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The Highest Rated Albums of 1988
Decade
1980s
All Time
2020s
2010s
2000s
1990s
1980s
1970s
1960s
1950s
Source
All
All
AllMusic
Entertainment Weekly
Pitchfork
Rolling Stone
Sputnikmusic
Genre
All
All
Alternative Rock
Ambient
AOR
Dream Pop
Electronic
Experimental Rock
Folk
Hard Rock
Heavy Metal
Hip Hop
Indie Rock
Jangle Pop
Metal
New Wave
Noise Rock
Pop
Pop Rock
Post-Punk
Rock
Singer-Songwriter
Sophisti-Pop
Synthpop
Thrash Metal
1980s
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1
.
EPMD - Strictly Business
August 30, 1988
Hip Hop
Critic Score
100
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
2
.
The Go-Betweens - 16 Lovers Lane
August 1, 1988
Jangle Pop
Critic Score
100
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
3
.
Talk Talk - Spirit of Eden
September 16, 1988
Post-Rock
Critic Score
98
5
reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
4
.
Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
April 14, 1988
Hip Hop
Critic Score
96
5
reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
5
.
Jackie McLean Quintet - Dynasty
November 5, 1988
Critic Score
96
2 reviews
Amazon
6
.
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Peepshow
September 5, 1988
Post-Punk
Critic Score
95
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
7
.
Living Colour - Vivid
May 3, 1988
Hard Rock
Critic Score
95
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
8
.
The House of Love - The House of Love
January 1, 1988
Jangle Pop
Critic Score
95
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
9
.
N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton
August 8, 1988
Hip Hop
Critic Score
94
4
reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
10
.
808 State - Newbuild
January 1, 1988
Acid House
Critic Score
94
2 reviews
Amazon
11
.
My Bloody Valentine - Isn't Anything
November 1, 1988
Shoegaze
Critic Score
94
3 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
12
.
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
October 1, 1988
Alternative Rock
Critic Score
92
6
reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
13
.
Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman
April 5, 1988
Singer-Songwriter
Critic Score
91
3 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
14
.
Pixies - Surfer Rosa
March 21, 1988
Alternative Rock
Critic Score
91
5
reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
15
.
Traveling Wilburys - Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1
October 18, 1988
Pop Rock
Critic Score
90
3 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
16
.
Dead Moon - In the Graveyard
September 1, 1988
Garage Rock
Critic Score
90
3 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
17
.
Slick Rick - The Great Adventures of Slick Rick
November 1, 1988
Hip Hop
Critic Score
90
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
18
.
Enya - Watermark
September 19, 1988
New Age
Critic Score
90
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
19
.
Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking
August 23, 1988
Alternative Rock
Critic Score
90
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
20
.
Dwight Yoakam - Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room
August 2, 1988
Critic Score
90
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
21
.
A.R. Kane - 69
July 1, 1988
Dream Pop
Critic Score
90
2 reviews
Amazon
22
.
The Sugarcubes - Life's Too Good
April 1, 1988
Post-Punk
Critic Score
90
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
23
.
Half Japanese - Charmed Life
January 1, 1988
Indie Rock
Critic Score
90
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
24
.
Leonard Cohen - I'm Your Man
February 2, 1988
Singer-Songwriter
Critic Score
89
4
reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
25
.
Galaxie 500 - Today
January 1, 1988
Slowcore
Critic Score
88
2 reviews
Amazon
iTunes
Music
Spotify
1
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4
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