List of Billboard 200 number - one albums of 1981 - wikipedia 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 Key Indicates best performing album of 1981 Issue Date Album Artist Reference January 3 Double Fantasy John Lennon and Yoko Ono January 10 January 17 January 24 January 31 February 7 February 14 February 21 Hi Infidelity REO Speedwagon February 28 March 7 March 14 March 21 March 28 April 4 Paradise Theater Styx April 11 April 18 Hi Infidelity REO Speedwagon April 25 May 2 May 9 Paradise Theater Styx May 16 Hi Infidelity REO Speedwagon May 23 May 30 June 6 June 13 June 20 June 27 Mistaken Identity Kim Carnes July 4 July 11 July 18 July 25 Long Distance Voyager The Moody Blues August 1 August 8 August 15 Precious Time Pat Benatar August 22 Foreigner August 29 September 5 Bella Donna Stevie Nicks September 12 Escape Journey September 19 Tattoo You The Rolling Stones September 26 October 3 October 10 October 17 October 24 October 31 November 7 November 14 November 21 Foreigner November 28 December 5 December 12 December 19 December 26 For Those About to Rock We Salute You AC / DC See also List of Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles of 1981 1981 in music List of number - one albums ( United States ) References Jump up ^ `` Ropin ' the Charts SoundScan System Good for Music and for Listeners... ''. The Fresno Bee. The McClatchy Company. 1991 - 12 - 29. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ Holden, Stephen ( 1991 - 06 - 22 ). `` Billboard 's New Charts Roil the Record Industry ''. The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ Goldstein, Patrick ( 1991 - 09 - 21 ). `` Hype, Hokey - Pokey and the Hot 100 ''. Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 01 - 03. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 01 - 10. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 01 - 17. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 01 - 24. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 01 - 31. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 02 - 07. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 02 - 14. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 02 - 21. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 02 - 28. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 03 - 07. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 03 - 14. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 03 - 21. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 03 - 28. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 04 - 04. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 04 - 11. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 04 - 18. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 04 - 25. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 05 - 02. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 05 - 09. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 05 - 16. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 05 - 23. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 05 - 30. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 06 - 06. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 06 - 13. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 06 - 20. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 06 - 27. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 07 - 04. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 07 - 11. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 07 - 18. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 07 - 25. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 08 - 01. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 08 - 08. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 08 - 15. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 08 - 22. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 08 - 29. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 09 - 05. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 09 - 12. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 09 - 19. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 09 - 26. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 10 - 03. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 10 - 10. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 10 - 17. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 10 - 24. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 10 - 31. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 11 - 07. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 11 - 14. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1981 - 11 - 21. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Billboard 200 ''. 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List of Billboard 200 number - one albums 1945 -- 1960 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 -- 1980 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 -- 2000 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 2001 -- present 2017 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_Billboard_200_number-one_albums_of_1981&oldid=789355281 '' Categories : Lists of number - one albums in the United States 1981 record charts Talk About Wikipedia Deutsch Polski Русский Edit links This page was last edited on 6 July 2017, at 21 : 45. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution - ShareAlike License ; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization. About Wikipedia

Question: what was the number one album in 1981
Answer: Hi Infidelity