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Billboard 200
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The Billboard 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by Billboard magazine to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists. Sometimes, a recording act is remembered for its "number ones" that outperformed all other albums during at least one week. The chart grew from a weekly top 10 list in 1956 to become a top 200 list in May 1967, acquiring its existing name in March 1992. Its previous names include the Billboard Top LPs (1961–1972), Billboard Top LPs & Tape (1972–1984), Billboard Top 200 Albums (1984–1985), Billboard Top Pop Albums (1985–1991), and Billboard 200 Top Albums (1991–1992).

The chart is based mostly on sales—both at retail and digital – of albums in the United States. The weekly sales period was Monday to Sunday when Nielsen started tracking sales in 1991, but since July 2015, the tracking week begins on Friday (to coincide with the Global Release Day of the music industry) and ends on Thursday. A new chart is published the following Tuesday, post dated to the Saturday of that week, four days later.[1] The chart's streaming schedule is also tracked from Friday to Thursday.[2] Digital downloads of albums are included in Billboard 200 tabulation. Albums that are not licensed for retail sale in the United States (yet purchased in the U.S. as imports) are not eligible to chart. A long-standing policy rendering titles that are sold exclusively by specific retail outlets (such as Walmart and Starbucks) ineligible for charting, was reversed on November 7, 2007, and took effect in the issue dated November 17, 2007.[3]

On December 13, 2014, Billboard began to include on-demand streaming and digital track sales (as measured by Nielsen SoundScan) using a new algorithm with data from all major on-demand audio subscription and online music sales services in the U.S.[4][5] Starting on the issue dated January 18, 2020, Billboard updated its method again by incorporating video data from YouTube, along with visual plays from digital platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal, Vevo and, as of the issue dated March 23, 2021, from Facebook.[6][7]

As of the issue dated October 25, 2025, the number-one album on the chart is The Life of a Showgirl by Taylor Swift.[8]

History

[edit]

Billboard began an album chart in 1945. Initially only five positions long, the album chart was not published on a weekly basis, with weeks sometimes passing before it was updated. A biweekly (though with a few gaps), 15-position "Best-Selling Popular Albums" chart appeared in 1955. With the increase in album sales as the early 1950s format wars stabilized into market dominance by 45 RPM singles and long-playing 12-inch albums – and with 78 RPM record and long-playing 10-inch album sales decreasing dramatically – Billboard premiered a weekly "Best-Selling Popular Albums" chart on March 24, 1956. The position count varied anywhere from 10 to 30 albums. The first no. 1 album on the new weekly list was Belafonte by Harry Belafonte. The chart was renamed "Best-Selling Pop Albums" later in 1956, and then "Best-Selling Pop LPs" in 1957.

Beginning on May 25, 1959, Billboard split the ranking into two charts: "Best-Selling Stereophonic LPs" for stereo albums (30 positions) and "Best-Selling Monophonic LPs" for mono albums (50 positions). These were renamed "Stereo Action Charts" (30 positions) and "Mono Action Charts" (40 positions), respectively, in 1960. In January 1961, they became "Action Albums – Stereophonic" (15 positions) and "Action Albums – Monophonic" (25 positions), and three months later, they became "Top LPs – Stereo" (50 positions) and "Top LPs – Monaural" (150 positions).

On August 17, 1963, the stereo and mono charts were combined into a 150-position chart called "Top LPs". On April 1, 1967, the chart was expanded to 175 positions, and then finally to 200 positions on May 13, 1967. In February 1972, the album chart's title was changed to "Top LPs & Tape"; in 1984, it was retitled "Top 200 Albums"; in 1985, it was retitled again to "Top Pop Albums"; in 1991, it became the "Billboard 200 Top Albums"; and it was given its current title of the "Billboard 200" on March 14, 1992.

From the end of 1970 to 1985, Billboard also printed a "Bubbling Under the Top LPs" albums chart paired with the "Bubbling Under the Hot 100" singles chart, which listed albums that had not yet charted on what was then the "Top LPs & Tape" chart.

Catalog albums

[edit]

In 1960, Billboard began concurrently publishing album charts that ranked sales of older or mid-priced titles. These "Essential Inventory" charts were divided by stereo and mono albums, and featured titles that had already appeared on the main stereo and mono album charts. Mono albums were moved to the "Essential Inventory – Mono" chart (25 positions) after spending 40 weeks on the "Mono Action Chart", and stereo albums were moved to the "Essential Inventory – Stereo" chart (20 positions) after 20 weeks on the "Stereo Action Chart".

In January 1961, the "Action Charts" became "Action Albums – Stereophonic" (15 positions) and "Action Albums – Monophonic" (24 positions). Albums appeared on either chart for up to nine weeks, and were then moved to an "Essential Inventory" list of approximately 200 titles and with no numerical ranking. This list continued to be published until the consolidated "Top LPs" chart debuted in 1963.

In 1982, Billboard began publishing a "Midline Albums" chart (alternatively titled "Midline LPs"), which ranked older or mid-priced titles. The chart held 50 positions and was published on a biweekly (and later triweekly) basis.

On May 25, 1991, Billboard premiered the "Top Pop Catalog Albums" chart, the criteria for which were albums that were more than 18 months old and had fallen below no. 100 on the Billboard 200.[9]

"Both Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall should be in the Billboard Top 200," said former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters in 1992. "The Wall still does anything up to four million each year... They've created a catalog chart in which to place all these old albums, leaving the main chart free for all the artists the record companies will want to book advertising space for. It just offers further evidence of the dishonesty that's rife in this business."[10]

Following Michael Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, several of his albums saw a significant surge in sales. Number Ones, The Essential Michael Jackson, and Thriller occupied the top three spots for two consecutive weeks – a first in history.[11] In the third week, six of Jackson's albums were the best-selling albums in the country.[12] The success of catalogue albums led to a change in Billboard's chart policies, and starting with the issue dated December 5, 2009, the catalog limitations for the Billboard 200 were lifted, allowing all albums to chart regardless of age or single activity (essentially changing "Top Comprehensive Albums" into the Billboard 200).[13] A new chart that keeps the previous criteria for the Billboard 200 – dubbed the "Top Current Albums" chart – was also introduced in the same issue.[14]

Holiday albums

[edit]

Billboard has adjusted its policies for Christmas[15] and holiday[15] albums several times. The albums were eligible for the main album charts until 1963, when a "Christmas Albums" chart was created. Albums appearing here were not listed on the "Top LPs" chart, and in 1974, this rule was reverted and holiday albums again appeared within the main list.

In 1983, the "Christmas Albums" chart was resurrected, but a title's appearance here did not disqualify it from appearing on the "Top Pop Albums" chart. In 1990, the chart was retitled "Top Holiday Albums"; as of 2009, it holds 50 positions and runs for several weeks during the end-of-calendar-year holiday season. Its current policy allows holiday albums to concurrently chart on the "Top Holiday Albums" list and the Billboard 200.

Nielsen SoundScan

[edit]

Since May 25, 1991, the Billboard 200's positions have been derived from Nielsen SoundScan sales data; as of 2008, it is contributed to by approximately 14,000 music sellers. Because these numbers are supplied by a subset of sellers rather than record labels, it is common for these numbers to be substantially lower than those reported by the Recording Industry Association of America when Gold, Platinum and Diamond album awards are announced. (RIAA awards reflect wholesale shipments, not retail sales.)

Incorporation of streaming data and track sales

[edit]
See also: album-equivalent unit and Top Album Sales

Beginning with the December 13, 2014, issue, Billboard updated the methodology of its album chart again, changing from a "pure sales-based ranking" to one measuring "multi-metric consumption".[4] With this overhaul, the Billboard 200 includes on-demand streaming and digital track sales (as measured by Nielsen SoundScan) by way of a new algorithm, utilizing data from all of the major on-demand audio subscription services, including Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play and Groove Music. Under the new methodology, 10 track sales or 1,500 song streams from an album are treated as equivalent to one purchase of the album. Billboard continues to publish a pure album sales chart, called "Top Album Sales", that maintains the traditional Billboard 200 methodology but is based exclusively on SoundScan's sales data.[4]

Beginning on January 18, 2020, Billboard incorporated video and audio data from YouTube, along with visual plays from streaming services like Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal and Vevo, into the Billboard 200. The change has also impacted Billboard's genre-specific album charts.[6]

Year-end charts

[edit]

Billboard's "chart year" runs from the first week of December to the final week in November. This altered calendar allows for Billboard to calculate year-end charts and release them in time for its final print issue in the last week of December. Prior to Nielsen SoundScan, year-end charts were calculated by an inverse-point system based solely on an album's performance on the Billboard 200 (e.g., an album would be given one point for a week spent at No. 200, two points for a week spent at No. 199, etc., up to 200 points for each week spent at No. 1). Other factors, including an album's total weeks spent on the chart and its peak position, are calculated into an album's year-end total.

Since Billboard began obtaining sales information from Nielsen SoundScan, the year-end charts are now calculated by a very straightforward cumulative total of yearlong sales. This gives a more accurate picture of any given year's best-selling albums, as a title that hypothetically spent nine weeks at No. 1 in March could possibly have sold fewer copies than one spending six weeks at No. 3 in January. Albums at the peak of their popularity at the time of the November/December chart-year cutoff many times end up ranked lower than one would expect on a year-end tally, yet are ranked on the following year's chart as well, as their cumulative points are split between the two chart-years.

All-Time Billboard 200 achievements (1963–2015)

[edit]

In 2015, Billboard compiled a ranking of the 100 best-performing albums on the Billboard 200 over its 52 years, along with the best-performing artists.[16] Shown below are the top 10 albums and top 10 artists over the 52-year period of the Billboard 200, through October 2015. Also shown are the artists placing the most albums on the overall "all-time" top 100 album list.

Top 10 albums of All Time (1963–2015)

[edit]
Rank Album Year released Artist(s) Peak and duration
1 21 2011 Adele No. 1 for 24 weeks
2 The Sound of Music 1965 Soundtrack No. 1 for 2 weeks
3 Thriller 1982 Michael Jackson No. 1 for 37 weeks
4 Fearless 2008 Taylor Swift No. 1 for 11 weeks
5 Born in the U.S.A. 1984 Bruce Springsteen No. 1 for 7 weeks
6 Ropin' the Wind 1991 Garth Brooks No. 1 for 18 weeks
7 Jagged Little Pill 1995 Alanis Morissette No. 1 for 12 weeks
8 Doctor Zhivago 1966 Maurice Jarre No. 1 for 1 week
9 All the Right Reasons 2005 Nickelback No. 1 for 1 week
10 Tapestry 1971 Carole King No. 1 for 15 weeks

Source:[17]

Top 10 albums artists of All Time (1963–2015)

[edit]
Rank Artist
1 The Beatles
2 The Rolling Stones
3 Barbra Streisand
4 Garth Brooks
5 Elton John
6 Mariah Carey
7 Herb Alpert
8 Taylor Swift
9 Chicago
10 Michael Jackson

Source:[18]

Artists with the most albums on Billboard's Top 200 Albums of All Time (1963–2015)

[edit]
Number of
albums 		Artist Albums (ranking)
5 The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (54), A Hard Day's Night (105), 1 (131), Abbey Road (135), Meet the Beatles! (187)
4 Taylor Swift Fearless (4), Taylor Swift (18), 1989 (64), Red (140)
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II (146), Houses of the Holy (185), Led Zeppelin IV (194), In Through the Out Door (198)
3 Michael Jackson Thriller (3), Bad (138), Off the Wall (149)
Nickelback All the Right Reasons (9), Silver Side Up (162), Dark Horse (182)
Whitney Houston Whitney Houston (11), The Bodyguard (23), Whitney (159)
Herb Alpert Whipped Cream & Other Delights (13), Going Places (44), What Now My Love (170)
Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (39), Honky Château (145), Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (175)
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (50), The Emancipation of Mimi (52), Music Box (87)
Janet Jackson Control (72), Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (94), Janet (119)
2 Garth Brooks Ropin' the Wind (6), No Fences (29)
Fleetwood Mac Rumours (15), Fleetwood Mac (74)
Celine Dion Falling into You (21), Let's Talk About Love (164)
Pink Floyd The Dark Side of the Moon (31), The Wall (92)
Creed Human Clay (34), Weathered (181)
Santana Supernatural (36), Abraxas (114)
Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys (42), Millennium (70)
Eminem The Eminem Show (56), Recovery (93)
Boyz II Men II (61), Cooleyhighharmony (129)
Green Day American Idiot (73), Dookie (172)
Nelly Country Grammar (85), Nellyville (174)
John Denver John Denver's Greatest Hits (86), Back Home Again (193)
Chicago Chicago II (89), Chicago V (165)
The Black Eyed Peas The E.N.D (96), Monkey Business (134)
Justin Timberlake FutureSex/LoveSounds (97), The 20/20 Experience (200)
Mumford & Sons Sigh No More (106), Babel (116)
Alicia Keys Songs in A Minor (107), As I Am (128)
NSYNC No Strings Attached (111), 'N Sync (137)
The Monkees The Monkees (132), More of the Monkees (156)
Eagles The Long Run (148), One of These Nights (155)
Billy Joel Glass Houses (168), 52nd Street (191)

Source:[17]

Artist milestones

[edit]

Most number-one albums

[edit]
Albums Artist Ref.
19 The Beatles [19]
15 Taylor Swift [20]
14 Jay-Z [19]
Drake [21]
11 Barbra Streisand [19]
Bruce Springsteen [19]
Eminem [22]
Kanye West [23]
Future [24]
10 Elvis Presley [19]

Most number-one albums in a calendar year

[edit]
Albums Artist Year Ref.
4 The Monkees 1967 [31]
3 Elvis Presley 1957 [31]
The Kingston Trio 1960 [31]
Elvis Presley 1961 [31]
The Beatles 1964 [31]
1965 [31]
1966 [31]
Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass 1966 [31]
Elton John 1975 [31]
Garth Brooks 1998 [31]
Glee Cast 2010 [31]
Taylor Swift 2021 [32]
2023 [33]
Future 2024 [24]

Most consecutive number-one studio albums

[edit]
Number Act Ref.
15 Taylor Swift [20]
11 Kanye West [23]
Eminem [22]
10 Jay-Z [34]
9 The Beatles [35]
8 Beyoncé [36]
The Rolling Stones [37]
7 Dave Matthews Band [38]
Drake [21]
Future [39]
Stray Kids [40]
6 Elton John [41]
Metallica [42]
Justin Bieber [43]
J. Cole [44]

Most consecutive studio albums to debut at number one

[edit]
Number Act Ref.
15 Taylor Swift [20]
11 Jay-Z [34]
Kanye West [23]
10 Eminem [45]
8 Beyoncé [46]
7 Dave Matthews Band [38]
Drake [47]
Stray Kids [40]
6 Justin Bieber [48]
Metallica [49]
Lady Gaga [50]
5 Disturbed [51]
Madonna [52]
U2
DMX [53]
  • On May 1, 2016, Beyoncé became the first artist to have their first six studio albums debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, following the release of her sixth studio album, Lemonade, surpassing DMX.[54] Following the release of Renaissance and its debut atop the August 7, 2022, chart, she become the first and only female artist to debut her first seven albums atop the chart.[55][56] Following the release of Cowboy Carter and its debut atop the April 13, 2024, chart, she extended her record to become the first and only female artist to debut her first eight albums atop the chart.[46]
  • On April 3, 2021, Justin Bieber became the first male act to have his first six studio albums debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, following the release of his sixth studio album, Justice.[57]
  • On September 6, 2025, Stray Kids became the first act to debut at No. 1 with their first seven entries in the 70-year history of the chart, following the release of their fourth studio album Karma.[40]

Most cumulative weeks at number one

[edit]

List of acts with the most weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 since August 17, 1963.

Weeks at
number one 		Artist Ref.
132 The Beatles [58]
88 Taylor Swift [59] [60]
67 Elvis Presley [58]
52 Garth Brooks [58]
51 Michael Jackson [58]
46 Whitney Houston [58]
The Kingston Trio [58]
41 Morgan Wallen
40 Adele [61]
39 Elton John [58]
38 Fleetwood Mac [58]
The Rolling Stones [58]
37 Harry Belafonte [58]
The Monkees [58]
Drake [62]
35 Eminem
Prince
30 Eagles
Mariah Carey

Most consecutive years at number one

[edit]

List of acts who reached number one on the Billboard 200 with a new album in consecutive calendar years since August 17, 1963.[63][64]

Years Act Streak
7 The Beatles 1964–1970
Taylor Swift 2019–2025
5 Drake 2015–2019
Jay-Z 2000–2004
Paul McCartney 1973–1977

Most top-10 albums

[edit]

The following artists are the only ones with 30 or more top-10 albums:[65]

Note: As a musician, Paul McCartney has the most top-10 albums, with 51. This includes 32 with the Beatles, 11 solo albums, seven albums with the group Wings, and one album credited to him and his first wife, Linda McCartney.[25][26]

Most albums in the top 10 simultaneously

[edit]

Note: Swift is the first living artist to chart five albums in the top 10 simultaneously.[67] She was previously the first living soloist to have four albums simultaneously chart in the top 10 for 5 consecutive weeks.[63]

Note: Had the Billboard 200 allowed catalog albums to chart previous to December 5, 2009, Michael Jackson would have claimed six simultaneous top 10 titles for two consecutive weeks and the Beatles would have claimed five simultaneous top 10 titles that year.[66]

Most albums in the top 25 simultaneously

[edit]

Most albums in the top 100 simultaneously

[edit]

Note: Had the Billboard 200 allowed catalog albums to chart previous to December 5, 2009, Michael Jackson would have claimed 9 simultaneous top 100 titles for two consecutive weeks.[89]

Most albums in the top 200 simultaneously

[edit]

Most albums spending at least 1 full year (52 weeks) in the top 10

[edit]

Most albums spending at least 100 weeks in the top 10

[edit]

Album milestones

[edit]

Most weeks at number one

[edit]
Weeks Album Artist Year(s) Ref.
54 West Side Story† Various artists 1962–63 [103]
37 Thriller Michael Jackson 1983–84 [104]
31 Rumours Fleetwood Mac 1977–78 [104]
South Pacific‡ Various artists 1958–59 [103]
Calypso Harry Belafonte 1956–57 [103]
24 21 Adele 2011–12 [104]
Purple Rain Prince and the Revolution 1984–85 [104]
Saturday Night Fever Bee Gees/Various artists 1978 [104]
21 Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em MC Hammer 1990 [104]
20 The Bodyguard Whitney Houston/Various artists 1992–93 [104]
Blue Hawaii § Elvis Presley 1961–62 [103]

† The West Side Story soundtrack ran for 53 weeks at number one on the stereo album chart; it was number one for 12 weeks on the mono album chart.

‡ The South Pacific soundtrack ran for 28 weeks at number one on the stereo album chart; it was number one for three weeks on the mono album chart.

§ This is the Blue Hawaii album's run on the mono album chart; it was number one for four weeks on the stereo album chart.

  • Tapestry by Carole King holds the record for the most consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 for any one album by a female solo artist with 15 weeks.[105]

Most weeks spent in the top-ten

[edit]
Weeks Album Artist Year(s) Ref.
173 My Fair Lady Original Cast (Various Artists) 1956–1960 [106]
165 Dangerous: The Double Album Morgan Wallen 2021–2025 [107]
123 One Thing at a Time 2023–2025
109 The Sound of Music Soundtrack Soundtrack (Various Artists) 1965–1967 [106]
106 West Side Story Soundtrack (Various Artists) 1962–1963 [106]
105 The Sound Of Music Original Cast Original Cast (Various Artists) 1960–1961 [106]
101 SOS SZA 2022–2025
90 South Pacific Soundtrack (Various Artists) 1958–1959 [106]
87 Camelot Original Cast (Various Artists) 1961–1962 [106]
Oklahoma! Soundtrack (Various Artists) 1956–1957 [106]

Most weeks on the chart

[edit]
Note that totals are for the main albums chart only, catalog chart totals are not factored in.
(*) indicates that the album is currently charting.
Weeks Album Artist Ref.
991* The Dark Side of the Moon Pink Floyd [108]
909* Legend Bob Marley and the Wailers [109][110]
879* Greatest Hits Journey [111]
806* Metallica Metallica [112]
768* Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits Creedence Clearwater Revival [113]
758* Curtain Call: The Hits Eminem [114]
750* Doo-Wops & Hooligans Bruno Mars [115]
746* Greatest Hits Guns N' Roses [116]
744* Nevermind Nirvana [117]
700* Thriller Michael Jackson [118]
677* Good Kid, M.A.A.D City Kendrick Lamar [119]
669* Greatest Hits Queen [120]
659* Take Care Drake [21]
655* Rumours Fleetwood Mac [121]
644 Back in Black AC/DC [122]
640* Greatest Hits Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers [123]
617 21 Adele [124]
610* Born to Die Lana Del Rey [125]
595 Greatest Hits 2Pac [126]
589* Greatest Hits Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band [127]

Largest jumps to number one

[edit]
  1. (176 to 1) Life After Death – The Notorious B.I.G.[128] (April 12, 1997)
  2. (173 to 1) Vitalogy – Pearl Jam[129] (December 24, 1994)
  3. (157 to 1) Fearless (Taylor's Version) – Taylor Swift[130] (October 16, 2021)
  4. (156 to 1) In Rainbows – Radiohead[131] (January 19, 2008)
  5. (137 to 1) Ghetto D – Master P[132] (September 20, 1997)
  6. (122 to 1) More of The Monkees – The Monkees[133] (February 11, 1967)
  7. (120 to 1) Call Me If You Get Lost – Tyler, the Creator[134] (April 30, 2022)
  8. (112 to 1) MP da Last Don – Master P[135] (June 20, 1998)
  9. (106 to 1) Days Before Rodeo – Travis Scott[136] (September 28, 2024)
  10. (98 to 1) Beatles '65 – The Beatles[137] (January 9, 1965)

Largest drops from number one

[edit]
  1. (1 to 169) This House Is Not for Sale – Bon Jovi[138] (March 17, 2018)
  2. (1 to 139) Call Me If You Get Lost – Tyler, the Creator[139] (May 7, 2022)
  3. (1 to 111) Courage – Celine Dion (December 7, 2019)
  4. (1 to 97) Science Fiction – Brand New[140] (September 16, 2017)
  5. (1 to 88) Iridescence – Brockhampton[141] (October 13, 2018)
  6. (1 to 77) Madame X – Madonna[142] (July 6, 2019)
  7. (1 to 70) Lyfestyle – Yeat[143] (November 9, 2024)
  8. (1 to 62) Boarding House Reach – Jack White[144] (April 14, 2018)
  9. (1 to 59) Wonderful Wonderful – The Killers[145] (October 21, 2017)
  10. (1 to 58) Skeletá – Ghost[146] (May 17, 2025)

Notes:

  • The album Music to Be Murdered By by Eminem has the largest rise for an album that did not top the chart; on January 2, 2021, it jumped from number 199 the previous week to number 3 on the chart.[147]
  • The mixtape Days Before Rodeo by Travis Scott dropped off the chart entirely after reaching number one the previous week (October 5, 2024), becoming the first project to do so.[148]
  • The album Hello from Las Vegas by Lionel Richie dropped off the chart entirely without ever reaching the top spot; on September 7, 2019, it exited the chart after debuting at number 2 the previous week.[149]

Longest climbs to number one in the SoundScan era

[edit]

Here are the albums to complete the 10 longest rises to number one on the Billboard 200 since the adoption of Nielsen Music data in 1991.[150]

Weeks to No. 1 Artist Album Date reached No. 1
63 Various Artists O Brother, Where Art Thou? Soundtrack March 23, 2002
53 The Kid Laroi F*ck Love August 7, 2021
52 Live Throwing Copper May 6, 1995
49 No Doubt Tragic Kingdom December 21, 1996
46 Norah Jones Come Away with Me January 25, 2003
44 Hootie & the Blowfish Cracked Rear View May 27, 1995
40 Prince The Very Best of Prince May 7, 2016
31 Toni Braxton Toni Braxton February 26, 1994
28 Celine Dion Falling into You October 5, 1996
27 Eric Clapton Unplugged March 13, 1993
  • Forever Your Girl by Paula Abdul spent 64 consecutive weeks on the Billboard 200 before hitting number one in 1989, making it the longest time spent on the chart before reaching the number one spot.[151]

Albums to top the Billboard 200 by artists who have never appeared on the Hot 100

[edit]
Artist Album Year Ref.
Van Cliburn Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1 1958 [152]
Bob Newhart The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart 1960 [152]
The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back! 1961 [152]
Judy Garland Judy at Carnegie Hall [152]
Vaughn Meader The First Family 1962 [152]
Frank Fontaine Songs I Sing on the Jackie Gleason Show 1963 [152]
Blind Faith Blind Faith 1969 [152]
Pantera Far Beyond Driven 1994 [152]
Bob Carlisle Butterfly Kisses (Shades of Grace) 1997 [152]
Marilyn Manson Mechanical Animals 1998 [153]
The Golden Age of Grotesque 2003 [153]
Il Divo Ancora 2006 [152]
Slipknot All Hope Is Gone 2008 [152]
Vampire Weekend Contra 2010 [152]
The Decemberists The King Is Dead 2011 [152]
Amos Lee Mission Bell [152]
TobyMac Eye on It 2012 [154]
Vampire Weekend Modern Vampires of the City 2013 [155]
Lecrae Anomaly 2014 [156]
Slipknot .5: The Gray Chapter [157]
Brand New Science Fiction 2017 [158]
LCD Soundsystem American Dream [159]
Vampire Weekend Father of the Bride 2019 [160]
Slipknot We Are Not Your Kind [161]
SuperM SuperM – The 1st Mini Album [162]
Tomorrow X Together The Name Chapter: Temptation 2023 [163]

Note: Newhart, Meader and Fontaine's albums were all number one on the mono chart but not on the stereo chart. Garland is listed on a technicality; she has 17 pop hits, but all were from 1939 to 1955 – all before the 1958 establishment of the Hot 100.

EPs to reach number one on the Billboard 200

[edit]
Artist(s) EP Year Ref.
Alice In Chains Jar of Flies 1994 [164]
Jay-Z and Linkin Park Collision Course 2004 [165]
Glee Cast Glee: The Music, The Power Of Madonna 2010 [166]
Glee: The Music, Journey to Regionals
Bad Meets Evil Hell: The Sequel 2011 [167]
The Weeknd My Dear Melancholy 2018 [168]
BTS Map of the Soul: Persona 2019 [169]
SuperM SuperM — The 1st Mini Album [162]
Stray Kids Oddinary 2022 [170]
Maxident [171]
Tomorrow X Together The Name Chapter: Temptation 2023 [172]
Stray Kids Rock-Star [173]
Twice With You-th 2024 [174]
Stray Kids Ate [175]
Ateez Golden Hour: Part.2 [176]

Additional milestones

  • The first album to debut at number one was Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy by Elton John.[177] John repeated the same feat with the album Rock of the Westies – the second album to debut at number one – making John the first artist to have two consecutive studio albums debut at number one.[177] Whitney Houston's second album, Whitney, was the first album by a female artist to debut at number one.[178]
  • In the early 1960s, Bob Newhart accomplished the feat of having the number one and number two albums simultaneously on the Billboard albums chart, with The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart and The Button-Down Mind Strikes Back! This was equaled by the Beatles multiple times: twice in 1964 with Meet the Beatles! and Introducing... The Beatles, and then with A Hard Day's Night and Something New, followed in 1969 by the album The Beatles (commonly known as The White Album) and the soundtrack for the film Yellow Submarine. In 1991, Guns N' Roses held the top two with Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II; in 2004, Nelly's Suit and Sweat; and in 2017, Future's Future and Hndrxx.[179]
  • The Sound of Music set the record of 109 non-consecutive weeks in the top 10 from May 1, 1965, to July 16, 1966, but only spent two weeks at number one on the Billboard 200.[180]
  • The first U.K. solo artist to debut at number one with a debut album is Leona Lewis on April 26, 2008, with the album Spirit.[181] The first U.K. group to debut at No. 1 with a debut album is One Direction on March 31, 2012, with the album Up All Night.[182]
  • Justin Bieber became the first artist in history to have five albums top the Billboard 200 at the age of 18, as Believe Acoustic debuted at number one on February 16, 2013. He also became the youngest solo artist to achieve this feat. Subsequently, Bieber (25 years, 360 days) became the youngest solo artist to achieve seven No. 1 albums on the chart with Changes, breaking a 59-year-old record set by Elvis Presley at the age of 26. He further extended his record, after turning 27, by becoming the youngest soloist to have eight albums top the Billboard 200, following the release of his sixth studio album, Justice, breaking yet another chart record held by Elvis Presley at the age of 29.[48][183]
  • Tony Bennett became the oldest male to debut at number one on October 8, 2011 (85 years, 66 days old), with the album Duets II. Bennett, who was born on August 3, 1926, later surpassed his own record when his collaborative album with Lady Gaga, Cheek to Cheek, debuted at number one on October 11, 2014 (88 years, 69 days old).[184]
  • The issue dated July 11, 2009, was the first time any catalog album outsold the number one album on the Billboard 200. Three of Michael Jackson's albums – Number Ones, The Essential Michael Jackson and Thriller – claimed positions 1–3, respectively, on "Top Pop Catalog Albums" and "Top Comprehensive Albums" in the week following Jackson's death.[185][186][187]
  • In 2012, Adam Lambert became the first openly gay musician to debut at number one with his album Trespassing.[188]
  • There have been 41 albums released on an independent label to reach number one on the Billboard 200.[189]
  • Jackie Gleason, at least for a time, held the record for the most albums to top the Billboard 200 without charting any songs in the top 40 of the Hot 100; five of Gleason's mood music albums topped the Billboard 200 in the mid-1950s.[190]
  • One Direction became the first group to debut at number one with its first three albums when Midnight Memories debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart dated December 14, 2013. It later became the first group to debut at number one with its first four albums when Four debuted atop the chart on November 26, 2014.[191]
  • Led Zeppelin holds the record for the longest gap between an album returning to the Top 10. Led Zeppelin first hit the Top 10 on the Billboard "Top LP's" chart for the week ending May 17, 1969,[192] and returned 45 years and 35 days later at number 7 on the Billboard 200, for the week ending June 21, 2014.[76]
  • On November 29, 2015, 25 by Adele became the first album to sell 1 million copies in different weeks, with 1.11 million sold in its second week and 1.16 million sold in its fifth week on the chart.[193]
  • On May 22, 2016, Coloring Book by Chance the Rapper became the first streaming-only album to chart on the Billboard 200, debuting at number 8, with the album being streamed 57.3 million times in its first week, which was equivalent to 38,000 units sold.[194]
  • On March 18, 2017, Future made history by achieving back-to-back number-one album debuts in successive weeks with Future and Hndrxx for the first time in the chart's history.[179]
  • On June 2, 2018, BTS became the first Korean artist to reach number one with its album Love Yourself: Tear.[195]
  • On January 19, 2019, A Boogie wit da Hoodie's Hoodie SZN became the album with the lowest weekly sales figure for a number-one album, with 1,000 sales. It subsequently did not sell enough to enter the sales-only "Top 100 Album Sales" chart.[196] A week later, the album broke its own record when it stayed at number one for a second week, selling 749 copies.[197]
  • In 2017, Taylor Swift became the first artist to debut at the top of the chart with four albums that sold over one million copies within a week, accomplishing the feat with Speak Now, Red, 1989 and Reputation.[198] She extended the record to five with Midnights in 2022,[199] six with 1989 (Taylor's Version) in 2023,[33], seven with The Tortured Poets Department in 2024,[200] and eight with The Life of a Showgirl. [20]
  • Swift charted 10 of her albums on May 6, 2023, breaking a number of records, including the first living act to chart eight albums in the top 40 simultaneously, the first act to chart 9 albums in the top 50 simultaneously, and the first living act to chart ten albums in the top 100 simultaneously.[85] She is also the first act to chart 10 albums simultaneously for four separate times,[201] and the first living soloist to place four albums in the top 10.[63]
  • In July 2023, Swift became the first artist since Luminate tracking began in 1991 to have nine albums sell over 500,000 copies in pure sales in a single week.[63] In November 2023, Swift extended the record to ten. In April 2024, she extended it yet again to eleven.[33]
  • In September 2023, Swift became the first artist to have five albums sell more than 1 million units in a calendar year with Midnights (3.810M), Lover (1.350M), Speak Now (Taylor's Version) (1.260M), Folklore (1.190M) and 1989 (1M). In November 2023, she extended the record to six albums with 1989 (Taylor's Version). In April 2024, she extended this to seven albums with The Tortured Poets Department.[33] In October 2025, she extended it to eight albums with The Life of a Showgirl.[20]
  • In October 2023, Swift also became the first artist to have 11 albums charting for at least 100 weeks each after Red (Taylor's Version) achieved the mark.[202]
  • On October 23, 2023, Swift became the first artist to have four albums charting for at least 52 weeks (1 full year) in the top 10 of the chart with Fearless, 1989, Lover and Midnights - the latter two doing so consecutively. Midnights is the first album released in the 2020s to achieve the mark.[203]
  • On November 4, 2023, the Rolling Stones became the first act with newly charted top 10 albums in seven different decades (1960s to 2020s), when the band's new studio album Hackney Diamonds debuted at number 3.[204]
  • The Grateful Dead hold the record for the most Top 40 albums on the Billboard 200, with 60 having charted at number 40 or higher.[205]
  • Stevie Wonder's Songs in the Key of Life (first 13 weeks at number one), Whitney Houston's Whitney (first 11 weeks), Morgan Wallen's Dangerous: The Double Album (first 10 weeks), Wallen's One Thing at a Time (first 12 weeks), and Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department (first 12 weeks) are the only five albums in Billboard 200 history to spend at least their first ten weeks at number one.[206]

See also

[edit]

Sources

[edit]
  • Whitburn, Joel (1991). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Albums (Revised and enlarged 2nd ed.). Billboard Books. ISBN 0-8230-7534-6.
  • Whitburn, Joel (2006). The Billboard Albums (6th ed.). Record Research Incorporated. ISBN 0-89820-166-7.
  • Additional information obtained can be verified within Billboard's online archive services and print editions of the magazine.

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Billboard 200

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The Billboard 200 is a weekly record chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks the 200 most popular albums and extended plays (EPs) in the United States across all genres, based on multi-metric consumption data compiled by Luminate. It serves as the preeminent measure of album performance in the U.S. music industry, reflecting a blend of traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA), and streaming equivalent albums (SEA), where each equivalent album unit equals one album sale, 10 individual track sales from an album, or 1,000 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams or 2,500 ad-supported on-demand official audio and video streams of songs from an album, effective for charts dated January 17, 2026, and onward. The chart originated on March 24, 1956, as the "Best-Selling Popular Albums" list, initially ranking the top 10 albums based solely on retail sales data reported by stores. It expanded to its current 200-position format on May 13, 1967, and was renamed the "Top 200 Albums" in 1984 before adopting its present title, , on March 14, 1992. A pivotal shift occurred on May 25, 1991, when Billboard incorporated electronic sales tracking from Nielsen SoundScan (now part of Luminate), which provided more accurate point-of-sale data and enabled albums to debut at number one more frequently, leading to hundreds of such debuts since then. The methodology further evolved on December 13, 2014, to include digital track sales and streaming activity, adapting to the rise of online music consumption and ensuring the chart captures broader listener engagement beyond physical sales alone. Luminate's data covers over 90% of the U.S. retail market, tracking sales from physical and digital retailers, platforms, and select concert venues, with the chart week running from Friday to Thursday and rankings updated every Tuesday. This comprehensive approach has made the Billboard 200 a key indicator of commercial success, influencing artist careers, marketing strategies, and industry trends, as evidenced by record-breaking runs like those by (132 cumulative weeks at number one) and modern streaming-era dominators such as (over 90 cumulative weeks at number one as of 2025).

History

Origins and Early Development (1956–1962)

The Billboard magazine introduced the "Best-Selling Pop Albums" chart on March 24, 1956, marking the debut of a weekly ranking for the top-selling long-playing records in the United States. Initially comprising 10 positions, the chart was compiled from retail sales data reported by dealers nationwide. Harry Belafonte's Calypso claimed the inaugural number-one spot, holding it for 31 weeks and underscoring the era's interest in calypso and folk influences. This launch formalized album tracking amid the post-World War II boom in record sales, providing a national snapshot of consumer preferences previously captured only sporadically since 1945. By 1957, the chart evolved into the "Best-Selling Pop LPs," a that emphasized the dominance of the 12-inch long-playing format over 78-rpm records. The ranking expanded to 50 positions in early 1961 for the stereo chart, reflecting the proliferation of album releases as the music industry shifted toward LPs. Data collection remained manual, with Billboard staff phoning retailers to gather ranked lists of best-sellers, a labor-intensive process reliant on dealer cooperation. A pivotal early entry was Elvis Presley's self-titled debut album, which reached number one on May 5, 1956, and remained there for 10 weeks—the first rock 'n' roll record to achieve such dominance and signaling the genre's commercial breakthrough. This period's charts captured the cultural transition from swing and standards to youth-oriented rock, with Presley's success exemplifying how the ranking amplified emerging trends. Despite its innovations, the early faced limitations due to its dependence on voluntary retailer reports, which often resulted in incomplete data and potential inaccuracies from inconsistent participation. Regional biases were common, as larger urban markets provided more reliable input while smaller or rural areas were underrepresented, skewing national representations of sales. These challenges persisted until methodological refinements in , including the 1963 renaming to Top LPs.

Establishment and Growth (1963–1990)

On August 17, 1963, Billboard merged its separate mono and stereo LP charts into a single chart titled Top LPs, initially comprising 150 positions to better capture the evolving album market. This consolidation reflected the growing popularity of stereo recordings and aimed to provide a unified amid rising sales of long-playing records across formats. By April 1967, the chart expanded to 175 positions, and on May 13, 1967, it reached its current 200-position structure, enabling broader representation of diverse musical offerings beyond dominant pop acts. The chart was renamed the "Top 200 Albums" in 1984. During this era, the chart fully incorporated catalog albums—older releases more than 18 months past their initial launch—without the exclusion rules implemented later, allowing enduring titles to compete for top spots based on ongoing sales. Similarly, holiday albums began appearing prominently on the main in the , contributing to seasonal spikes in physical sales; for instance, titles like ' The (1963) charted alongside contemporary releases, highlighting the chart's responsiveness to thematic buying trends. These inclusions underscored the chart's role in tracking comprehensive consumer demand, including reissues and festive compilations that sustained year-round activity. The methodology evolved to incorporate reports from an expanding network of retailers and wholesalers, shifting toward weighted estimates that accounted for store size and regional sales patterns to more accurately reflect national trends. This adaptation supported the chart's diversification as rock, , and international music gained traction; by the late , the influx of non-pop genres was evident in rankings that balanced emerging acts with established ones. The process relied on surveys of hundreds of outlets by the and , fostering a more inclusive snapshot of the industry's shift from pop-centric sales to multifaceted listening habits. Key milestones illustrated the chart's growth during this peak physical sales period. The Beatles' Meet the Beatles! achieved the first No. 1 position for a non-U.S. artist on February 15, 1964, holding the top spot for 11 weeks and signaling the breakthrough of acts into American dominance. Later, (1982) epitomized the era's commercial heights, amassing 37 weeks at No. 1—the longest run to date—and driving unprecedented album sales that exceeded 20 million units in the U.S. alone by decade's end. These events highlighted how the chart captured the explosion of rock and R&B alongside global influences, solidifying its status as a of cultural and commercial shifts through 1990.

SoundScan Introduction (1991–2013)

The introduction of Nielsen SoundScan on May 25, 1991, marked a pivotal shift in the 200's methodology, replacing manual retailer reports with electronic point-of-sale tracking via scanning. The chart was renamed the 200 on March 14, 1992. This system captured actual transactions from cash registers, initially covering a significant portion of U.S. music retailers, though major chains like were not included at the outset. Unlike the prior manual reporting system, which relied on subjective estimates and was susceptible to inaccuracies, SoundScan provided verifiable data that more accurately reflected consumer purchasing behavior. The transition immediately highlighted discrepancies in sales figures, revealing volumes far higher than previously reported and elevating genres like rock, country, and hip-hop that had been underrepresented. The first Billboard 200 chart compiled under SoundScan, dated May 25, 1991, placed Michael Bolton's at No. 1. A striking example of the system's impact came later that year with ' , which debuted at No. 1 with 770,000 units sold in its first week—a record at the time that underscored the undercounting of sales in the pre-SoundScan era. This precision also enabled stronger first-week debuts, as seen with Skid Row's becoming the first album to enter at No. 1 on June 29, 1991. To maintain focus on current music, Billboard implemented rules excluding sales of used albums and cutout titles (discounted remainders of older stock) from the , as SoundScan primarily tracked new physical sales. Catalog albums—those at least 18 months old—were similarly restricted, tracked separately and only eligible for the if they ranked highly on the Catalog Albums chart, a policy that limited their influence until adjustments in allowed greater inclusion of exclusive retailer releases and eased some catalog barriers. During this period, SoundScan data illuminated the ascendance of hip-hop and pop, with artists like achieving massive debuts—such as All Eyez on Me selling 566,000 copies in its first week in 1996—and Mariah Carey securing multiple No. 1 albums, including Music Box in 1993. The era also featured extended chart dominance, exemplified by Whitney Houston's The Bodyguard soundtrack, which held the top spot for a record 20 consecutive weeks starting in January 1993, driven by sustained sales of over 1 million units in some weeks. These trends reflected SoundScan's role in democratizing chart representation across genres.

Streaming and Digital Era (2014–Present)

In December 2014, Luminate (formerly Nielsen SoundScan) overhauled the Billboard 200 methodology to incorporate streaming and digital track sales alongside traditional sales, reflecting the shift toward multi-metric consumption patterns. The updated formula equated 10 individual track sales to one (AEU) and 1,500 on-demand audio and video streams (paid or ad-supported) to one AEU; this was revised in 2018 to 1,250 paid streams or 3,750 ad-supported streams equating to one AEU, blending these with physical and digital sales to better capture overall popularity. This change, effective for the chart dated December 13, 2014, marked a significant evolution from pure sales tracking, enabling artists to benefit from streaming platforms like and . By 2025, the continued to emphasize hybrid consumption metrics amid growing streaming dominance, with paid music subscriptions in the U.S. surpassing 100 million users for the first time in 2024 and reaching 105.3 million by mid-2025. To combat manipulation, and Luminate introduced stricter rules in March 2025, including hCaptcha verification for digital album redemptions to prevent bot activity and enhanced scrutiny of false , ensuring more authentic chart positions. These measures addressed concerns over artificial inflation, such as coordinated streaming farms, while maintaining the core AEU framework to align with evolving listener behaviors. The integration of streaming propelled hip-hop and rap to greater prominence on the , as genres with strong playlist and viral potential thrived under the new system. For instance, Drake's Views debuted at No. 1 in 2016 with 1.04 million AEUs, including 245.1 million streams that equated to over 163,000 streaming units, underscoring how streaming amplified urban music's chart impact. However, the faced for inflating positions of older catalog albums through passive streaming, leading to 2025 debates over separating current releases; this prompted greater reliance on the Top Current Albums , which excludes titles over 18 months old to highlight new music. A striking example of streaming's role in modern debuts came in 2025 with Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl, which launched at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 4.002 million AEUs, driven largely by streaming equivalents from paid platforms amid her record 15th chart-topping album. This performance illustrated the chart's adaptation to digital ecosystems, where bundled streams and sales could generate unprecedented first-week totals, though it also fueled discussions on balancing innovation with fairness in an era of over 1 trillion annual U.S. streams.

Methodology

Data Collection and Metrics

The Billboard 200 chart relies on data compiled by Luminate, the primary provider of consumption metrics for since 1991. Luminate aggregates comprehensive U.S. market data encompassing physical album sales (such as CDs and vinyl), digital album sales, individual track downloads, and on-demand official audio and video from leading digital service providers (DSPs) including , , , and . This coverage ensures a holistic view of consumer engagement, drawing from direct feeds provided by DSPs, record labels, and retailers to capture both paid and free consumption patterns. To enable consistent ranking across diverse formats, Luminate converts these metrics into album-equivalent units (EAUs), which form the basis for chart positions. Under the updated formula effective with the chart dated January 17, 2026, one EAU equals one physical or digital album sale; or ten individual track downloads or sales from the same album (known as track equivalent albums, or TEA); or 1,000 paid subscription on-demand streams (audio or video) from the album (streaming equivalent albums, or SEA); or 2,500 ad-supported on-demand streams (audio or video) from the album. These ratios reflect adjustments made over time to balance the perceived value of different consumption types, with paid streams weighted more heavily than ad-supported ones to account for user commitment. For example, an album generating 10,000 paid streams would equate to 10 SEA units, comparable to 10 track sales or one full album purchase. Luminate achieves broad retailer coverage for sales data, capturing over 90% of U.S. physical and digital transactions through electronic point-of-sale (POS) systems from major chains like , Target, and Amazon, with supplementary reporting from independent stores via partnerships such as StreetPulse. This high-fidelity tracking minimizes estimation errors and provides verifiable, real-time insights into market activity.

Eligibility and Calculation Rules

The Billboard 200 encompasses a range of release formats, including original studio albums, live albums, extended plays (EPs), compilation albums, and soundtracks, provided they are officially released, registered with Luminate for tracking, and generate measurable multi-metric consumption . Since a policy revision, the chart no longer strictly excludes catalog albums—those over 18 months old—allowing them to compete based on current performance, though the companion Top Current Albums chart limits eligibility to newer releases under 18 months to highlight contemporary titles and exclude reissues. Rankings on the Billboard 200 are calculated by aggregating total equivalent units from pure , track equivalent albums (TEA), and streaming equivalent albums () during the relevant tracking period, with higher totals yielding better positions. In the event of tied units, positions are determined first by the volume of pure , followed by streaming equivalents if needed to break the deadlock. Bundles combining with items like concert tickets or merchandise qualify for unit counting only if all components are offered separately at equivalent prices and the overall bundle adheres to minimum pricing thresholds, such as adding at least $3.49 to the non- item's cost; otherwise, only separable are credited. Equivalent album units provide a standardized measure where, for instance, 10 track sales or 1,000 paid equate to one full album unit, blending formats for comprehensive ranking as detailed in methodologies. albums, previously confined to a dedicated seasonal chart before the , now integrate directly into the Billboard 200 alongside other titles based on overall U.S. performance, enabling seasonal releases like Michael Bublé's to compete year-round. International albums qualify for inclusion if they achieve sufficient consumption through U.S.-based and , irrespective of origin—for example, Bad Bunny's Spanish-language projects have multiple No. 1 debuts driven by domestic metrics. To address manipulation tactics, 2025 updates enforce stricter oversight on excessive discounts surpassing 50% of , which are now scrutinized for authenticity, while bot-generated or fraudulent streams are outright disqualified from unit tallies. These measures complement variant charts like Top Album Sales, which tallies rankings exclusively from pure physical and digital purchases without streaming or track equivalents, and Top Current Albums, which applies the 200's unit formula but bars entries over 18 months old to emphasize fresh material.

Chart Tracking Period

The Billboard 200 chart measures album performance based on a standardized tracking week that runs from to , a adopted in to align with the global music industry's shift to album releases. This period captures multi-metric consumption data, including physical and digital , streaming, and track equivalents, ensuring consistency with retail and streaming service cycles. Data collection concludes at the end of , with finalization typically occurring by the following evening to allow for verification before publication. Charts are published weekly on Billboard's website every Tuesday morning, reflecting the most recent completed tracking week, while the print and digital magazine editions appear shortly thereafter. Each chart is dated to the Saturday approximately nine days after the tracking period ends—for instance, the November 15, 2025, chart corresponds to consumption from October 31 to November 6. This publication timeline provides a balance between timely reporting and accurate data processing, with preliminary top 10 previews sometimes shared earlier via social media and online updates. Albums released mid-week during the tracking period receive partial credit, accruing units only from the date of release through , which can impact debut positions compared to full-week Friday launches. Revisions to published are infrequent but possible in cases of data errors, such as misreported or discrepancies, as seen in historical corrections by . The remains U.S.-centric, drawing exclusively from domestic consumption metrics, yet it serves as a key benchmark influencing global artist rankings and international chart methodologies.

Chart Variants and Summaries

Weekly Chart

The Billboard 200 weekly chart ranks the 200 most popular albums and extended plays (EPs) in the United States, determined by multi-metric consumption units compiled by Luminate. These units blend pure sales, track equivalent albums (TEA)—where 10 individual track sales equal one unit—and streaming equivalent albums (), with 1,250 paid streams or 3,750 ad-supported streams equating to one unit as of prior to January 17, 2026, and updated to 1,000 paid streams or 2,500 ad-supported streams equating to one unit effective January 17, 2026. Each chart entry includes the current position, artist name, album title, record label, peak position achieved, total weeks on the chart, and a weekly unit total broken down by sales, TEA, and SEA components. This format provides a snapshot of market performance, emphasizing how traditional sales continue to influence rankings alongside digital streaming dominance. Published every Tuesday by Billboard magazine, the weekly chart features in-depth narratives for the top 10 entries, discussing notable debuts, returns, or genre shifts, while the complete 1-200 list is posted online for broader access. For instance, the November 8, 2025, edition saw Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl maintain the No. 1 position in its fourth nonconsecutive week, with the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack rising to No. 2 and Morgan Wallen's I'm The Problem holding at No. 3, illustrating strong pop and soundtrack momentum. As of the November 22, 2025, chart, Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl holds No. 1 for a sixth consecutive week. Recent trends on the weekly chart highlight the ongoing dominance of pop and hip-hop releases, which frequently occupy the upper echelons due to robust streaming engagement and fan-driven sales. In 2025, this is evident in highlights like Swift's pop stronghold and Wallen's hip-hop-infused country crossover at No. 3, alongside soundtracks challenging traditional boundaries. The full weekly charts are freely available on Billboard.com, with searchable historical archives extending back to the chart's in 1956, enabling analysis of long-term patterns in album performance.

Year-End and Decade-End Charts

The year-end Billboard 200 chart ranks the top 200 albums based on cumulative consumption units—encompassing album sales, track equivalent albums (TEAs) from single downloads, and streaming equivalent albums (SEAs)—tracked over a chart year spanning late November of the previous year to late October of the current year, as aggregated from weekly chart performance. In contrast, Luminate, Billboard's data partner, compiles calendar-year summaries ( to ) using similar multi-metric consumption data, providing insights into full-year commercial impact without the partial-year offset. These rankings emphasize total audience reach rather than peak positions, offering a broader view of an album's sustained popularity throughout the period. Decade-end charts extend this approach by summing consumption across ten years, such as the (2010–2019), to determine the top-performing over longer spans; for ongoing decades like the , they project through available data up to the present. remains consistent with year-end tallies, weighting pure at full value, TEAs from 10 individual track per equivalent, and SEAs at 1,250 on-demand (audio and video) per unit prior to January 17, 2026, updating to 1,000 paid streams or 2,500 ad-supported streams per unit effective January 17, 2026, reflecting evolving consumption patterns. For instance, Luminate's 2025 midyear report (covering January to June) highlighted Morgan Wallen's as the leading with 2.562 million units, followed by SZA's at 1.711 million, underscoring and R&B/hip-hop dominance in early-year consumption. Since the streaming era's acceleration post-2014, year-end and decade-end charts have increasingly favored albums with viral streaming traction, shifting from sales-heavy benchmarks to hybrid metrics that capture billions of plays across platforms. This evolution is evident in historical trends, such as Adele's 21 topping the decade-end Billboard 200 with over 12 million U.S. units, driven by enduring streams and sales that propelled it beyond contemporaries like 's 1989. Looking ahead, 2025 projections from industry analyses position and Drake as likely year-end leaders, bolstered by Swift's The Life of a Showgirl achieving 4 million first-week units and multiple No. 1 weeks, alongside Drake's consistent top-10 placements across 14 chart-topping albums. Such charts serve to illuminate overarching commercial success and cultural endurance, as seen in Barbra Streisand's distinction of securing No. 1 albums across six decades (–), a feat that underscores her multigenerational appeal in aggregated performance data.

All-Time Rankings

The all-time rankings for the 200 encompass cumulative performance metrics for albums and artists since the chart's launch on August 17, 1963, drawing on weekly positions, peak achievements, and to determine overall impact. These rankings, periodically compiled by , employ a points-based system that rewards higher chart placements and extended runs, with historical data from occasionally incorporated for pre-1963 context. To address methodological shifts—such as the pre-1991 reliance on estimated sales reports, the 1991 introduction of Nielsen SoundScan for precise tracking, and the 2014 inclusion of streaming and track-equivalent album () units—the calculations normalize figures across eras, converting modern multi-metric consumption (e.g., 1,250 premium streams or 10 track sales equaling one album unit prior to January 17, 2026, updating to 1,000 paid streams or 2,500 ad-supported streams equaling one album unit effective January 17, 2026) into comparable equivalents for fair comparison. This approach ensures that pure sales dominance in earlier decades is balanced against streaming boosts in the , where artists like Drake have seen their catalogs accumulate unprecedented total chart weeks exceeding 3,300 collectively as of 2025. Among albums, Michael Jackson's Thriller (1982) stands as a benchmark, certified at 34 million units in the U.S. by the RIAA and holding the record for 37 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1, the longest for any album in the 1980s. The Eagles' Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) (1976), the highest-certified album ever at 38 million U.S. units, spent 5 weeks at No. 1 and has logged over 500 weeks on the chart by September 2025, underscoring its enduring commercial longevity. Updating the 2015 Billboard "Greatest of All Time" list—which ranked Adele's 21 first, followed by the The Sound of Music soundtrack and Thriller—recent re-releases and streaming have elevated titles like Taylor Swift's 1989 (Taylor's Version) (2023), which debuted with 1.653 million units and surpassed 5 million total U.S. units by mid-2025, securing entry into the top 50 all-time by equivalent consumption. Artist rankings prioritize cumulative No. 1 achievements, with leading at 19, a record unbroken as of 2025. Taylor Swift follows with 15 No. 1s, the most for any solo artist and the highest total in the per Billboard's assessments. and Drake are tied at 14 each, their success amplified by streaming-era metrics that have propelled Drake's projects to surpass traditional benchmarks in overall chart presence.
RankArtistCumulative Weeks at No. 1 (as of November 2025)
1132
292
367
452
551
638
7Drake37
These milestones reflect the ' unparalleled dominance in the rock era alongside Taylor Swift's streaming-fueled ascent, approaching 100 weeks by late 2025, while exemplifies country music's sustained chart power.

Artist Milestones

Number-One Album Achievements

The Beatles hold the record for the most number-one albums on the Billboard 200, with 19 chart-toppers achieved between 1964 and 2000. follows with 15, establishing her as the solo artist with the highest total as of November 2025, including her latest release The Life of a Showgirl which debuted at number one in October. and Drake are tied for third place with 14 each, while ranks next with 11.
ArtistNumber-One Albums
The Beatles19
15
14
Drake14
11
The record for the most number-one albums by a single artist in a calendar year is held by , who achieved five in 1964 amid the height of . tied the mark for the most in a year by a female artist with four albums reaching number one in 2023, including re-recordings of her early catalog that dominated the chart. In 2025, both and Drake have secured additional number-one debuts, positioning them for potential multi-album successes in the year's remaining weeks. Instances of artists achieving simultaneous or near-simultaneous number-one albums remain rare, often tied to prolific release strategies. The Beatles exemplified this in 1967 when Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band held the top spot for 15 weeks while Magical Mystery Tour quickly followed to number one shortly after its release. In the modern era, Taylor Swift's 2020 releases folklore and evermore created overlapping chart dominance, with folklore maintaining strong performance as evermore debuted at number one, influencing sustained visibility for both. By decade, the 2020s have seen lead with at least nine number-one albums by mid-2025, surpassing other artists in frequency during this streaming-driven period. This surge reflects broader shifts in consumption patterns, where rapid fan mobilization and multi-format equivalents enable quicker chart ascents. extended her record among female artists with her seventh number-one album, , in 2022.

Consecutive and Debut Records

Whitney Houston achieved a remarkable streak of six consecutive number-one albums on the Billboard 200, from her self-titled debut in 1985 to in 1998. This run underscored her dominance in pop and R&B during the late 20th century, with each release topping the chart upon debut or shortly thereafter. matched a high mark for hip-hop artists with five consecutive number-one albums from (2015) to his surprise release GNX (2024), highlighting sustained commercial success in the genre. Taylor Swift extended her record for consecutive years with a number-one album to seven, from Lover (2019) through The Life of a Showgirl (2025), demonstrating unparalleled consistency in achieving chart-topping debuts. Barbra Streisand stands alone in chart history with number-one albums spanning six consecutive decades, the latest being Partners in 2014, which solidified her as the only artist to accomplish this feat. Garth Brooks notched number-one albums in seven straight years during the 1990s, fueling country music's mainstream explosion with releases like Ropin' the Wind (1991) and In Pieces (1993). Debut performances at number one have become increasingly common in the streaming era, but records for scale and frequency remain elite benchmarks. Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl set the all-time mark for the largest opening week with 4.002 million equivalent album units in 2025, surpassing previous highs and marking her 15th number-one debut overall—the most by any solo artist. By 2025, artists like with her album So Close to What exemplified the viability of high-impact projects, debuting at number one and reflecting evolving artist strategies.

Longevity and Top 10 Records

The Beatles hold the record for the most cumulative weeks spent at number one on the Billboard 200, with a total of 132 weeks across their albums since the chart's inception in 1963. follows closely, amassing 92 weeks at the top as of November 2025, marking her as the leading solo artist in this category and surpassing previous benchmarks set by female performers. Drake ranks among the top contemporary acts with 37 cumulative weeks at number one, reflecting his consistent dominance in hip-hop album sales and streaming metrics through 2025. In terms of the sheer number of albums reaching the top 10, lead with 38 entries, underscoring their enduring catalog appeal over six decades. follows with 34 top 10 albums, while and are tied at 32 each, highlighting the lasting impact of classic artists on chart longevity. Among rappers, set a milestone in 2025 by achieving his 34th entry on the Billboard 200 overall, the most for any hip-hop artist, though his top 10 count stands at 16, tying and for third place in that subcategory. Taylor Swift has redefined records for simultaneous chart presence, becoming the first living artist to place five albums in the top 10 at once on the Billboard 200 in December 2023, driven by her re-recorded projects and sustained fan engagement. This feat ties Prince's 2016 posthumous record and emphasizes Swift's unique ability to maintain multiple eras of in high rotation. For broader chart saturation, YoungBoy Never Broke Again's prolific output led to numerous simultaneous entries in the top 200 in 2025, amplifying his position as a volume leader in rap catalog accumulation. Individual albums demonstrating exceptional top 10 longevity include ' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, which logged 35 weeks in the top 10 following its 1967 release, a testament to its revolutionary influence that continues to resonate in remastered and anniversary editions. Fleetwood Mac's Rumours exemplifies rarity in sustaining over 50 weeks in the top 10 during its initial 1977-78 run, bolstered by 31 nonconsecutive weeks at number one—the longest for any group album of the —and periodic revivals through viral streaming trends. Such extended top 10 stays are uncommon in the modern era, where streaming accelerates turnover, but they illustrate how cultural touchstones achieve outsized chart endurance.

Album Milestones

Weeks at Number One

The weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 represent the total number of weeks an album has held the top position, counting both consecutive and interrupted runs, a metric tracked since the chart's weekly publication began in 1956. Pre-1963 data from predecessor album charts is included for historical context, while the SoundScan era from onward relies on point-of-sale data for greater precision. This measure underscores an album's commercial dominance amid shifting methodologies from estimated sales to streaming-inclusive tracking. Michael Jackson's Thriller holds the record for the most weeks at number one, with 37 nonconsecutive weeks atop the chart between February 1983 and April 1984. In the pre-SoundScan period, the South Pacific soundtrack amassed 52 nonconsecutive weeks at number one across Billboard's mono and stereo album charts from 1958 to 1962, reflecting its enduring appeal during the early rock era. A landmark consecutive run came from Whitney Houston's The Bodyguard soundtrack, which occupied the top spot for 20 uninterrupted weeks from January to May 1993, the longest such streak until surpassed in total weeks by later releases. In the modern era, Adele's 21 achieved 24 nonconsecutive weeks at number one starting in March 2011, establishing it as a benchmark for female-led albums. Genre-specific highlights include country music's with Ropin' the Wind, which spent 18 weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 in 1991–1992, contributing to the genre's growing crossover impact. In rap, Eminem's Curtain Call: The Hits logged 2 nonconsecutive weeks at the top beginning in December 2005, while his The Marshall Mathers LP holds the genre record with 8 weeks in 2000. As of November 16, 2025, Taylor Swift's The Life of a has secured 4 consecutive weeks at number one since its October debut, driven by over 4 million first-week units.

Chart Longevity

The Billboard 200 has showcased numerous albums with extraordinary longevity, reflecting their enduring appeal through consistent catalog sales, physical reissues, and the rise of streaming platforms that keep older titles in rotation. Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) stands as the benchmark for chart endurance, accumulating 995 weeks on the as of November 2025, a testament to its cultural staying power and frequent re-entries driven by anniversary editions and fan rediscovery. Similarly, Journey's (1988) exemplifies resilience, reaching 866 weeks by November 2025, bolstered by the timeless popularity of tracks like "Don't Stop Believin'" in media placements and streaming playlists. Several rock staples have surpassed the 600-week mark, forming an elite "600+ weeks club" that underscores the genre's lasting dominance in catalog consumption. AC/DC's Back in Black (1980), the best-selling hard rock album of all time, has logged over 600 weeks through steady sales and streams, particularly amplified by its inclusion in high-profile soundtracks and live performances. Eagles' Their Greatest Hits 1971–1975 (1976), the highest-certified album in U.S. history at 38× platinum, hit 500 weeks in September 2025 but continues to climb toward 600, fueled by vinyl revivals and generational appeal. In more contemporary contexts, streaming has revitalized modern long-runners, enabling cumulative chart spans across original and re-recorded versions. Taylor Swift's (2014) and its 2023 Taylor's Version have collectively exceeded 200 weeks as of late 2025, with the original alone charting for over 260 weeks initially and the re-release adding significant time through massive debut streams and sustained plays. Michael Jackson's Thriller (1982) benefits similarly from digital platforms, reaching 700 weeks by October 2025, as nostalgic searches and Halloween-themed boosts keep it bubbling in the lower ranks. This longevity is largely attributed to robust catalog sales and streaming metrics, which allow albums to re-enter or persist on the chart even after dropping below the top 200—though once they fall outside the main 200 positions, weeks in "bubbling under" territory (positions 201–250) do not count toward official totals. Such factors highlight how the chart's methodology, incorporating multi-metric consumption since , favors evergreen titles over fleeting .

Debut and Position Jumps

The Billboard 200 has witnessed dramatic position jumps, highlighting the chart's volatility driven by sudden surges in sales, streaming, and cultural momentum. One of the most notable upward leaps occurred with The Notorious B.I.G.'s , which skyrocketed from No. 176 to No. 1 in its second week on the chart dated April 12, 1997, propelled by over 690,000 equivalent album units amid widespread acclaim and the artist's recent passing. Similarly, Pearl Jam's jumped from No. 173 to No. 1 on December 24, 1994, underscoring how rapid fan mobilization could override initial low visibility. In the modern era, massive debut weeks have often translated to immediate No. 1 entries, with Taylor Swift's The Life of a Showgirl achieving the largest ever at 4.002 million units in October 2025, eclipsing Adele's 25, which launched with 3.48 million units in November 2015 and held the record for a decade. Conversely, precipitous drops from the summit illustrate the chart's unforgiving nature, particularly as streaming has intensified competition and shortened album lifespans. Bon Jovi's This House Is Not for Sale holds the record for the steepest fall, plummeting from No. 1 to No. 169 in March 2018 after a promotional bundle boosted its temporary return to the top, a 168-position decline attributed to waning physical sales post-incentive. Celine Dion's Courage followed suit, dropping from No. 1 to No. 111 in December 2019, reflecting similar post-peak erosion. By 2025, the rise of streaming has led to even briefer No. 1 tenures for many releases, with albums often exiting the top spot within one or two weeks due to fragmented listener attention and algorithmic shifts. In the SoundScan era (beginning May 1991), gradual ascents to No. 1 have become rarer amid debut-heavy tracking, but Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. exemplifies a slower build, climbing over 10 weeks from its initial No. 11 entry to the top in July 1984—though predating SoundScan, its trajectory influenced later rock climbs tracked electronically. More recently, EPs like Travis Scott's 2 demonstrated swift rises, debuting directly at No. 1 in July 2025 with strong collective streaming from his Cactus Jack roster, bypassing traditional climbs altogether. Albums by artists outside the pop and Hot 100 mainstream, such as classical and crossover performers, have occasionally made significant debuts, expanding the chart's diversity. Italian tenor , known for operatic works rather than Hot 100 hits, achieved a historic No. 1 debut with Sì in November 2018, selling 220,000 units in its first week through a blend of physical sales and digital uptake. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma's collaborative The Goat Rodeo Sessions marked a crossover milestone, debuting at No. 23 in 2011 as his highest entry on the Billboard 200, driven by bluegrass-classical fusion that attracted non-traditional audiences without relying on singles chart success.

Other Notable Records

Format and Genre Specifics

The Billboard 200 has occasionally featured extended plays (EPs) reaching the top spot, with ' Jar of Flies becoming the first EP to debut at No. 1 in January 1994, selling 141,000 copies in its opening week. Beyoncé's self-titled fifth studio album, released as a surprise digital drop in December 2013 without prior promotion or physical availability, debuted at No. 1 with 617,000 equivalent album units in its first three days, marking the largest sales week for a female artist at the time and pioneering the surprise release strategy in the digital era. In 2025, Tate McRae's So Close to What, her third studio album often described for its concise tracklist akin to an EP format, debuted at No. 1 on the chart dated March 8, generating 177,000 units primarily from streaming and digital sales. Holiday albums hold a unique place on the Billboard 200, often re-entering the chart annually due to seasonal consumption patterns. Phil Spector's A Christmas Gift for You from (1963), featuring artists like and , remains a perennial performer, achieving its highest peak at No. 12 in 2019 and consistently charting during the holiday period each year since its reissues in the late . Following the incorporation of into chart methodology in the mid-2010s, Billboard integrated holiday titles more fully into the main album tally alongside the separate Top Holiday Albums chart, allowing perennial releases to accumulate longer cumulative runs without seasonal resets. Genre-specific milestones highlight the evolving diversity on the Billboard 200. In rap and hip-hop, set a record in August 2025 by charting his 34th distinct project, MASA, surpassing E-40's previous mark for the most entries by any rapper. For , maintained dominance with extended chart runs, as their 2025 live album Permission to Dance on Stage – Live logged over seven weeks on the tally following its debut at No. 10, contributing to the group's legacy of sustained performance amid global fan engagement. In country music, Morgan Wallen's (2025) led the midyear chart summary through June, holding No. 1 for five consecutive weeks with over 200,000 first-week units, underscoring the genre's commercial strength driven by streaming and radio airplay. Format innovations have also influenced Billboard 200 achievements. The vinyl resurgence continued into 2025, with physical sales—including vinyl—dipping 3.2% year-to-date at midyear, while vinyl revenue held steady, boosting reissues and new releases like Taylor Swift's catalog titles that leveraged limited-edition pressings for chart gains. Digital-only debuts gained traction post-2010s, exemplified by Jason Aldean's 30 Number One Hits (2025), a compilation that entered at No. 21 solely through digital downloads and streaming equivalents, reflecting the shift toward non-physical consumption in an era dominated by platforms like and .

Compilation and Soundtrack Impacts

Compilation albums, particularly greatest hits collections, have significantly influenced the Billboard 200 by demonstrating the enduring appeal of established artists' catalogs. The Eagles' Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975), released in 1976, holds the distinction of being one of the longest-charting compilations, reaching 500 weeks on the chart by September 2025, though it spent only five nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 during its initial run. Similarly, Queen's Greatest Hits (1981) continued its remarkable longevity in 2025, accumulating 671 weeks on the Billboard 200 by November, underscoring the sustained popularity of rock compilations in the streaming era without ever reaching No. 1 on the main chart. These milestones highlight how compilations can maintain chart presence through consistent catalog sales and streaming, often outlasting new releases. Soundtracks have also left an indelible mark on the Billboard 200, with the genre achieving its first No. 1 in 1961 via the West Side Story original cast recording, which dominated for a record 54 nonconsecutive weeks, setting a benchmark for film and theater tie-ins. In more recent years, Disney's Frozen soundtrack (2013) amassed 13 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1 in 2014, the most for any soundtrack since Titanic (16 weeks in 1998), driven by massive family-oriented sales and streams that propelled it to over 4 million U.S. copies sold. The Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix, Vol. 1 (2014) exemplifies modern soundtrack success, charting for over 100 weeks on the Billboard 200 after two weeks at No. 1, fueled by its retro hits curation that resonated with superhero film audiences. As of November 2025, the KPop Demon Hunters animated soundtrack has peaked at No. 1 and held No. 2 for four consecutive weeks, marking a high-profile entry for genre-blended soundtracks in the year's charts. International compilations and group releases have further diversified the chart, particularly with the rise of K-pop post-streaming. ENHYPEN's DESIRE: UNLEASH (2025), a group album blending compilation-style hits with new tracks, charted for six consecutive weeks starting at No. 3, establishing it as one of the longest-running K-pop entries of 2025 and reflecting broader global influences from South Korean acts. These releases have boosted chart diversity by introducing non-traditional Western formats, with streaming enabling K-pop compilations to accumulate equivalent album units through high-volume track consumption. Overall, compilations and soundtracks have enhanced the 200's inclusivity, allowing collective and thematic projects to compete with solo studio albums; for instance, Frozen's dominance in 2014 illustrated how family-driven soundtracks can sustain top positions amid shifting consumption patterns, contributing to a more varied top 10 representation across genres and eras.

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