THE OFFICIAL NEW ZEALAND'S (R.I.A.N.Z) (Website)CHART'S TOP ALBUMS FOR 1981

 No. Song-Artist-Peak Month
  1 MAKING MOVIES-DIRE STRAITS-MARCH
  2 REVERIES-RICHARD CLAYERMAN-May
  3 WAIATA-SPLIT ENZ-April
  4 FLOWERS-ICEHOUSE-July
  5 MUSIC BY CANDLELIGHT-GHEORGHE ZAMFIR-May
  6 DOUBLE FANTASY-JOHN LENNON & YOKO ONO-March
  7 FLESH + BLOOD-ROXY MUSIC-February
  8 CLASSICS BY CANDLELIGHT-Gheorghe Zamfir-May
  9 VIENNA-Ultravox-July
 10 HOTTER THAN JULY-Stevie Wonder-April
 11 Greatest Hits:Remastered-Queen-November
 12 Stray Cats-Stray Cats-August
 13 Greatest Hits-Anne Murray-February
 14 Face Value-Phil Collins-June
 15 Arc Of A Diver-Steve Winwood-June
 16 Tattoo You-Rolling Stones-September
 17 Faith-The Cure-June
 18 Mistaken Identity-Kim Carnes-July
 19 Les Musiques De L'Amour-Richard Clayderman-October
 20 True Colours-Split Enz-January
 21 Freedom Of Choice-Devo-March
 22 Seventeen Seconds-The Cure-May
 23 Hooked On Classics-Royal Philharmonic Orchestra-November
 24 Chameleon-David Bowie-January
 25 Zenyatta Mondatta-The Police-November
 26 The Beatles Ballads-Beatles-May
 27 Hard Promises-Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers-July
 28 Dark Side Of The Moon-Pink Floyd-January
 29 Pirates-Rickie Lee Jones-August
 30 Jazzercise-Carol O'Halloran-October
 31 Autoamerican-Blondie-February
 32 Making Waves-The Nolans-March
 33 Kings Of The Wild Frontier-Adam And The Ants-March
 34 Long Distance Voyager-Moody Blues-September
 35 Unknown Pleasures-Joy Division-June
 36 Greatest Hits-Dr.Hook-March
 37 Very Best Of Elton John-Elton John-November
 38 Sound Affects-Jam-April
 39 Precious Time-Pat Benatar-September
 40 Bad Habits-Billy Field-October
 41 Nightclubbing-Grace Jones-September
 42 Gaucho-Steely Dan-March
 43 Guilty-Barbra Streisand-January
 44 Dire Straits-Dire Straits-January
 45 Stars On Long Play-Stars On 45-August
 46 Completion Backward Principle-The Tubes-September
 47 Journeys To Glory-Spandau Ballet-August
 48 Kenny Rogers Greatest Hits-Kenny Rogers-January
 49 Dave McCAartney And The Pink Flamingos-Dave McArtney & The Pink Flamingos-February
 50 Simon & Garfunkel Collection-Simon & Garfunkel-December