| 1980s in music in the UK |
| Events |
|---|
TheUK Albums Chart is one of many music charts compiled by theOfficial Charts Company that calculates the best-selling albums of the week in the United Kingdom.[1][2][3] Before 2004, the chart was only based on the sales of physical albums. This list shows albums that peaked in the top ten of theUK Albums Chart during1982, as well as albums which peaked in1981 and1983 but were in the top ten in 1982. 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 byLove Songs byBarbra Streisand. Overall, fourteen different albums peaked at number one in 1982, with thirteen unique artists and one soundtrack album hitting that position.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ‡ | Album peaked in 1981 but still in chart in 1982. |
| ♦ | Album released in 1982 but peaked in 1983. |
| Entered | The date that the album first appeared in the chart. |
| Peak | Highest position that the album reached in the UK Albums Chart. |
| Entered (week ending) | Weeks in top 10 | Single | Artist | Peak | Peak reached (week ending) | Weeks at peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albums in 1981 | ||||||
| 16 May 1981 | 8 | Chariots of Fire ‡ | Vangelis | 5 | 13 May 1981 | 1 |
| 4 July 1981 | 13 | Love Songs ‡ | Cliff Richard | 1 | 11 July 1981 | 5 |
| 12 September 1981 | 10 | Dead Ringer ‡ | Meat Loaf | 1 | 12 September 1981 | 2 |
| 26 September 1981 | 7 | Wired for Sound ‡ | Cliff Richard | 4 | 3 October 1981 | 1 |
| 10 October 1981 | 13 | Ghost in the Machine ‡ | The Police | 1 | 10 October 1981 | 3 |
| 10 October 1981 | 22 | Dare ‡ | The Human League | 1 | 10 October 1981 | 4 |
| 31 October 1981 | 10 | The Best of Blondie ‡ | Blondie | 4 | 31 October 1981 | 1 |
| 7 November 1981 | 14 | Greatest Hits ‡ | Queen | 1 | 14 November 1981 | 4 |
| 14 November 1981 | 10 | Prince Charming ‡ | Adam and the Ants | 2 | 14 November 1981 | 3 |
| 14 | Architecture & Morality ‡ | Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | 3 | 21 November 1981 | 2 | |
| 28 November 1981 | 8 | Chart Hits '81 ‡ | Various artists | 1 | 12 December 1981 | 1 |
| 18 | Pearls | Elkie Brooks | 2 | 13 February 1982 | 2 | |
| 7 | Begin the Beguine | Julio Iglesias | 5 | 3 April 1982 | 1 | |
| 5 December 1981 | 5 | The Simon and Garfunkel Collection: 17 of Their All-Time Greatest Recordings ‡ | Simon & Garfunkel | 4 | 12 December 1981 | 1 |
| 19 December 1981 | 7 | The Visitors ‡ | ABBA | 1 | 19 December 1981 | 3 |
| Albums in 1982 | ||||||
| 9 January 1982 | 4 | Hits Hits Hits | Various artists | 2 | 23 January 1982 | 1 |
| 23 January 1982 | 16 | Love Songs | Barbra Streisand | 1 | 30 January 1982 | 9 |
| 3 | Modern Dance | Various artists | 6 | 23 January 1982 | 1 | |
| 5 | 4 | Foreigner | 5 | 6 February 1982 | 2 | |
| 30 January 1982 | 2 | Something Special | Kool & the Gang | 10 | 30 January 1982 | 2 |
| 6 February 1982 | 4 | The Friends of Mr Cairo | Jon and Vangelis | 6 | 13 February 1982 | 2 |
| 13 February 1982 | 6 | Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret | Soft Cell | 5 | 20 February 1982 | 2 |
| 9 | All for a Song | Barbara Dickson | 3 | 27 March 1982 | 1 | |
| 2 | The Man-Machine | Kraftwerk | 9 | 20 February 1982 | 1 | |
| 20 February 1982 | 1 | Mechanix | UFO | 8 | 20 February 1982 | 1 |
| 27 February 1982 | 4 | Dreaming | Various artists | 2 | 27 February 1982 | 1 |
| 2 | English Settlement | XTC | 5 | 27 February 1982 | 1 | |
| 1 | Private Eyes | Hall & Oates | 8 | 27 February 1982 | 1 | |
| 6 March 1982 | 4 | Star Trax | Various artists | 2 | 6 March 1982 | 1 |
| 11 | Pelican West | Haircut 100 | 2 | 13 March 1982 | 3 | |
| 13 March 1982 | 2 | One Night at Budokan | Michael Schenker Group | 5 | 13 March 1982 | 1 |
| 20 March 1982 | 5 | The Gift | The Jam | 1 | 20 March 1982 | 1 |
| 3 | Fun Boy Three | Fun Boy Three | 7 | 20 March 1982 | 2 | |
| 27 March 1982 | 2 | Keep Fit and Dance | Peter Powell | 9 | 27 March 1982 | 2 |
| 3 April 1982 | 2 | The Anvil | Visage | 6 | 3 April 1982 | 1 |
| 3 | Five Miles Out | Mike Oldfield | 7 | 3 April 1982 | 1 | |
| 10 April 1982 | 9 | The Number of the Beast | Iron Maiden | 1 | 10 April 1982 | 2 |
| 3 | James Bond Greatest Hits | Various artists | 4 | 10 April 1982 | 2 | |
| 4 | Sky 4: Forthcoming | Sky | 7 | 10 April 1982 | 2 | |
| 17 April 1982 | 2 | Iron Fist | Motörhead | 6 | 17 April 1982 | 1 |
| 2 | Portrait | The Nolans | 7 | 17 April 1982 | 1 | |
| 24 April 1982 | 3 | 1+9+8+2 | Status Quo | 1 | 24 April 1982 | 1 |
| 2 | Straight Between the Eyes | Rainbow | 5 | 24 April 1982 | 1 | |
| 1 May 1982 | 7 | Barry Live in Britain | Barry Manilow | 1 | 1 May 1982 | 1 |
| 19 | Complete Madness | Madness | 1 | 22 May 1982 | 3 | |
| 2 | Shape Up and Dance Volume 2 | Angela Rippon | 8 | 8 May 1982 | 1 | |
| 8 May 1982 | 5 | Tug of War | Paul McCartney | 1 | 8 May 1982 | 2 |
| 1 | Disco UK and Disco USA | Various artists | 7 | 8 May 1982 | 1 | |
| 15 May 1982 | 3 | Hot Space | Queen | 4 | 15 May 1982 | 1 |
| 7 | Night Birds | Shakatak | 4 | 5 June 1982 | 1 | |
| 1 | The Concerts in China | Jean-Michel Jarre | 6 | 15 May 1982 | 1 | |
| 1 | Pornography | The Cure | 8 | 15 May 1982 | 1 | |
| 1 | Are You Ready | Bucks Fizz | 10 | 15 May 1982 | 1 | |
| 22 May 1982 | 2 | Combat Rock | The Clash | 2 | 22 May 1982 | 1 |
| 25 | Rio | Duran Duran | 2 | 29 May 1982 | 1 | |
| 3 | Chartbusters '82 | Various artists | 3 | 29 May 1982 | 1 | |
| 2 | The Eagle Has Landed | Saxon | 5 | 29 May 1982 | 1 | |
| 1 | Sulk | The Associates | 10 | 22 May 1982 | 1 | |
| 5 June 1982 | 11 | Avalon | Roxy Music | 1 | 5 June 1982 | 3 |
| 2 | The Hunter | Blondie | 9 | 5 June 1982 | 2 | |
| 11 | Tropical Gangsters | Kid Creole and the Coconuts | 3 | 28 August 1982 | 1 | |
| 12 June 1982 | 4 | Three Sides Live | Genesis | 2 | 12 June 1982 | 3 |
| 8 | Still Life (American Concert 1981) | The Rolling Stones | 4 | 19 June 1982 | 3 | |
| 2 | Stevie Wonder's Original Musiquarium I | Stevie Wonder | 8 | 12 June 1982 | 1 | |
| 19 June 1982 | 3 | The Changeling | Toyah | 6 | 19 June 1982 | 1 |
| 2 | Windsong | Randy Crawford | 7 | 19 June 1982 | 1 | |
| 26 June 1982 | 2 | Non Stop Ecstatic Dancing (EP) | Soft Cell | 6 | 3 July 1982 | 1 |
| 3 July 1982 | 16 | The Lexicon of Love | ABC | 1 | 3 July 1982 | 4 |
| 1 | Fabrique | Fashion | 10 | 3 July 1982 | 1 | |
| 10 July 1982 | 4 | Pictures at Eleven | Robert Plant | 2 | 10 July 1982 | 2 |
| 5 | Mirage | Fleetwood Mac | 5 | 10 July 1982 | 1 | |
| 2 | Imperial Bedroom | Elvis Costello andThe Attractions | 6 | 10 July 1982 | 1 | |
| 1 | Overload | Various artists | 10 | 10 July 1982 | 1 | |
| 17 July 1982 | 9 | Love and Dancing | The League Unlimited Orchestra | 3 | 24 July 1982 | 2 |
| 7 | Fame: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture | Various artists | 1 | 24 July 1982 | 2 | |
| 1 | Abracadabra | Steve Miller Band | 10 | 17 July 1982 | 1 | |
| 24 July 1982 | 3 | The Concert in Central Park | Simon & Garfunkel | 6 | 24 July 1982 | 1 |
| 31 July 1982 | 24 | The Kids from "Fame" | The Kids from "Fame" | 1 | 7 August 1982 | 12 |
| 7 August 1982 | 8 | Too-Rye-Ay | Dexys Midnight Runners | 2 | 7 August 1982 | 4 |
| 14 August 1982 | 3 | Talking Back to the Night | Steve Winwood | 6 | 14 August 1982 | 1 |
| 21 August 1982 | 4 | Love Songs | Commodores | 5 | 28 August 1982 | 1 |
| 4 September 1982 | 8 | Upstairs at Eric's | Yazoo | 2 | 4 September 1982 | 3 |
| 2 | Now You See Me, Now You Don't | Cliff Richard | 4 | 4 September 1982 | 1 | |
| 11 September 1982 | 3 | Breakout | Various artists | 4 | 18 September 1982 | 1 |
| 4 | In the Heat of the Night | Imagination | 7 | 25 September 1982 | 1 | |
| 18 September 1982 | 2 | Signals | Rush | 3 | 18 September 1982 | 1 |
| 1 | Peter Gabriel 4 (Security) | Peter Gabriel | 6 | 18 September 1982 | 1 | |
| 4 | Chart Beat/Chart Heat | Various artists | 2 | 25 September 1982 | 1 | |
| 1 | I, Assassin | Gary Numan | 8 | 18 September 1982 | 1 | |
| 25 September 1982 | 2 | The Dreaming | Kate Bush | 3 | 25 September 1982 | 1 |
| 3 | New Gold Dream (81–82–83–84) | Simple Minds | 3 | 2 October 1982 | 1 | |
| 2 October 1982 | 7 | Love over Gold | Dire Straits | 1 | 2 October 1982 | 4 |
| 3 | Nebraska | Bruce Springsteen | 3 | 9 October 1982 | 1 | |
| 9 October 1982 | 2 | UB44 | UB40 | 4 | 9 October 1982 | 2 |
| 2 | A Broken Frame | Depeche Mode | 8 | 16 October 1982 | 1 | |
| 16 October 1982 | 3 | Give Me Your Heart Tonight | Shakin' Stevens | 3 | 16 October 1982 | 1 |
| 7 | Reflections | Various artists | 4 | 23 October 1982 | 2 | |
| 23 October 1982 | 5 | The Kids from "Fame" Again | The Kids from "Fame" | 2 | 30 October 1982 | 2 |
| 2 | Friend or Foe | Adam Ant | 5 | 23 October 1982 | 1 | |
| 1 | Quartet | Ultravox | 6 | 23 October 1982 | 1 | |
| 1 | Chart Attack | Various artists | 7 | 23 October 1982 | 1 | |
| 5 | Kissing to Be Clever | Culture Club | 5 | 30 October 1982 | 2 | |
| 30 October 1982 | 2 | The Sky's Gone Out | Bauhaus | 4 | 30 October 1982 | 1 |
| 6 November 1982 | 3 | ...Famous Last Words... | Supertramp | 6 | 6 November 1982 | 1 |
| 3 | Singles – 45's and Under | Squeeze | 3 | 13 November 1982 | 1 | |
| 4 | Olivia's Greatest Hits ♦ | Olivia Newton-John | 8 | 15 January 1983 | 2 | |
| 1 | 20 Greatest Hits | The Beatles | 10 | 6 November 1982 | 1 | |
| 13 November 1982 | 11 | Hello, I Must Be Going! | Phil Collins | 2 | 13 November 1982 | 2 |
| 15 | Heartbreaker | Dionne Warwick | 3 | 20 November 1982 | 2 | |
| 8 | From the Makers of... | Status Quo | 4 | 27 November 1982 | 1 | |
| 20 November 1982 | 9 | The Singles: The First Ten Years | ABBA | 1 | 27 November 1982 | 1 |
| 2 | The Rise & Fall | Madness | 10 | 20 November 1982 | 2 | |
| 27 November 1982 | 2 | I Wanna Do It With You | Barry Manilow | 7 | 27 November 1982 | 1 |
| 1 | Saints & Sinners | Whitesnake | 9 | 27 November 1982 | 1 | |
| 1 | Midnight Love | Marvin Gaye | 10 | 27 November 1982 | 1 | |
| 4 December 1982 | 14 | The John Lennon Collection | John Lennon | 1 | 4 December 1982 | 6 |
| 2 | Coda | Led Zeppelin | 4 | 4 December 1982 | 1 | |
| 6 | Pearls II | Elkie Brooks | 5 | 11 December 1982 | 1 | |
| 5 | 20 Greatest Love Songs | Nat King Cole | 7 | 4 December 1982 | 4 | |
| 11 December 1982 | 5 | Love Songs | Diana Ross | 5 | 25 December 1982 | 1 |
| 18 December 1982 | 3 | Dig the New Breed | The Jam | 2 | 18 December 1982 | 1 |
General
Specific
