Rolling Stone Magazine's Top 100 Album Chart, December 1978 - February 1983

In the December 14, 1978 edition of Rolling Stone, the magazine introduced a new album chart:

Here's that first chart, topped by Billy Joel's 52nd Street. (click image to enlarge):

An ad directly across from this first chart is blatant pandering from A&M, but I can't say as I blame them. Couldn't hurt, right?

In the issue of February 17, 1983, without explanation, the chart drops from 100 to 50 albums, staying at 50 for many years beyond our seemingly arbitrary 1985 cutoff. Here's the last 100 chart from February 3, 1983: