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The Highest Rated Albums of 1988
Decade
1980s
All Time
2020s
2010s
2000s
1990s
1980s
1970s
1960s
1950s
Source
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All
AllMusic
Entertainment Weekly
Pitchfork
Rolling Stone
Sputnikmusic
Genre
All
All
Alternative Rock
AOR
East Coast Hip Hop
Electronic
Experimental Rock
Folk
Hard Rock
Heavy Metal
Hip Hop
Jangle Pop
Metal
New Wave
Noise Rock
Pop
Pop Rock
Post-Punk
Punk
Punk Rock
R&B
Rock
Singer-Songwriter
Synthpop
Thrash Metal
1980s
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1
.
Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden
September 16, 1988
Post-Rock
Critic Score
100
4
reviews
2
.
EPMD - Strictly Business
August 30, 1988
Hip Hop
Critic Score
100
2 reviews
3
.
The Go-Betweens - 16 Lovers Lane
August 1, 1988
Jangle Pop
Critic Score
100
2 reviews
4
.
Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
April 14, 1988
Hardcore Hip Hop
Critic Score
96
5
reviews
5
.
Jackie McLean Quintet - Dynasty
November 5, 1988
Hard Bop
Critic Score
96
2 reviews
6
.
Living Colour - Vivid
May 3, 1988
Hard Rock
Critic Score
95
2 reviews
7
.
N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton
August 8, 1988
Gangsta Rap
Critic Score
94
4
reviews
8
.
808 State - Newbuild
September 0, 1988
Acid House
Critic Score
94
2 reviews
9
.
Beat Happening - Jamboree
January 1, 1988
Indie Rock
Critic Score
92
3 reviews
10
.
Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman
April 5, 1988
Singer-Songwriter
Critic Score
91
3 reviews
11
.
Pixies - Surfer Rosa
March 21, 1988
Alternative Rock
Critic Score
91
5
reviews
12
.
my bloody valentine - Isn't Anything
November 21, 1988
Shoegaze
Critic Score
91
2 reviews
13
.
A.R. Kane - 69
July 1, 1988
Dream Pop
Critic Score
91
2 reviews
14
.
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
October 1, 1988
Alternative Rock
Critic Score
90
5
reviews
15
.
Traveling Wilburys - Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1
October 18, 1988
Pop Rock
Critic Score
90
3 reviews
16
.
Dead Moon - In the Graveyard
September 1, 1988
Garage Rock
Critic Score
90
3 reviews
17
.
Voivod - Dimension Hatröss
June 29, 1988
Progressive Metal
Critic Score
90
3 reviews
18
.
Slick Rick - The Great Adventures of Slick Rick
November 1, 1988
Hardcore Hip Hop
Critic Score
90
2 reviews
19
.
Enya - Watermark
September 19, 1988
New Age
Critic Score
90
2 reviews
20
.
Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking
August 23, 1988
Alternative Rock
Critic Score
90
2 reviews
21
.
Dwight Yoakam - Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room
August 2, 1988
Country
Critic Score
90
2 reviews
22
.
k.d. lang - Shadowland
April 26, 1988
Country Pop
Critic Score
90
2 reviews
23
.
The Sugarcubes - Life's Too Good
April 1, 1988
Post-Punk
Critic Score
90
2 reviews
24
.
Half Japanese - Charmed Life
January 1, 1988
Indie Rock
Critic Score
90
2 reviews
25
.
Leonard Cohen - I'm Your Man
February 2, 1988
Singer-Songwriter
Critic Score
89
4
reviews
1
2
3
4
...
6
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