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Best albums of 1980

Post-punk's strongest year and the year it lost Ian Curtis, two months before the record everyone points to came out. Hard rock answered its own grief with the biggest-selling album of its kind, made by a band that had just buried its singer too.

According to Riffiter listeners, the best album of 1980 is Trombipulation by Parliament, rated 4.7/5 by 6 listeners.

  1. Trombipulation cover№ 1TrombipulationParliament · 19804.3Weighted score4.7 avg · 6 ratings
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  1. 2Remain in Light coverRemain in LightTalking Heads · 19804.3 score · 4.5 avg · 12 ratings
  2. 3Ace of Spades coverAce of SpadesMotörhead · 19804.2 score · 4.4 avg · 11 ratings
  3. 4Back in Black coverBack in BlackAC/DC · 19804.2 score · 4.2 avg · 821 ratings
  4. 5Live at Last coverLive at LastBlack Sabbath · 19804.2 score · 4.5 avg · 4 ratings
  5. 6Blizzard of Ozz coverBlizzard of OzzOzzy Osbourne · 19804.2 score · 4.2 avg · 18 ratings
  6. 7The Lord Will Make a Way coverThe Lord Will Make a WayAl Green · 19804.2 score · 4.5 avg · 3 ratings
  7. 8Strong Arm of the Law coverStrong Arm of the LawSaxon · 19804.2 score · 4.5 avg · 3 ratings
  8. 9The River coverThe RiverBruce Springsteen · 19804.1 score · 4.3 avg · 8 ratings
  9. 10Wheels of Steel coverWheels of SteelSaxon · 19804.1 score · 4.3 avg · 6 ratings
  10. 11Boy coverBoyU2 · 19804.1 score · 4.3 avg · 3 ratings
  11. 12Terminal Jive coverTerminal JiveSparks · 19804.1 score · 4.3 avg · 3 ratings
  12. 13Barry coverBarryBarry Manilow · 19804.1 score · 4.3 avg · 4 ratings
  13. 14Zenyattà Mondatta coverZenyattà MondattaThe Police · 19804.0 score · 4.2 avg · 3 ratings
  14. 15After Midnight coverAfter MidnightThe Manhattans · 19804.0 score · 4.1 avg · 5 ratings
  15. 16Heaven and Hell coverHeaven and HellBlack Sabbath · 19804.0 score · 4.1 avg · 9 ratings
  16. 17British Steel coverBritish SteelJudas Priest · 19804.0 score · 4.0 avg · 35 ratings
  17. 18Love Stinks coverLove StinksThe J. Geils Band · 19804.0 score · 4.0 avg · 3 ratings
  18. 19Two Places at the Same Time coverTwo Places at the Same TimeRay Parker Jr. · 19803.9 score · 3.9 avg · 6 ratings
  19. 20Hotter Than July coverHotter Than JulyStevie Wonder · 19803.9 score · 3.9 avg · 4 ratings
  20. 21Double Fantasy coverDouble FantasyJohn Lennon · 19803.9 score · 3.8 avg · 3 ratings
  21. 22Love Somebody Today coverLove Somebody TodaySister Sledge · 19803.9 score · 3.8 avg · 3 ratings
  22. 23Give Me the Night coverGive Me the NightGeorge Benson · 19803.9 score · 3.8 avg · 5 ratings
  23. 24Diana coverDianaDiana Ross · 19803.8 score · 3.7 avg · 3 ratings
  24. 25Iron Maiden coverIron MaidenIron Maiden · 19803.8 score · 3.8 avg · 15 ratings
  25. 26Gaucho coverGauchoSteely Dan · 19803.8 score · 3.7 avg · 7 ratings
  26. 27I'm a Rebel coverI'm a RebelAccept · 19803.8 score · 3.6 avg · 4 ratings
  27. 28Rocks, Pebbles and Sand coverRocks, Pebbles and SandStanley Clarke · 19803.8 score · 3.5 avg · 3 ratings
  28. 29Closer coverCloserJoy Division · 19803.8 score · 3.5 avg · 3 ratings
  29. 30Super Trouper coverSuper TrouperABBA · 19803.8 score · 3.6 avg · 5 ratings
  30. 31Sandinista! coverSandinista!The Clash · 19803.7 score · 3.5 avg · 4 ratings
  31. 32Cameosis coverCameosisCameo · 19803.7 score · 3.5 avg · 4 ratings
  32. 33Hurry Up This Way Again coverHurry Up This Way AgainThe Stylistics · 19803.7 score · 3.5 avg · 4 ratings
  33. 34Making Movies coverMaking MoviesDire Straits · 19803.7 score · 3.4 avg · 5 ratings
  34. 35Boys Don't Cry coverBoys Don't CryThe Cure · 19803.7 score · 3.2 avg · 3 ratings
  35. 36Paris coverParisSupertramp · 19803.5 score · 2.9 avg · 4 ratings
  36. 37Uprising coverUprisingBob Marley & The Wailers · 19802 ratings
  37. 38The Game coverThe GameQueen · 19802 ratings
  38. 39Dirty Mind coverDirty MindPrince · 19802 ratings
  39. 40Seventeen Seconds coverSeventeen SecondsThe Cure · 19802 ratings
  40. 41Telekon coverTelekonGary Numan · 19802 ratings
  41. 42Beatin' the Odds coverBeatin' the OddsMolly Hatchet · 19802 ratings
  42. 43Snakes and Ladders coverSnakes and LaddersGerry Rafferty · 19802 ratings
  43. 44One Step Closer coverOne Step CloserThe Doobie Brothers · 19802 ratings
  44. 45Fireside Favourites coverFireside FavouritesFad Gadget · 19802 ratings
  45. 46Reach for the Sky coverReach for the SkyThe Allman Brothers Band · 19802 ratings
  46. 47Fantastic Voyage coverFantastic VoyageLakeside · 19802 ratings
  47. 48Three for Love coverThree for LoveShalamar · 19802 ratings
  48. 49Never for Ever coverNever for EverKate Bush · 19801 rating
  49. 50Hail H.I.M. coverHail H.I.M.Burning Spear · 19801 rating

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Best albums of 1980 by genre

The genres that carried the period here, each with what listeners rate highest inside it.

The artists of 1980

Everyone who put a record out then, ordered by how listeners rate their catalog rather than by that one release.

Every artist of 1980, ranked →

1980, month by month

Not everything that came out, just where the weight fell. Some months carried a year; some were quiet and worth knowing about.

FAQ

What are the best albums of 1980?
On Riffiter, the highest-rated album of 1980 is Trombipulation by Parliament (4.7/5). The ranking below orders the year's releases by community rating.
How is the 1980 ranking decided?
By Riffiter listeners. Each album's community rating sets its place. Until a release has enough ratings, its popularity stands in, and the order shifts as more people rate.
Does the best-of-1980 list change?
Yes. It's built from live community ratings, so the order updates as people rate 1980 releases. The page refreshes a few times a day.