The Groove

The greatest albums of the 1980s

14,832 albums ranked by the Groove — music.nw’s own measure of renown. Not an opinion, a fact computed from the record. Why?

No. 1

Remain in Light

Talking Heads · Sire Records · 1980

1,396.850

Why this number?

The full board

Glass Houses Billy Joel · CBS · 1980 1,331.200

Faith George Michael · Epic · 1987 1,330.490

Heartbeat City The Cars · Elektra · 1984 1,233.280

Speaking in Tongues Talking Heads · Sire Records · 1983 1,210.000

6 Zenyattà Mondatta The Police · A&M Records · 1980 1,197.640

Disintegration The Cure · Elektra · 1989 1,099.800

Around the World in a Day Prince · Paisley Park · 1985 1,092.690

9 Stronger Than Pride Sade · Epic · 1988 1,068.980

Dare The Human League · Virgin · 1981 1,045.800

Scoundrel Days a‐ha · Warner Bros. Records · 1986 980.390

Floodland The Sisters of Mercy · Merciful Release · 1987 960.080

Treasure Cocteau Twins · 4AD · 1984 892.670

14 War U2 · Island · 1983 856.080

Straight Outta Compton N.W.A · Ruthless Records · 1988 853.580

Ammonia Avenue The Alan Parsons Project · Arista · 1984 840.060

Metal Health Quiet Riot · CBS/Sony · 1983 802.710

18 Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables Dead Kennedys · Cherry Red Records · 1980 796.250

The Nightfly Donald Fagen · Warner Bros. Records · 1982 750.270

Ideal Ideal · wea · 1980 747.000

La voce del padrone Franco Battiato · EMI · 1981 710.220

22 Avalon Roxy Music · E’G · 1982 709.750

The Head on the Door The Cure · Fiction · 1985 702.960

A New Flame Simply Red · Elektra · 1989 689.600