The European Top 100 Albums chart was the
Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
an adaptation of the
''Billboard'' 200 albums chart. It ran from March 1984 until December 2010. Also commonly referred to as Eurochart Top 100 Albums, the chart showcased the sales of an act in 19 European countries based on
IFPI
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a non-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland and founded in Italy in 19 ...
data.
The European Top 100 combined album sales (both retail and digital) of new and older albums. The methodology was different from the US
''Billboard'' 200, where albums would only be allowed to chart if they weren't 18 months old. If an album older than 18 months had enough sales to enter the 200 chart after having already dropped out of the 100th position, it would chart on
The ''U.S. Billboard'' Catalog Albums. Later ''Billboard'' reviewed the criteria and decided the older albums would also be allowed to chart in the 200, as it should show what's being sold.
The chart update and issue dating followed the rules of the ''Billboard'' 200: sales tracking week began on Monday and ended on Sunday. A new chart was published the following Thursday with an issue date of the following Saturday.
The first Eurochart number one album was ''
Thriller'' by
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
. The final chart was published on 11 December 2010, following the news of Billboard closing their London office and letting their UK-based staff go.
The album with the longest stay at number one was
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
's ''
True Blue'', with 34 weeks.
The last number one album on the chart was ''
Progress
Progress is the movement towards a refined, improved, or otherwise desired state. In the context of progressivism, it refers to the proposition that advancements in technology, science, and social organization have resulted, and by extension wi ...
'' by
Take That
Take That are an English pop group formed in Manchester in 1990. The group currently consists of Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen. The original line-up also featured Jason Orange and Robbie Williams. Barlow is the group's lead singe ...
.
See also
*''
Music & Media
''Music & Media'' was a pan-European magazine for radio, music and entertainment. It was published for the first time in 1984 as ''Eurotipsheet'', but in 1986 it changed name to ''Music & Media''. It was originally based in Amsterdam, but later ...
''
References
Billboard charts
European music
{{Music-publication-stub