RSSThe 1980 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll
Albums
| 1. | The Clash: London Calling (Epic) | 1347 | (89) | |
| 2. | Bruce Springsteen: The River (Columbia) | 973 | (80) | |
| 3. | Talking Heads: Remain in Light (Sire) | 863 | (77) | |
| 4. | Pretenders: Pretenders (Sire) | 702 | (68) | * |
| 5. | Public Image Ltd.: Second Edition (Island) | 625 | (51) | ** |
| 6. | Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band: Doc at the Radar Station (Virgin) | 594 | (56) | |
| 7. | Elvis Costello & the Attractions: Get Happy!! (Columbia) | 571 | (53) | |
| 8. | Stevie Wonder: Hotter Than July (Tamla) | 400 | (35) | |
| 9. | Prince: Dirty Mind (Warner Bros.) | 383 | (38) | |
| 10. | Gang Of Four: Entertainment! (Warner Bros.) | 383 | (30) | |
| 11. | Peter Gabriel: Peter Gabriel (Mercury) | 280 | (31) | |
| 12. | Steely Dan: Gaucho (MCA) | 268 | (24) | |
| 13. | Michael Jackson: Off the Wall (Epic) | 267 | (24) | * |
| 14. | Peter Townshend: Empty Glass (Atco) | 251 | (26) | |
| 15. | Rockpile: Seconds Of Pleasure (Columbia) | 232 | (28) | |
| 16. | X: Los Angeles (Slash) | 229 | (22) | |
| 17. | The Feelies: Crazy Rhythms (Stiff) | 221 | (19) | |
| 18. | Dire Straits: Making Movies (Warner Bros.) | 209 | (24) | |
| 19. | David Bowie: Scary Monsters (RCA Victor) | 186 | (19) | |
| 20. | The Rolling Stones: Emotional Rescue (Rolling Stones) | 181 | (19) | |
| 21. | The English Beat: I Just Can't Stop It (Sire) | 178 | (22) | |
| 22. | Joy Division: Closer (Factory import) | 166 | (13) | |
| 23. | Smokey Robinson: Warm Thoughts (Tamla) | 165 | (17) | |
| 24. | Squeeze: Argybargy (A&M) | 153 | (14) | |
| 25. | Young Marble Giants: Colossal Youth (Rough Trade import) | 152 | (15) | |
| 26. | T-Bone Burnett: Truth Decay (Takoma) | 150 | (15) | |
| 27. | Van Morrison: Common One (Warner Bros.) | 148 | (19) | |
| 28. | The Police: Zenyatta Mondatta (A&M) | 146 | (15) | |
| 29. | Lydia Lunch: Queen of Siam (ZE) | 143 | (12) | |
| 30. | Iron City Houserockers: Have a Good Time (But Get Out Alive) (MCA) | 139 | (14) | |
| 31. | Professor Longhair: Crawfish Fiesta (Alligator) | 138 | (15) | |
| 32. | The Specials: The Specials (Chrysalis) | 125 | (13) | |
| Neil Young: Hawks and Doves (Reprise) | 125 | (13) | ||
| 34. | Arthur Blythe: Illusions (Columbia) | 122 | (15) | |
| 35. | Carlene Carter: Musical Shapes (Warner Bros.) | 120 | (15) | |
| 36. | Graham Parker: The Up Escalator (Arista) | 116 | (12) | |
| 37. | John Lennon/Yoko Ono: Double Fantasy (Geffen) | 114 | (12) | |
| 38. | Joan Armatrading: Me Myself I (A&M) | 108 | (10) | |
| 39. | Diana Ross: Diana (Motown) | 106 | (16) | |
| 40. | Pink Floyd: The Wall (Columbia) | 103 | (9) | * |
* Includes 1979 votes: 26 (3) for Pretenders; 179 (16) for Off the Wall; 65 (5) for The Wall.
** Includes votes for The Metal Box (Virgin), the import-only 45-rpm mix of Second Edition.
Singles
| 1. | Kurtis Blow: "The Breaks" (Mercury) | 40 | * |
| 2. | Joy Division: "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (Factory import) | 38 | |
| 3. | Blondie: "Call Me" (Chrysalis) | 36 | * |
| 4. | The Clash: "Train in Vain"/"London Calling" (Epic) | 32 | |
| Pretenders: "Brass in Pocket" (Sire) | 32 | ** | |
| 6. | Stevie Wonder: "Master Blaster (Jammin')" (Tamla) | 29 | *** |
| 7. | John Lennon/Yoko Ono: "Just Like Starting Over"/"Kiss Kiss Kiss" (Geffen) | 27 | |
| 8. | The Vapors: "Turning Japanese" (United Artists) | 23 | |
| 9. | Lipps Inc.: "Funkytown" (Casablanca) | 22 | * |
| 10. | Diana Ross: "Upside Down" (Motown) | 18 | |
| Bruce Springsteen: "Hungry Heart" (Columbia) | 18 | ||
| 12. | Devo: "Whip It" (Warner Bros.) | 17 | |
| 13. | Pretenders: "Talk Of the Town"/"Cuban Slide" (Real import) | 16 | |
| 14. | Martha & the Muffins: "Echo Beach" (Virgin) | 15 | |
| Rolling Stones: "Emotional Rescue" (Rolling Stones) | 15 | ||
| 16. | Jermaine Jackson: "Let's Get Serious" (Motown) | 14 | |
| The Pointer Sisters: "He's So Shy" (Planet) | 14 | ||
| 18. | Bush Tetras: "Too Many Creeps"/"Snakes Crawl"/"You Taste Like the Tropics" (99) | 13 | |
| The Jam: "Going Underground" (Polydor import) | 13 | ||
| Joy Division: "Atmosphere"/"She's Lost Control" (Factory 12-inch) | 13 | ||
| 21. | Paul Simon: "Late in the Evening" (Warner Bros.) | 12 | |
| Donna Summer: "The Wanderer" (Geffen) | 12 | ||
| 23. | Jim Carroll Band: "People Who Died" (Atcol) | 11 | |
| Dead Kennedys: "Holiday in Cambodia" (Optional) | 11 | ||
| Pylon: "Cool"/"Dub" (Caution) | 11 | ||
| Split Enz: "I Got You" (A&M) | 11 |
* Includes votes for both seven-inch and 12-inch versions
** Includes seven 1979 votes for Real import version
*** Includes vote for import-only dub 12-inch
Village Voice, Feb. 9, 1981
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1979 | Essay | Dean's List | 1981 |  |