B-Side Guys

The Best Albums of 1980

Every album of 1980, ranked by B-Side Breakdown: the reviews from 38 outlets we trust, put on one 0–100 scale. An album needs at least 5 reviews to make the list.

Album cover for Closer by Joy DivisionNumber one of 1980Joy DivisionCloser99 A+10 critics · 100% approval · Unanimous · A-Side
Average Breakdown81across 1980's albums. That's higher than 89% of the other years here.
Liked69%of 1980's albums scored 75 or higher. Across every year it's 49%.
Most divisiveContentiousMadness, Absolutely split the critics more than any other album of the year.A-Sides31%of 1980's albums earned an A-Side. Across every year it's 6.3%.
  1. 1Album cover for Closer by Joy Division
    Joy DivisionCloserJuly 18, 1980 · 10 reviews · 100% approval · Unanimous
    99A+
  2. 2Album cover for Remain in Light by Talking Heads
    Talking HeadsRemain in LightOctober 1, 1980 · 7 reviews · 100% approval · Unanimous
    99A+
  3. 3Album cover for Dirty Mind by Prince
    PrinceDirty MindOctober 8, 1980 · 7 reviews · 100% approval · Unanimous
    98A+
  4. 4Album cover for Pretenders by The Pretenders
    The PretendersPretendersJanuary 4, 1980 · 7 reviews · 100% approval · Unanimous
    97A+
  5. 5Album cover for Killing Joke by Killing Joke
    Killing JokeKilling JokeOctober 5, 1980 · 6 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    93A
  6. 6Album cover for Los Angeles by X
    XLos AngelesApril 1980 · 6 reviews · 100% approval · Unanimous
    92A-
  7. 7Album cover for Sound Affects by The Jam
    The JamSound AffectsNovember 28, 1980 · 8 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    91A-
  8. 8Album cover for Back in Black by AC/DC
    AC/DCBack in BlackJuly 25, 1980 · 8 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    91A-
  9. 9Album cover for In the Flat Field by Bauhaus
    BauhausIn the Flat FieldOctober 1980 · 5 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    88B+
  10. 10Album cover for Zenyatta Mondatta by The Police
    The PoliceZenyatta MondattaOctober 3, 1980 · 5 reviews · 80% approval · Divided
    87B+

How 1980 grades

Share of albums at each letter grade. A is 90 and up, F is below 60.

1980

A31%
B23%
C31%
D12%
F4%

Every year

A6%
B24%
C37%
D22%
F11%
  1. 11Album cover for More Specials by The Specials
    The SpecialsMore SpecialsOctober 4, 1980 · 5 reviews · 100% approval · Unanimous
    86B
  2. 12Album cover for Ace of Spades by Motörhead
    MotörheadAce of SpadesNovember 8, 1980 · 5 reviews · 100% approval · Unanimous
    84B
  3. 13Album cover for Sandinista! by The Clash
    The ClashSandinista!December 12, 1980 · 8 reviews · 75% approval · Some debate
    83B
  4. 14Album cover for Hypnotised by The Undertones
    The UndertonesHypnotised1980 · 9 reviews · 89% approval · Broad agreement
    81B-
  5. 15Album cover for Warm Leatherette by Grace Jones
    Grace JonesWarm LeatheretteJune 2, 1980 · 5 reviews · 80% approval · Some debate
    79C+
  6. 16Album cover for Wild Planet by The B-52's
    The B-52'sWild PlanetAugust 27, 1980 · 8 reviews · 50% approval · Some debate
    79C+
  7. 17Album cover for Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables by Dead Kennedys
    Dead KennedysFresh Fruit for Rotting VegetablesSeptember 1980 · 9 reviews · 78% approval · Divided
    79C+
  8. 18Album cover for Heartattack and Vine by Tom Waits
    Tom WaitsHeartattack and VineSeptember 1980 · 7 reviews · 57% approval · Some debate
    76C
  9. 19Album cover for Empty Glass by Pete Townshend
    Pete TownshendEmpty GlassApril 21, 1980 · 7 reviews · 57% approval · Some debate
    74C
  10. 20Album cover for Double Fantasy by John Lennon
    John LennonDouble FantasyNovember 17, 1980 · 9 reviews · 44% approval · Divided
    74C
  11. 21Album cover for Vienna by Ultravox
    UltravoxViennaJuly 11, 1980 · 7 reviews · 57% approval · Divided
    71C-
  12. 22Album cover for Glass Houses by Billy Joel
    Billy JoelGlass HousesMarch 12, 1980 · 5 reviews · 40% approval · Some debate
    70C-
  13. 23Album cover for Never for Ever by Kate Bush
    Kate BushNever for EverSeptember 8, 1980 · 6 reviews · 33% approval · Broad agreement
    67D+
  14. 24Album cover for Absolutely by Madness
    MadnessAbsolutely1980 · 6 reviews · 50% approval · Contentious
    65D
  15. 25Album cover for End of the Century by Ramones
    RamonesEnd of the CenturyFebruary 4, 1980 · 5 reviews · 40% approval · Divided
    65D

Where 1980 sits

Average Breakdown, for albums with five or more reviews.

Next to the years around it

197784
197883
197985
1980 (this year)81
  1. 26Album cover for Unmasked by Kiss
    KissUnmaskedMay 20, 1980 · 5 reviews · 0% approval · Some debate
    26F
  1. 1Album cover for Closer by Joy Division
    Joy DivisionCloserJuly 18, 1980 · 10 reviews · 100% approval · Unanimous
    99A+
  2. 2Album cover for Remain in Light by Talking Heads
    Talking HeadsRemain in LightOctober 1, 1980 · 7 reviews · 100% approval · Unanimous
    99A+
  3. 3Album cover for Pretenders by The Pretenders
    The PretendersPretendersJanuary 4, 1980 · 7 reviews · 100% approval · Unanimous
    97A+
  4. 4Album cover for Killing Joke by Killing Joke
    Killing JokeKilling JokeOctober 5, 1980 · 6 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    93A
  5. 5Album cover for Sound Affects by The Jam
    The JamSound AffectsNovember 28, 1980 · 8 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    91A-
  6. 6Album cover for Back in Black by AC/DC
    AC/DCBack in BlackJuly 25, 1980 · 8 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    91A-
  7. 7Album cover for In the Flat Field by Bauhaus
    BauhausIn the Flat FieldOctober 1980 · 5 reviews · 100% approval · Broad agreement
    88B+
  8. 8Album cover for Zenyatta Mondatta by The Police
    The PoliceZenyatta MondattaOctober 3, 1980 · 5 reviews · 80% approval · Divided
    87B+
  9. 9Album cover for Sandinista! by The Clash
    The ClashSandinista!December 12, 1980 · 8 reviews · 75% approval · Some debate
    83B
  10. 10Album cover for Hypnotised by The Undertones
    The UndertonesHypnotised1980 · 9 reviews · 89% approval · Broad agreement
    81B-
  11. 11Album cover for Warm Leatherette by Grace Jones
    Grace JonesWarm LeatheretteJune 2, 1980 · 5 reviews · 80% approval · Some debate
    79C+
  12. 12Album cover for Wild Planet by The B-52's
    The B-52'sWild PlanetAugust 27, 1980 · 8 reviews · 50% approval · Some debate
    79C+
  13. 13Album cover for Empty Glass by Pete Townshend
    Pete TownshendEmpty GlassApril 21, 1980 · 7 reviews · 57% approval · Some debate
    74C
  14. 14Album cover for Double Fantasy by John Lennon
    John LennonDouble FantasyNovember 17, 1980 · 9 reviews · 44% approval · Divided
    74C
  15. 15Album cover for Vienna by Ultravox
    UltravoxViennaJuly 11, 1980 · 7 reviews · 57% approval · Divided
    71C-
  16. 16Album cover for Glass Houses by Billy Joel
    Billy JoelGlass HousesMarch 12, 1980 · 5 reviews · 40% approval · Some debate
    70C-
  17. 17Album cover for Unmasked by Kiss
    KissUnmaskedMay 20, 1980 · 5 reviews · 0% approval · Some debate
    26F

← 1979 · Every year, back to the 1950s · 1981 →

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