Best Albums of the 1980s
100 albums ranked by Wavelength users
Thriller
Michael Jackson • 1982
![Album cover art for Ride the Lightning (Remastered) [2016 Remastered Version]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fis1-ssl.mzstatic.com%2Fimage%2Fthumb%2FFeatures125%2Fv4%2F0f%2F7a%2F74%2F0f7a7472-92fa-e77d-384a-1e4304705e83%2Fdj.jbiruenb.png%2F512x512bb.jpg&w=128&q=85)
Ride the Lightning (Remastered) [2016 Remastered Version]
Metallica • 1984
Master of Puppets (Remastered)
Metallica • 1986
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths • 1986
Bad
Michael Jackson • 1987
Straight Outta Compton
N.W.A • 1988
...And Justice for All (Remastered)
Metallica • 1988
Purple Rain
Prince & The Revolution • 1984
Appetite for Destruction
Guns N' Roses • 1987
Remain In Light
Talking Heads • 1980
Sign O' The Times
Prince • 1987
Doolittle
Pixies • 1989
Back In Black
AC/DC • 1980
Disintegration (2010 Remaster)
The Cure • 1989
Rust In Peace
Megadeth • 1989
Treasure
Cocteau Twins • 1984
Hounds of Love
Kate Bush • 1985
The Smiths
The Smiths • 1984
Born In the U.S.A.
Bruce Springsteen • 1984
3 Feet High and Rising
De La Soul • 1989
You're Living All Over Me (Bonus Track Version)
Dinosaur Jr. • 1987
The Number of the Beast (2015 Remaster)
Iron Maiden • 1982
Songs from the Big Chair
Tears for Fears • 1985
Promise
Sade • 1985
The Joshua Tree
U2 • 1987
One Night Stand! Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963
Sam Cooke • 1985
Nebraska
Bruce Springsteen • 1982
Spirit of Eden
Talk Talk • 1988
Floating Into the Night
Julee Cruise • 1989
Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits • 1985
Madonna
Madonna • 1983
Reign In Blood
Slayer • 1986
Hotter Than July
Stevie Wonder • 1980
Hi How Are You
Daniel Johnston • 1983
The Head On the Door
The Cure • 1985
Dirty Mind
Prince • 1980
Streetcleaner
Godflesh • 1989
Hatful of Hollow
The Smiths • 1984
Like a Virgin
Madonna • 1984
![Album cover art for Paul's Boutique (20th Anniversary Remastered Edition)[Bonus B-Boy Bouillabaisse]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fis1-ssl.mzstatic.com%2Fimage%2Fthumb%2FMusic118%2Fv4%2Fbf%2Fb9%2F82%2Fbfb9825b-e130-0664-2f2f-3a766a1161c6%2F05099969330056.rgb.jpg%2F512x512bb.jpg&w=128&q=85)
Paul's Boutique (20th Anniversary Remastered Edition)[Bonus B-Boy Bouillabaisse]
Beastie Boys • 1989
The Blue Mask
Lou Reed • 1981
Graceland
Paul Simon • 1986
![Album cover art for Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) [2017 Remaster]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fis1-ssl.mzstatic.com%2Fimage%2Fthumb%2FMusic124%2Fv4%2F71%2Ffe%2F14%2F71fe14df-5d77-9d69-2968-c38b6bfa82a4%2F190295842598.jpg%2F512x512bb.jpg&w=128&q=85)
Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) [2017 Remaster]
David Bowie • 1981
True Blue
Madonna • 1986
Moving Pictures (Remastered)
Rush • 1981
Skylarking (Remastered)
XTC • 1986
Psychocandy
The Jesus and Mary Chain • 1985
![Album cover art for Stop Making Sense (Deluxe Edition) [Live]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fis1-ssl.mzstatic.com%2Fimage%2Fthumb%2FMusic116%2Fv4%2F9b%2Fc7%2Ff7%2F9bc7f7d5-fefa-cb5a-6ebb-ccd5e862f215%2F603497831289.jpg%2F512x512bb.jpg&w=128&q=85)
Stop Making Sense (Deluxe Edition) [Live]
Talking Heads • 1984
Street Songs
Rick James • 1981
South of Heaven
Slayer • 1988
Gaucho
Steely Dan • 1980
Bleach (Deluxe Edition)
Nirvana • 1989
Avalon
Roxy Music • 1982
It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back
Public Enemy • 1988
Kill 'Em All (Remastered)
Metallica • 1983
Prince and The Revolution: Live (2022 Remaster)
Prince & The Revolution • 1985
Raising Hell
Run‐D.M.C. • 1986
Power, Corruption & Lies
New Order • 1983
Timely!!
Anri • 1983
Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (2015 Remastered Edition)
Iron Maiden • 1988
The Ascension
Glenn Branca • 1981
Speaking In Tongues
Talking Heads • 1983
Hysteria
Def Leppard • 1987
I'm Your Man
Leonard Cohen • 1987
Little Creatures
Talking Heads • 1985
Rapture
Anita Baker • 1986
Diamond Life
Sade • 1984
FLYING BEAGLE
Himiko Kikuchi • 1987
Blood Fire Death
Bathory • 1988
Drums and Wires (Bonus Track Version)
XTC • 1985
From Gardens Where We Feel Secure
Virginia Astley • 1983
10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 (Remastered)
Midnight Oil • 1982
By All Means Necessary (Expanded Edition)
Boogie Down Productions • 1988
Like a Prayer
Madonna • 1989
L'Amour
Lewis Baloue • 1982
Super Trouper (Bonus Track Version)
ABBA • 1980
![Album cover art for First Light (+1) [2018 Remaster]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fis1-ssl.mzstatic.com%2Fimage%2Fthumb%2FMusic211%2Fv4%2Fa8%2Fc3%2F46%2Fa8c34672-80ba-a73c-a489-753039570a60%2F190295491505.jpg%2F512x512bb.jpg&w=128&q=85)
First Light (+1) [2018 Remaster]
Makoto Matsushita • 1980
Sister
Sonic Youth • 1987
The Cactus Album
3rd Bass • 1989
Under the Sign of the Black Mark
Bathory • 1987
Straight Out the Jungle
Jungle Brothers • 1988
Fire of Love (Remastered 2020)
The Gun Club • 1982
Control
Janet Jackson • 1986
Rhythm Nation 1814
Janet Jackson • 1989
Rain Dogs
Tom Waits • 1985
![Album cover art for Pleased To Meet Me (Super Deluxe Edition) [2020 Remaster]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fis1-ssl.mzstatic.com%2Fimage%2Fthumb%2FMusic114%2Fv4%2Fec%2F76%2F9e%2Fec769eb0-751c-205a-5dad-173c1cfcc334%2F603497845682.jpg%2F512x512bb.jpg&w=128&q=85)
Pleased To Meet Me (Super Deluxe Edition) [2020 Remaster]
The Replacements • 1987
Black Metal
Venom • 1982
Tug of War
Paul McCartney • 1982
The Sensual World (2018 Remaster)
Kate Bush • 1989
Bug (Bonus Track Version)
Dinosaur Jr. • 1988
Signals, Calls and Marches
Mission of Burma • 1981
Powerslave
Iron Maiden • 1984
Freedom
Neil Young • 1989
Hats
The Blue Nile • 1989
Music for the Masses
Depeche Mode • 1987
Zen Arcade
Hüsker Dü • 1984
Bad Brains
Bad Brains • 1982
Fugazi (Live at Wilson Center, Washington DC, USA, 09/03/1987) FLS0001
Fugazi • 1987
![Album cover art for The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads (Live) [Expanded Version]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fis1-ssl.mzstatic.com%2Fimage%2Fthumb%2FMusic%2Fy2004%2Fm08%2Fd19%2Fh16%2Fs06.zcmvphnv.jpg%2F512x512bb.jpg&w=128&q=85)
The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads (Live) [Expanded Version]
Talking Heads • 1982
Meat Puppets II (Deluxe Edition)
Meat Puppets • 1984
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