{{Short description|European music chart, 1984–2010}} The '''European Top 100 Albums''' chart was the European 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 data.<ref>{{cite news |date=December 22, 1990 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/90s/1990/MM-1990-12-22.pdf |title=Mainland Artists Increase Chart Share |work=Music & Media |page=1 |access-date=March 12, 2023}}</ref>
It was compiled by ''Music & Media''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sperwer |first=Mark |date=July 23, 1994 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-UK/Music/Archive-Music-Media-IDX/IDX/90s/94/MM-1994-07-23-OCR-Page-0028.pdf |title=The History Of The Charts |work=Music & Media |page=4 |access-date=March 13, 2023}}</ref> ''Billboard'' became ''Music & Media's'' financial partner in 1985 and later owned the magazine.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Legrand |first=Emmanuel |date=August 9, 2003 |title=Upfront |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/00s/2003/MM-2003-08-09.pdf |magazine=Music & Media |page=2 |access-date=March 10, 2024}}</ref> When ''Music & Media'' closed in August 2003, ''Billboard'' continued to compile the European Top 100 Albums.<ref>{{cite magazine |date=August 9, 2003 |title=London-based Music & Media |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/00s/2003/BB-2003-08-09.pdf |magazine=Billboard |page=71 |access-date=March 10, 2024}}</ref>
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. 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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Billboard closing London office|url=http://www.thecmuwebsite.com/article/billboard-closing-london-office/ |publisher=CMU |access-date=15 February 2011}}</ref> The album with the longest stay at number one was Madonna's ''True Blue'', with 34 weeks.<ref name="europarade">{{cite journal|title=Europarade|language=nl|date=1986-07-19|journal=Hitkrant|publisher=Nationale Hitkrant Productions|location=Amsterdam|volume=10|issue=29|issn=0165-4942}}</ref> The last number one album on the chart was ''Progress'' by Take That.
==See also== *European Hot 100 Singles
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Eurochart Top 100}} {{Billboard charts}} Category:Billboard charts Category:European music charts