This is the Recorded Music NZ list of number 1 albums in New Zealand during the 1980s decade. Dire Straits' 1985 album Brothers in Arms spent a total of 21 weeks at No. 1. Split Enz's album Time and Tide was the most successful album by a New Zealand artist, spending a total of six weeks at No. 1. From September 1983 to August 1989, no albums by New Zealand artists reached No. 1.

In New Zealand, Recorded Music NZ compiles the top 40 albums chart each Monday. Over-the-counter sales of both physical and digital formats make up the data. Certifications are awarded for the number of shipments to retailers. Gold certifications are awarded after 7,500 sales, and platinum certifications after 15,000.

The following albums were all number 1 in New Zealand in the 1980s.

Chart-topping albums

Key – Number-one album of the yearAnnual charts are sourced from the RMNZ website. – Album of New Zealand originWhether or not a song is of New Zealand origin is determined by RMNZ – Number-one album of the year, of New Zealand origin

Artist Album Weeks atnumber 1 Reached number 1 colspan="4" Pink Floyd The Wall 6 Split Enz True Colours 2 Pink Floyd The Wall 3 Fleetwood Mac Tusk 1 colspan="4" Gheorghe Zamfir & Harry van Hoof Music by Candlelight 3 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Damn the Torpedoes 1 Gheorghe Zamfir & Harry van Hoof Music by Candlelight 1 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Damn the Torpedoes 2 Mi-Sex Space Race 4 Willie Nelson Stardust 6 Neil Young & Crazy Horse Live Rust 1 Roxy Music Flesh + Blood 2 Kiss Unmasked 1 Bob Marley and the Wailers Uprising 1 XTC Black Sea 1 Bob Marley and the Wailers Uprising 2 David Bowie Scary Monsters 2 Supertramp Paris 1 David Bowie Scary Monsters 1 Barbra Streisand Guilty 5 Kenny Rogers Greatest Hits 2 colspan="4" Artist Album Weeks atnumber 1 Reached number 1 colspan="4" Kenny Rogers Greatest Hits 1 David Bowie Chameleon 1 Anne Murray Anne Murray's Greatest Hits 6 John Lennon / Yoko Ono Double Fantasy 1 The Nolans Making Waves 1 John Lennon / Yoko Ono Double Fantasy 3 Split Enz Waiata 1 colspan="4" Split Enz Waiata 2 Richard Clayderman Rêveries 2 The Cure Faith 3 Joy Division Unknown Pleasures 1 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Hard Promises 2 Kim Carnes Mistaken Identity 3 Stars On 45 Long Play Album 3 The Pretenders Pretenders II 1 Cliff Richard Cliff Richard 1958-1981 2 The Rolling Stones Tattoo You 2 Carol O'Halloran Jazzercise 4 Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Hooked on Classics 2 Queen Greatest Hits 5 Simon & Garfunkel The Simon and Garfunkel Collection 2 colspan="4" Artist Album Weeks atnumber 1 Reached number 1 colspan="4" Blondie The Best of Blondie 3 Men at Work Business as Usual 7 Elton John Jump Up! 2 Men at Work Business as Usual 1 colspan="4" DD Smash Cool Bananas 1 Split Enz Time and Tide 2 Anne Murray Greatest Hits Vol. II 1 Men at Work Business as Usual 2 The Human League Dare 3 Roxy Music Avalon 3 Joan Jett and the Blackhearts I Love Rock 'n' Roll 1 Roxy Music Avalon 1 Split Enz Time and Tide 1 Cold Chisel Circus Animals 1 Roxy Music Avalon 1 Split Enz Time and Tide 3 ABC The Lexicon of Love 3 Dire Straits Love over Gold 8 The Kids from "Fame" The Kids From "Fame 1 Dire Straits Love over Gold 3 colspan="4" Artist Album Weeks atnumber 1 Reached number 1 colspan="4" Split Enz Enz of an Era 2 Icehouse Primitive Man 3 Simon & Garfunkel The Concert in Central Park 2 Little River Band Greatest Hits 4 colspan="4" Dire Straits Love over Gold 1 Pink Floyd The Final Cut 1 David Bowie Let's Dance 5 Michael Jackson Thriller 5 David Bowie Let's Dance 1 Bonnie Tyler Faster Than the Speed of Night 3 The Police Synchronicity 2 Tim Finn Escapade 1 The Police Synchronicity 1 Wham! Fantastic 3 Spandau Ballet True 1 Yazoo You and Me Both 1 Robert Plant The Principle of Moments 4 UB40 Labour of Love 3 Culture Club Colour by Numbers 1 David Bowie Let's Dance 2 Duran Duran Seven and the Ragged Tiger 1 colspan="4" Artist Album Weeks atnumber 1 Reached number 1 colspan="4" Billy Joel An Innocent Man 1 Eurythmics Touch 1 Hall & Oates Rock 'n Soul Part 1 1 Simple Minds Sparkle in the Rain 2 U2 Under a Blood Red Sky 1 Foster and Allen Maggie 2 Michael Jackson Thriller 1 colspan="4" Michael Jackson Thriller 6 Thompson Twins Into the Gap 1 Lionel Richie Can't Slow Down 1 Thompson Twins Into the Gap 2 Soundtrack Footloose 8 Billy Joel An Innocent Man 2 Bob Marley and the Wailers Legend 4 Sade Diamond Life 2 Julio Iglesias 1100 Bel Air Place 4 The Cars Heartbeat City 1 U2 The Unforgettable Fire 3 Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A. 1 Sade Diamond Life 2 The Cars Heartbeat City 1 colspan="4" Artist Album Weeks atnumber 1 Reached number 1 colspan="4" Frankie Goes to Hollywood Welcome to the Pleasuredome 2 Wham! Make It Big 1 Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A. 2 Alison Moyet Alf 1 Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A. 6 colspan="4" Phil Collins No Jacket Required 1 Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A. 6 Dire Straits Brothers in Arms 3 Talking Heads Little Creatures 3 Madonna Like a Virgin 3 Billy Joel Greatest Hits 3 Madonna Like a Virgin 5 Bryan Adams Reckless 6 ZZ Top Afterburner 3 Dire Straits Brothers in Arms 2 colspan="4" Artist Album Weeks atnumber 1 Reached number 1 colspan="4" Dire Straits Brothers in Arms 3 Thompson Twins Here's to Future Days 2 Dire Straits Brothers in Arms 6 colspan="4" Dire Straits Brothers in Arms 2 Grace Jones Island Life 2 Dire Straits Brothers in Arms 1 Barbra Streisand The Broadway Album 1 Dire Straits Brothers in Arms 4 A-ha Hunting High and Low 2 Peter Gabriel So 1 Madonna True Blue 2 Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music Street Life: 20 Great Hits 3 Wham! The Final 7 Talking Heads True Stories 5 Genesis Invisible Touch 1 Talking Heads True Stories 1 Huey Lewis and the News Fore! 1 Paul Simon Graceland 3 The Police Every Breath You Take: The Singles 1 colspan="4" Artist Album Weeks atnumber 1 Reached number 1 colspan="4" Revenge Eurythmics 10 U2 The Joshua Tree 1 Pseudo Echo Funky Town 3 colspan="4" U2 The Joshua Tree 2 Alison Moyet Raindancing 2 Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet 5 Whitney Houston Whitney 2 Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet 2 Suzanne Vega Solitude Standing 2 U2 The Joshua Tree 5 Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet 1 Michael Jackson Bad 1 Chris Rea Dancing with Strangers 1 Midnight Oil Diesel and Dust 6 Pink Floyd A Momentary Lapse of Reason 2 Midnight Oil Diesel and Dust 1 Pink Floyd A Momentary Lapse of Reason 1 Midnight Oil Diesel and Dust 1 colspan="4" Artist Album Weeks atnumber 1 Reached number 1 colspan="4" Midnight Oil Diesel and Dust 1 Pink Floyd A Momentary Lapse of Reason 2 Icehouse Man of Colours 2 Pink Floyd A Momentary Lapse of Reason 1 Soundtrack Dirty Dancing 6 colspan="4" Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark The Best of OMD 4 Andrew Lloyd Webber The Phantom of the Opera 1 Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark The Best of OMD 1 Tiffany Tiffany 3 Prince Lovesexy 2 Andrew Lloyd Webber The Phantom of the Opera 2 Def Leppard Hysteria 3 INXS Kick 2 Andrew Lloyd Webber The Phantom of the Opera 2 Kylie Minogue Kylie 6 Bros Push 1 Bon Jovi New Jersey 2 U2 Rattle and Hum 7 colspan="4" Artist Album Weeks atnumber 1 Reached number 1 colspan="4" U2 Rattle and Hum 1 Fleetwood Mac Greatest Hits 1 Jimmy Barnes Barnestorming 2 Soundtrack Cocktail 2 Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman 4 colspan="4" Enya Watermark 2 Toni Childs Union 1 Poison Open Up and Say... Ahh! 1 Toni Childs Union 1 Andrew Lloyd Webber The Premiere Collection 3 Guns N' Roses Appetite for Destruction 1 Simply Red A New Flame 7 Clannad Past Present 6 Carl Doy Piano by Candlelight II 4 Milli Vanilli All or Nothing 3 Tracy Chapman Crossroads 7 Milli Vanilli All or Nothing - The US Remix Album 1 colspan="4" Artist Album Weeks atnumber 1 Reached number 1

Notes

References Album Top 40 - Charts.org.nz

External links

The Official NZ Music Charts