List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 1981
The Billboard 200, published in Billboard magazine, is a weekly chart that ranks the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States. Before Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991, Billboard estimated the sales for the album charts from a representative sampling of record stores nationwide, which was gathered by telephone, fax or messenger service. The data was based on reports from record stores, who ranked the popularity of the best-selling records but did not provide an actual sales figures.
Chart history
† | Indicates best performing album of 1981 |
Issue date | Album | Artist(s) | Label | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
January 3 | Double Fantasy | John Lennon and Yoko Ono | Geffen | |
January 10 | ||||
January 17 | ||||
January 24 | ||||
January 31 | ||||
February 7 | ||||
February 14 | ||||
February 21 | Hi Infidelity † | REO Speedwagon | Epic | |
February 28 | ||||
March 7 | ||||
March 14 | ||||
March 21 | ||||
March 28 | ||||
April 4 | Paradise Theatre | Styx | A&M | |
April 11 | ||||
April 18 | Hi Infidelity † | REO Speedwagon | Epic | |
April 25 | ||||
May 2 | ||||
May 9 | Paradise Theatre | Styx | A&M | |
May 16 | Hi Infidelity † | REO Speedwagon | Epic | |
May 23 | ||||
May 30 | ||||
June 6 | ||||
June 13 | ||||
June 20 | ||||
June 27 | Mistaken Identity | Kim Carnes | EMI America | |
July 4 | ||||
July 11 | ||||
July 18 | ||||
July 25 | Long Distance Voyager | The Moody Blues | Threshold | |
August 1 | ||||
August 8 | ||||
August 15 | Precious Time | Pat Benatar | Chrysalis | |
August 22 | 4 | Foreigner | Atlantic | |
August 29 | ||||
September 5 | Bella Donna | Stevie Nicks | Modern | |
September 12 | Escape | Journey | Columbia | |
September 19 | Tattoo You | The Rolling Stones | Rolling Stones | |
September 26 | ||||
October 3 | ||||
October 10 | ||||
October 17 | ||||
October 24 | ||||
October 31 | ||||
November 7 | ||||
November 14 | ||||
November 21 | 4 | Foreigner | Atlantic | |
November 28 | ||||
December 5 | ||||
December 12 | ||||
December 19 | ||||
December 26 | For Those About to Rock We Salute You | AC/DC | Atlantic |