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.[1] 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.[2][3]

Chart history

Key
† Indicates best performing album of 1981
Issue date Album Artist(s) Label Ref.
January 3 Double Fantasy John Lennon and Yoko Ono Geffen [4]
January 10 [5]
January 17 [6]
January 24 [7]
January 31 [8]
February 7 [9]
February 14 [10]
February 21 Hi Infidelity † REO Speedwagon Epic [11]
February 28 [12]
March 7 [13]
March 14 [14]
March 21 [15]
March 28 [16]
April 4 Paradise Theatre Styx A&M [17]
April 11 [18]
April 18 Hi Infidelity † REO Speedwagon Epic [19]
April 25 [20]
May 2 [21]
May 9 Paradise Theatre Styx A&M [22]
May 16 Hi Infidelity † REO Speedwagon Epic [23]
May 23 [24]
May 30 [25]
June 6 [26]
June 13 [27]
June 20 [28]
June 27 Mistaken Identity Kim Carnes EMI America [29]
July 4 [30]
July 11 [31]
July 18 [32]
July 25 Long Distance Voyager The Moody Blues Threshold [33]
August 1 [34]
August 8 [35]
August 15 Precious Time Pat Benatar Chrysalis [36]
August 22 4 Foreigner Atlantic [37]
August 29 [38]
September 5 Bella Donna Stevie Nicks Modern [39]
September 12 Escape Journey Columbia [40]
September 19 Tattoo You The Rolling Stones Rolling Stones [41]
September 26 [42]
October 3 [43]
October 10 [44]
October 17 [45]
October 24 [46]
October 31 [47]
November 7 [48]
November 14 [49]
November 21 4 Foreigner Atlantic [50]
November 28 [51]
December 5 [52]
December 12 [53]
December 19 [54]
December 26 For Those About to Rock We Salute You AC/DC Atlantic [55]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Ropin' the Charts SoundScan System Good for Music and for Listeners ..." The Fresno Bee. The McClatchy Company. 1991-12-29. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  2. ^ Holden, Stephen (1991-06-22). "Billboard's New Charts Roil the Record Industry". The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  3. ^ Goldstein, Patrick (1991-09-21). "Hype, Hokey-Pokey and the Hot 100". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2016-10-09.
  4. ^ "January 3, 1981". Billboard 200.
  5. ^ "January 10, 1981". Billboard 200.
  6. ^ "January 17, 1981". Billboard 200.
  7. ^ "January 24, 1981". Billboard 200.
  8. ^ "January 31, 1981". Billboard 200.
  9. ^ "February 7, 1981". Billboard 200.
  10. ^ "February 14, 1981". Billboard 200.
  11. ^ "February 21, 1981". Billboard 200.
  12. ^ "February 28, 1981". Billboard 200.
  13. ^ "March 7, 1981". Billboard 200.
  14. ^ "March 14, 1981". Billboard 200.
  15. ^ "March 21, 1981". Billboard 200.
  16. ^ "March 28, 1981". Billboard 200.
  17. ^ "April 4, 1981". Billboard 200.
  18. ^ "April 11, 1981". Billboard 200.
  19. ^ "April 18, 1981". Billboard 200.
  20. ^ "April 25, 1981". Billboard 200.
  21. ^ "May 2, 1981". Billboard 200.
  22. ^ "May 9, 1981". Billboard 200.
  23. ^ "May 16, 1981". Billboard 200.
  24. ^ "May 23, 1981". Billboard 200.
  25. ^ "May 30, 1981". Billboard 200.
  26. ^ "June 6, 1981". Billboard 200.
  27. ^ "June 13, 1981". Billboard 200.
  28. ^ "June 20, 1981". Billboard 200.
  29. ^ "June 27, 1981". Billboard 200.
  30. ^ "July 4, 1981". Billboard 200.
  31. ^ "July 11, 1981". Billboard 200.
  32. ^ "July 18, 1981". Billboard 200.
  33. ^ "July 25, 1981". Billboard 200.
  34. ^ "August 1, 1981". Billboard 200.
  35. ^ "August 8, 1981". Billboard 200.
  36. ^ "August 15, 1981". Billboard 200.
  37. ^ "August 22, 1981". Billboard 200.
  38. ^ "August 29, 1981". Billboard 200.
  39. ^ "September 5, 1981". Billboard 200.
  40. ^ "September 12, 1981". Billboard 200.
  41. ^ "September 19, 1981". Billboard 200.
  42. ^ "September 26, 1981". Billboard 200.
  43. ^ "October 3, 1981". Billboard 200.
  44. ^ "October 10, 1981". Billboard 200.
  45. ^ "October 17, 1981". Billboard 200.
  46. ^ "October 24, 1981". Billboard 200.
  47. ^ "October 31, 1981". Billboard 200.
  48. ^ "November 7, 1981". Billboard 200.
  49. ^ "November 14, 1981". Billboard 200.
  50. ^ "November 21, 1981". Billboard 200.
  51. ^ "November 28, 1981". Billboard 200.
  52. ^ "December 5, 1981". Billboard 200.
  53. ^ "December 12, 1981". Billboard 200.
  54. ^ "December 19, 1981". Billboard 200.
  55. ^ "December 26, 1981". Billboard 200.
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