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Most Acclaimed Albums of the 1980s Beta

100 of 178

#1 It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)

Public Enemy | 28 lists

#2 Purple Rain (1984)

Prince and the Revolution | 19 lists

#3 The Queen Is Dead (1986)

The Smiths | 24 lists

#4 Remain in Light (1980)

Talking Heads | 19 lists

#5 Thriller (1982)

Michael Jackson | 19 lists

#6 Sign o' the Times (1987)

Prince | 24 lists

#7 Hounds of Love (1985)

Kate Bush | 18 lists

#8 Doolittle (1989)

Pixies | 22 lists

#9 Paul's Boutique (1989)

Beastie Boys | 20 lists

#10 Disintegration (1989)

The Cure | 19 lists

#11 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)

De La Soul | 20 lists

#12 Daydream Nation (1988)

Sonic Youth | 20 lists

#13 Graceland (1986)

Paul Simon | 19 lists

#14 Rain Dogs (1985)

Tom Waits | 22 lists

#15 Closer (1980)

Joy Division | 16 lists

#16 The Joshua Tree (1987)

U2 | 19 lists

#17 Straight Outta Compton (1989)

N.W.A. | 18 lists

#18 Master of Puppets (1986)

Metallica | 17 lists

#19 The Stone Roses (1989)

The Stone Roses | 18 lists

#20 Appetite for Destruction (1987)

Guns N' Roses | 18 lists

#21 Back in Black (1980)

AC/DC | 14 lists

#22 Surfer Rosa (1988)

Pixies | 17 lists

#23 Murmur (1983)

R.E.M. | 12 lists

#24 Nebraska (1982)

Bruce Springsteen | 13 lists

#25 Let It Be (1984)

The Replacements | 13 lists

#26 Paid in Full (1987)

Eric B. & Rakim | 15 lists

#27 Psychocandy (1985)

The Jesus and Mary Chain | 13 lists

#28 Raising Hell (1986)

Run-DMC | 13 lists

#29 Like a Prayer (1989)

Madonna | 10 lists

#30 The Smiths (1984)

The Smiths | 11 lists

#31 Reign in Blood (1986)

Slayer | 11 lists

#32 Born in the U.S.A. (1984)

Bruce Springsteen | 10 lists

#33 Steve McQueen / Two Wheels Good (1985)

Prefab Sprout | 11 lists

#34 Spirit of Eden (1988)

Talk Talk | 11 lists

#35 Power, Corruption & Lies (1983)

New Order | 10 lists

#36 Zen Arcade (1984)

Hüsker Dü | 11 lists

#37 Double Nickels on the Dime (1984)

Minutemen | 10 lists

#38 Swordfishtrombones (1983)

Tom Waits | 8 lists

#39 This Nation's Saving Grace (1985)

The Fall | 12 lists

#40 Imperial Bedroom (1982)

Elvis Costello and the Attractions | 10 lists

#41 So (1986)

Peter Gabriel | 10 lists

#42 Computer World (1981)

Kraftwerk | 8 lists

#43 Treasure (1984)

Cocteau Twins | 9 lists

#44 1999 (1982)

Prince | 7 lists

#45 Licensed to Ill (1986)

Beastie Boys | 11 lists

#46 Dare (1981)

The Human League | 7 lists

#47 I'm Your Man (1988)

Leonard Cohen | 10 lists

#48 Tim (1985)

The Replacements | 9 lists

#49 Strangeways, Here We Come (1987)

The Smiths | 9 lists

#50 Technique (1989)

New Order | 8 lists

#51 Synchronicity (1983)

The Police | 8 lists

#52 Sister (1987)

Sonic Youth | 10 lists

#53 Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) (1980)

David Bowie | 8 lists

#54 Criminal Minded (1987)

Boogie Down Productions | 10 lists

#55 Faith (1987)

George Michael | 9 lists

#56 Control (1986)

Janet Jackson | 8 lists

#57 Damaged (1981)

Black Flag | 7 lists

#58 Isn't Anything (1988)

My Bloody Valentine | 8 lists

#59 New Day Rising (1985)

Hüsker Dü | 8 lists

#60 You're Living All over Me (1987)

Dinosaur Jr. | 9 lists

#61 Low-Life (1985)

New Order | 7 lists

#62 Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 (1985)

Sam Cooke | 6 lists

#63 My Life in the Bush of Ghosts (1981)

Brian Eno & David Byrne | 7 lists

#64 The Lexicon of Love (1982)

ABC | 5 lists

#65 Searching for the Young Soul Rebels (1980)

Dexys Midnight Runners | 5 lists

#66 Rum Sodomy & the Lash (1985)

The Pogues | 8 lists

#67 The River (1980)

Bruce Springsteen | 6 lists

#68 Dirty Mind (1980)

Prince | 8 lists

#69 She's So Unusual (1983)

Cyndi Lauper | 7 lists

#70 Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989)

Janet Jackson | 7 lists

#71 Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (1980)

Dead Kennedys | 6 lists

#72 Bad (1987)

Michael Jackson | 7 lists

#73 Legend (1984)

Bob Marley and the Wailers | 5 lists

#74 Document (1987)

R.E.M. | 8 lists

#75 The Head on the Door (1985)

The Cure | 7 lists

#76 The Great Twenty-Eight (1982)

Chuck Berry | 4 lists

#77 Songs from the Big Chair (1985)

Tears for Fears | 7 lists

#78 Ocean Rain (1984)

Echo & the Bunnymen | 6 lists

#79 Pornography (1982)

The Cure | 5 lists

#80 Nothing's Shocking (1988)

Jane's Addiction | 7 lists

#81 Lifes Rich Pageant (1986)

R.E.M. | 6 lists

#82 Madonna (1983)

Madonna | 6 lists

#83 The Nightfly (1982)

Donald Fagen | 4 lists

#84 Avalon (1982)

Roxy Music | 6 lists

#85 Sandinista! (1980)

The Clash | 6 lists

#86 Los Angeles (1980)

X | 7 lists

#87 Diamond Life (1984)

Sade | 5 lists

#88 The Dreaming (1982)

Kate Bush | 4 lists

#89 Stop Making Sense (1984)

Talking Heads | 6 lists

#90 Actually (1987)

Pet Shop Boys | 6 lists

#91 Nightclubbing (1981)

Grace Jones | 5 lists

#92 Moving Pictures (1981)

Rush | 4 lists

#93 Tracy Chapman (1988)

Tracy Chapman | 6 lists

#94 Beauty and the Beat (1981)

The Go-Go's | 5 lists

#95 Hex Enduction Hour (1982)

The Fall | 4 lists

#96 Peter Gabriel 3: Melt (1980)

Peter Gabriel | 5 lists

#97 Run–D.M.C. (1984)

Run-DMC | 5 lists

#98 Skylarking (1986)

XTC | 7 lists

#99 Violent Femmes (1983)

Violent Femmes | 5 lists

#100 Hats (1989)

The Blue Nile | 5 lists

Public Enemy

Hip Hop / Conscious Hip Hop / Hardcore Hip Hop

28 lists

It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back 1988

#16

Prince and the Revolution

Rock / Pop / R&B / Funk / Contemporary R&B / Minneapolis Sound / Pop Rock

19 lists

Purple Rain 1984

#21

The Smiths

Rock / Pop / Punk / Indie Pop / Indie Rock / Jangle Pop / Post-Punk

24 lists

The Queen Is Dead 1986

#23

Talking Heads

Rock / Electronic / Punk / Alternative Dance / Art Rock / New Wave / Post-Punk

19 lists

Remain in Light 1980

#25

Michael Jackson

Pop / Soul / R&B / Funk / Contemporary R&B / Dance-pop / Disco

19 lists

Thriller 1982

#32

Prince

Rock / R&B / Funk / Contemporary R&B / Minneapolis Sound / Pop Rock

24 lists

Sign o' the Times 1987

#43

Kate Bush

Rock / Pop / Electronic / Art Pop / Art Rock / Pop Rock

18 lists

Hounds of Love 1985

#44

Pixies

Rock / Alternative Rock / Indie Rock

22 lists

Doolittle 1989

#46

Beastie Boys

Hip Hop / Alternative Hip Hop

20 lists

Paul's Boutique 1989

#10

#48

The Cure

Rock / Electronic / Punk / Alternative Rock / Dream Pop / Goth Rock / Post-Punk

19 lists

Disintegration 1989

#11

#54

De La Soul

Hip Hop / Boom Bap / Conscious Hip Hop / Jazz Rap

20 lists

3 Feet High and Rising 1989

#12

#55

Sonic Youth

Rock / Punk / Alternative Rock / Indie Rock / Noise Rock / Post-Punk

20 lists

Daydream Nation 1988

#13

#57

Paul Simon

Rock / Pop / R&B / Funk / Folk / World / African / Afrobeat / Folk Rock / Pop Rock / Rhythm & Blues

19 lists

Graceland 1986

#14

#58

Tom Waits

Rock / Alternative Rock

22 lists

Rain Dogs 1985

#15

#61

Joy Division

Rock / Punk / Goth Rock / New Wave / Post-Punk

16 lists

Closer 1980

#16

#74

Rock / Punk / Pop Rock / Post-Punk

19 lists

The Joshua Tree 1987

#17

#80

N.W.A.

Hip Hop / Gangsta Rap / Hardcore Hip Hop

18 lists

Straight Outta Compton 1989

#18

#86

Metallica

Metal / Thrash Metal

17 lists

Master of Puppets 1986

#19

#91

The Stone Roses

Rock / Indie Rock

18 lists

The Stone Roses 1989

#20

#94

Guns N' Roses

Rock / Metal / Hard Rock / Heavy Metal

18 lists

Appetite for Destruction 1987

#21

#98

AC/DC

Rock / Metal / Blues Rock / Hard Rock / Heavy Metal

14 lists

Back in Black 1980

#22

#99

Pixies

Rock / Punk / Alternative Rock / Indie Rock / Noise Rock / Post-Hardcore

17 lists

Surfer Rosa 1988

#23

#114

R.E.M.

Rock / Folk / Punk / Alternative Rock / Folk Rock / Jangle Pop / Post-Punk

12 lists

Murmur 1983

#24

#118

Bruce Springsteen

Rock / Country / Country Rock

13 lists

Nebraska 1982

#25

#137

The Replacements

Rock / Punk / Alternative Rock / Indie Rock / Post-Punk / Power Pop

13 lists

Let It Be 1984

#26

#142

Eric B. & Rakim

Hip Hop / Boom Bap / Conscious Hip Hop

15 lists

Paid in Full 1987

#27

#162

The Jesus and Mary Chain

Rock / Punk / Indie Rock / Noise Rock / Post-Punk / Shoegaze

13 lists

Psychocandy 1985

#28

#191

Run-DMC

Hip Hop / Metal / Alternative Metal / Boom Bap / Pop Rap / Turntablism

13 lists

Raising Hell 1986

#29

#195

Madonna

Pop / Electronic / Dance-pop / Synth-pop

10 lists

Like a Prayer 1989

#30

#196

The Smiths

Rock / Pop / Punk / Alternative Rock / Indie Pop / Indie Rock / Post-Punk

11 lists

The Smiths 1984

#31

#207

Slayer

Rock / Metal / Thrash Metal

11 lists

Reign in Blood 1986

#32

#220

Bruce Springsteen

Rock / Pop Rock

10 lists

Born in the U.S.A. 1984

#33

#221

Prefab Sprout

Rock / Pop / Indie Pop / Indie Rock / Pop Rock

11 lists

Steve McQueen / Two Wheels Good 1985

#34

#222

Talk Talk

Rock / Electronic / Ambient / Art Rock / Post-Rock

11 lists

Spirit of Eden 1988

#35

#231

New Order

Rock / Pop / Electronic / Punk / New Wave / Post-Punk / Synth-pop

10 lists

Power, Corruption & Lies 1983

#36

#235

Hüsker Dü

Rock / Punk / Alternative Rock / Hardcore Punk / Post-Hardcore

11 lists

Zen Arcade 1984

#37

#248

Minutemen

Rock / Punk / Alternative Rock / Hardcore Punk / Post-Punk

10 lists

Double Nickels on the Dime 1984

#38

#250

Tom Waits

Rock / Art Rock / Blues Rock

8 lists

Swordfishtrombones 1983

#39

#252

The Fall

Rock / Punk / New Wave / Post-Punk

12 lists

This Nation's Saving Grace 1985

#40

#258

Elvis Costello and the Attractions

Rock / Pop / Alternative Rock / New Wave / Pop Rock

10 lists

Imperial Bedroom 1982

#41

#259

Peter Gabriel

Rock / Pop / Electronic / Art Rock / Pop Rock / Prog Rock / Synth-pop

10 lists

So 1986

#42

#270

Kraftwerk

Pop / Electronic / Electro / Synth-pop

8 lists

Computer World 1981

#43

#275

Cocteau Twins

Rock / Punk / Dream Pop / New Wave / Post-Punk

9 lists

Treasure 1984

#44

#282

Prince

Rock / Pop / Funk / Dance-pop / Minneapolis Sound / Pop Rock

7 lists

1999 1982

#45

#283

Beastie Boys

Rock / Hip Hop / Metal / Alternative Hip Hop / Hard Rock / Heavy Metal

11 lists

Licensed to Ill 1986

#46

#292

The Human League

Pop / Electronic / Dance-pop / Synth-pop

7 lists

Dare 1981

#47

#295

Leonard Cohen

Rock / Pop / Electronic / Folk / Folk Rock / Synth-pop

10 lists

I'm Your Man 1988

#48

#297

The Replacements

Rock / Punk / Alternative Rock / Indie Rock

9 lists

Tim 1985

#49

#298

The Smiths

Rock / Pop / Alternative Rock / Indie Pop / Indie Rock / Jangle Pop

9 lists

Strangeways, Here We Come 1987

#50

#304

New Order

Rock / Pop / Electronic / Alternative Dance / Alternative Rock / Synth-pop

8 lists

Technique 1989

#51

#306

The Police

Rock / Pop / New Wave / Pop Rock

8 lists

Synchronicity 1983

#52

#319

Sonic Youth

Rock / Punk / Alternative Rock / Art Rock / Indie Rock / Post-Punk

10 lists

Sister 1987

#53

#321

David Bowie

Rock / Pop / Punk / Art Pop / Art Rock / New Wave / Pop Rock / Post-Punk

8 lists

Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) 1980

#54

#323

Boogie Down Productions

Hip Hop / Boom Bap / Conscious Hip Hop / Hardcore Hip Hop

10 lists

Criminal Minded 1987

#55

#324

George Michael

Rock / Pop / Electronic / Soul / Alternative Dance / Blue-Eyed Soul / Dance-pop / Pop Rock / Soft Rock

9 lists

Faith 1987

#56

#329

Janet Jackson

Pop / Electronic / R&B / Funk / Contemporary R&B / Dance-pop / Minneapolis Sound / Synth-pop

8 lists

Control 1986

#57

#335

Black Flag

Rock / Punk / Hardcore Punk / Noise Rock

7 lists

Damaged 1981

#58

#348

My Bloody Valentine

Rock / Dream Pop / Indie Rock / Noise Rock / Shoegaze

8 lists

Isn't Anything 1988

#59

#356

Hüsker Dü

Rock / Punk / Alternative Rock / Hardcore Punk

8 lists

New Day Rising 1985

#60

#357

Dinosaur Jr.

Rock / Alternative Rock / Indie Rock

9 lists

You're Living All over Me 1987

#61

#362

New Order

Rock / Electronic / Alternative Rock / Electro / New Wave

7 lists

Low-Life 1985

#62

#369

Sam Cooke

Soul

6 lists

Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963 1985

#63

#371

Brian Eno & David Byrne

Rock / Electronic / Funk / Ambient / Art Rock

7 lists

My Life in the Bush of Ghosts 1981

#64

#377

ABC

Rock / Pop / Electronic / Dance-pop / New Wave / Synth-pop

5 lists

The Lexicon of Love 1982

#65

#384

Dexys Midnight Runners

Rock / Soul / Blue-Eyed Soul / New Wave

5 lists

Searching for the Young Soul Rebels 1980

#66

#386

The Pogues

Rock / Folk / Punk / Folk Rock / Traditional Folk

8 lists

Rum Sodomy & the Lash 1985

#67

#391

Bruce Springsteen

Rock / Folk / Folk Rock / Pop Rock / Rock & Roll / Roots Rock

6 lists

The River 1980

#68

#392

Prince

Rock / Pop / Electronic / R&B / Funk / Alternative Dance / Contemporary R&B / Dance-pop / Minneapolis Sound / New Wave

8 lists

Dirty Mind 1980

#69

#394

Cyndi Lauper

Pop / Electronic / Synth-pop

7 lists

She's So Unusual 1983

#70

#399

Janet Jackson

Pop / R&B / Funk / Contemporary R&B / Dance-pop / Minneapolis Sound

7 lists

Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 1989

#71

#407

Dead Kennedys

Rock / Punk / Hardcore Punk

6 lists

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables 1980

#72

#412

Michael Jackson

Rock / Pop / Soul / R&B / Funk / Contemporary R&B / Dance-pop / Disco / Pop Rock

7 lists

Bad 1987

#73

#422

Bob Marley and the Wailers

Reggae / Roots Reggae

5 lists

Legend 1984

#74

#425

R.E.M.

Rock / Punk / Alternative Rock / Pop Rock / Post-Punk

8 lists

Document 1987

#75

#426

The Cure

Rock / Punk / New Wave / Post-Punk

7 lists

The Head on the Door 1985

#76

#448

Chuck Berry

Rock / Rock & Roll

4 lists

The Great Twenty-Eight 1982

#77

#450

Tears for Fears

Rock / Pop / Electronic / Art Pop / New Wave / Pop Rock / Synth-pop

7 lists

Songs from the Big Chair 1985

#78

#453

Echo & the Bunnymen

Rock / Punk / Indie Rock / New Wave / Post-Punk

6 lists

Ocean Rain 1984

#79

#466

The Cure

Rock / Punk / Goth Rock / New Wave / Post-Punk

5 lists

Pornography 1982

#80

#475

Jane's Addiction

Rock / Metal / Alternative Metal / Alternative Rock

7 lists

Nothing's Shocking 1988

#81

#476

R.E.M.

Rock / Alternative Rock / Jangle Pop

6 lists

Lifes Rich Pageant 1986

#82

#488

Madonna

Pop / Electronic / Dance-pop / Synth-pop

6 lists

Madonna 1983

#83

#498

Donald Fagen

Rock / Pop / Jazz / Jazz Fusion / Pop Rock

4 lists

The Nightfly 1982

#84

#507

Roxy Music

Rock / Pop / Art Rock / Pop Rock

6 lists

Avalon 1982

#85

#511

The Clash

Rock / Punk / Reggae / Dub / Post-Punk / Rock & Roll

6 lists

Sandinista! 1980

#86

#513

Rock / Punk / Rock & Roll

7 lists

Los Angeles 1980

#87

#515

Sade

Soul

5 lists

Diamond Life 1984

#88

#519

Kate Bush

Rock / Art Rock / Pop Rock

4 lists

The Dreaming 1982

#89

#527

Talking Heads

Rock / Funk / Punk / Art Rock / New Wave / Post-Punk

6 lists

Stop Making Sense 1984

#90

#531

Pet Shop Boys

Pop / Electronic / Dance-pop / Synth-pop

6 lists

Actually 1987

#91

#543

Grace Jones

Pop / Electronic / Funk / Reggae / Art Pop / Disco / Downtempo / Dub / Synth-pop

5 lists

Nightclubbing 1981

#92

#551

Rush

Rock / Hard Rock / New Wave / Prog Rock

4 lists

Moving Pictures 1981

#93

#553

Tracy Chapman

Rock / Folk / Folk Rock

6 lists

Tracy Chapman 1988

#94

#554

The Go-Go's

Rock / New Wave / Pop Rock

5 lists

Beauty and the Beat 1981

#95

#558

The Fall

Rock / Punk / Indie Rock / Post-Punk

4 lists

Hex Enduction Hour 1982

#96

#561

Peter Gabriel

Rock / Pop / Punk / Alternative Rock / Art Pop / Art Rock / Pop Rock / Post-Punk / Prog Rock

5 lists

Peter Gabriel 3: Melt 1980

#97

#571

Run-DMC

Hip Hop / Metal / Alternative Metal / Hardcore Hip Hop

5 lists

Run–D.M.C. 1984

#98

#577

XTC

Rock / Pop Rock / Psychedelic Rock

7 lists

Skylarking 1986

#99

#581

Violent Femmes

Rock / Alternative Rock / Indie Rock

5 lists

Violent Femmes 1983

#100

#582

The Blue Nile

Rock / Pop / Dream Pop / New Wave

5 lists

Hats 1989

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