Acts with the most Number 1 albums on the Official UK Chart

Who's scored the most Number 1 albums in the UK?
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To get one chart-topper is any musician's dream, but just like making your way through a packet of chocolate biscuits, once you've had one, you're desperate for another.

Here are all the acts who have worked up the biggest chart appetites... (We've also revealed the acts with the most weeks at Number 1 at the bottom of the article)

Acts with the most Number 1 albums

Beatles (15)

It was always going to be the Fab Four top of the heap. Over the course of their career, and even beyond their split, John, Paul, George and Ringo have together amassed 15 chart-toppers. Kicking off with debut Please Please Me in 1963, and hitting the top spot 37 years later with hits collection 1 in 2000, The Beatles have spent an incredible 174 weeks at Number 1. Please Please Me was their longest run at the summit, racking up an incredible 30 consecutive weeks at Number 1. See all the Beatles' UK hit singles and albums

Before we move away from the Beatles entirely, let's take a moment to recognise the artist who's had the most Number 1 albums of all, when other work is included: Sir Paul McCartney. Macca's not only hit Number 1 15 times with his Beatles bandmates, he's also reached the top eight further times: seven as a solo artist and again with Wings & Linda McCartney. If we were crowning anyone ruler of the Official Albums Chart, Sir Paul's record of 23 chart-toppers would be pretty much incontestable. And that's why we made him an Official Chart Record Breaker!

MORE: "It's a beautiful feeling" – Paul McCartney named the UK's most successful albums act of all time

Robbie Williams (14)

The charismatic breakout star also has 14 chart-topping albums of his own, an impressive enough record, but if you include his Number 1s while part of Take That, he'd have another four to add to his tally (five if you include his features on Take That's 2018 greatest hits collection Odyssey).

As a solo artist, Robbie has spent 37 weeks at the top – yep, more than Madonna (more on her later!) – and his very first Number 1 was his debut Life Thru A Lens, which took 19 weeks to climb to the summit. He most recently made Number 1 in September 2022 with XXV.

With his second swing collection Swings Both Ways released in 2013, he scored the 1,000th Number 1 album of the Official Albums Chart since 1956 - impressive work! Take a look at Robbie's list of Number 1 albums.

The Rolling Stones (14) 

With fourteen Number 1 albums to their name (including the reissues of Exile on Main Street titled as Exile on Main St and Goats Head Soup titled as Goat's Head Soup), The Rolling Stone have definitely tasted their fair share of success. The four-piece scored their first Number 1 album with their self-titled debut in April 1964 and their latest in October 2023 with Hackney Diamonds. Look back at all of The Rolling Stones' hits and where they charted

Elvis Presley (13)

In joint-second place, the King of Rock n' Roll – Elvis Presley. His first Number 1 was his UK debut, fittingly titled Elvis Presley Rock n' Roll, which spent a week at the top in November 1956.

60 years later, Elvis swivelled his hips into the chart record books when The Wonder Of You hit the top spot. The album, which featured orchestral reworkings of some of his biggest hits, gave Elvis a 13th chart-topper, making him the solo artist with the most Number 1s. He's spent 66 weeks at the top, second behind The Beatles on that tally too. Take a look at all Elvis Presley's complete Official UK Chart history.

He held the record alone for three years, until Robbie Williams snuck in and broke the record himself.

Solo acts with the most UK Number 1 albums

RANK ARTIST NUMBER OF ALBUMS
1 ROBBIE WILLIAMS 14
2 ELVIS PRESLEY 13
3 MADONNA 12
3 BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 12
5 DAVID BOWIE 11
5 TAYLOR SWIFT 11
7 MICHAEL JACKSON 10
7 ROD STEWART 10
7 EMINEM 10
10 BOB DYLAN 9
10 KYLIE MINOGUE 9
12 CLIFF RICHARD 7
12 ELTON JOHN 7
12 PAUL MCCARTNEY 7
12 GEORGE MICHAEL 7
12 BARBRA STREISAND 7*
12 ED SHEERAN 7

*7 including the A Star Is Born soundtrack, originally credited as 'Original Soundtrack' when it charted at Number 1 in 1977.

©2023 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

Madonna (12)

The female solo star with the most albums to hit the top, and in joint third place overall, is Madonna. She first hit the top in 1985, when sophomore album Like A Virgin finally reached Number 1 in its 44th week on the chart, and most recently found herself there in 2012, with MDNA, her 12th chart-topper (if you include the Evita soundtrack, which we do).

Madonna's scored 30 weeks at Number 1, and was recently overtaken by Adele as female artist with most weeks at the top. Her longest run was 1990's hits retrospective The Immaculate Collection, one of the biggest selling albums of all time, which notched up nine straight weeks. Madonna's full Official Chart history

 

Bruce Springsteen (12)

The Boss was Born to Run wild on the Official Albums Chart, and has reached the pinnacle 12 times, some 36 years between his first Number 1 and his most recent. Bruce is now tied behind Madonna, the woman he beat to the top spot in June 2019 with his 19th studio album Western Stars.

The full rundown of artists who've had five or more Number 1 albums, plus how many weeks they spent at the top.

David Bowie (11)

 

The Thin White Duke has 11 Number 1s to his name, the same amount of chart toppers as The Rolling Stones, but has spent less weeks on top. It wasn't until his fifth release Aladdin Sane that Bowie finally got a Number 1, with five straight weeks at the top, but once he started there was no stopping him.

Bowie's latest two Number 1s came after his death in January 2016, when final album Blackstar and hits collection Best of Bowie both hit the top. He's managed 27 weeks atop the Official Albums Chart altogether. See the full rundown of David Bowie's impressive 48 Top 40 albums.

U2 (11)

 

Irish rock legends U2 have now scored 11 UK Number 1 albums. When Songs of Surrender entered the Official Albums Chart at Number 1, it became the band's first UK chart-topper in over a decade. Discover U2's Official Charts history in full here.

Taylor Swift (11)

Taylor Swift's run of Number 1 albums has been none other than impressive; She's the woman with most Number 1 albums this century, as well as the quickest time for a woman to accumulate 11 Number 1 albums (it took Tay just 11 years). She's the female act with the second-most Number 1 albums in UK chart history; only Madonna, with 12, has more. 

The most Number 1s on the Official Albums Chart

  ARTIST TOTAL NUMBER 1 ALBUMS WEEKS AT NUMBER 1
1 THE BEATLES 15 176
2 THE ROLLING STONES 14* 49
3 ROBBIE WILLIAMS 14 37
4 ELVIS PRESLEY 13 66
5 MADONNA 12 30
6 BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 12 18
7 DAVID BOWIE 11 27
8 TAYLOR SWIFT 11 20
9 U2 11 16
10 ROD STEWART 11 33
11 ABBA 10 58
12 MICHAEL JACKSON 10 31
13 EMINEM 10 27
14 QUEEN 10 22
15 TAKE THAT 9 31
16 BOB DYLAN 9 26
17 COLDPLAY 9 19
18 KYLIE MINOGUE 9 15
19 OASIS 8 21
20 LED ZEPPELIN 8 14
21 R.E.M. 8 13
22 STEREOPHONICS 8 12
23 THE KILLERS 8 11
24 WESTLIFE 8 8
25 ED SHEERAN 7 48
26 CLIFF RICHARD 7 30
27 ELTON JOHN 7 29
28 BARBRA STREISAND 7* 20
29 GEORGE MICHAEL 7 16
30 PAUL MCCARTNEY 7 16
31 PRODIGY 7 11
32 MUSE 7 9
32 BLUR 7 9
34 PHIL COLLINS 6 26
35 ARCTIC MONKEYS 6 13
36 GENESIS 6 12
37 PINK FLOYD 6 11
37 KINGS OF LEON 6 11
38 RADIOHEAD 6 9
38 THE SCRIPT 6 9
40 CHEMICAL BROTHERS 6 8
40 LANA DEL REY 6 8
42 KASABIAN 6 7
43 PAUL WELLER 6 6
44 SIMPLY RED 5 26
45 CELINE DION 5 18
46 BOYZONE 5 17
47 POLICE 5 15
48 BON JOVI 5 13
48 PAUL SIMON 5 13
50 KEANE 5 11
51 ERASURE 5 8
52 SIMPLE MINDS 5 7
53 IRON MAIDEN 5 6
53 OLLY MURS 5 6
55 PRINCE 5 5
55 FOO FIGHTERS 5

5

56 GREEN DAY 5 6

©2023 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

*Including reissues of Exile on Main Street and Goats Head Soup, which were classified as new Number 1s due to the volume of new material present and formats available.

Acts with the most weeks at Number 1

As mentioned above, the Beatles and Elvis take the top two spots, but third are Abba, with 58 weeks over their ten chart-topping albums. Their 1976 Greatest Hits was their first chart-topper, while their most recent was comeback record Voyage, which hit Number 1 in 2021.

 

Next up are veteran rockers Rolling Stones. Mick and the boys have spent 48 weeks at Number 1 since 1964 and their eponymous debut, right up until their latest Number 1, Hackney Diamonds, 59 years later.

Rounding off the top 5 of most weeks at Number 1 is Ed Sheeran who has also celebrated 48 weeks, followed by Adele with 42.

At Number 7 are Simon & Garfunkel, who've celebrated 40 weeks. Most remarkable is that this tally takes in just TWO albums. Bookends was their first in 1968, with a seven-week reign, while 1970's Bridge Over Troubled Water notched up 33 weeks at Number 1!

Take a look at the list of Number 1 artists with the most weeks at the top, who've scored 20 weeks or more:

The most weeks at Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart

  ARTIST WEEKS AT TOP OVER HOW MANY ALBUMS?
1 BEATLES 176 15
2 ELVIS PRESLEY 66 13
3 ABBA 58 10
4 ROLLING STONES 49 14*
5 ED SHEERAN 48 7
6 ADELE 42 4
7 SIMON & GARFUNKEL 40 2
8 ROBBIE WILLIAMS 37 14
9 ROD STEWART 32 10
10 MICHAEL JACKSON 31 10
11 TAKE THAT 31 9
12 MADONNA 30 12
13 EMINEM 30 10
14 ELTON JOHN 30 8
15 CLIFF RICHARD 30 7
16 CARPENTERS 29 3
17 DAVID BOWIE 27 11
18 BOB DYLAN 26 9
19 PHIL COLLINS 26 6
20 SIMPLY RED 26 5
21 QUEEN 22 10
22 DIRE STRAITS 22 4
23 OASIS 21 8
24 THE SHADOWS 21 4
25 TAYLOR SWIFT 20 11
26 BARBRA STREISAND 20 7**

©2023 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

*Including reissues of Exile on Main Street and Goats Head Soup, which were classified as new Number 1s due to the volume of new material present and formats available.

**7 including the A Star Is Born soundtrack, originally credited as 'Original Soundtrack' when it charted at Number 1 in 1977.

Article image: Shutterstock

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Jack fitsy

2

Madonna should be on 13. The sabotage of Rebel Hearts release was purely disgraceful and almost on purpose.

X

Xander

1

How exactly was she sabotaged?

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Sunshine Gal

1

that's pretty cool about the beatles...same over here in the states...they have the most #1 albums on the billboard 200 albums chart with 19 albums last i checked.

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Laurence Sully

3

It seems to me the only artist who can break into 2nd place behind The Beatles with most Number One Albums is Bruce Springsteen who has peaked with 12 - whether he's now on ACR I don't know but he has a fair chance as he's been pretty consistent in recent years ...

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Feelfine Stranger

2

I also think Bruce will climb higher than somebody else.

But there is Robbie who has a chance to take even 1st place at some point, isn't?

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julesin09

1

This aged well

JB

Joe Bloggins

1

Who cares. Elvis was, is, and always will be the greatest, biggest single music icon in music history. Take his influence on rock & pop music out of the equation, and the fact that he walked into Sun studios back in 1954 and changed popular music and culture forever, and you'd have very little in the way of rock and pop. What was it that John Lennon said? 'Before Elvis, there was nothing'. And in terms of rock & pop music, he was right. Bob Dylan is quoted as saying, 'When I heard Elvis, I knew I wasn't going to work for anyone else again'. I could go on, but Elvis's unique position in the history of music doesn't need to be justified. You can argue and whine about it as much as you like (which would show a distinct lack of music knowledge if you did) but Elvis gave you a world of music that you simply wouldn't have otherwise. Likewise, you wouldn't be discussing chart positions, etc. Don't even bother replying with lame arguments and insults, as they'll not make one blind bit of difference.

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Liam Richard

0

Never wrote a thing though tbf 🤷🏻‍♂️

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Bengy

1

Twice you state The Beatles albums were at no. 1 for 174 weeks and once you state it was 176 weeks.
The latter is correct because Sgt Pepper and Abbey Road both returned to no. 1 on their re-release.

S

Sarah

0

Any Artist returning to # 1 spot with the same Single or Album should not be counted as another # 1 . Adding the weeks is different though. The UK charts is a joke and should not be taken seriously. Charts should not be manipulated.

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Bengy

1

But it wasn't exactly the same album because both Abbey Road and Sgt Pepper had extra tracks added on, just like the Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street and Goats Head Soup. The same OCC rules should apply for consistency.

*Including reissues of Exile on Main Street and Goats Head Soup, which were classified as new Number 1s due to the volume of new material present and formats available.

S

Sarah

0

Oh wow I did not realise that they counted The Rolling Stones reissues as additional #1's. If they do it for one artist should do it for another. This is not the first or second time the UK charts has gone against The Beatles. Taylor Swift was also credit for something that she should not have been over having a certain amount of Albums go to #1 in a short span of time, and not taking into account that one was a re-recording album Taylors version whereas with the Beatles it was new studio albums. To me that was not fair. I learnt a long time ago to never believe what you read.

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Marcothedonjuan

0

Nice to see Phil Collins with so many weeks at No. 1. 💕

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Blank

1

Simon & Garfunkle and Rolling Stones need an update in the main body of the text. Taylor Swift needs an update in the tables.

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Cherzo

-4

RW is awful, just shows what terrible taste the british public now have.

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Blank

1

Kylie's new #1 this week knocks some big names out of the top 10 solo acts from equal 10th place:
Elton John, George Michael, Paul McCartney.

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Kicking Saturday

0

who is the living top artist is the world in blues rock heavy not saying your out dated but living would be nice
it now is a new world so try to live it

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Feelfine Stranger

1

You updated the list already 3 times during 2020 year but still haven't fixed the figures for Take That.
Please do this. They have 8 Number 1 albums, not 7.

D

disqus_05zPny8LdC

0

and they have 30 weeks at Number 1, not 29

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Official Charts

1

This has been amended. Apologies for not spotting this earlier - slipped through the net!

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Feelfine Stranger

0

Thank you, https://disqus.com/by/OfficialChartsCompany/ !

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Anna Nekrylova

0

The "Most weeks at Number 1" table still lists Take That with 29... please, fix it.

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Bengy

1

*Including reissues of Exile on Main Street and Goats Head Soup, which were classified as new Number 1s due to the volume of new material present and formats available.

So why does this not apply to the Beatles with 2 further no. 1's for Sgt. Pepper and Abbey Road?

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Bengy

0

Why has this feat still not been updated? 17 number one albums.
What's good for the Stones is good for The Beatles.

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Blank

0

I suspect it's some sort of favouritism towards the Beatles. It was done by Guinness too. e.g. Paul McCartney's total is boosted by Wings releases. Guinness make him #20 of all time by most weeks on chart, but includes 16 Singles and 7 albums by Wings adding 125 and 165 weeks to their respective chart counts of his 417 and 573 weeks at the end of 2005 (the last week considered by Guinness publications).
There are some jointly credited hits which should be credited to both acts, if Wings had an entry in their own right, which I think they should do.

In contrast, The Supremes are credited in their own right and Diana Ross' total does not include records credited to The Supremes, even when she was a member. Chart weeks credited to "Diana Ross & The Supremes" are added to both artists. Similarly Cliff Richard & The Drifters/Shadows.

Maybe because it was a group first followed by a soloist. Paul McCartney in relation to Wings was a soloist first, then a group member, discounting his Beatles work because there are no "Paul McCartney & The Beatles" records.

I can't think of any other soloists that formed a group. The members of Deep Purple formed other groups, but each without an interim solo career. Not counting occasional backing groups (e.g. The Jordanaires) and one-off "supergroups" (e.g. Travelling Wilburys).

The closest I can think of could be Robert Plant with The Honeydrippers. I'm discounting Mike Rutherford because his solo career, like The Honeydrippers is little more than a footnote in chart history, but more crucially, he hadn't left his previous band to have solo hits, it was alongside the group career.

Can you think of any hit solo acts that had hits in a group after their solo career? Especially if they did it without being part of an earlier hit group!

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Jim Dahmus

0

I have never met anyone who considered “Wings” a real group. All of Paul’s work post Beatles was Paul with some backing musicians.

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Blank

0

You could be disingenuous and say the same about Rainbow, except that RItchie Blackmore didn't release a 'true' solo record (i.e. just him).

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Velvet Android

1

Belated reply as I've only just been reading this two-year-old thread, but I'll just mention Tin Machine here David...!

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GagasPancakeT!ts

5

MADONNA - QUEEN OF POP

NG

Nuno Gouveia

3

According to the text (and the artists chart history) this is the list with the artist that scored more #01's albums while active / alive (not counting any posthumous releases as dead people are a powerful marketing tool and all of them will eventually use it one day) and releasing new material (or not split up as a band/group):

#01 - Robbie Williams (13)
#02 - Madonna (12)
#03 - The Beatles (11 + 4/5 after splitting and members dying)
#04 - Rolling Stone (11)
#05 - Bruce Springsteen (11)
#06 - David Bowie (10 + 1 after passing)
#07 - Rod Stweard (10)
#08 - Eminem (10)
#09 - U2 (10)
#10 - Elvis Presley (9 + 4 after passing and all already during the XXI century)
#11 - Michael Jackson (9 + 1 a few years after passing)
#12 - Abba (8 + 1 GH years after breaking up)
#13 - Queen (8 + 1 a few years after Freddy Mercury passing)
#14 - Take That (8)*
#15 - Bob Dylan (8)
#16 - Coldplay (8)
#17 - Led Zeppelin (8)
#18 - R.E.M. (8)
#19 - Westlife (8)
#20 - Oasis (7 + 1 after splitting up)
#21 - Cliff Richard (7)
#22 - Elton John (7)
#23 - Barbra Streisand (7 - including one OST, as they do on the list above)
#24 - Paul McCartney (7)
#25 - George Michael (7)
#26 - Kylie Minogue (7)
#27 - The Prodigy (7)
#28 - Stereophonics (7)

Major differences here are in TOP 10.
Only put the TOP 28 (all artists with 7 albums or more in total that got to #01)

* They mistakenly put Take That with 7 on this article list but they do have 8 #01 albums as one can check on their Chart History (and all different albums, no re-entries): https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/31006/take-that/

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Feelfine Stranger

0

Thank you.

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Blank

2

Cool list. Although I think the Bowie one should count as his main total, as it is a unique example of the artist dying in the first week of release of a new album: after release but before first chart announced, which I think was already #1 in the midweek sales before his death.

For a similar, almost opposite reason to discount an Elvis album: 40 Greatest. A 1975 release which only got to #1 after and because of his death. It's highest position within his lifetime was only #16, on 31/01/76. The re-entry in the "half" week was at #5 (27/8/77), climbing to #1 in the first full week of sales after death, 3/9/77.

Queen also, now have 2 #1s since Freddie's death. The 2nd not featuring him as vocalist.

S

Sarah

0

The Beatles were active from 1962 -1970, and scored 11 #1 Albums,while Robbie Williams in 10 years 8 #1 Albums, Madonna with 4 and Elvis 7. Still a very impressive record by the Beatles, and no #1 Albums to the tally, year a band member (1980,2001) died. I don't know about you, but I do not run out and buy an album simply because the artist has died. If its out of my record collection-it's out for a reason. The Beatles are cemented into the history books,with what they have achieved, and will not lose any sleep over anything so trivial.

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Mark Wislen

3

'40 Greatest' by Elvis Presley, was released in 1974, not in 1975. It was not allowed into the Charts until 1976, as it was on the Budget, (Low Priced), Arcade Label. It also had a lot of TV Advertising, and such Albums were banned, from the UK Chart, in 1974 and 1975. It sold very well and it was the UK's 4th Best Seller of 1974 and the 6th of 1975. As well as, really being the No.1 Album, over Christmas & New Year 1974/1975. Had it not been banned, from the Chart, it would have been No.1 for many Weeks - which would have seen it, hold 'Greatest Hits', by Elton John, at No.2, for several Weeks. As Elvis's Album, was not allowed to Chart, the Elton John Album had 11 Weeks - in a row - at No.1. The Elvis Album was also the UK's 73rd Best Seller, for 1976. When Elvis died, in 1977, it was an 'Official' UK No.1 Album - at last. Although it only stayed there for 1 Week. Ironically, it was not a huge UK seller in 1977. It was the UK's 55th Best Seller, of that Year.

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Mark Wislen

2

As Bengy says, you credit The Beatles with 16 UK No.1 Albums, in their 'Section' of this Site. This is because you you count 'Abbey Road' as being their 16th. Yet, in this List, you 'only' give them 15 No.1 Albums. Also, as you have given them 16 No.1 Albums - by counting the 2019 'Abbey Road' - you should be consistent and give them a 17th No.1 Album, for when 'Sgt. Pepper' returned to No.1 in 2017. Whether you count the 2017 and 2019 'Sgt Pepper' and 'Abbey Road', as added Beatles No.1's, or not, you should certainly count their Weeks at No.1. That gives The Beatles 176 No.1 Album Weeks - not 174 No.1 Weeks. Also, in the Rolling Stones 'Section, you credit them with 12 No.1 Albums, as you regard the 2010 No.1 of 'Exile On Main St' ' as an added No.1. But, in your List, you regard it as the 1972 Album returning to No.1, and you give them 11 No.1 Albums. Again, we see inconsistency. You do - correctly - give them 46 No.1 Weeks, in the UK Album Chart...

NG

Nuno Gouveia

0

Strange as Guinness World Records counts that one as a re-rentry giving The Beatles a new record for longest gap for an album to return to #01.

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Bengy

9

In the Artists section of your web site you say The Beatles have 16 no. 1 albums as the 50th anniversary Abbey Road with a new track listing went to 1. By the same logic The Beatles should have another number one for the 50th anniversary of Sgt. Pepper. So that’s 17 no. 1 albums overall. After all Elvis got another 3 number 1 singles simply by a change of catalogue number. They should have been re-entries instead of NEW entries. A lack of consistency by the OCC.

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Richard Crampton

3

Agnetha and Frida are the most successful women in the history of the UK album charts :-))

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julesin09

1

Nope

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Blank

0

Looking at either measure (weeks or number of albums), it's a disappointingly male list.

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Mark Wislen

2

With Album Weeks at No.1 they are. 57 Weeks - to Adele's 37 Weeks and Madonna's 30 Weeks.

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GraphicJack

0

They were the MAIN lead singers, but Björn also sang on several ABBA tracks... I think we have to count ABBA as a mixed group.

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Mark Wislen

4

You credit the Rolling Stones with 12 UK No.1 Albums, as you regard the 'Exile On Main Street' Album - that reached No.1 in 2010 - as being a different Album, than the original No.1 version, from 1972. The 2010 Album was not the same as the 1972 original, as it had a 10 Track 'Bonus Disk' with it. However, you still credit The Beatles with 15 UK No.1 Albums, even though the 2017 Edition of 'Sgt Pepper...' was not the same No.1 Album, as the original 1967/1968 No.1. The 2017 No.1 should be counted as a different No.1 than the 1960's original, because its Track List was not exactly the same. So, the 2017 'Sgt Pepper...' should be regarded as The Beatles 16th UK No.1 Album. Just as the 2019 'Abbey Road' Album should be credited as their 17th UK No.1 Album, if that reaches No.1. The 2019 'Abbey Road', does not have exactly the same Track List as the original 1969 version...

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Foo Koon Sang

0

Surprised that The Bee Gees was nowhere in sight...

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Mark Wislen

6

The Bee Gees only had 1 UK No.1 Album - 'Spirits Having Flown' - No.1 for 2 Weeks in 1979. In the USA they count 'Saturday Night Fever', (1978), as a Bee Gees Album, but they only sang on 6 of the 17 Tracks. Nevertheless, the Bee Gees are given its 24 Weeks at No.1 there. In the UK, its 18 No.1 Weeks are just credited to Various Artists. Likewise, in the USA, Whitney Houston is given 'The Bodyguard' Soundtrack, in her Hit Albums. Plus its 20 No.1 Weeks there. She only actually sings on 6 of its 13 Tracks. In the UK it was credited as a Various Artists Album and it was not allowed into the Main UK Album Chart. Instead, it spent 11 Weeks at No.1 in the UK Compilation Chart. The Bee Gees have sold Millions of UK Albums, but their 1979 Album is their only credited UK No.1 Album.

NG

Nuno Gouveia

0

As it should as less than 50% of the album tracks are from those artists. "Evita" is considered a Madonna album as she sings in almost 80% of the songs on the 2 discs version and even on 90% of the songs on the 1 Disc version (the one that got to #01). On the one disc cover it even only says "MADONNA / EVITA", doesn't even says OST.

M

Mouttonnoir

2

Robbie Williams is the cuckoo in the nest. 12 No1 albums? He epitomises the term "overachiever" . Every other act I can appreciate their talent but...

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Blank

3

And his first #2 secured enough sales that in a normal week would have been #1. It wasn't a normal week! He lost to the year's fastest selling album: Dido's Life For Rent. Making #2 the lowest peak position of any of his albums. Only 2 of his 15 albums have done so: Live At Knebworth and Reality Killed The Video Star.
(He'd only released 14 albums at the time of your comment, but has had another #1 since).

NN

Nu No

1

Robbie Williams sold over 75 million albums worldwide, most of them in Europe - less than 2 million in US (but he still have had some success in Asia and Australia as well) where he never even have had a TOP 40 hit or a TOP 40 Album) making him probably the most succcessful European Artist with lowest sales in US. In Germany Robbie Williams success is similar to UK as well.

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Johnny McVey

0

You appear to have used the wrong headlines on the "Five or more Number 1 albums" table

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Cherzo

0

total embarrassment

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Nela Micandro

0

can you have an article for the most number ones by bands and most number ones by different albums per decade. Thank you OCC

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dale71

1

George M, had he pumped out an album every 18 months, would easily be top 5, but I think he has 9 total. I appreciate he took years to comtemplate his feelings and put out amazingly written albums. He certainly could've gotten another 2, but the Sony suit took one away and I'll blame enjoying cannabis for the 2nd. Ha. But I love Make It Big, Music From the Edge of Heaven, Faith, Listen Without Prejudice, Five Live, Older, Songs From the Last Century, Patience, Symphonica, and all the one offs and duets like If I Told You That, December Song, White Light, This is Not Real Love, and Every Other Lover. RIP LEGEND! (And PS, thats George singing most of the end of Nikita!)

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Sunshine Gal

1

very interesting...over here in the states, i believe barbara streisand may have the most #1 albums for a female artist. i believe she has 10 #1 albums. the beatles have the most #1 albums with 19 of any act, and jay-z has 13 #1 albums, the most for any solo act. madonna has 8 #1 albums over here. and then elvis has 107 albums that have charted on the 200 albums chart, the all time record for any act.

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Brian Quinn

2

In second place, a '50s and '60s superstar, the King of Rock n' Roll himself – Elvis Presley.
Are you kidding? Elvis was a superstar from the 1950's to 1977 when he died. In fact he still is selling more albums now than he ever did when he was alive.

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Sunshine Gal

0

that's right! they should've just called him a timeless icon or something like that.

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Chris John Conniff

0

Abba gold was last number one in August 2008 and NOT 1999. It has been number one on five separate occasions!

EH

Edward Howard

0

Glad to see Maiden on this list. :) Up The Irons!

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Sakgra

1

No Lady Gaga no Rihanna no Beyonce....that proves something!Music after 2000!

JR

John Ramirez

1

I guess Rhianna is great contender to break some Madonna records at least in The States but Madonna will always be Madonna.

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Brian Quinn

0

According to the individual artist pages Elvis now has 66 weeks on the album chart at No.1 and not 67.

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Official Charts

0

Thanks for that spot Brian!

T

TW

5

Elvis is the most successful Uk chart act of all time.....21 no.1 singles including 76 top 10 hits. 13 no.1 albums including 51 top 10 hits......and still counting!

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dale71

1

Elvis Forever

JC

jacques coeur

2

Elvis le roi number one with her new cd with the royal harmonic of london...The wonder of you at the top in a few weeks...Long live to the king ....God bless you...

JR

John Ramirez

4

Madonna, Elvis and Beatles will always reign. Other artists may break their records, have more number ones and sale much more music but their fame, status and recognition are historical and nobody could ever take their place. Long live the kings!!!

L

luca

-1

I agree with you but...you forgot Bowie

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Bazza Splutter Sobersaurus

-1

remove madonna

DG

David Gibbs

1

I agree with most of what you say but I cant see anyone surpassing Elvis and the Beatles in sales.No one is even close to them.

JR

John Ramirez

0

Well you have to take into consideration that Elvis passed away in 1977 and Beatles split in 1971. Since then their record labels have released thousands and thousands of compilations, box sets, greatest hits albums, etc. This fact has obviously increased significally their sales...

S

Southendman

0

Wow! I thought Adele pretty much ruled with the weeks to fewest albums ratio but Simon & Garfunkel's 40 weeks from 2 albums is amazing. The Carpenters 29 weeks from 3 albums should be noted too.

G

guilherme

6

madonna always! a true star!

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dale71

0

Sure is! Love Ray of Light

PS

Phil Smith

0

The fact that Adele has overtaken Madonna in terms of weeks at number 1 goes to show you how much streaming has completely skewed chart stats.

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Mrs. Brooks

3

What are you talking about? Adele's first 2 albums were not available on streaming services when they hit number 1. Plus, '25' debuted on streaming services a few weeks ago and it didn't top the chart because of streamings but mostly because of album sales.

LW

Leo Wyatt

1

It actually shows how much people prefer break up songs over tracks with actual messages

S

Seb

1

I'm trying to think what a song with an 'actual message' is: E=mc2? Useful if you're splitting the atom; Carrie Doesn't Live Here Anymore? Useful for delivery services; Stop, Hammer Time? Sound DIY advice.

AH

Anthony Holland

3

What' happened to Cliff Richard's seven number one albums?

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Official Charts

2

Hi Anthony! We have looked into this and corrected it. Cliff has seven solo Number 1 albums, separate to The Shadows, and has been included in both lists as such. Thanks for raising that.

AH

Anthony Holland

1

Cheers! Thanks for correcting it. :)

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dale71

1

We Dont Talk Anymore is ripe for an American cover! Such a great tune

JC

James Cook

0

Still not updated the 'The solo acts with the most Number 1s on the Official UK Chart are...' Cliff is still sadly omitted

NN

Nu No

0

Madonna is the artist with more albums to achieve #01 while still active / alive - 12 different albums is very impressive!!

The Beatles had 11 albums peaking #01 while active and 4 released and peaking #01 after split / members died.

Elvis had 9 albums that reached #01 while alive and 3 albums released after his death that also reached #01

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Spitfire

2

The Beatles were together for a short period of time. They sure used that time wisely :)

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Bazza Splutter Sobersaurus

0

paul mcartney is alive and had more. as is robbie williams who if you add his take that albums has had more.not that either of these artists along with madge should be knigs of anything other than to show the public have taste. madonna couldnt even take rebel flop to no1 beaten by an almost year old sam smith album. career finished=hasbeen.

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Bazza Splutter Sobersaurus

-1

eh no. mccartney alive and blobby wiliams(if you include his fake prat albums.hes had more) not that that is anything the public shouod be proud off. all 3 avearge artists.especially maradonna who has been a washed up has been releasing poor imitations since ray of light

M

Martin

0

Abba Gold was last number 1 for two weeks. In August 2008, not 1999.

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I Am A Stegosaurus

0

Ed... Sheeran? How many weeks in total?

RY

Richard York

1

Ed Sheeran has 16 weeks (3 with +, and 13 with x) so doesn't quite make it.

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I Am A Stegosaurus

0

.

L

luca

3

Too many weeks of boredom

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I Am A Stegosaurus

1

Metallica fan spotted

L

luca

0

What???? Metallica??????? Ahahahahahahahah. You live in another world...

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I Am A Stegosaurus

0

Not 100% sure what point you're trying to make but okay then...

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Bazza Splutter Sobersaurus

1

god that is a sad statistic