Top Albums of 1986
Rank▼ All Time Rank▼ Artist▼ Album▼ Genres▼
1
27
 The Smiths The Queen Is Dead Indie Pop, Jangle Pop
2
71
 Paul Simon Graceland Pop Rock, Singer/Songwriter
3
175
 Metallica Master of Puppets Thrash Metal
4
186
 Beastie Boys Licensed to Ill Hip Hop
5
225
 Run-D.M.C. Raising Hell Hardcore Hip Hop
6
234
 Peter Gabriel So Art Pop, Pop Rock
7
323
 Slayer Reign in Blood Thrash Metal
8
552
 XTC Skylarking Pop Rock, Psychedelic Pop
9
597
 R.E.M. Lifes Rich Pageant Jangle Pop
10
661
 Prince and The Revolution Parade Film Soundtrack, Pop Rock, Psychedelic Soul
11
664
 Janet Jackson Control Contemporary R&B, Dance-Pop
12
803
 Les Rita Mitsouko The No Comprendo New Wave
13
836
 Anita Baker Rapture Smooth Soul
14
839
 Sonic Youth EVOL Experimental Rock, Noise Rock
15
990
 Talk Talk The Colour of Spring Art Pop, Chamber Pop
16
1006
 Bon Jovi Slippery when Wet Hard Rock
17
1018
 Hüsker Dü Candy Apple Grey Alternative Rock
18
1032
 Big Black Atomizer Noise Rock, Post-Hardcore
19
1045
 Steve Earle Guitar Town Alt-Country, Country Rock
20
1052
 The Costello Show King of America Folk Rock, Pop Rock, Singer/Songwriter
21
1168
 Bad Brains I Against I Alternative Metal, Hardcore Punk
22
1187
 Billy Bragg Talking with the Taxman About Poetry Folk Rock, Singer/Songwriter
23
1300
 Elvis Costello and The Attractions Blood & Chocolate Pop Rock
24
1323
 The Triffids Born Sandy Devotional Jangle Pop
25
1400
 Bruce Springsteen Live 1975-1985 Heartland Rock
26
1409
 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Your Funeral... My Trial Gothic Rock, Post-Punk
27
1433
 Astor Piazzolla Tango: Zero Hour / Nuevo Tango: Hora Zero Tango Nuevo
28
1521
 Madonna True Blue Synthpop
29
1619
 Robert Cray Strong Persuader Blues Rock
30
1626
 Crowded House Crowded House Pop Rock
31
1702
 The Go-Betweens Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express Indie Pop, Jangle Pop
32
1747
 Depeche Mode Black Celebration Synthpop
33
1786
 Coil Horse Rotorvator Industrial
34
1800
 The Housemartins London 0 Hull 4 Jangle Pop
35
1802
 The The Infected Art Pop, Synthpop
36
1806
 Arthur Russell World of Echo Ambient Pop, Art Pop
37
1815
 Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force Planet Rock - The Album Electro
38
1964
 Throwing Muses Throwing Muses Indie Rock, Post-Punk
39
1969
 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Kicking Against the Pricks Post-Punk, Punk Blues
40
2075
 Megadeth Peace Sells... But Who's Buying? Speed Metal, Thrash Metal
41
2144
 Pet Shop Boys Please Dance-Pop, Synthpop
42
2196
 Died Pretty Free Dirt Indie Rock, Neo-Psychedelia
43
2276
 New Order Brotherhood Alternative Dance, New Wave, Synthpop
44
2312
 Miles Davis Tutu Jazz Fusion, Jazz-Funk
45
2392
 Dwight Yoakam Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. Bakersfield Sound
46
2533
 Bangles Different Light Pop Rock
47
2550
 Van Morrison No Guru, No Method, No Teacher Pop Rock, Singer/Songwriter
48
2614
 Paul Kelly [Australia] Gossip Singer/Songwriter
49
2629
 Pat Metheny & Ornette Coleman Song X Free Jazz
50
2726
 Stan Ridgway The Big Heat New Wave, Synthpop
51
2741
 Public Image Ltd. Album/Compact Disc/Cassette Alternative Rock, Post-Punk
52
2793
 Cameo Word Up! Contemporary R&B, Synth Funk
53
2999
 The Woodentops Giant Indie Pop, Indie Rock

Albums "bubbling under" the all-time top 3000:
Felt Forever Breathes the Lonely Word Indie Pop, Jangle Pop
They Might Be Giants They Might Be Giants Alternative Rock, Indie Pop
Keith Jarrett, Gary Peacock & Jack DeJohnette Standards Live Post-Bop
The Feelies The Good Earth Indie Pop, Post-Punk
Jennifer Warnes Famous Blue Raincoat: The Songs of Leonard Cohen Pop Rock
Abdullah Ibrahim Water from an Ancient Well Cool Jazz
Hunters & Collectors Human Frailty Alternative Rock, Pop Rock
DeLillos Suser Avgårde Pop Rock
David Lee Roth Eat 'Em & Smile Hard Rock
Salt 'n' Pepa Hot, Cool & Vicious Pop Rap
Randy Travis Storms of Life Contemporary Country
A-ha Scoundrel Days Synthpop
Van Halen 5150 Hard Rock
Joe Henderson The State of the Tenor: Live at the Village Vanguard, Volume 1 Jazz
James Stutter Indie Pop
Lyle Lovett Lyle Lovett Progressive Country, Singer/Songwriter
The Fall Bend Sinister Post-Punk
The Chameleons Strange Times Post-Punk
Sonny Sharrock Guitar Avant-Garde Jazz
John Zorn The Big Gundown Avant-Garde Jazz
David & David Boomtown Pop Rock
The Chills Kaleidoscope World Dunedin Sound, Jangle Pop
David Sylvian Gone to Earth Ambient Pop, Art Pop
Nanci Griffith The Last of the True Believers Americana, Contemporary Country, Singer/Songwriter
Constance Demby Novus Magnificat: Through the Stargate Neoclassical New Age, Space Ambient
This Mortal Coil Filigree and Shadow Dream Pop, Ethereal Wave
Talking Heads True Stories Art Pop, Pop Rock
CCCP Fedeli Alla Linea Affinità-divergenze tra il Compagno Togliatti e noi Art Punk, Post-Punk
Steve Winwood Back in the High Life Pop Rock
Schoolly D Schoolly D Gangsta Rap
Peter Case Peter Case Folk Pop, Folk Rock, Singer/Songwriter
T-Bone Burnett T-Bone Burnett Alt-Country, Roots Rock, Singer/Songwriter
Robyn Hitchcock and The Egyptians Element of Light Jangle Pop, Psychedelic Pop