing Muses
September 0, 1986
Post-Punk
,
Indie Rock
Score
80
Amazon
17
.
Anita Baker - Rapture
March 20, 1986
Soul
,
Smooth Soul
Score
80
Amazon
Music
Spotify
18
.
Miles Davis - Tutu
January 1, 1986
Jazz Fusion
,
Jazz-Funk
Score
80
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
19
.
Pet Shop Boys - Please
March 24, 1986
Synthpop
,
Dance-Pop
Score
80
Amazon
Music
Spotify
20
.
Madonna - True Blue
June 30, 1986
Synthpop
,
Dance-Pop
,
Pop
Score
80
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
21
.
New Order - Brotherhood
September 29, 1986
Synthpop
,
Alternative Dance
,
New Wave
,
Post-Punk
Score
80
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
22
.
Pretenders - Get Close
October 20, 1986
Pop Rock
Score
80
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
23
.
Genesis - Invisible Touch
June 9, 1986
Pop Rock
Score
80
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
24
.
Billy Bragg - Talking with the Taxman about Poetry
September 1, 1986
Folk Rock
,
Singer-Songwriter
Score
80
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
25
.
Frank Zappa - Jazz from Hell
November 15, 1986
Electronic
,
Jazz Fusion
Score
80
Source →
Amazon
Music
Spotify
1
2
3
4
NOTE:
This is not a year end list. This list is ordered by the ratings Rolling Stone awarded albums throughout 1986.
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