The best selling album in 1985 in United Kingdom was BROTHERS IN ARMS by DIRE STRAITS which sold 1,200,000 copies.
| Rank | Artist | Album | Sales | Released |
| 1 |
DIRE STRAITS |
BROTHERS IN ARMS |
1,200,000 |
1985 |
| 2 |
PHIL COLLINS |
NO JACKET REQUIRED |
1,080,000 |
1985 |
| 3 |
MADONNA |
LIKE A VIRGIN |
1,000,000 |
1984 |
| 4 |
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN |
BORN IN THE U.S.A. |
900,000 |
1984 |
| 5 |
TEARS FOR FEARS |
SONGS FROM THE BIG CHAIR |
850,000 |
1985 |
| 6 |
NOW SERIES (UK) |
NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC! 6 |
840,000 |
1985 |
| 7 |
NOW SERIES (UK) |
NOW - THE CHRISTMAS ALBUM |
790,000 |
1985 |
| 8 |
NOW SERIES (UK) |
NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC! 5 |
750,000 |
1985 |
| 9 |
THE HITS ALBUM SERIES |
HITS 2 |
680,000 |
1985 |
| 10 |
PAUL YOUNG |
THE SECRET OF ASSOCIATION |
610,000 |
1985 |
| 11 |
ALISON MOYET |
ALF |
570,000 |
1984 |
| 12 |
THE HITS ALBUM SERIES |
HITS 3 |
560,000 |
1985 |
| 13 |
GEORGE BENSON |
THE LOVE SONGS |
540,000 |
1985 |
| 14 |
KATE BUSH |
HOUNDS OF LOVE |
430,000 |
1985 |
| 15 |
EURYTHMICS |
BE YOURSELF TONIGHT |
420,000 |
1985 |
| 16 |
TINA TURNER |
PRIVATE DANCER |
390,000 |
1984 |
| 17 |
SADE |
PROMISE |
380,000 |
1985 |
| 18 |
WHAM! |
MAKE IT BIG |
360,000 |
1984 |
| 19 |
SADE |
DIAMOND LIFE |
360,000 |
1984 |
| 20 |
MARILLION |
MISPLACED CHILDHOOD |
350,000 |
1985 |
| 21 |
ZZ TOP |
ELIMINATOR |
330,000 |
1983 |
| 22 |
SPANDAU BALLET |
THE SINGLES COLLECTION |
330,000 |
1985 |
| 23 |
BRYAN FERRY |
BOYS AND GIRLS |
310,000 |
1985 |
| 24 |
GO WEST |
GO WEST |
290,000 |
1985 |
| 25 |
FOREIGNER |
AGENT PROVOCATEUR |
290,000 |
1984 |
| 26 |
BRYAN ADAMS |
RECKLESS |
290,000 |
1984 |
| 27 |
KENNY ROGERS |
THE KENNY ROGERS STORY |
280,000 |
1985 |
| 28 |
BILLY JOEL |
GREATEST HITS VOLUME I & VOLUME II |
280,000 |
1985 |
| 29 |
THE GREATEST HITS OF SERIES |
THE GREATEST HITS OF 1985 |
280,000 |
1985 |
| 30 |
U2 |
THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE |
270,000 |
1984 |
| 31 |
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
OUT NOW! |
270,000 |
1985 |
| 32 |
MEAT LOAF |
HITS OUT OF HELL |
270,000 |
1984 |
| 33 |
FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD |
WELCOME TO THE PLEASUREDOME |
260,000 |
1984 |
| 34 |
BRONSKI BEAT |
THE AGE OF CONSENT |
260,000 |
1984 |
| 35 |
U2 |
UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY |
260,000 |
1983 |
| 36 |
SIMPLE MINDS |
ONCE UPON A TIME |
250,000 |
1985 |
| 37 |
STING |
THE DREAM OF THE BLUE TURTLES |
250,000 |
1985 |
| 38 |
MADONNA |
MADONNA |
250,000 |
1983 |
| 39 |
HOWARD JONES |
DREAM INTO ACTION |
250,000 |
1985 |
| 40 |
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
THE LOVE ALBUM [1985] |
230,000 |
1985 |
| 41 |
ULTRAVOX |
THE COLLECTION |
220,000 |
1984 |
| 42 |
THE HITS ALBUM SERIES |
THE HITS ALBUM |
220,000 |
1984 |
| 43 |
QUEEN |
GREATEST HITS I |
210,000 |
1981 |
| 44 |
ALED JONES |
VOICES FROM THE HOLY LAND |
210,000 |
1985 |
| 45 |
ELTON JOHN |
ICE ON FIRE |
210,000 |
1985 |
| 46 |
ALED JONES |
ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT |
210,000 |
1985 |
| 47 |
NOW SERIES (UK) |
NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC! 4 |
210,000 |
1984 |
| 48 |
ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER |
REQUIEM (P DOMINGO, S BRIGHTMAN, P M KINGSTON) |
200,000 |
1985 |
| 49 |
ELAINE PAIGE |
LOVE HURTS |
200,000 |
1985 |
| 50 |
PHIL COLLINS |
FACE VALUE |
200,000 |
1981 |
| 51 |
LEVEL 42 |
WORLD MACHINE |
190,000 |
1985 |
| 52 |
LIONEL RICHIE |
CAN'T SLOW DOWN |
190,000 |
1983 |
| 53 |
JAMES LAST |
LEAVE THE BEST TO LAST |
190,000 |
1985 |
| 54 |
CHRIS DE BURGH |
THE VERY BEST OF |
180,000 |
1984 |
| 55 |
JENNIFER RUSH |
JENNIFER RUSH |
180,000 |
1984 |
| 56 |
NOW SERIES (UK) |
NOW DANCE |
180,000 |
1985 |
| 57 |
ZZ TOP |
AFTERBURNER |
180,000 |
1985 |
| 58 |
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
OUT NOW! 2 |
170,000 |
1985 |
| 59 |
LEONARD BERNSTEIN |
WEST SIDE STORY - HIGHLIGHTS |
170,000 |
1985 |
| 60 |
PRINCE |
PURPLE RAIN (SOUNDTRACK) |
170,000 |
1984 |
| 61 |
MARC BOLAN & T. REX |
20TH CENTURY BOY |
170,000 |
1985 |
| 62 |
THE STYLE COUNCIL |
OUR FAVOURITE SHOP |
160,000 |
1985 |
| 63 |
BARBARA DICKSON |
GOLD |
160,000 |
1985 |
| 64 |
DEPECHE MODE |
THE SINGLES 81→85 |
160,000 |
1985 |
| 65 |
BARBARA DICKSON |
THE BARBARA DICKSON SONGBOOK |
150,000 |
1984 |
| 66 |
BILLY OCEAN |
SUDDENLY |
150,000 |
1984 |
| 67 |
BILLY IDOL |
VITAL IDOL |
150,000 |
1985 |
| 68 |
SCRITTI POLITTI |
CUPID AND PSYCHE 85 |
150,000 |
1985 |
| 69 |
RUSS ABBOT |
I LOVE A PARTY |
140,000 |
1985 |
| 70 |
THE SMITHS |
MEAT IS MURDER |
140,000 |
1985 |
| 71 |
ALED JONES |
ALED JONES WITH THE BBC WELSH CHORUS |
140,000 |
1985 |
| 72 |
PAUL YOUNG |
NO PARLEZ |
140,000 |
1983 |
| 73 |
DURAN DURAN |
ARENA |
130,000 |
1984 |
| 74 |
HOWARD JONES |
THE 12 ALBUM |
130,000 |
1984 |
| 75 |
CHAS & DAVE |
JAMBOREE BAG NUMBER 3 |
130,000 |
1985 |
| 76 |
MIDGE URE & ULTRAVOX |
THE GIFT |
130,000 |
1985 |
| 77 |
TALKING HEADS |
LITTLE CREATURES |
130,000 |
1985 |
| 78 |
KING |
STEPS IN TIME |
130,000 |
1984 |
| 79 |
GEORGE BENSON |
20/20 |
130,000 |
1984 |
| 80 |
THE CULT |
LOVE |
130,000 |
1985 |
| 81 |
LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA |
THE POWER OF CLASSIC ROCK |
130,000 |
1985 |
| 82 |
DIRE STRAITS |
ALCHEMY |
120,000 |
1984 |
| 83 |
THE SMITHS |
HATFUL OF HOLLOW |
120,000 |
1984 |
| 84 |
VARIOUS ARTISTS |
ROCK ANTHEMS |
120,000 |
1985 |
| 85 |
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN |
THE RIVER |
120,000 |
1980 |
| 86 |
UB40 |
BAGGARIDDIM |
120,000 |
1985 |
| 87 |
MUSICAL |
CHESS |
120,000 |
1984 |
| 88 |
FREDDIE MERCURY |
MR BAD GUY |
110,000 |
1985 |
| 89 |
IRON MAIDEN |
LIVE AFTER DEATH |
110,000 |
1985 |
| 90 |
CHINA CRISIS |
FLAUNT THE IMPERFECTION |
110,000 |
1985 |
| 91 |
HOWARD KEEL |
REMINISCING - THE HOWARD KEEL COLLECTION |
110,000 |
1985 |
| 92 |
LLOYD COLE & THE COMMOTIONS |
EASY PIECES |
110,000 |
1985 |
| 93 |
EAGLES |
THE BEST OF EAGLES |
110,000 |
1985 |
| 94 |
THE POWER STATION |
THE POWER STATION |
110,000 |
1985 |
| 95 |
BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS |
LEGEND |
110,000 |
1984 |
| 96 |
NIK KERSHAW |
THE RIDDLE |
110,000 |
1984 |
| 97 |
WHAM! |
FANTASTIC |
110,000 |
1983 |
| 98 |
ELVIS COSTELLO |
THE MAN-BEST OF |
100,000 |
1985 |
| 99 |
COMMODORES |
THE VERY BEST OF (1985) |
100,000 |
1985 |
| 100 |
RICHARD CLAYDERMAN |
THE CLASSIC TOUCH |
100,000 |
1985 |
Source: Music Week
