The Great Albums of the 1980’s
This list is all of the great albums I have heard in rock, in the ten year span of 1980-1989. No limit on number
2009 edition = 109 entries
2013 edition = 201 entries
2016 edition = 277 entries
new! = new addition
up – moved up the list since last time
down – moved down the list since last time
italics – 5 star albums
regular font – 4 ½ star albums
1.Daydream Nation – Sonic Youth (1988)
2.Miss America – Mary Margaret O’Hara (1988)
3.Warehouse: Songs and Stories – Husker Du (1987)
4.Double Nickels on the Dime – The Minutemen (1984)
5.Sister – Sonic Youth (1987)
6.Fire of Love – The Gun Club (1981)
7.English Settlement – XTC (1982)
8.Psychic…Powerless…Another Man’s Sac – Butthole Surfers (1984)
9.Life’s Rich Pageant – R.E.M. (1986)
10.Up on the Sun – Meat Puppets (1985)
11.Surfer Rosa – Pixies (1988)
12.The River – Bruce Springsteen (1980)
13.Shoot out the Lights – Richard Thompson (1982)
14.Zen Arcade – Husker Du (1984)
15.Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart – Camper Van Beethoven (1988)
16.Remain in Light – Talking Heads (1980)
17.Skylarking – XTC (1986)
18.It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back – Public Enemy (1988)
19.Ride the Lightning – Metallica (1984)
20.Spirit of Eden – Talk Talk (1988)
21.Raising Hell – Run DMC (1986
22.Praire School Freakout – Eleventh Dream Day (1988)
23.Psychocandy – The Jesus and Mary Chain (1985)
24.On Fire – Galaxie 500 (1989)
25.Black Snake Diamond Role – Robyn Hitchcock (1981)
26.Atomiser – Big Black (1986)
27.Native Sons – The Long Ryders (1984)
28.The Days of Wine and Roses – The Dream Syndicate (1982)
29.Synchronicity – The Police (1983)
30.Hypnotised – The Undertones (1982)
31.The Serpent’s Egg – Dead Can Dance (1988)
32.Doolittle – Pixies (1989)
- Reign in Blood – Slayer (1986) new!
34.Document – R.E.M. (1987)
35.World Shut Your Mouth – Julian Cope (1984)
36.Blue Bell Knoll – Cocteau Twins (1988)
37.Wild Gift – X (1981)
38.Telepathic Surgery – The Flaming Lips (1989)
39.Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables – The Dead Kennedys (1980)
40.Malcom X Park – Unrest (1988)
41.Die Kreuzen – s/t (1984) new!
42.II & III – Camper Van Beethoven (1986)
43.Passion – Peter Gabriel (1989)
44.You Can’t Pray a Lie – Laughing Hyenas (1989) new!
45.Variations on a Theme – David Thomas (1983) new!
46.Positive Touch – The Undertones (1981)
47.Paul’s Boutique – Beastie Boys (1989)
48.The Law of Things – The Bats (1989)
49.A-Z – Colin Newman (1980)
50.Nail – Foetus (1985)
51.Murmur – R.E.M. (1983)
52.Original Sin – Pandora’s Box (1989)
53.Signals, Calls, and Marches – Mission of Burma (1981)
54.Flip Your Wig – Husker Du (1985)
55.Sound of Sand – David Thomas (1982)
56.Graceland – Paul Simon (1986)
57.Chris Issak – s/t (1987)
58.Up to Here – The Tragically Hip (1989)
59.Born in the U.S.A. – Bruce Springsteen (1984)
60.Black Sea – XTC (1980)
61.Swordfishtrombones – Tom Waits (1983)
62.The Big Heat – Stan Ridgway (1986)
63.Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman (1988)
64.Miami – The Gun Club (1982)
65.California – American Music Club (1988)
66.The Art of Walking – Pere Ubu (1980)
67.Mekons Rock n Roll – Mekons (1989)
68.1990 – Daniel Johnston (1988)
69.Gretchen Goes to Nebraska – King’s X (1989)
70.Zenyatta Mondatta – The Police (1980)
71.Underwater Moonlight – The Soft Boys (1980) up
72.Prayer for the Halcyon Fear – Tiny Lights (1985)
73.More Fun in the New World – X (1983)
74.Two Nuns and a Pack Mule – Rapeman (1988)
75.Robbie Robertson – s/t (1987)
- Hex Education Hour – The Fall (1982)
77.Rock for Light – Bad Brains (1983)
78.Crocodiles – Echo and the Bunnymen (1980)
79.Drifters – True West (1984) new!
80.New York – Lou Reed (1989)
81.Nothing’s Shocking – Jane’s Addiction (1988)
82.Short Sharp Shocked – Michelle Shocked (1988) new!
83.Children of God – The Swans (1987)
84.Spleen and Ideal – Dead Can Dance (1985)
85.Los Angeles – X (1980)
86.Confusion is Sex – Sonic Youth (1983)
87.Rembrandt Pussyhorse – Butthole Surfers (1986)
88.Peter Gabriel – III (1980)
89.Love Agenda – Band of Susans (1989)
90.The Lion and the Cobra – Sinead O’Connor (1987)
91.The Sin of Pride – The Undertones (1983)
92.Bound by the Beauty – Jane Siberry (1989)
93.Oh My Gawd – The Flaming Lips (1987)
94.Hallowed Ground – Violent Femmes (1984) new!
95.Discipline – King Crimson (1981)
96.Generic – Flipper (1982)
97.From Her to Eternity – Nice Cave (1984)
98.The Pretenders – The Pretenders (1980)
99.Fegmania – Robyn Hitchcock (1985)
100.Double Bummer – Bongwater (1988) new!
101.I’m Your Man – Leonard Cohen (1988)
102.Boylan Heights – The Connells (1987)
103.Flying Cowboys – Rickie Lee Jones (1989)
104.Hole – Foetus (1984) down
105.The Good Earth – The Feelies (1986)
106.Green Thoughts – The Smithereens (1988)
107.Fisherman’s Blues – The Waterboys (1988) new!
108.Violent Femmes – Violent Femmes (1983)
- Wasn’t Tomorrow Wonderful – Waitresses (1982) new!
- Cabin Flounder – Fetchin Bones (1985)
111.Kill ’em All – Metallica (1983)
112.Flowers of Romance – PIL (1981)
113.Hope Against Hope – Band of Susans (1988)
114.Guitar Beat – Raybeats (1981)
115.Psionic Sunspot – The Dukes of Stratosphere (1986)
116.The Queen is Dead – The Smiths (1986)
117.Heyday – The Church (1985) new!
- Fried – Julian Cope (1984) new!
119.Hole – Foetus (1984) down
120.The Power of Lard – Lard (1988) new!
121.Plasticland – s/t (1984) new!
122.Rain Dogs – Tom Waits (1985)
123.Damaged – Black Flag (1981)
124.Reprecussion – The db’s (1982)
125.Cloudland – Pere Ubu (1989) up
126.Plastic Surgery Disasters – Dead Kennedys (1982) new!
127.Boomtown – David + David (1986)
128.Silvertone – Chris Issak (1985)
129.Killing Joke – s/t (1980) new!
130.They Might Be Giants – They Might Be Giants (1986)
131.I Against I – Bad Brains (1986)
132.This Nation’s Saving Grace – The Fall (1985) new!
133.Killing Time – Massacre (1982) new!
134.Today – Galaxie 500 (1988)
135.Ocean Rain – Echo and the Bunnymen (1984)
136.Folksinger – Phranc (1985)
137.Get Happy – Elvis Costello (1980) up
138.Roman Gods – Fleshtones (1981) up
139.The Dream Of The Blue Turtle – Sting (1988) new!
140.License to Ill – Beastie Boys (1986) up
141.Vienna – Ultravox (1980) new!
142.New Day Rising – Husker Du (1985)
143.Paris, Texas – Ry Cooder (1984) new!
144.So Good It Hurts – The Mekons (1988) new!
145.Daddy’s Highway – The Bats (1987)
146.No Control – Bad Religion (1989) up
147.By All Means Necessary – Boogie Down Productions (1988) new!
148.Head Over Heels – Cocteau Twins (1983)
- Vs – Mission of Burma (1982)
150.Scratch Acid – s/t (1984) new!
151.Forever Breathes the Lonely World – Felt (1986)
152.Out of the Silent Planet – King’s X (1988)
153.Killing Time – Massacre (1982) new!
- Lovers Lane – The Go Betweens (1988) new!
155.Introduce Yourself – Faith No More (1987)
156.Learning to Crawl – The Pretenders (1983)
157.Cop – Swans (1984)
158.If I Should Fall from Grace With God – The Pogues (1988) new!
159.Frontier Days – The Del Lords (1984)
160.Bad Brains – Bad Brains (1982)
161.The Colour of Spring – Talk Talk (1986)
162.Bring the Family – John Hiatt (1987)
163.Juju Music – King Sunny Ade (1982) new!
164.Big Soul – Original Sins (1987)
165.Signals – Rush (1982) new!
166.Half Mute – Tuxedomoon (1980)
167.Jettison – Naked Raygun (1988) new!
168.Reckoning – R.E.M. (1984)
169.Lincoln – They Might Be Giants (1988)
- Drum – Hugo Largo (1987)
171.Songs about Fucking – Big Black (1987)
172.Starfish – The Church (1988)
173.Honky Tonk Angel – Patti Loveless (1988) new!
174.Beautiful Vision – Van Morrison (1982) new!
175.Hear it Is – The Flaming Lips (1986)
176.Speaking in Tounges – Talking Heads (1983)
- X – Under the Big Black Sun (1983) up
178.The Wonderful and Frightening World of the Fall – The Fall (1984) new!
179.The Land of Rape and Honey – Ministry (1988)
180.Too Tough to Die – Ramones (1984) new!
181.Especially for You – The Smithereens (1986)
182.My Life in the Bush of Ghosts – Bryne and Eno (1981)
183.Telephone Free Landslide Victory – Camper Van Beethoven (1985)
184.Songs the Lord Taught Us – The Cramps (1980)
185.Walk Among Us – Misfits (1982) new!
186.Translate Slowly – The Reivers (1985)
187.Suffer – Bad Religion (1988)
188.Hazel’s Wreath – Tiny Lights (1988) new!
189.The Ascension – Glen Branca (1981) new!
190.Jamboree – Beat Happening (1988)
191.Closer – Joy Division (1980)
192.Mama Africa – Peter Tosh (1983)
193.How Will the Wolf Survive? – Los Lobos (1984)
194.Camper Van Beethoven – Camper Van Beethoven (1986)
195.3 Feet High and Rising – De La Soul (1989) new!
196.Marshall Crenshaw – s/t (1985) new!
197.Back in Black – AC/DC (1980)
198.Death Travels West – The Embarrassment (1983) new!
199.Dead Can Dance – s/t (1984)
200.Too Much Sleep – Bongwater (1989) new!
201.Of Skins and Heart – The Church (1981)
202.Only Life – The Feelies (1988)
203.Monster Walks the Winter Lake – David Thomas (1986) new!
204.Emergency Third Rail Power Trip – Rain Parade (1983)
205.Trust – Elvis Costello (1981) new!
206.Crossroads – Tracy Chapman (1989) new!
207.The Trinity Sessions – Cowboy Junkies (1988)
208.Yo Bum Rush the Show – Public Enemy (1987)
209.Meat Puppets II – The Meat Puppets (1984)
210.Death Of Innocence – Legal Weapon (1982) new!
211.The Firstborn is Dead – Nice Cave (1985)
212.Hand of Kindness – Richard Thompson (1983)
213.Glass Houses – Billy Joel (1980)
214.Oh Mercy – Bob Dylan (1989) new!
215.Hearts and Bones – Paul Simon (1983)
216.Candy Apple Grey – Husker Du (1986)
217.Black Metal – Venom (1982) new!
218.Suzanne Vega – s/t (1985)
219.Viva Hate – Morrissey (1988) new!
220.Run DMC – s/t (1984) down
221.Seance – The Church (1983)
222.Stands for Decibles – The db’s (1981)
223.All About Eve – s/t (1988) new!
224.13 – Lydia Lunch (1982) new!
225.Wild Planet – B52’s (1980) new!
226.Gone Fishin – Flipper (1984)
227.I Often Dream of Trains – Robyn Hitchcock (1984) down
228.The Stone Roses – The Stone Roses (1989)
229.Call of the West – Wall of Voodoo (1982) down
230.Sandinista – The Clash (1980)
231.Amnesia – Richard Thompson (1988)
232.Rites of Spring – s/t (1985)
233.Avalon – Roxy Music (1982) new!
234.How Much Longer Do We Tolerate Mass Murder – Pop Group (1980) new!
235.Evol – Sonic Youth (1986)
236.Litanies of Satan – Diamanda Galas (1982)
237.Signs of Life – Penguin Cafe Orchestra (1987) new!
238.King of Rock – Run DMC (1985)
239.Merry Go around – Laughing Hyenas (1987) new!
240.How Could Hell Be Any Worse – Bad Religion (1982) new!
241.President Yo La Tengo – Yo La Tengo (1989)
242.Key Lime Pie – Camper Van Beethoven (1989)
243.Guitar Town – Steve Earle (1986) new!
244.Ghost Stories – The Dream Syndicate (1988)
245.Fear and Whiskey – The Mekons (1985)
246.Paid in Full – Erik b. and Rakim (1987)
247.Triptych – The Bevis Frond (1988) new!
248.Thriller – Michael Jackson (1982)
249.Out of Step – Minor Threat (1984)
250.The Joshua Tree – U2 (1987)
251.In My Tribe – 10,000 Maniacs (1987)
252.Medicine Show – The Dream Syndicate (1984)
253.What Makes a Man Start Fires – The Minutemen (1982)
254.Tattoo You – Rolling Stones (1981) new!
255.The Speckless Sky – Jane Siberry (1985)
256.So – Peter Gabriel (1986)
257.Shadows – Gordon Lightfoot (1982) new!
258.Ambient 4: On Land – Brian Eno (1982) new!
259.The Smiths – The Smiths (1984)
260.Happy Come Home – Victoria Williams (1987)
261.High Land, Hard Rain – Aztec Camera (1983)
262.Pornography – The Cure (1982) new!
263.Like a Prayer – Madonna (1989)
264.L7 – s/t (1988) new!
265.Moving Pictures – Rush (1981) new!
266.Victorland – Cocteau Twins (1986)
267.Seven Waves – Suzanne Ciari new! (1982)
268.They – King Missle (1981) new!
269.Locust Abortion Technician – Butthole Surfers (1987)
270.Dancing to Restore Eclipsed Moon – Red Temple Spirits (1988) new!
271.Filth – Swans (1983)
272.Strictly Business – EPMD new! (1988)
273.The Splendor of Fear – Felt (1984)
274.Danzig – s/t new! (1988)
275.Black Candy – Beat Happening (1989)
- Rio – Duran Duran new! (1982)
277.3rd From the Sun – Chrome new! (1982)
