List of artists by number of UK Albums Chart number ones

The UK Albums Chart is a weekly record chart based on album sales from Friday to Thursday in the United Kingdom (the chart week ran from Sunday to Saturday until 2015). It listed only physical album sales until 2007, after which it has also included albums sold digitally, and from March 2015, includes streamed tracks. The chart is currently compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC) on behalf of the UK music industry,[1] and each week's new number one is first announced on Friday evenings (Sunday evenings until July 2015) by BBC Radio 1 on their weekly chart show.[2]

The Beatles have topped the UK Albums Chart with fifteen different albums and spent 176 weeks at number one, longer than any other artist.

The album chart was first published by Record Mirror on 28 July 1956[3]—the album at number one that week was Songs for Swingin' Lovers! by Frank Sinatra.[4] As of 24 November 2013, 1,000 different albums have reached the top of the chart;[5] 12 artists have topped the chart with nine or more different albums. The most successful act is the Beatles, who have reached number one with fifteen records and spent 176 weeks at the top, longer than any other artist. Elvis Presley and Robbie Williams are the most successful solo artists with 13 number-one albums each, while Madonna is the most successful female artist with 12 number ones.[6]

Artists

The following artists have been credited on at least nine different number one albums, as recognised by the OCC. Appearances on compilation albums featuring various artists are not included.

Key
[x] Indicates that, with this album, the artist became
the first act to have this many number ones
Best-selling album in the UK
Artist Number ones Number one studio albums Albums Record labels First reached number one Total weeks at number one Notes Ref.
The Beatles 15 11 Please Please Me Parlophone 5 May 1963 30 [7]
With the Beatles Parlophone 1 December 1963 21 1963 Christmas number one
A Hard Day's Night Parlophone 19 July 1964 21
Beatles for Sale Parlophone 13 December 1964 11 1964 Christmas number one
Help! Parlophone 8 August 1965 9
Rubber Soul Parlophone 19 December 1965 8 1965 Christmas number one
Revolver Parlophone 7 August 1966 7
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band [8] Parlophone 4 June 1967 28[note 1] 1967 Christmas number one
The Beatles (White Album) [9] Apple 1 December 1968 8 1968 Christmas number one
Abbey Road [10] Apple 28 September 1969 18[note 2] 1969 Christmas number one
Let It Be [11] Apple 17 May 1970 3
The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl [12] Parlophone 12 June 1977 1
Live at the BBC [13] Apple 4 December 1994 1
Anthology 2 [14] Apple 24 March 1996 1
1 [15] Apple 19 November 2000 9 2000 Christmas number one
Elvis Presley 13 5 Rock 'N' Roll HMV 4 November 1956 1 [8]
Loving You RCA 1 September 1957 3
King Creole RCA 14 September 1958 7
Elvis Is Back! [4] RCA 24 July 1960 1
G.I. Blues [5] RCA 1 August 1961 22
Blue Hawaii [6] RCA 31 December 1961 18
Pot Luck [7] RCA 22 July 1962 6
From Elvis in Memphis RCA Victor 24 August 1969 1
Elvis' 40 Greatest Arcade 4 September 1977 1 Posthumous number one
ELV1S: 30 No. 1 Hits RCA 29 September 2002 2 Posthumous number one
The King RCA 19 August 2007 1 Posthumous number one
If I Can Dream RCA, Legacy 6 November 2015 2 Posthumous number one; Credited to Elvis Presley with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Wonder of You RCA, Legacy 28 October 2016 1 Posthumous number one; Credited to Elvis Presley with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Robbie Williams 13 11 Life thru a Lens Chrysalis 12 April 1998 2 [9][10]
I've Been Expecting You Chrysalis 1 November 1998 3
Sing When You're Winning Chrysalis 3 September 2000 3
Swing When You're Winning Chrysalis 25 November 2001 7 2001 Christmas number one
Escapology EMI 16 November 2002 7 2002 Christmas number one
Greatest Hits Chrysalis 24 October 2004 4 2004 Christmas number one
Intensive Care Chrysalis 30 October 2005 1
Rudebox Chrysalis 29 October 2006 1
In and Out of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990–2010 Virgin 17 October 2010 1
Take the Crown Island 11 November 2012 1
Swings Both Ways Island 24 November 2013 4 2013 Christmas number one
The Heavy Entertainment Show Columbia 11 November 2016 1
The Christmas Present Columbia 6 December 2019 1
Bruce Springsteen 12 11 Born in the U.S.A. CBS 16 June 1984 5 [11]
Tunnel of Love CBS 17 October 1987 1
Human Touch Columbia 4 April 1992 1
Greatest Hits Columbia 11 March 1995 2
The Rising Columbia 10 August 2002 1
Devils and Dust Columbia 7 May 2005 1
Magic Columbia 13 October 2007 1
Working on a Dream Columbia 2 July 2009 2
Wrecking Ball Columbia 11 March 2012 1
High Hopes Columbia 19 January 2014 1
Western Stars Columbia 27 June 2019 1
Letter to You Columbia 5 November 2020 1
Madonna 12 9 Like a Virgin Sire 15 September 1985 2 [12]
True Blue Sire 6 July 1986 6
Like a Prayer Sire 26 March 1989 2
The Immaculate Collection Sire 18 November 1990 9 1990 Christmas number one
Evita Warner Bros. 26 January 1997 1 Sometimes credited to Madonna & Various Artists
Ray of Light Maverick 8 March 1998 2
Music Maverick 24 September 2000 2
American Life Maverick 27 April 2003 1
Confessions on a Dance Floor Warner Bros. 20 November 2005 2
Hard Candy Warner Bros. 4 May 2008 1
Celebration Warner Bros. 27 September 2009 1
MDNA Interscope 1 April 2012 1
The Rolling Stones 11 10 The Rolling Stones Decca 26 April 1964 12 [13]
The Rolling Stones No. 2 Decca 31 January 1965 10
Aftermath Decca 24 April 1966 8
Let It Bleed Decca 14 December 1969 1
Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out! The Rolling Stones in Concert Decca 13 September 1970 2
Sticky Fingers Rolling Stones 13 June 1971 5
Exile on Main St. Rolling Stones 4 June 1972 2[note 3]
Goats Head Soup Rolling Stones 16 September 1973 3[note 4]
Emotional Rescue Rolling Stones 29 June 1980 2
Voodoo Lounge Rolling Stones 17 July 1994 1
Blue & Lonesome Rolling Stones 9 December 2016 1
David Bowie 11 9 Aladdin Sane RCA 5 May 1973 5 [14]
Pin Ups RCA 3 November 1973 5
Diamond Dogs RCA 8 June 1974 4
Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) RCA 27 September 1980 2
Let's Dance EMI 23 April 1983 3
Tonight EMI 6 October 1984 1
Changesbowie EMI 24 March 1990 1
Black Tie White Noise Arista 17 April 1993 1
The Next Day[15] ISO/Columbia 23 March 2013 1
Blackstar[16] RCA 15 January 2016 3 Posthumous number one
Best of Bowie[17] EMI 5 February 2016 1 Posthumous number one
U2 10 9 War Island 6 March 1983 1 [18]
The Unforgettable Fire Island 7 October 1984 2
The Joshua Tree Island 15 March 1987 2
Rattle and Hum Island 16 October 1988 1
Zooropa Island 11 July 1993 1
Pop Island 9 March 1997 1
The Best of 1980–1990 Island 8 November 1998 1
All That You Can't Leave Behind Island 5 November 2000 1
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb Island 28 November 2004 3
No Line on the Horizon Vertigo 8 March 2009 2
Michael Jackson 10 5 Thriller Epic 27 February 1983 8 [19]
18 Greatest Hits Telstar 14 August 1983 3 Credited to Michael Jackson Plus The Jackson Five
Bad Epic 6 September 1987 5
Dangerous Epic 24 November 1991 1
HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I Epic 18 June 1995 1
Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix Epic 18 May 1997 2
Invincible Epic 4 November 2001 1
Number Ones Epic 23 November 2003 2 Posthumous number one
The Essential Michael Jackson Epic 5 July 2009 7 Posthumous number one
Xscape Epic 18 May 2014 1 Posthumous number one
Rod Stewart 10 7 Every Picture Tells a Story Mercury 2 October 1971 6 [20]
Never a Dull Moment Philips 16 September 1972 2
Sing It Again Rod Mercury 1 September 1973 3
Smiler Mercury 19 October 1974 2
Atlantic Crossing Warner Bros. 30 August 1975 7
A Night on the Town Riva 10 July 1976 2
Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 Riva 8 December 1979 5
Time Capitol 25 May 2013 1
Blood Red Roses Decca 11 October 2018 1
You're in My Heart: Rod Stewart with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Rhino 13 December 2019 2 2019 Christmas number one
Eminem 10 9 The Marshall Mathers LP Interscope 23 May 2000 2 [21]
The Eminem Show Interscope 26 May 2002 5
Encore Interscope 11 December 2004 2
Curtain Call: The Hits Interscope 6 December 2005 5
Relapse Interscope 15 May 2009 2
Recovery Interscope 18 June 2010 7
The Marshall Mathers LP 2 Interscope 5 November 2013 1
Revival Interscope 15 December 2017 1 2017 Christmas number one
Kamikaze Interscope 31 August 2018 4
Music to Be Murdered By Interscope 17 January 2020 1
Queen 10 7 A Night at the Opera EMI 21 December 1975 4 1975 Christmas number one [22]
A Day at the Races EMI 2 January 1977 1
The Game EMI 13 July 1980 2
Greatest Hits EMI 8 November 1981 4 As of 4 July 2016, the best-selling album in the UK
A Kind of Magic EMI 8 June 1986 1
The Miracle Parlophone 28 May 1989 1
Innuendo Parlophone 10 February 1991 2
Greatest Hits II Parlophone 3 November 1991 5 1991 Christmas number one
Made in Heaven Parlophone 12 November 1995 1
Live Around the World EMI 2 October 2020 1 With Adam Lambert
ABBA 9 5 Greatest Hits Epic 2 May 1976 11 [23]
Arrival Epic 9 January 1977 10
ABBA: The Album Epic 29 January 1978 7
Voulez-Vous Epic 13 May 1979 4
Greatest Hits Vol. 2 Epic 11 November 1979 4
Super Trouper Epic 16 November 1980 9 1980 Christmas number one
The Visitors Epic 13 December 1981 3 1981 Christmas number one
The Singles: The First Ten Years Epic 21 November 1982 1
Gold: Greatest Hits Polydor 27 September 1992 8 As of 4 July 2016, the second best-selling album in the UK
Bob Dylan 9 9 The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan CBS 23 May 1964 2 [24]
Bringing It All Back Home CBS 15 May 1965 1
John Wesley Harding CBS 3 February 1968 13
Nashville Skyline CBS 17 May 1969 4
Self Portrait CBS 11 June 1970 1
New Morning CBS 28 November 1970 1
Together Through Life Columbia 9 May 2009 2
Shadows in the Night Columbia 14 February 2015 1
Rough and Rowdy Ways Columbia 2 July 2020 1

See also

References
  1. "The Charts We Compile". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  2. "The Official UK Top 40 Albums Chart". London: BBC Radio 1. 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  3. Mawer, Sharon (2008). "1956". London: Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 8 March 2009. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  4. "Albums chart: 50 chart facts". Music Week. London. 5 August 2006. ISSN 0265-1548. OCLC 60620772. Retrieved 15 July 2011. ... The first number one album – Songs For Swingin' Lovers by Frank Sinatra ...
  5. "Robbie Williams scores UK's 1,000th number one album". BBC News. BBC. 24 November 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
  6. "Acts with the most Number 1 albums on the Official UK Chart". officialcharts.com. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  7. "Beatles". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  8. "Elvis Presley". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  9. "Robbie Williams". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  10. "Robbie Williams". London: Official Charts Company. 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  11. "Bruce Springsteen". London: Official Charts Company. 2012. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  12. "Madonna". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  13. "Rolling Stones". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  14. "David Bowie". London: Official Charts Company. 2013. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  15. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 21 May 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  16. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 21 May 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 21 May 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  18. "U2". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  19. "Michael Jackson". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  20. "Rod Stewart". London: Official Charts Company. 2018. Retrieved 7 October 2018.
  21. "Eminem". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  22. "Queen". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  23. "ABBA". London: Official Charts Company. 2010. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  24. "Bob Dylan". London: Official Charts Company. 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2020.

Notes
  1. Includes 27 weeks at number one on the album's original release in 1967, plus 1 week on its reissue in 2017.
  2. Includes 17 weeks at number one on the album's original release in 1969, plus 1 week on its reissue in 2019.
  3. Includes 1 week at number one on the album's original release in 1972, plus 1 week on its reissue in 2010.
  4. Includes 2 weeks at number one on the album's original release in 1973, plus 1 week on its reissue in 2020.
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