# List of number-one albums from the 1980s (New Zealand)

This is the Recorded Music NZ list of number-one albums in New Zealand during the 1980s decade. Dire Straits' 1985 album Brothers in Arms spent a total of 21 weeks at No. 1. Split Enz's album Time and Tide was the most successful album by a New Zealand artist, spending a total of six weeks at No. 1. From September 1983 to August 1989, no albums by New Zealand artists reached No. 1.
In New Zealand, Recorded Music NZ compiles the top 40 albums chart each Monday. Over-the-counter sales of both physical and digital formats make up the data. Certifications are awarded for the number of shipments to retailers. Gold certifications are awarded after 7,500 sales, and platinum certifications after 15,000.
The following albums were all number one in New Zealand in the 1980s.

## Number ones
### Key

    * – Number-one album of the year
    † – Album of New Zealand origin
    ‡ – Number-one album of the year, of New Zealand origin
| Artist | Album | Weeks at number one | Reached number one |
| Summer break - no chart (2 weeks) ||||
| Pink Floyd | The Wall | 6 | 20 January 1980 |
| Split Enz | True Colours | 2 | 2 March 1980 |
| Pink Floyd | The Wall | 3 | 16 March 1980 |
| Fleetwood Mac | Tusk | 1 | 6 April 1980 |
| Easter holiday - no chart (1 week) ||||
| Gheorghe Zamfir & Harry van Hoof | Music by Candlelight | 3 | 20 April 1980 |
| Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers | Damn the Torpedoes | 1 | 11 May 1980 |
| Gheorghe Zamfir & Harry van Hoof | Music by Candlelight | 1 | 18 May 1980 |
| Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers | Damn the Torpedoes | 2 | 25 May 1980 |
| Mi-Sex | Space Race | 4 | 8 June 1980 |
| Willie Nelson | Stardust | 6 | 6 July 1980 |
| Neil Young & Crazy Horse | Live Rust | 1 | 17 August 1980 |
| Roxy Music | Flesh + Blood | 2 | 24 August 1980 |
| Kiss | Unmasked | 1 | 7 September 1980 |
| Bob Marley and the Wailers | Uprising | 1 | 14 September 1980 |
| XTC | Black Sea | 1 | 21 September 1980 |
| Bob Marley and the Wailers | Uprising | 2 | 28 September 1980 |
| David Bowie | Scary Monsters | 2 | 12 October 1980 |
| Supertramp | Paris | 1 | 26 October 1980 |
| David Bowie | Scary Monsters | 1 | 2 November 1980 |
| Barbra Streisand | Guilty | 5 | 9 November 1980 |
| Kenny Rogers | Greatest Hits | 2 | 14 December 1980 |
| Summer break - no chart (1 week) ||||
| Artist | Album | Weeks at number one | Reached number one |
| Summer break - no chart (2 weeks) ||||
| Kenny Rogers | Greatest Hits | 1 | 18 January 1981 |
| David Bowie | Chameleon | 1 | 25 January 1981 |
| Anne Murray | Anne Murray's Greatest Hits | 6 | 1 February 1981 |
| John Lennon / Yoko Ono | Double Fantasy | 1 | 15 March 1981 |
| The Nolans | Making Waves | 1 | 22 March 1981 |
| John Lennon / Yoko Ono | Double Fantasy | 3 | 29 March 1981 |
| Split Enz | Waiata | 1 | 19 April 1981 |
| Easter holiday - no chart (1 week) ||||
| Split Enz | Waiata | 2 | 3 May 1981 |
| Richard Clayderman | Rêveries | 2 | 17 May 1981 |
| The Cure | Faith | 3 | 31 May 1981 |
| Joy Division | Unknown Pleasures | 1 | 21 June 1981 |
| Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers | Hard Promises | 2 | 28 June 1981 |
| Kim Carnes | Mistaken Identity | 3 | 12 July 1981 |
| Stars On 45 | Long Play Album | 3 | 2 August 1981 |
| The Pretenders | Pretenders II | 1 | 23 August 1981 |
| Cliff Richard | Cliff Richard 1958-1981 | 2 | 30 August 1981 |
| The Rolling Stones | Tattoo You | 2 | 13 September 1981 |
| Carol O'Halloran | Jazzercise | 4 | 27 September 1981 |
| Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Hooked on Classics | 2 | 25 October 1981 |
| Queen | Greatest Hits | 5 | 8 November 1981 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | The Simon and Garfunkel Collection | 2 | 13 December 1981 |
| Summer break - no chart (1 week) ||||
| Artist | Album | Weeks at number one | Reached number one |
| Summer break - no chart (2 weeks) ||||
| Blondie | The Best of Blondie | 3 | 17 January 1982 |
| Men at Work | Business as Usual | 7 | 7 February 1982 |
| Elton John | Jump Up! | 2 | 28 March 1982 |
| Men at Work | Business as Usual | 1 | 11 April 1982 |
| Easter holiday - no chart (1 week) ||||
| DD Smash | Cool Bananas | 1 | 25 April 1982 |
| Split Enz | Time and Tide | 2 | 2 May 1982 |
| Anne Murray | Greatest Hits Vol. II | 1 | 16 May 1982 |
| Men at Work | Business as Usual | 2 | 23 May 1982 |
| The Human League | Dare | 3 | 6 June 1982 |
| Roxy Music | Avalon | 3 | 27 June 1982 |
| Joan Jett and the Blackhearts | I Love Rock 'n' Roll | 1 | 18 July 1982 |
| Roxy Music | Avalon | 1 | 25 July 1982 |
| Split Enz | Time and Tide | 1 | 1 August 1982 |
| Cold Chisel | Circus Animals | 1 | 8 August 1982 |
| Roxy Music | Avalon | 1 | 15 August 1982 |
| Split Enz | Time and Tide | 3 | 22 August 1982 |
| ABC | The Lexicon of Love | 3 | 12 September 1982 |
| Dire Straits | Love over Gold | 8 | 3 October 1982 |
| The Kids from "Fame" | The Kids From "Fame | 1 | 28 November 1982 |
| Dire Straits | Love over Gold | 3 | 5 December 1982 |
| Summer break - no chart (1 week) ||||
| Artist | Album | Weeks at number one | Reached number one |
| Summer break - no chart (3 weeks) ||||
| Split Enz | Enz of an Era | 2 | 23 January 1983 |
| Icehouse | Primitive Man | 3 | 6 February 1983 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | The Concert in Central Park | 2 | 27 February 1983 |
| Little River Band | Greatest Hits | 4 | 13 March 1983 |
| Easter holiday - no chart (1 week) ||||
| Dire Straits | Love over Gold | 1 | 17 April 1983 |
| Pink Floyd | The Final Cut | 1 | 24 April 1983 |
| David Bowie | Let's Dance | 5 | 1 May 1983 |
| Michael Jackson | Thriller | 5 | 5 June 1983 |
| David Bowie | Let's Dance | 1 | 10 July 1983 |
| Bonnie Tyler | Faster Than the Speed of Night | 3 | 17 July 1983 |
| The Police | Synchronicity | 2 | 7 August 1983 |
| Tim Finn | Escapade | 1 | 21 August 1983 |
| The Police | Synchronicity | 1 | 28 August 1983 |
| Wham! | Fantastic | 3 | 4 September 1983 |
| Spandau Ballet | True | 1 | 25 September 1983 |
| Yazoo | You and Me Both | 1 | 2 October 1983 |
| Robert Plant | The Principle of Moments | 4 | 9 October 1983 |
| UB40 | Labour of Love | 3 | 6 November 1983 |
| Culture Club | Colour by Numbers | 1 | 27 November 1983 |
| David Bowie | Let's Dance | 2 | 4 December 1983 |
| Duran Duran | Seven and the Ragged Tiger | 1 | 18 December 1983 |
| Summer break - no chart (1 week) ||||
| Artist | Album | Weeks at number one | Reached number one |
| Summer break - no chart (3 weeks) ||||
| Billy Joel | An Innocent Man | 1 | 22 January 1984 |
| Eurythmics | Touch | 1 | 29 January 1984 |
| Hall & Oates | Rock 'n Soul Part 1 | 1 | 5 February 1984 |
| Simple Minds | Sparkle in the Rain | 2 | 12 February 1984 |
| U2 | Under a Blood Red Sky | 1 | 26 February 1984 |
| Foster and Allen | Maggie | 2 | 4 March 1984 |
| Michael Jackson | Thriller | 1 | 18 March 1984 |
| Easter holiday - no chart (1 week) ||||
| Michael Jackson | Thriller | 6 | 1 April 1984 |
| Thompson Twins | Into the Gap | 1 | 13 May 1984 |
| Lionel Richie | Can't Slow Down | 1 | 20 May 1984 |
| Thompson Twins | Into the Gap | 2 | 27 May 1984 |
| Soundtrack | Footloose | 8 | 10 June 1984 |
| Billy Joel | An Innocent Man | 2 | 5 August 1984 |
| Bob Marley and the Wailers | Legend | 4 | 19 August 1984 |
| Sade | Diamond Life | 2 | 16 September 1984 |
| Julio Iglesias | 1100 Bel Air Place | 4 | 30 September 1984 |
| The Cars | Heartbeat City | 1 | 28 October 1984 |
| U2 | The Unforgettable Fire | 3 | 4 November 1984 |
| Bruce Springsteen | Born in the U.S.A. | 1 | 25 November 1984 |
| Sade | Diamond Life | 2 | 2 December 1984 |
| The Cars | Heartbeat City | 1 | 16 December 1984 |
| Summer break - no chart (2 week) ||||
| Artist | Album | Weeks at number one | Reached number one |
| Summer break - no chart (2 weeks) ||||
| Frankie Goes to Hollywood | Welcome to the Pleasuredome | 2 | 20 January 1985 |
| Wham! | Make It Big | 1 | 3 February 1985 |
| Bruce Springsteen | Born in the U.S.A. | 2 | 10 February 1985 |
| Alison Moyet | Alf | 1 | 24 February 1985 |
| Bruce Springsteen | Born in the U.S.A. | 6 | 3 March 1985 |
| Easter holiday - no chart (1 week) ||||
| Phil Collins | No Jacket Required | 1 | 21 April 1985 |
| Bruce Springsteen | Born in the U.S.A. | 6 | 28 April 1985 |
| Dire Straits | Brothers in Arms | 3 | 9 June 1985 |
| Talking Heads | Little Creatures | 3 | 30 June 1985 |
| Madonna | Like a Virgin | 3 | 21 July 1985 |
| Billy Joel | Greatest Hits | 3 | 11 August 1985 |
| Madonna | Like a Virgin | 5 | 1 September 1985 |
| Bryan Adams | Reckless | 6 | 6 October 1985 |
| ZZ Top | Afterburner | 3 | 17 November 1985 |
| Dire Straits | Brothers in Arms | 2 | 8 December 1985 |
| Summer break - no chart (2 week) ||||
| Artist | Album | Weeks at number one | Reached number one |
| Summer break - no chart (2 weeks) ||||
| Dire Straits | Brothers in Arms | 3 | 19 January 1986 |
| Thompson Twins | Here's to Future Days | 2 | 9 February 1986 |
| Dire Straits | Brothers in Arms | 6 | 23 February 1986 |
| Easter holiday - no chart (1 week) ||||
| Dire Straits | Brothers in Arms | 2 | 13 April 1986 |
| Grace Jones | Island Life | 2 | 27 April 1986 |
| Dire Straits | Brothers in Arms | 1 | 11 May 1986 |
| Barbra Streisand | The Broadway Album | 1 | 18 May 1986 |
| Dire Straits | Brothers in Arms | 4 | 25 May 1986 |
| A-ha | Hunting High and Low | 2 | 22 June 1986 |
| Peter Gabriel | So | 1 | 6 July 1986 |
| Madonna | True Blue | 2 | 13 July 1986 |
| Bryan Ferry and Roxy Music | Street Life: 20 Great Hits | 3 | 27 July 1986 |
| Wham! | The Final | 7 | 17 August 1986 |
| Talking Heads | True Stories | 5 | 5 October 1986 |
| Genesis | Invisible Touch | 1 | 9 November 1986 |
| Talking Heads | True Stories | 1 | 16 November 1986 |
| Huey Lewis and the News | Fore! | 1 | 23 November 1986 |
| Paul Simon | Graceland | 3 | 30 November 1986 |
| The Police | Every Breath You Take: The Singles | 1 | 21 December 1986 |
| Summer break - no chart (1 week) ||||
| Artist | Album | Weeks at number one | Reached number one |
| Summer break - no chart (2 weeks) ||||
| Revenge | Eurythmics | 10 | 18 January 1987 |
| U2 | The Joshua Tree | 1 | 29 March 1987 |
| Pseudo Echo | Funky Town | 3 | 5 April 1987 |
| Easter holiday - no chart (1 week) ||||
| U2 | The Joshua Tree | 2 | 3 May 1987 |
| Alison Moyet | Raindancing | 2 | 17 May 1987 |
| Bon Jovi | Slippery When Wet | 5 | 31 May 1987 |
| Whitney Houston | Whitney | 2 | 5 July 1987 |
| Bon Jovi | Slippery When Wet | 2 | 19 July 1987 |
| Suzanne Vega | Solitude Standing | 2 | 2 August 1987 |
| U2 | The Joshua Tree | 5 | 16 August 1987 |
| Bon Jovi | Slippery When Wet | 1 | 20 September 1987 |
| Michael Jackson | Bad | 1 | 27 September 1987 |
| Chris Rea | Dancing with Strangers | 1 | 4 October 1987 |
| Midnight Oil | Diesel and Dust | 6 | 11 October 1987 |
| Pink Floyd | A Momentary Lapse of Reason | 2 | 22 November 1987 |
| Midnight Oil | Diesel and Dust | 1 | 6 December 1987 |
| Pink Floyd | A Momentary Lapse of Reason | 1 | 13 December 1987 |
| Midnight Oil | Diesel and Dust | 1 | 20 December 1987 |
| Summer break - no chart (1 week) ||||
| Artist | Album | Weeks at number one | Reached number one |
| Summer break - no chart (2 weeks) ||||
| Midnight Oil | Diesel and Dust | 1 | 17 January 1988 |
| Pink Floyd | A Momentary Lapse of Reason | 2 | 24 January 1988 |
| Icehouse | Man of Colours | 2 | 7 February 1988 |
| Pink Floyd | A Momentary Lapse of Reason | 1 | 21 February 1988 |
| Soundtrack | Dirty Dancing | 6 | 28 February 1988 |
| Easter holiday - no chart (1 week) ||||
| Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | The Best of OMD | 4 | 17 April 1988 |
| Andrew Lloyd Webber | The Phantom of the Opera | 1 | 15 May 1988 |
| Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark | The Best of OMD | 1 | 22 May 1988 |
| Tiffany | Tiffany | 3 | 29 May 1988 |
| Prince | Lovesexy | 2 | 19 June 1988 |
| Andrew Lloyd Webber | The Phantom of the Opera | 2 | 3 July 1988 |
| Def Leppard | Hysteria | 3 | 17 July 1988 |
| INXS | Kick | 2 | 7 August 1988 |
| Andrew Lloyd Webber | The Phantom of the Opera | 2 | 21 August 1988 |
| Kylie Minogue | Kylie | 6 | 4 September 1988 |
| Bros | Push | 1 | 16 October 1988 |
| Bon Jovi | New Jersey | 2 | 23 October 1988 |
| U2 | Rattle and Hum | 7 | 6 November 1988 |
| Summer break - no chart (1 week) ||||
| Artist | Album | Weeks at number one | Reached number one |
| Summer break - no chart (2 weeks) ||||
| U2 | Rattle and Hum | 1 | 15 January 1989 |
| Fleetwood Mac | Greatest Hits | 1 | 22 January 1989 |
| Jimmy Barnes | Barnestorming | 2 | 29 January 1989 |
| Soundtrack | Cocktail | 2 | 12 February 1989 |
| Tracy Chapman | Tracy Chapman | 4 | 5 March 1989 |
| Easter holiday - no chart (1 week) ||||
| Enya | Watermark | 2 | 9 April 1989 |
| Toni Childs | Union | 1 | 23 April 1989 |
| Poison | Open Up and Say... Ahh! | 1 | 30 April 1989 |
| Toni Childs | Union | 1 | 7 May 1989 |
| Andrew Lloyd Webber | The Premiere Collection | 3 | 14 May 1989 |
| Guns N' Roses | Appetite for Destruction | 1 | 4 June 1989 |
| Simply Red | A New Flame | 7 | 11 June 1989 |
| Clannad | Past Present | 6 | 30 July 1989 |
| Carl Doy | Piano by Candlelight II | 4 | 10 September 1989 |
| Milli Vanilli | All or Nothing | 3 | 8 October 1989 |
| Tracy Chapman | Crossroads | 7 | 29 October 1989 |
| Milli Vanilli | All or Nothing - The US Remix Album | 1 | 17 December 1989 |
| Summer break - no chart (2 weeks) ||||
| Artist | Album | Weeks at number one | Reached number one |