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The Best Alternative Rock Albums of the 1980s by User Score
Decade
1980s
All
2020s
2010s
2000s
1990s
1980s
1970s
1960s
1950s
Genre
Alternative Rock
1980s
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1
.
The Cure - Disintegration
May 2nd, 1989
Gothic Rock
,
Post-Punk
,
Dream Pop
USER SCORE
91
4,191 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
2
.
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
May 2nd, 1989
Baggy
,
Neo-Psychedelia
,
Jangle Pop
USER SCORE
87
1,880 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
3
.
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
October 18th, 1988
Alternative Rock
,
Noise Rock
USER SCORE
87
2,310 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
4
.
Ekatarina Velika - S' vetrom uz lice
April 1st, 1986
Post-Punk
,
New Wave
,
Alternative Rock
USER SCORE
86
11 ratings
Amazon
5
.
Pixies - Doolittle
April 18th, 1989
Indie Rock
,
Alternative Rock
USER SCORE
86
4,141 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
6
.
Julee Cruise - Floating into the Night
September 12th, 1989
Dream Pop
,
Sophisti-Pop
,
Ambient Pop
USER SCORE
85
735 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
7
.
Cocteau Twins - Treasure
November 1st, 1984
Ethereal Wave
,
Dream Pop
USER SCORE
84
1,348 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
8
.
Dinosaur - You're Living All Over Me
December 14th, 1987
Noise Rock
,
Slacker Rock
,
Indie Rock
,
Alternative Rock
USER SCORE
84
1,057 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
9
.
The Replacements - Let It Be
October 2nd, 1984
Alternative Rock
USER SCORE
84
766 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
10
.
New Order - Low-Life
May 13th, 1985
New Wave
,
Alternative Dance
,
Synthpop
,
Post-Punk
USER SCORE
84
846 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
11
.
The Replacements - Tim
September 18th, 1985
Alternative Rock
,
Power Pop
USER SCORE
84
411 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
12
.
Sonic Youth - Sister
June 1st, 1987
Alternative Rock
,
Noise Rock
USER SCORE
83
1,033 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
13
.
Pixies - Surfer Rosa
March 21st, 1988
Indie Rock
,
Alternative Rock
USER SCORE
83
2,238 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
14
.
my bloody valentine - you made me realise
August 8th, 1988
Shoegaze
,
Noise Pop
USER SCORE
83
776 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
15
.
The Replacements - Pleased to Meet Me
June 17th, 1987
Alternative Rock
,
Power Pop
USER SCORE
82
241 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
16
.
Sinéad O'Connor - The Lion and the Cobra
November 4th, 1987
Singer-Songwriter
,
Alternative Rock
,
Art Pop
USER SCORE
82
353 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
17
.
Cocteau Twins - Blue Bell Knoll
September 19th, 1988
Dream Pop
,
Ethereal Wave
USER SCORE
82
639 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
18
.
New Order - Technique
January 30th, 1989
Synthpop
,
Alternative Dance
USER SCORE
82
703 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
19
.
U2 - The Joshua Tree
March 9th, 1987
Pop Rock
,
Heartland Rock
,
Alternative Rock
USER SCORE
82
1,210 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
20
.
The Jesus and Mary Chain - Darklands
October 18th, 1987
Indie Rock
,
Alternative Rock
USER SCORE
81
386 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
21
.
R.E.M. - Document
September 1st, 1987
Jangle Pop
,
Alternative Rock
USER SCORE
81
487 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
22
.
Loop - Fade Out
Shoegaze
,
Space Rock
,
Neo-Psychedelia
,
Garage Rock
USER SCORE
81
22 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
23
.
Galaxie 500 - Today
January 1st, 1988
Dream Pop
,
Indie Pop
,
Slowcore
USER SCORE
81
254 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
24
.
Love and Rockets - Express
Alternative Rock
USER SCORE
81
28 ratings
Amazon
25
.
They Might Be Giants - Lincoln
September 25th, 1988
Geek Rock
,
Indie Pop
USER SCORE
81
469 ratings
Amazon
Music
Spotify
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