The UK Albums Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling albums of the week in the United Kingdom. Before 2004, the chart was only based on the sales of physical albums. This list shows albums that peaked in the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart during 1981, as well as albums which peaked in 1980 and 1982 but were in the top 10 in 1981. The entry date is when the album appeared in the top ten for the first time (week ending, as published by the Official Charts Company, which is six days after the chart is announced).
The first new number-one album of the year was by Kings of the Wild Frontier by Adam and the Ants. Overall, seventeen different albums peaked at number one in 1981, with fifteen unique artists and two compilations hitting that position.
Top-ten albums Key SymbolMeaning‡Album peaked in 1979 or 1980 but still in chart in 1981.♦Album released in 1981 but peaked in 1982.EnteredThe date that the album first appeared in the chart.PeakHighest position that the album reached in the UK Albums Chart.
Entered (week ending)Weeksintop10 Single ArtistPeak Peakreached (week ending)WeeksatpeakAlbums in 1979 32Manilow Magic: The Best of Barry Manilow ‡Barry Manilow 3 3Albums in 1980 15Zenyatta Mondatta ‡The Police 1 4 17Guilty ‡Barbra Streisand 1 2 16Hotter than July ‡Stevie Wonder 2 1 33Kings of the Wild FrontierAdam and the Ants 1 12 10Not the Nine O'Clock News ‡Not the Nine O'Clock News Cast 5 2 10Greatest Hits ‡Dr. Hook 2 1 4Inspirations ‡Elvis Presley 6 1 16Double FantasyJohn Lennon and Yoko Ono 1 2 6BarryBarry Manilow 5 1 420 Golden Greats of Ken Dodd ‡Ken Dodd 8 3Albums in 1981 5The Best of BowieDavid Bowie 3 4 1Flash Gordon: Original SoundtrackQueen 10 1 4ImagineJohn Lennon 5 1 2Paradise TheatreStyx 8 1 2Mondo BongoThe Boomtown Rats 6 1 1TrustElvis Costello and The Attractions 9 1 10Making MoviesDire Straits 4 1 8ViennaUltravox 3 2 6Dance Craze: Original SoundtrackVarious artists 5 1 13The Jazz Singer: Original Soundtrack from the Motion PictureNeil Diamond 3 1 15Face ValuePhil Collins 1 3 3Moving PicturesRush 3 1 5Difficult to CureRainbow 3 1 1The Gospel According to the MeninblackThe Stranglers 8 1 4Stray CatsThe Stray Cats 6 1 3Journeys to GlorySpandau Ballet 5 1 2The Very Best of Rita CoolidgeRita Coolidge 6 1 2Never Too LateStatus Quo 2 1 3Face DancesThe Who 2 2 4Sky 3Sky 3 1 11This Ole HouseShakin' Stevens 2 1 4Come an' Get ItWhitesnake 2 1 1IntuitionLinx 8 1 4Future ShockGillan 2 2 2Hit and RunGirlschool 5 1 3Chartblasters '81Various artists 3 2 2Living Ornaments '79 and '80Gary Numan 2 1 3Roll On: 16 Great Disco HitsVarious artists 3 1 3Wha'ppen?The Beat 3 1 3Bad for GoodJim Steinman 7 1 8Chariots of FireVangelis 5 1 13Stars on 45 – The AlbumStarsound 1 5 1The Adventures of Thin LizzyThin Lizzy 6 1 1Quit Dreaming and Get on the BeamBill Nelson 7 1 8Hi InfidelityREO Speedwagon 6 1 9AnthemToyah 2 1 9Disco Daze and Disco NitesVarious artists 1 1 2Long Distance VoyagerThe Moody Blues 7 1 4ThemesVarious artists 6 3 1Heaven Up HereEcho & the Bunnymen 10 1 10Present ArmsUB40 2 1 2Magnetic FieldsJean-Michel Jarre 6 1 7No Sleep 'til HammersmithMotörhead 1 1 2JujuSiouxsie and the Banshees 7 1 10Duran DuranDuran Duran 3 1 13Love SongsCliff Richard 1 5 12Secret CombinationRandy Crawford 2 3 6Kim WildeKim Wilde 3 1 1CatsOriginal London Cast 6 1 7TimeElectric Light Orchestra 1 2 4Classic Rock – Rock ClassicsLondon Symphony Orchestra 5 1 2KooKooDebbie Harry 6 1 4The Official BBC Album of the Royal WeddingVarious artists 1 2 2Pretenders IIThe Pretenders 7 1 2Bat Out of HellMeat Loaf 9 1 2Shot of LoveBob Dylan 6 2 10Dead RingerMeat Loaf 1 2 6Tattoo YouThe Rolling Stones 2 2 2DanceGary Numan 3 1 3Rage in EdenUltravox 4 2 3Walk Under LaddersJoan Armatrading 6 1 10ShakyShakin' Stevens 1 1 5AbacabGenesis 1 2 6Super Hits 1 & 2Various artists 2 2 7Wired for SoundCliff Richard 4 1 7Hooked on ClassicsLouis Clark conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra 4 1 1Celebration – The Anniversary AlbumJohnny Mathis 9 1 1Denim and LeatherSaxon 9 1 13Ghost in the MachineThe Police 1 3 4If I Should Love AgainBarry Manilow 5 1 3Madness 7Madness 5 1 22DareThe Human League 1 4 1StillJoy Division 5 1 3Hedgehog SandwichNot the Nine O'Clock News Cast 5 1 10The Best of BlondieBlondie 4 1 3Almost BlueElvis Costello and The Attractions 7 1 2Love is...Various artists 10 2 14Greatest HitsQueen 1 4 2Exit... Stage LeftRush 6 1 10Prince CharmingAdam and the Ants 2 3 14Architecture & MoralityOrchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark 3 2 2Tonight I'm YoursRod Stewart 8 2 1Speak & SpellDepeche Mode 10 1 8Chart Hits '81Various artists 1 1 18Pearls ♦Elkie Brooks 2 2 7Begin the Beguine ♦Julio Iglesias 5 1 2For Those About to RockAC/DC 3 1 5The Simon and Garfunkel Collection: 17 of Their All-Time Greatest RecordingsSimon & Garfunkel 4 1 7The VisitorsABBA 1 3
See also 1981 in British music List of number-one albums from the 1980s (UK)
References General
Specific
External links 1981 album chart archive at the Official Charts Company (click on relevant week)