Top 100 Albums of the 1980s

And now we get to my favorite decade- the 1980s.

Here is my list! I know it's a bit top-heavy with my favorite artists, but it's an honest reflection of what I like. I could have extended it well beyond 100, but I'll leave it at that.

"I'm a lover, not a haitcher"- Pandurito

I'm gonna suggest another eight!

Barbra Streisand - Guilty (1980)



Queen - The Works (1984)



Fleetwood Mac - Tango In The Night (1987)



Soul II Soul - Club Classics Vol. 1 (1989)



John Lennon & Yoko Ono - Double Fantasy (1980)



k.d. lang - Shadowland (1988)



Roy Orbison - Mystery Girl (1989)



Wham! - Fantastic (1983)


[Edited 10/3/09 2:01am]

Moonbeam said:

And now we get to my favorite decade- the 1980s.

Here is my list! I know it's a bit top-heavy with my favorite artists, but it's an honest reflection of what I like. I could have extended it well beyond 100, but I'll leave it at that.

Love is just like the faucet
It turns off and on
Sometimes when you think it's on baby
It has turned off and gone


Lady Day

Harlepolis said:

Moonbeam said:

And now we get to my favorite decade- the 1980s.

Here is my list! I know it's a bit top-heavy with my favorite artists, but it's an honest reflection of what I like. I could have extended it well beyond 100, but I'll leave it at that.

Great list

And I love the fact that Patrice Rushen is part of it

Will come back with mine in a minute....

"I'm a lover, not a haitcher"- Pandurito

Here's my top 20 list(in no special order):

Love is just like the faucet
It turns off and on
Sometimes when you think it's on baby
It has turned off and gone


Lady Day

Gawd! These lists are so fuggin intimidating
I've got so much music to catch up on...Decades worth

1 The Fall - Hex Enduction Hour
2 The Fall - Slates
3 throbbing griste - heathen earth
4 The Fall - Perverted by Language
5 the teardrop explodes - kilimanjaro
6 The Fall - Grotesque
7 opal - happy nightmare baby
8 The Fall - This Nation's Saving Grace
9 spacemen 3 - playing with fire
10 Scott Walker - Climate of Hunter
11 the bats - daddy's highway
12 sonic youth - sister
13 lyle lovett - pontiac
14 aztec camera - high land, hard rain
15 killing joke - killing joke
16 bob dylan - infidels
17 The Triffids - Born Sandy Devotional
18 Mekons - Rock 'n' Roll
19 human league - dare
20 squeeze - east side story
21 dexys midnight runners - searching for the young soul rebels
22 eno & byrne - my life in the bust of ghosts
23 flipper - generic flipper
24 ennio morricone - the mission s/t
25 The Feelies - Crazy Rhythms
26 big country - the crossing
27 go-betweens - spring hill fair
28 Yes - 90125
29 lou reed - new sensations
30 psychedelic furs - talk talk talk
31 the dB's - stands for decibels
32 stan ridgway - the big heat
33 ac/dc - back in black
34 marshall crenshaw - marshall crenshaw
35 rodney crowell - keys to the highway
36 the blasters - american music
37 pet shop boys - please
38 the fall - bend sinister
39 The Feelies - It's Only Life
40 pylon - chomp
41 husker du - new day rising
42 Robert Wyatt - Old Rottenhat
43 Mekons - Fear & Whiskey
44 alan vega - alan vega
45 go-betweens - liberty belle and the black diamond express
46 Wire - A Bell Is A Cup Until It Is Struck
47 Jimmie Dale Gilmore - Fair & Square
48 King Crimson - Discipline
49 The Apartments - The Evening Visits...And Stays for years
50 young marble giants - colossal youth
51 Donald Fagen - The Nightfly
52 new order - power, corruption & lies
53 The Feelies - The Good Earth
54 the blue nile - a walk across the rooftops
55 The Fall - Totale's Turns
56 go-betweens - 16 lovers lane
57 public image ltd - album
58 black sabbath - born again
59 pet shop boys - introspective
60 the chills - kaleidoscope world
61 the dB's - like this
62 pylon - gyrate
63 that petrol emotion - babble
64 lucinda williams - lucinda williams
65 colin newman - commercial suicide
66 Megadeth - peace sells...but who's buying
67 coil - horse rotovator
68 go-betweens - before hollywood
69 lyle lovett - lyle lovett & his large band
70 husker du - zen arcade
71 pink floyd - the final cut
72 prince - sign o the times
73 elvis costello - imperial bedroom
74 the dB's - repercussion
75 john hiatt - bring the family
76 michael jackson - thriller
77 Mekons - Honky Tonkin'
78 rodney crowell - diamonds & dirt
79 the church - heyday
80 chris rea - the road to hell
81 martin stephenson - boat to bolivia
82 everything but the girl - idlewild
83 the dream sydicate - the days of wine & roses
84 metallica - master of puppets
85 peter case - peter case
86 prefab sprout - two wheels good
87 loop - a gilded eternity
88 abc - the lexicon of love
89 psychedelic furs - psychedelic furs
90 randy newman - land of dreams
91 xtc - skylarking
92 prince - 1999
93 dinosaur jr. - you're living all over me
94 killing joke - what's this for
95 lucy show - mania
96 bob dylan - oh mercy
97 van halen - 1984
98 mary margaret o'hara - miss america
99 echo & the bunnymen - porcupine
100 kraftwerk - computerworld

Moonbeam said:

And now we get to my favorite decade- the 1980s.

Here is my list! I know it's a bit top-heavy with my favorite artists, but it's an honest reflection of what I like. I could have extended it well beyond 100, but I'll leave it at that.

Harlepolis said:

Here's my top 20 list(in no special order):

You owe me $5. I caught the big fish....again

I have 58 of the albums in your list
Though, if I counted the different formats and times I've upgraded them it would surely surpass the 100

Vanity 6 Vanity 6 (1982)
The Sugarcubes Life's Too Good (1988)
Michael Jackson Thriller (1982)
Depeche Mode Music for the Masses (1987)
New Order Brotherhood (1986)
George Michael Faith (1987)
The Stone Roses The Stone Roses (1989)
The Sugarcubes Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week! (1989)
New Order Low-Life (1985)
Talking Heads Remain in Light (1980)
Kim Wilde Kim Wilde (1981)
Kate Bush Hounds of Love (1985)
INXS Kick (1987)
Deborah Harry KooKoo (1981)
Madonna True Blue (1986)
George Clinton Computer Games (1982)
The Time What Time Is It? (1982)
Cyndi Lauper She's So Unusual (1983)
Blondie The Hunter (1982)
Janet Jackson Control (1986)
Depeche Mode Speak & Spell (1981)
The Time The Time (1981)
Prince Batman (1989)
Blondie Autoamerican (1980)
Depeche Mode Black Celebration (1986)
Tom Tom Club Tom Tom Club (1981)
New Order Technique (1989)
Depeche Mode Some Great Reward (1984)
Talking Heads Speaking in Tongues (1983)
Eurythmics We Too Are One (1989)
Yazoo Upstairs at Eric's (1982)
Kim Wilde Select (1982)
The Pretenders Pretenders (1980)
Eurythmics Be Yourself Tonight (1985)
The Cure Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me (1987)
Eurythmics Savage (1987)
Eurythmics Revenge (1986)
Prince Around the World in a Day (1985)
Kraftwerk Computer World (1981)
New Order Power, Corruption & Lies (1983)
Prince Dirty Mind (1980)
Michael Jackson Bad (1987)
The Human League Dare (1981)
Eurythmics In the Garden (1981)
Prince Purple Rain (1984)
Prince Parade: Music From the Motion Picture "Under the Cherry Moon" (1986)
Prince Controversy (1981)
David Bowie Scary Monsters (1980)
Eurythmics Touch (1983)
Madonna Madonna (1983)
Eurythmics 1984 (For the Love of Big Brother) (1984)
Eurythmics Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) (1983)
Madonna Like a Prayer (1989)
Prince Sign 'o' the Times (1987)
The Cure Disintegration (1989)
Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989)
Prince Lovesexy (1988)
Prince 1999 (1982)

You owe me $5. I caught the big fish....again

thekidsgirl said:

Gawd! These lists are so fuggin intimidating
I've got so much music to catch up on...Decades worth

Prince use to have balls....now he has religion. - Nothinbutjoy

very nice

Moonbeam said:

And now we get to my favorite decade- the 1980s.

Here is my list! I know it's a bit top-heavy with my favorite artists, but it's an honest reflection of what I like. I could have extended it well beyond 100, but I'll leave it at that.

PANDURITO said:

There's a white guy in The System cover

Love is just like the faucet
It turns off and on
Sometimes when you think it's on baby
It has turned off and gone


Lady Day

PANDURITO said:

Harlepolis said:

Here's my top 20 list(in no special order):

There's a white guy in The System cover

Harlepolis said:

PANDURITO said:

There's a white guy in The System cover

You owe me $5. I caught the big fish....again

PANDURITO said:

Harlepolis said:

Yeah, one That's what I said

Love is just like the faucet
It turns off and on
Sometimes when you think it's on baby
It has turned off and gone


Lady Day

You'll love this Ian.

I haven't figured out yet my top 100 of the 80s, but I do have every 80s album I own ranked by year:

1980:
1. Prince - Dirty Mind
2. Killing Joke - Killing Joke
3. Joy Division - Closer
4. Bauhaus - In The Flat Field
5. The B-52's - Wild Planet
6. The Jacksons - Triumph
7. Siouxsie And The Banshees - Kaleidoscope
8. The Cure - 17 Seconds
9. Martha & The Muffins - Metro Music

1981:
1. Prince - Controversy
2. The Jacksons - The Jacksons Live!
3. Rick James - Street Songs
4. Public Image Ltd - The Flowers Of Romance
5. Siouxsie And The Banshees - Juju
6. The Human League - Dare
7. Bauhaus - Mask
8. The Time - The Time
9. The Cure - Faith

1982:
1. Michael Jackson - Thriller
2. Christian Death - Only Theatre Of Pain
3. The Cure - Pornography
4. The Time - 777-9311
5. Prince - 1999
6. Vanity 6 - Vanity 6
7. Berlin - Pleasure Victim
8. Virgin Prunes - If I Die, I Die
9. Kate Bush - The Dreaming
10. Siouxsie and The Banshees - A Kiss In The Dreamhouse
11. Rick James - Throwin' Down
12. The B-52's - Mesopotamia
13. Cocteau Twins - Garlands
14. André Cymone - Livin' In The New Wave
15. Bauhaus - The Sky's Gone Out
16. Janet Jackson - Janet Jackson

1983:
1. Culture Club - Colour By Numbers
2. Specimen - Batastrophe
3. Xmal Deutschland - Fetisch
4. Siouxsie And The Banshees - Nocturne
5. The Glove - Blue Sunshine
6. Tracey Ullman - You Broke My Heart in 17 Places
7. Madonna - Madonna
8. Cocteau Twins - Head Over Heels
9. Mary Jane Girls - Mary Jane Girls
10. The Creatures - Feast
11. Bauhaus - Burning From The Inside
12. The B-52's - Whammy
13. New Edition - Candy Girl
14. André Cymone - Survivin' in the 80's
15. Alien Sex Fiend - Who's Been Sleeping In My Brain?
16. Kommunity FK - The Vision And The Voice
17. 45 Grave - Sleep in Safety
18. The Human League - Fascination

1984:
1. Prince and The Revolution - Purple Rain
2. Christian Death - Catastrophe Ballet
3. Run-D.M.C - Run-D.M.C.
4. Siouxsie And The Banshees - Hyæna
5. Echo And The Bunnymen - Ocean Rain
6. Xmal Deutschland - Tocsin
7. Apollonia 6 - Apollonia 6
8. The Time - Ice Cream Castle
9. Janet Jackson - Dream Street
10. The Cult - Dreamtime
11. Cocteau Twins - Treasure
12. Shannon - Let The Music Play
13. Alien Sex Fiend - Acid Bath
14. The Cure - The Top
15. Vanity - Wild Animal
16. Sheila E - The Glamorous Life

1985:
1. The Cure - The Head On The Door
2. Christian Death - Ashes
3. Kate Bush - Hounds Of Love
4. Prince and The Revolution - Around The World In A Day
5. Jesse Johnson's Revue - Jesse Johnson's Revue
6. Ready For The World - Ready For The World
7. The Family - The Family
8. Fishbone - Fishbone
9. The Cult - Love
10. Clan Of Xymox - Clan Of Xymox
11. Mary Jane Girls - Only Four You
12. The Sisters Of Mercy - First And Last And Always
13. Sheila E. - Romance 1600
14. Ta Mara And The Seen - Ta Mara And The Seen
15. Love And Rockets - Seventh Dream Of Teenage Heaven
16. Kommunity FK - Close One Sad Eye
17. André Cymone - A/C
18. Morris Day - Color Of Success
19. Shannon - Do You Wanna Get Away
20. Full Force - Full Force

wrong year edit.
[Edited 10/5/09 9:37am]

1986:
1. Prince and The Revolution - Parade
2. Siouxsie and The Banshees - Tinderbox
3. Book Of Love - Book Of Love
4. Janet Jackson - Control
5. The Human League - Crash
6. Jesse Johnson - Shockadelica
7. Mazarati - Mazarati
8. The Smiths - The Queen is Dead
9. Run-D.M.C. - Raising Hell
10. Love And Rockets - Express
11. The B-52's - Bouncing Off The Satellites
12. Bad Brains - I Against I
13. The Mission - God's Own Medicine
14. Ready For The World - Long Time Coming
15. Clan Of Xymox - Medusa
16. Christian Death - Atrocities
17. Grace Jones - Inside Story
18. We've Got a Fuzzbox and We're Gonna Use It!! - We've Got a Fuzzbox and We're Gonna Use It!!
19. The Sisterhood - Gift
20. Cocteau Twins - Victorialand
21. Full Force - Full Force Get Busy 1 Time!
22. Vanity - Skin On Skin

1987:
1. The Sisters of Mercy - Floodland
2. Terence Trent D'Arby - Introducing The Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby
3. Public Enemy - Yo! Bum Rush The Show
4. Boogie Down Productions - Criminal Minded
5. Prince - The Black Album
6. Depeche Mode - Music For The Masses
7. The Cure - Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
8. Prince - Sign O The Times
9. Madame X - Madame X
10. Wendy & Lisa - Wendy & Lisa
11. Eric B & Rakim - Paid In Full
12. Exposé - Exposure
13. INXS - Kick
14. Michael Jackson - Bad
15. Jill Jones - Jill Jones
16. Siouxsie And The Banshees - Through The Looking Glass
17. Fields Of The Nephilim - Dawnrazor
18. Xmal Deutschland - Viva
19. Georgio - Sexappeal
20. Morris Day - Daydreaming
21. Sheila E - Sheila E
22. Madhouse - 8
23. Stevie Wonder - Characters
24. Pebbles - Pebbles
25. Full Force - Guess Who's Comin' To The Crib?
26. The Cult - Electric
27. Love And Rockets - Earth, Sun, Moon
28. Taja Sevelle - Taja Sevelle
29. Herb Alpert - Keep Your Eye On Me
30. Madhouse - 16
31. Christian Death - The Scriptures
32. Shalamar - Circumstantial Evidence

1988:
1. Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
2. Fields Of The Nephilim - The Nephilim
3. Living Colour - Vivid
4. Siouxsie and The Banshees - Peepshow
5. My Bloody Valentine - Isn't Anything
6. Book Of Love - Lullaby
7. Prince - Lovesexy
8. Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking
9. Ministry - The Land Of Rape And Honey
10. Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation
11. Slick Rick - The Great Adventures of Slick Rick
12. Bobby Brown - Don't Be Cruel
13. New Edition - Heart Break
14. Edie Brickell & New Bohemians - Shooting Rubberbands At The Stars
15. Sade - Stronger Than Pride
16. Roachford - Roachford
17. Brownmark - Just Like That
18. Guy - Guy
19. Jesse Johnson - Every Shade Of Love
20. Cocteau Twins - Blue Bell Knoll
21. Peter Murphy - Love Hysteria
22. Y Kant Tori Read - Y Kant Tori Read
23. Sa-Fire - Sa-Fire
24. Sweet Sensation - Take It While It's Hot
25. Ta Mara And The Seen - Blueberry Gossip
26. Ofra Haza - Shaday
27. The Three O'Clock - Vermillion
28. Christian Death - Sex And Drugs And Jesus Christ
29. Sheena Easton - The Lover In Me
30. Dale - Riot In English
31. Good Question - Good Question

1989:
1. Janet Jackson - Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814
2. The B-52's - Cosmic Thing
3. De La Soul - 3 Feet High And Rising
4. Fuzzbox - Big Bang!
5. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
6. The Cure - Disintegration
7. Madonna - Like A Prayer
8. Lenny Kravitz - Let Love Rule
9. Kate Bush - The Sensual World
10. The Primitives - Pure
11. Wendy And Lisa - Fruit At The Bottom
12. Peter Murphy - Deep
13. Jane Child - Jane Child
14. Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine
15. Ministry - The Mind Is A Terrible Thing To Taste
16. Terence Trent D'Arby - Neither Fish Nor Flesh
17. The Cult - Sonic Temple
18. Prince - Batman
19. The Creatures - Boomerang
20. Transvision Vamp - Velveteen
21. Flesh For Lulu - Plastic Fantastic
22. Love And Rockets - Love And Rockets
23. Xymox - Twist Of Shadows
24. Boss Hog - Drinkin', Lechin' & Lyin'
25. Full Force - Smoove
26. Red Hot Chili Peppers - Mother's Milk
27. Tony LeMans - Tony LeMans
28. Exposé - What You Don't Know
29. East Of Eden - East Of Eden
30. Xmal Deutschland - Devils
31. Brownmark - Good Feeling
32. Bobby Z - Bobby Z

Maybe I'll figure out a top 100 later this week.

album add
[Edited 10/5/09 10:29am]

sextonseven said:

damosuzuki said:

awesome list, but I just have one quibble:

sextonseven said:

NoVideo said:

awesome list, but I just have one quibble:

sextonseven said:

31. Good Question - Good Question

How can this masterpiece of pop, soul and funk be last on your list for that year?!?!

NoVideo said:

sextonseven said:

31. Good Question - Good Question

How can this masterpiece of pop, soul and funk be last on your list for that year?!?!

You owe me $5. I caught the big fish....again

I’m a moth and this is the flame.

Do you know this 1985 album produced by Stephen Lipson and Trevor Horn?

I could never make a top 100 without it. Not even a top 10





[Edited 10/5/09 15:44pm]

You owe me $5. I caught the big fish....again

This was incredibly difficult, as the 80s are by far my favorite musical decade. There were some albums that albums that were incredibly hard to leave off, but... that's the nature of lists.

1. The Cure - Disintegration (1989)
2. Prince - Sign o' The Times (1987)
3. Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (are made of this) (1983)
4. Kate Bush - Hounds of Love (1985)
5. The Police - Synchronicity (1983)
6. Peter Gabriel - So (1986)
7. Michael Jackson - Thriller (1982)
8. Jane's Addiction - Nothing's Shocking (1988)
9. Eurythmics - Savage (1987)
10. Prince & The Revolution - Purple Rain (1984)
11. Kate Bush - The Dreaming (1982)
12. Thomas Dolby - The Golden Age of Wireless (1982)
13. Red Temple Spirits - Dancing To Restore an Eclipsed Moon (1988)
14. Bob Dylan - Oh Mercy (1989)
15. U2 - The Joshua Tree (1987)
16. Joy Division - Closer (1980)
17. Eurythmics - Touch (1983)
18. XTC - Skylarking (1986)
19. The Cure - Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987)
20. Madonna - Like a Prayer (1989)
21. Prince - 1999 (1982)
22. Thomas Dolby - The Flat Earth (1984)
23. David Bowie - Scary Monsters (1980)
24. Pet Shop Boys - Actually (1987)
25. The Cure - The Head on the Door (1985)
26. Siouxsie & The Banshees - Peepshow (1988)
27. Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast (1982)
28. The Fixx - Phantoms (1984)
29. The Replacements - Let It Be (1984)
30. The Sugarcubes - Life's Too Good (1988)
31. Human Drama - Feel (1989)
32. Erasure - The Innocents (1988)
33. Sinead O'Connor - The Lion & The Cobra (1987)
34. Prince & The Revolution - Parade (1986)
35. R.E.M. - Document (1987)
36. Eurythmics - 1984 (For The Love of Big Brother) (1984)
37. The Cure - Pornography (1982)
38. Duran Duran - Rio (1982)
39. The Smiths - The Queen is Dead (1986)
40. New Order - Technique (1989)
41. Human League - Hysteria (1984)
42. Peter Schilling - Error In The System (1983)
43. Crowded House - Temple of Low Men (1988)
44. Rush - Moving Pictures (1981)
45. The Cult - Dreamtime (1984)
46. Falco 3 (1985)
47. Def Leppard - Pyromania (1983)
48. Peter Gabriel - Security (1982)
49. The Cure - Seventeen Seconds (1980)
50. Bruce Springsteen - Born in the USA (1984)
51. Eurythmics - In The Garden (1981)
52. Human League - Travelogue (1980)
53. Lucinda Williams - Lucinda Williams (1988)
54. Pet Shop Boys - Please (1986)
55. Pretenders - Pretenders (1980)
56. Talking Heads - Remain in Light (1980)
57. a-ha - Scoundrel Days (1986)
58. Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988)
59. Arcadia - So Red The Rose (1985)
60. Prince - Lovesexy (1988)
61. Spandau Ballet - True (1983)
62. U2 - The Unforgettable Fire (1984)
63. Depeche Mode - Music for the Masses (1987)
64. The Fixx - Reach The Beach (1983)
65. The Cult - Love (1985)
66. Erasure - Wild! (1989)
67. Eurythmics - Be Yourself Tonight (1985)
68. Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation (1988)
69. Culture Club - Colour By Numbers (1983)
70. The Smiths - Strangeways Here We Come (1987)
71. Paul McCartney - Tug of War (1982)
72. Guns 'n' Roses - Appetite For Destruction (1987)
73. Sting - Dream of the Blue Turtles (1985)
74. Duran Duran - Notorious (1986)
75. Human League - Dare (1981)
76. Eurythmics - Revenge (1986)
77. Def Leppard - Hysteria (1987)
78. Siouxsie & The Banshees - Hyaena (1984)
79. Neil Young - Freedom (1989)
80. The Cars - Heartbeat City (1984)
81. The Police - Ghost in the Machine (1981)
82. The Cure - Faith (1981)
83. Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman (1988)
84. Cyndi Lauper - She's So Unusual (1983)
85. The Creatures - Boomerang (1989)
86. Kate Bush - The Sensual World (1989)
87. Tina Turner - Private Dancer (1984)
88. Bauhaus - In The Flat Field (1980)
89. Pixies - Doolittle (1989)
90. Everything But The Girl - Idlewild (1988)
91. Pretenders - Learning to Crawl (1984)
92. Prince - Dirty Mind (1980)
93. Queensryche - Operation: Mindcrime (1988)
94. The Cure - The Top (1984)
95. George Michael - Faith (1987)
96. Bob Dylan - Infidels (1983)
97. Mary Margaret O'Hara - Miss America (1988)
98. Duran Duran - Seven & The Ragged Tiger (1983)
99. Janet Jackson - Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989)
100. Jesus & Mary Chain - Psychocandy (1985)