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

How exactly was she sabotaged?

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?

This aged well

Never wrote a thing though tbf 🤷🏻‍♂️

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.

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.

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.

and they have 30 weeks at Number 1, not 29

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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).

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

Thank you.

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.

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.

'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.

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.

Nope

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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

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

Thanks for that spot Brian!

Elvis Forever

I agree with you but...you forgot Bowie

remove madonna

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.

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...

Sure is! Love Ray of Light

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.

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

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.

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.

Cheers! Thanks for correcting it. :)

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

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

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

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.

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

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

.

Too many weeks of boredom

Metallica fan spotted

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

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

god that is a sad statistic