Top 100 Best Selling Albums Of The 80s

[gezza76]

Hi All

It's finally here, well it will be shortly, the top 100 best selling albums of the 1980s. This is designed to compliment the current 80s female thread that the Visitor has been running superbly!

Now before I start I need to make some explanatory remarks.

I've seen at least 5 different lists in this respect all with their various faults and anomolies. So I decided to try to do my own based on figures given at the time, certifications, year end positions, market size etc.

I therefore do not present this as the "Official" top 100 best sellers but the best that I can do. Whilst doing research on this topic several things have, to me, become obvious. Firstly, that figures prior to Gallup taking over seem to have been downgraded/ adjusted somehow. Upon Gallup taking over they seem to cast doubt over the whole BMRB era in their article in the 15th Jan 83 issue even enough to state that the best selling album of 1982, as we know it, was in fact NOT!

I am very aware of the other decade end charts that I have seen including the MRIB one up to 9-12-89 but I have concluded this has to be incorrect. The fact it is MRIB means, as I understand it, it had a different sample base and I recall this being presented in "Number One" magazine at the time (which also carried the Network charts and had different Y/E charts to Gallup which might explain the differences).

In conclusion this is in the most part from my own calculations though I do refer to other estimates on Y/E charts I have seen over the years so thanks to all who posted who once again I cannot recall. Apols to anyone I inadvertantly copied.

I'm sure by the time I am through you'll decide for yourself how correct or otherwise you consider it.

I should add where I have specified a Y/E position I have taken out all compilation albums so that as direct a comparision to the 90s can be drawn as possible. Obviously the peak positions remain the same (otherwise that would alter chart history) but for the purpose of Y/E positions and indeed decade end positions these have been omitted.

The charts covered by this survey are 12.01.80- 06.01.90 for clarities sake.

Also with regards to certifications these are tricky, albums are under certified, over certified and indeed multiple certifications were not shown in the weekly MW (or it's equivalent) until the mid 80s so it's a guessing game of sorts....though having said that i'm fairly confident of my figures 84-89......anyway enjoy

If we can avoid posting any spoilers etc it would greatly increase the enjoyment of the thread

Thanks all

[gezza76]

The format for posting will be:

TITLE ARTIST, ESTIMATED SALES

DATE RELEASED:

PEAK POSITION

WKS IN CHART IN THE 80S:

SINGLES RELEASED:

Where it is a greatest hits compilation only singles released to promote the greatest hits album will be listed or singles available only/ for the first time on that GH album. Only singles making the top 75 and therefore "hits" will be listed!

[gezza76]

100. GREATEST HITS- Fleetwood Mac (720,000)



DATE RELEASED: 21st November 1988

PEAK POSITION: 3

WKS IN CHART: 32

SINGLES RELEASED:

AS LONG AS YOU WILL FOLLOW (66)

Released in time for Xmas 1988 and off the back of “Tango In The Night” Fleetwood Mac’s “Greatest Hits” sold just under half a million before 1988 was done, it covers the band career between 75-88 and is therefore not quite a “Greatest Hits” as it omits their only no 1 “Albatross”. Only one new track was recorded for the album which resulted in a small hit but by 88 this album didn't need this to sell.

Come the noughties and a new greatest hits compilation sold even more topping the million mark despite not having much by way of new “hits” to contribute from this 1988 version but it was released in a much greater sales period....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROGEHq1WZqU&ob=av2n

[gezza76]

99. DON'T BE CRUEL- Bobby Brown (724,000)



DATE RELEASED: 16th January 1989

PEAK POSITION: 3

WKS IN CHART: 40

SINGLES RELEASED:

MY PREROGATIVE (6)
EVERY LITTLE STEP (6)
DON’T BE CRUEL (13 on re-release)
THE FREESTYLE MEGAMIX (14)
RONI (21)
ROCK WIT CHA (33)


Before the drugs, before becoming Mr Whitney Houston, and before a plummeting career, Bobby Brown was considered the new dance sensation coming between Michael Jackson & MC Hammer. Debut album “Don’t Be Cruel” was unleashed in Jan 1989 and before the decade end shifted 700k and was home to 5 top 40 hits. Though it never reached the top 2 this is by some distance his biggest selling album of his career ending 89 as the 11th biggest album evidencing a healthy input from the last year of the decade.

Brown had of course found fame first in New Edition in the early 80’s scoring a UK No 1 with “Candy Girl”, and started his solo career in a blaze of glory including a US chart topper with “My Prerogative” (later covered by Britney) and was indeed asked to record the “Ghostbusters II” theme in the summer of 89 which gave him his highest peaking single when it hit No 4, it isn’t present on “Don’t Be Cruel” but that didn’t seem to effect sales...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd7dCbEfTs4&ob=av2e

[gezza76]

98. RUNNING IN THE FAMILY- Level 42 (724,000)



RELEASED: 16th March 1987

PEAK POSITION: 2

WKS IN CHART: 54

SINGLES RELEASED:

LESSONS IN LOVE (3)
RUNNING IN THE FAMILY (6)
TO BE WITH YOU AGAIN (10)
IT’S OVER (10)
CHILDREN SAY (22)

They’re a bit forgotten about now but back in the 80’s Level 42 were big news securing 9 top 20 hits throughout the decade, the biggest being 1986’s “Lessons In Love” a No 3 hit. Their biggest album of their career came in 1987 with “Running In The Family” home to four top 10 hits and represents their most consistently successful period, it peaked at No 2 behind U2's "Joshua Tree" in Mar 87. Though their career extended through to the end of the 90s it was the law of diminishing returns from the britfunk outfit who became internationally famous. Now how many people remember this one?....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDcE4clM42Y

[Eric Generic]

Oh christ, I am probably going to have all 100 of these albums, aren't I?!

Right, so Fleetwood Mac. This is obviously a wonderful collection (FM being my #2 act of all-time) but it's a baffling one as well. Aside from the track differences between the LP/Cass and CD (a common thing at the time), it's a slightly odd selection - but that's possibly because FM's UK chart career (ie the singles which did well here, as opposed to America) were sometimes a bit odd - Oh Diane, Tusk, Everywhere.

There were in fact two brand new songs - No Questions Asked was a terrific Stevie Nicks-led track with some impossibly deep-sounding guitar twangs (new boys Rick Vito and Billy Burnette showing off, I assume). It was dumped on the B-side of a reissued Hold Me in early 1989, if memory serves. Warners clearly had no faith in the newer material, preferring to try with a US Top 5 hit from 1982 that bombed here originally.

[Eric Generic]

( I love this thread, by the way).

Bobby Brown's Don't Be Cruel was, I am sure, issued sometime in 1988; the title track showed up in the lower reaches of the UK Top 75 in the summer of 1988, so I'd assume the album was initially released not long after but clearly flopped because I couldn't find an earlier "release" date for this album (for my Album Archive) than the same Jan 16th 1989 as you; which was its first appearance on the chart.

As coincidence would have it, I was adding all the DBC singles (five of them, I think, although that might be including On Our Own) to my iTunes earlier. And wondering why theres never been a proper Best Of released in the UK (there is an Australian two-discer in the Gold range, and an American "Definitive Collection" single disc job). Strange.

[Eric Generic]

I will never forget Running In The Family! Haha. It was one of my earliest CD album purchases, and reminds me of a fantastic period in music where you had The Joshua Tree, Men & Women, Running In The Family *and* Sign O The Times all out within a month!

The production on this album is fantastic. It doesn't need to be remastered, it's perfect as it is. All the original versions of the tracks on this are still better than their 7" counterparts (I'm looking at you, It's Over and Children Say). The 6-minutes of It's Over are sublime, calling to mind the hazy melancholic beauty of 10cc's I'm Not In Love. You can't really get that with the single remix.

It was their last great record, mainly because half the band quit and the other half rushed the follow-up "Staring At The Sun", which was so poor that it buggered their career up for good, as far as the charts went.

[gezza76]

Glad you're enjoying. It took a long time to compile given info is sometimes scant and the MRIB one that is produced is so full of errors it's practically useless. I only have the Bobby Brown one, the guilty pleasure of a 13 yr old me!

[Eric Generic]

I remember the MRIB charts from the back of No.1 magazine, they did have some odd movements compared to the "real" Gallup listings! Capital Radio tried their best to hype up the Pepsi Chart back in '84, but I was never a fan of multiple, rival charts because it just causes confusion. All for the sake of appearing more up-to-date.

This is quite some project!

[phoenix123]

I'm worried about this thread progressing as I might have to buy everthing on Amazon, hopefully it won't be TOO expensive.

I already have #100 and #99 so things are looking up.

[gezza76]

97. WATERMARK- Enya (727,000)



RELEASED: 3rd October 1988

PEAK POSITION: 5

WKS IN CHART: 55

SINGLES RELEASED:

ORINOCO FLOW (1)
EVENING FALLS (20)
STORMS IN AFRICA (PART II) (41)

Enya’s second album proved to be her breakthrough moment thanks to the chart topping single “Orinoco Flow” in 1988 which launched her onto the pop landscape. The charm of Enya proved to be her relative uniqueness in the market at a time when the charts were dominated by the late 80s manufactured pop of Stock Aitken & Waterman.

The album became one of the top 40 best selling albums in both 1988 and 1989 and whilst 1991’s “Shepherd Moons” outsold “Watermark” the latter remains a highly original album, and moreover, though it peaked at No 5 in the weekly charts only four albums on this survey peaked lower than this ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P8Axizjn2k

[gezza76]

96. LABOUR OF LOVE- UB40 (734,000)



RELEASED: 16th September 1983

PEAK POSITION: 1

WKS IN CHART: 76

RED RED WINE (1)
PLEASE DON’T MAKE ME CRY (3)
CHERRY OH BABY (12)
MANY RIVERS TO CROSS (16)

As one of the major acts of the decade you would be forgiven for expecting a few more UB40 albums on this countdown, but no, this is your lot. 1983’s “Labour of Love” contained the massive cover of a Neil Diamond track “Red Red Wine” and when it was released duly debuted at No 1 before spending over a year on the charts and ending 83 as its 11th biggest seller. Interestingly that cover made it to the US No 1 spot too, but five years later! and the concept of “Labour Of Love” (covers of tracks recorded by acts the band loved) proved to be a tantalising one for the band returning to this title for part II in 1989, part III in 1998 and part IV in 2010.

The band’s career extended well into the noughties though their name is missing from the top 100 best selling albums of either the 90s or 00s, making this their sole appearance on the decade end surveys proving that UB40 were definitely more of a singles act...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nR6RpD5Qtn8

[gezza76]

95. BE YOURSELF TONIGHT- Eurythmics (739,000)



RELEASED: 29th April 1985

PEAK POSITION: 3

WKS IN CHART: 80

SINGLES RELEASED:

THERE MUST BE AN ANGEL (PLAYING WITH MY HEART) (1)
SISTERS ARE DOIN IT FOR THEMSELVES (9)
IT’S ALRIGHT (BABY’S COMING BACK) (12)
WOULD I LIE TO YOU? (17)

The first of two appearances for Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart is 1985’s “Be Yourself Tonight” home to their only UK No 1 Single “There Must Be An Angel”, the album spent over a year and a half on the charts. The group only managed 3 No 1 Albums in their career “Touch” and “We Too Are One” in the 80s, in conjunction with the million selling “Greatest Hits” in 1991.

The album became the 10th biggest seller of 1985 but continued to sell so well that it finished the following year in the top 30 as well, but as far as the 80s was concerned only one of their albums outsold it....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gf_OsStVpzs

[Pye]

Easily my favorite Eurythmic's album. Great choices of singles came from the album too. The summer of 85 would not have been the same without 'There Must Be An Angel' topping the charts. Easily my favorite Eurythmics single.... it's so uplifting and beautiful.

I'm looking forward to the rest of this best selling 80's album countdown.

[rashidhk81]

Great thread. Will have to follow.

I love Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits with "Oh Diane" on it.
Didn't like that they left it off the more recent compilation!

[Eric Generic]

Labour of Love is one of the few UB40 albums I have never owned! Partly because it was pre-1984, so I didn't buy it as a kid, and then by the time I got around to filling gaps in my 80s album collection on CD, I'd heard some of the non-single tracks and decided the best stuff from the LP was on their (many) Best Ofs. But it's one I'd still get on the cheap. Funny how it all kicked off five years later in the US, wasn't it. Their only really big-selling studio albums were the first two Labour Of Loves and then 1993's Promises & Lies, which briefly sold a truckload on the back of a UK#1 hit with Can't Help Falling In Love. Mostly they're known as a singles/Greatest Hits act, as you say.

Enya, hmm. I prefer the later albums, but Watermark does have some lovely things on it.

Be Yourself Tonight is the definitive Eurythmics album for me, capturing the transition from electronic synth duo to bigtime US-friendly rock act. Some killer tunes, excellent production, Annie Lennox on top form, and the Aretha duet to top it all. That said, Savage is my personal favourite LP.

[Booers]

I love Don't Be Cruel - a great 80s pop album. Was the Freestyle Megamix on it? It's not on my version but may have been reissued to include it. And On Our Own is my fave Bobby track - thankfully I have that on NOW 16!

[Eric Generic]

I've got a later pressing of Don't Be Cruel, but it's exactly the same content-wise as the original (just some cosmetic changes to the spine and disc label). I've got two versions of the Freestyle Megamix, the full version and (happily for the 7" OCD nut in me) a radio edit, and can't even remember what compilations they're from!

[gezza76]

I love Don't Be Cruel - a great 80s pop album. Was the Freestyle Megamix on it? It's not on my version but may have been reissued to include it. And On Our Own is my fave Bobby track - thankfully I have that on NOW 16!

I think I just put it on there as obviously all the tracks contained in the mix are on the album, though it itself isn't on there- me bad.

[gezza76]

94. CLUB CLASSICS VOLUME ONE- Soul II Soul (746,000)



RELEASED; 10th April 1989

PEAK POSITION: 1

WKS IN CHART: 38

SINGLES RELEASED:

BACK TO LIFE (HOWEVER DO YOU WANT ME) (1)
KEEP ON MOVIN (5)
FAIRPLAY (63)
FEEL FREE (64)

It’s fair to say that the first two hits from Soul II soul hardly set the charts alight both peaking outside the top 60 in 1988. Come a new year and bang, their sound became the soundtrack of the second summer of love. They are of course best known for their No 1 single “Back To Life” which is naturally present on “Club Classics Volume One” and going into the 90s all looked like it was rosy for the London based group, but the future was far from bright. What occurred was that the sound had become TOO prominent, too associated with 1989 and with a new decade upon us the Soul II Soul brand was already looking out of date.

Volume II topped the charts in Jun 90 but sales were a fraction of this, and Volumes III, IV & V did nothing to reverse the trend before the hits dried up entirely in 1997....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xIQ5M0Ml5U

[gezza76]

93. PEARLS- Elkie Brooks (750,000)



RELEASED: 2nd November 1981

PEAK POSITION: 2

WKS IN CHART: 79

SINGLES RELEASED:

FOOL IF YOU THINK IT’S OVER (17)

Elkie Brooks first found fame in the late 70s with top 10 hits “Pearl’s a Singer” and “Sunshine After The Rain” ( the original version of the Berri 1995 top 10 hit!) and the 80s proved to be just as fruitful for the lady from Salford. “Pearls” was a half greatest hits half new tracks album, which perhaps explains its popularity.

“Pearls” Peaked at No 2 in Feb 1982 behind Barbara Streisand’s “Love Songs” after the top 20 success of the single “Fool If You Think It’s Over” and spent well over a year on the survey, but much like Level 42 she tends to have been overlooked in the pantheon of 80s pop....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivIGjTn3qtY

[gezza76]

92. HUNTING HIGH AND LOW- A- Ha! (765,000)



RELEASED: 28th October 1985

PEAK POSITION: 2

WEEKS IN CHART: 77

SINGLES RELEASED:

THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES ON TV (1)
TAKE ON ME (2)
HUNTING HIGH AND LOW (5)
TRAIN OF THOUGHT (8)

Norwegian heart throbs A-ha!’s first album is next up, it was the first of a hat-trick of No 2 albums from them during the 80s but is definitely their biggest in terms of sales and weeks spent on the charts. It’s the parent album to both of their top 3 hits in their career, the No 1 “The Sun Always Shines On TV” and the UK No 2 and US No 1 “Take On Me” but despite this the album started off by debuting at a lowly No. 24 Before soaring to No 2 for 5 straight weeks behind Dire Straits “Brothers In Arms”.

Part of A-Ha!’s success (aside from that exclamation mark) was their innovative videos which allowed them to become the premier teen screams in the land between the demise of Wham! And the emergence of Bros in 88 and whilst they have now split they were in the top 10 as late as 2006...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDiVfjWK164

[Eric Generic]

94. CLUB CLASSICS VOLUME ONE- Soul II Soul (746,000)



RELEASED; 10th April 1989

PEAK POSITION: 1

WKS IN CHART: 38

SINGLES RELEASED:

BACK TO LIFE (HOWEVER DO YOU WANT ME) (1)
KEEP ON MOVIN (5)
FAIRPLAY (63)
FEEL FREE (64)

The thing I never liked about this album, besides it having too much filler, was the versions of the singles were nothing like the originals, so anyone (naturally) buying the album based on the hits and expecting the hits to be on it, were hugely disappointed. Radio Edits and slight remixes are one thing, but the version of Back To Life is barely a sketched demo. Jazzy B got a nice dose of his own medicine at the end of 1989 when he bought the Stone Roses LP and was upset to find that Fools Good wasn't included. Ha.

The rest of the album isn't that good, really. They made some cracking singles though.

[Booers]

Soul II Soul had some great singles but I've never had any desire to hear any of their albums, and Eric's not given me any more reason to! Keep On Moving plods on a bit and doesn't do much for me, but Back To Life still sounds pretty cool 20 odd years on. I really liked Love Enuff and I Care from their fifth album in the mid 90s.