List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 1985

Summary

The Billboard 200, published in Billboard magazine, is a weekly chart that ranks the highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States. Before Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991, Billboard estimated sales from a representative sampling of record stores nationwide, using telephone, fax or messenger service.[1] Data were based on rankings made by the record stores of the best-selling records, not on actual sales figures.[2][3]

In 1985, Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A., spent the whole year inside the Top 10 (including three weeks at number one) and ended at the top of the year-end chart, helped by five singles that reached the Top 10 throughout the year, and also a world tour that covered North America, Europe and Australia.

There were fourteen number-one albums on this chart in 1985, including two releases by Prince and The Revolution: Purple Rain, which stayed at the top for two weeks in 1985, and twenty-two weeks in 1984; and Around the World in a Day, which spent three weeks at number one in June. Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A., which spent four weeks at number one in 1984, topped the chart again for three weeks, ending at the top of the 1985 year-end chart,[4] helped by the success of his Born in the U.S.A. Tour that visited North America, Europe and Australia.[5][6][7] Recording artist Madonna released her second studio album Like a Virgin in November 1984, reaching the top of the chart for three weeks in February 1985. The dance-pop oriented album adapted some of the sound elements of the 1970s disco group Chic,[8] and included "Material Girl" and "Like a Virgin", the two songs that made her an icon and an international celebrity.[9][10] In May, the album sold four and a half million copies,[11] and by the end of the year it was certified six times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[12]

British pop duo Wham! released Make It Big in 1984, spawning three number-one singles in the U.S, "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go", "Careless Whisper" and "Everything She Wants",[13][14][15] and selling four million copies by the end of the year.[12] Rock singer John Fogerty released Centerfield, his first album since 1975, peaking at number one for one week in March.[16] No Jacket Required, the third solo album by British singer-songwriter Phil Collins, spent seven non-consecutive weeks at the top, was certified quadruple platinum at the end of the year by the RIAA,[12] and won the Album of the Year award at the 28th Grammy Awards.[17] In 1985 a supergroup of popular musicians billed as USA for Africa or United Support of Artists for Africa, released a charity recording for famine relief efforts in Ethiopia. We Are the World, which included the title track, written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and performed by forty-five vocalists, including Jackson, Ritchie, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner and Stevie Wonder,[18][19] was certified triple platinum by the RIAA,[12] and won four awards at the 28th Grammy Awards.[20]

British pop band Tears for Fears released their second album Songs from the Big Chair, which rocketed to the top of the charts on the strength of the singles "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" and "Shout", which both hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100.[21] Canadian rock singer Bryan Adams released his fourth album Reckless in 1984, peaking at number one for two weeks in 1985, selling four million copies by January 1986, and earning Adams his first two Grammy nominations.[22] Two soundtracks reached the top of the chart in 1985, the first one was the soundtrack for the action-comedy film Beverly Hills Cop, which won the Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture.[23] The second was the soundtrack for the television series Miami Vice, which spent eight non-consecutive weeks at number one, and was certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA in 1986.[12] Released in May 1985, Brothers in Arms was Dire Straits' breakthrough album. Supported by the groundbreaking computer-animated video of "Money for Nothing",[24] the album spent nine weeks at the top, and sold over three million copies by the end of the year.[12] Rock band Heart released a self-titled album that sold more than two million copies in 1985, and contained four top ten songs, including the number-one single "These Dreams".[25]

Chart history edit

Key
Indicates best performing album of 1985
Issue date Album Artist(s) Label Ref.
January 5 Purple Rain Prince and the Revolution / Soundtrack Warner Bros. [26]
January 12 [27]
January 19 Born in the U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen Columbia [28]
January 26 [29]
February 2 [30]
February 9 Like a Virgin Madonna Sire [31]
February 16 [32]
February 23 [33]
March 2 Make It Big Wham! Columbia [34]
March 9 [35]
March 16 [36]
March 23 Centerfield John Fogerty Warner Bros. [37]
March 30 No Jacket Required Phil Collins Atlantic [38]
April 6 [39]
April 13 [40]
April 20 [41]
April 27 We Are the World USA for Africa Columbia [42]
May 4 [43]
May 11 [44]
May 18 No Jacket Required Phil Collins Atlantic [45]
May 25 [46]
June 1 Around the World in a Day Prince and the Revolution Paisley Park [47]
June 8 [48]
June 15 [49]
June 22 Beverly Hills Cop Soundtrack MCA [50]
June 29 [51]
July 6 No Jacket Required Phil Collins Atlantic [52]
July 13 Songs from the Big Chair Tears for Fears Mercury [53]
July 20 [54]
July 27 [55]
August 3 [56]
August 10 Reckless Bryan Adams A&M [57]
August 17 [58]
August 24 Songs from the Big Chair Tears for Fears Mercury [59]
August 31 Brothers in Arms Dire Straits Warner Bros. [60]
September 7 [61]
September 14 [62]
September 21 [63]
September 28 [64]
October 5 [65]
October 12 [66]
October 19 [67]
October 26 [68]
November 2 Miami Vice Soundtrack MCA [69]
November 9 [70]
November 16 [71]
November 23 [72]
November 30 [73]
December 7 [74]
December 14 [75]
December 21 Heart Heart Capitol [76]
December 28 Miami Vice Soundtrack MCA [77]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Ropin' the Charts SoundScan System Good for Music and for Listeners ..." The Fresno Bee. The McClatchy Company. December 29, 1991. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
  2. ^ Holden, Stephen (June 22, 1991). "Billboard's New Charts Roil the Record Industry". The New York Times. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
  3. ^ Goldstein, Patrick (September 21, 1991). "Hype, Hokey-Pokey and the Hot 100". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
  4. ^ "The Billboard 200 – 1985". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1985. Retrieved January 19, 2009.
  5. ^ Loder, Kurt (February 28, 1985). "1985 Artist of the Year: Bruce!". Rolling Stone. RealNetworks, Inc. Archived from the original on January 18, 2010. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  6. ^ Brenn, Joe (July 18, 1985). "70,000 See Springsteen in Ireland". Rolling Stone. RealNetworks, Inc. Archived from the original on July 28, 2012. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  7. ^ Morse, Steve (May 25, 1985). "No Stadium Concerts in Sight". The Boston Globe. The New York Times Company. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  8. ^ Holden, Stephen (January 6, 1985). "Madonna's Siren Song". The New York Times. Retrieved January 19, 2009.
  9. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Album Review: Like A Virgin". Allmusic. Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved January 19, 2009.
  10. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Madonna > Biography". Allmusic. Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved January 19, 2009.
  11. ^ Cocks, Jay (May 27, 1985). "Madonna Rocks the Land". Time. Time Warner, Inc. Archived from the original on April 12, 2008. Retrieved January 19, 2009.
  12. ^ a b c d e f "Gold & Platinum". Recording Industry Association of America. 1985. Archived from the original on June 26, 2007. Retrieved January 19, 2009.
  13. ^ "The Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. November 17, 1984. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  14. ^ "The Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. February 16, 1985. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  15. ^ "The Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. May 25, 1985. Retrieved December 16, 2010.
  16. ^ Cocks, Jay; Worrell, D. (January 28, 1985). "High Tide on the Green River". Time. Time Warner, Inc. Archived from the original on June 26, 2010. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  17. ^ "Grammy Awards Winners: No Jacket Required". The Recording Academy. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  18. ^ Worrell, Denise; Cocks, J. (March 25, 1985). "Forty-Five Voices". Time. Time Warner, Inc. Archived from the original on February 20, 2008. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  19. ^ Sutton, Michael. "USA for Africa > Biography". Allmusic. Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  20. ^ "Grammy Awards Winners: We Are The World". The Recording Academy. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  21. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Tears for Fears> Biography". Allmusic. Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  22. ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Bryan Adams > Biography". Allmusic. Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  23. ^ "Grammy Awards Winners: Beverly Hills Cop". The Recording Academy. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  24. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Dire Straits > Biography". Allmusic. Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  25. ^ Ankeny, Jason; Prato G. "Heart > Biography". Allmusic. Macrovision Corporation. Retrieved January 20, 2009.
  26. ^ "January 5, 1985". Billboard 200.
  27. ^ "January 12, 1985". Billboard 200.
  28. ^ "January 19, 1985". Billboard 200.
  29. ^ "January 26, 1985". Billboard 200.
  30. ^ "February 2, 1985". Billboard 200.
  31. ^ "February 9, 1985". Billboard 200.
  32. ^ "February 16, 1985". Billboard 200.
  33. ^ "February 23, 1985". Billboard 200.
  34. ^ "March 2, 1985". Billboard 200.
  35. ^ "March 9, 1985". Billboard 200.
  36. ^ "March 16, 1985". Billboard 200.
  37. ^ "March 23, 1985". Billboard 200.
  38. ^ "March 30, 1985". Billboard 200.
  39. ^ "April 6, 1985". Billboard 200.
  40. ^ "April 13, 1985". Billboard 200.
  41. ^ "April 20, 1985". Billboard 200.
  42. ^ "April 27, 1985". Billboard 200.
  43. ^ "May 4, 1985". Billboard 200.
  44. ^ "May 4, 1985". Billboard 200.
  45. ^ "May 4, 1985". Billboard 200.
  46. ^ "May 25, 1985". Billboard 200.
  47. ^ "June 1, 1985". Billboard 200.
  48. ^ "June 8, 1985". Billboard 200.
  49. ^ "June 15, 1985". Billboard 200.
  50. ^ "June 22, 1985". Billboard 200.
  51. ^ "June 29, 1985". Billboard 200.
  52. ^ "July 6, 1985". Billboard 200.
  53. ^ "July 13, 1985". Billboard 200.
  54. ^ "July 20, 1985". Billboard 200.
  55. ^ "July 27, 1985". Billboard 200.
  56. ^ "August 3, 1985". Billboard 200.
  57. ^ "August 10, 1985". Billboard 200.
  58. ^ "August 17, 1985". Billboard 200.
  59. ^ "August 24, 1985". Billboard 200.
  60. ^ "August 31, 1985". Billboard 200.
  61. ^ "September 7, 1985". Billboard 200.
  62. ^ "September 14, 1985". Billboard 200.
  63. ^ "September 21, 1985". Billboard 200.
  64. ^ "September 28, 1985". Billboard 200.
  65. ^ "October 5, 1985". Billboard 200.
  66. ^ "October 12, 1985". Billboard 200.
  67. ^ "October 19, 1985". Billboard 200.
  68. ^ "October 26, 1985". Billboard 200.
  69. ^ "November 2, 1985". Billboard 200.
  70. ^ "November 9, 1985". Billboard 200.
  71. ^ "November 16, 1985". Billboard 200.
  72. ^ "November 23, 1985". Billboard 200.
  73. ^ "November 30, 1985". Billboard 200.
  74. ^ "December 7, 1985". Billboard 200.
  75. ^ "December 14, 1985". Billboard 200.
  76. ^ "December 21, 1985". Billboard 200.
  77. ^ "December 28, 1985". Billboard 200.