badrobot
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Post by badrobot on Dec 7, 2009 16:42:24 GMT -5
Holidayguy often mentions the age bias in the US, I was wondering if there is a list of all artists that have had #1 singles who are 40 or older? Here's what I can think of:
Peabo Bryson "A Whole New World (41)
Madonna "Music" (42)
Elton John "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" (44)
Meat Loaf "I'd Do Anything for Love (but I Won't Do That)" (46)
Elton John "Candle in the Wind 1997/Something About the Way You Look Tonight" (50)
Aerosmith "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" (Steven Tyler: 50, others probably 40+ as well)
Cher "Believe" (52)
Santana "Smooth" (52)
Santana "Maria Maria" (52)
I can't find the ages for the Los Del Rio members, but I think they were over 40.
I went back to 1991 and then got tired of checking, but I'm sure there are a few more.
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WotUNeed
2x Platinum Member
Deacon Blues
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Post by WotUNeed on Dec 7, 2009 16:54:58 GMT -5
Oldest is Louis Armstrong at age 63 when "Hello, Dolly!" hit the top. Frank Sinatra was 50-something when "Somethin' Stupid" topped the chart. Rod Stewart and Sting were in their 40s when "All for Love" went to the top. (Bryan Adams was only 30-something.)
EDIT: Tina Turner (What's Love Got to Do With It) and Paul McCartney (Say Say Say) would also make this list.
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badrobot
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Post by badrobot on Dec 7, 2009 16:59:17 GMT -5
Sting "All for Love" (42)
Rod Stewart "All for Love" (49)
Frank Sinatra "Somethin' Stupid" (51)
Louis Armstrong "Hello Dolly" (63)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2009 12:19:26 GMT -5
Albums with over 400k sold:
2008
(1) E=MC - Mariah Carey - 463
(1) Here I Stand - Usher - 443
(1) Tha Carter III - Lil' Wayne - 1.006
(1) Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends - Coldplay - 721
(1) Little Bit Longer - Jonas Brothers - 525
(1) Death Magnetic - Metallica - 490
(1) Paper Trail - T.I. - 568
(1) Blck Ice - AC/DC - 784
(1) Fearless - Taylor Swift - 592
(1) I Am... Sasha Fierce - Beyonce - 482
(1) 808s & Heartbreak - Kanye West - 450
(1) Circus - Britney Spears - 505
2009
(1) No Line on the Horizon - U2 - 484
(1) Relapse - Eminem - 606
(1) Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King - Dave Matthews Band - 424
(1) The Blueprint 3 - Jay Z - 476
(1) I Dreamed A Dream - Susan Boyle - 701
(1) I Dreamed A Dream - Susan Boyle - 527
(2) My Christmas - Andrea Bocelli - 428
(1) I Dreamed A Dream - Susan Boyle - 582
(2) My Christmas - Andrea Bocelli - 400
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Post by areyoureadytojump on Dec 16, 2009 13:23:21 GMT -5
^Thanks.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 23, 2009 16:23:44 GMT -5
Albums with over 400k sold:
2009
(1) No Line on the Horizon - U2 - 484
(1) Relapse - Eminem - 606
(1) Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King - Dave Matthews Band - 424
(1) The Blueprint 3 - Jay Z - 476
(1) I Dreamed A Dream - Susan Boyle - 701
(1) I Dreamed A Dream - Susan Boyle - 527
(2) My Christmas - Andrea Bocelli - 428
(1) I Dreamed A Dream - Susan Boyle - 582
(2) My Christmas - Andrea Bocelli - 400
(1) I Dreamed A Dream - Susan Boyle - 661
(2) The Element Of Freedom - Alicia Keys - 417
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2009 11:54:21 GMT -5
Most Chart hits by decade
00s Lil Wayne 50
90s Madonna 25
80s Prince 26
70s James Brown 36
60s Elvis Presly 72, Beatles 62, Ray Charles 59, James Brown 54
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badrobot
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Post by badrobot on Jan 4, 2010 1:55:36 GMT -5
Updated the 40+ yo list:
John Lennon "(Just Like) Starting Over" (he would have been 40)
Charlie Rich "The Most Beautiful Girl" (41)
Peabo Bryson "A Whole New World (41)
Paul McCartney "Say Say Say" (41)
Madonna "Music" (42)
Sting "All for Love" (42)
Paul Mauriat "Love is Blue" (42)
Elton John "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" (44)
Tina Tuner "What's Love Got to Do With It" (44)
George Harrison "Got My Mind Set On You" (45)
Henry Mancini "Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet" (45)
Meat Loaf "I'd Do Anything for Love (but I Won't Do That)" (46)
Sammy Davis Jr. "The Candy Man" (46)
Chuck Berry "My Ding-a-Ling" (46)
Dean Martin "Everybody Loves Somebody" (47)
Rod Stewart "All for Love" (49)
Lorne Greene "Ringo" (49)
Elton John "Candle in the Wind 1997/Something About the Way You Look Tonight" (50)
Aerosmith "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" (Steven Tyler: 50, others probably 40+ as well)
Frank Sinatra "Strangers in the Night" (50)
Percy Faith "Theme From A Summer Place" (51)
Frank Sinatra "Somethin' Stupid" (51)
David Rose "The Stripper" (52)
Cher "Believe" (52)
Santana "Smooth" (52)
Santana "Maria Maria" (52)
Lawrence Welk "Calcutta" (57)
Louis Armstrong "Hello Dolly" (62)
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Post by chartattack on Jan 5, 2010 8:08:19 GMT -5
The Singing Nun was 30, NOT 40.
I'd also add:
C.W. McCall "Convoy" (47).
Johnny Mathis "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late" (42).
Frankie Valli "Grease" (41).
Herb Alpert "Rise" (44).
Kenny Rogers "Lady" (42) and "Islands In The Stream" (45).
Dionne Warwick "That's What Friends Are For" (45).
Patti LaBelle "On My Own" (41).
Peter Cetera "Glory Of Love" (41) and "The Next Time I Fall" (42).
Billy Vera "At This Moment" (42).
Aretha Franklin "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (44).
Bob Seger "Shakedown" (42).
Bill Medley (47) and Jennifer Warnes (40) "(I've Had) The Time Of My Life"
Steve Winwood "Roll With It" (40).
Bette Midler "Wind Beneath My Wings (43).
Billy Joel "We Didn't Start The Fire (40).
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badrobot
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Posts: 3,388
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Post by badrobot on Jan 5, 2010 10:21:38 GMT -5
Thanks for the correction and adding a few more. As I got to the early 70s I ran out of steam, especially since it becomes clear that ageism was far less a factor in the past.
If you look at the past 20 years you end up with a very short list of 11 artists (and actually only 10 songs, considering Rod Steward and Sting were sharing credit on "All For Love"). And of those, half were collaborations with under-40 artists (marked with asterisk).
Peabo Bryson "A Whole New World (41)*
Madonna "Music" (42)
Sting "All for Love" (42)*
Elton John "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" (44)*
Meat Loaf "I'd Do Anything for Love (but I Won't Do That)" (46)
Rod Stewart "All for Love" (49)*
Elton John "Candle in the Wind 1997/Something About the Way You Look Tonight" (50)
Aerosmith "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" (Steven Tyler: 50, others probably 40+ as well)
Cher "Believe" (52)
Santana "Smooth" (52)*
Santana "Maria Maria" (52)*
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2010 15:40:33 GMT -5
Thanks for the correction and adding a few more. As I got to the early 70s I ran out of steam, especially since it becomes clear that ageism was far less a factor in the past. If you look at the past 20 years you end up with a very short list of 11 artists (and actually only 10 songs, considering Rod Steward and Sting were sharing credit on "All For Love"). And of those, half were collaborations with under-40 artists (marked with asterisk). Peabo Bryson "A Whole New World (41)* Madonna "Music" (42) Sting "All for Love" (42)* Elton John "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" (44)* Meat Loaf "I'd Do Anything for Love (but I Won't Do That)" (46) Rod Stewart "All for Love" (49)* Elton John "Candle in the Wind 1997/Something About the Way You Look Tonight" (50) Aerosmith "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" (Steven Tyler: 50, others probably 40+ as well) Cher "Believe" (52) Santana "Smooth" (52)* Santana "Maria Maria" (52)* The baby boomers, whose reign on the Hot 100 really started back in the 60's, were still going pretty strong, albeit, considerably older, up through the 1980's, that's why there are so many #1 songs by 40+ year olds through that decade. But things changed beginning in the 90's, the boomers finally dropped out and were replaced by a younger generation, and the charts have belonged pretty much to the younger artists ever since, with occasional exceptions like Cher, or Santana. |
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Hotlantan
Charting
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Posts: 179
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Post by Hotlantan on Jan 7, 2010 9:56:38 GMT -5
Forever Your Girl is the debut album from singer Paula Abdul. It was released on June 13, 1988 and took 62 weeks from its release to hit number one on the Billboard 200 album sales chart, the longest an album has been on the market before hitting number one.
The Fame is the debut studio album by American pop recording artist Lady Gaga. It was released on August 19, 2008 and has currently charted on the Billboard Top 200 for 62 weeks reaching a new peak this week at #2. If the album moves up one more place, it will break Paula Abdul's 20 year old record.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2010 10:00:20 GMT -5
and a footnote to that:
Number Ones by Michael Jackson was released in 2003. It was the best selling album of the week for 6 weeks in 2009. On the market a full 6 years (or 300 or so weeks) before accomplishing that.
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badrobot
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Posts: 3,388
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Post by badrobot on Jan 7, 2010 10:07:36 GMT -5
Forever Your Girl is the debut album from singer Paula Abdul. It was released on June 13, 1988 and took 62 weeks from its release to hit number one on the Billboard 200 album sales chart, the longest an album has been on the market before hitting number one. The Fame is the debut studio album by American pop recording artist Lady Gaga. It was released on August 19, 2008 and has currently charted on the Billboard Top 200 for 62 weeks reaching a new peak this week at #2. If the album moves up one more place, it will break Paula Abdul's 20 year old record. Except the "O Brother Where Art Thou" soundtrack broke that record 8 years ago already with its 63 week climb. |
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Post by areyoureadytojump on Jan 7, 2010 16:59:13 GMT -5
MOST TOP 10 ALBUMS ON THE BILLBOARD 200
Rolling Stones 36
Frank Sinatra 32
The Beatles 30
Barbra Streisand 30 "Love Is The Answer"
Elvis Presley 27
Bob Dylan 18
Madonna 18 "Celebration"
Paul McCartney 17
Johnny Mathis 16
Elton John 16
Bruce Springsteen 16
Neil Diamond 16 "Hot August Night"
George Strait 16 "Twang"
Mariah Carey 15 "Memoirs..."
Kingston Trio 14
Mitch Miler 14
Garth Brooks 14
Prince 14
Dave Matthews 14 "Big Whiskey..."
Rod Stewart 14 "Soulbook"
The Beach Boys 13
Van Halen 13
Tim McGraw 13 "Southern Voice"
Eric Clapton 12
Ray Coniff 12
Andy Williams 12
Chicago 12
Jay Z 12 "The Blueprint 3"
R Kelly 12 "Untitled"
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2010 2:26:45 GMT -5
Shameless Plug: Taylor Swift's Fearless logs its 52nd week in the top 10 on The Billboard 200. It's one of only 18 albums to spend a full year in the top 10 since 1963, when Billboard combined its separate mono and stereo surveys into one comprehensive chart. On Friday, I'll have a Chart Watch Extra in which I count them down. The list couldn't be more eclectic, running the gamut from Doctor Zhivago to Appetite For Destruction. Check it out on Friday. Here's the low-down on this week's top 10 albums. Why wait until Friday Here is the list that he is referring to. The 18 longest running albums on the Billboard 200 top 10 1 109 SOUND OF MUSIC SOUNDTRACK 2 78 THRILLER MICHAEL JACKSON (13 weeks in the top 10 on the comprehensive chart bumps this to #2 - but for the purists out there I kept the original 78) 3 84 BORN IN THE U.S.A. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 4 78 HYSTERIA DEF LEPPARD 5 72 JAGGED LITTLE PILL ALANIS MORISSETTE 6 71 DOCTOR ZHIVAGO SOUNDTRACK 7 64 FOREVER YOUR GIRL PAULA ABDUL 8 61 FALLING INTO YOU CELINE DION 9 61 WHIPPED CREAM & OTHER DELIGHTS HERB ALPERT'S TIJUANA BRASS 10 59 CAN'T SLOW DOWN LIONEL RICHIE 11 55 CRACKED REAR VIEW HOOTIE & THE BLOWFISH 12 53 COME ON OVER SHANIA TWAIN 13 52 RUMORS FLEETWOOD MAC 14 52 APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION GUNS N' ROSES 15 52 PLEASE HAMMER DON'T HURT 'EM M.C. HAMMER 16 52 FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE! PETER FRAMPTON 17 52 WILSON PHILLIPS WILSON PHILLIPS 18 52 FEARLESS TAYLOR SWIFT |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2010 23:44:42 GMT -5
Hot 100/Hot 100 Airplay longest running songs in the top 10
1958 - present
32 HOW DO I LIVE LEANN RIMES
32*-AIR TORN NATALIE IMBRUGLIA
30 SMOOTH SANTANA FEATURING ROB THOMAS
28 YOU WERE MEANT FOR ME\FOOLISH GAMES JEWEL
26 TRULY MADLY DEEPLY SAVAGE GARDEN
25*-AIR 3 A.M. MATCHBOX 20
25 APOLOGIZE TIMBALAND FEATURING ONE REPUBLIC
25 THE TWIST CHUBBY CHECKER
25 UN-BREAK MY HEART TONI BRAXTON
24 WHOOMP! (THERE IT IS) TAG TEAM
24 YEAH USHER FEATURING LUDACRIS & LIL JON
24 DOWN JAY SEAN FEATURING LIL' WAYNE
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Tea-why
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Posts: 3,643
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Post by Tea-why on Jan 18, 2010 8:23:33 GMT -5
"How Do I Live" was a phenomenon!
Do you know how many weeks "Iris" was in the top-10 on Hot 100 Airplay?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2010 13:12:45 GMT -5
I missed a few, thanks. I had attempted to only include songs ineligible for the Hot 100 (even then I missed one)
But anyway, here is a more complete airplay list (let me know if I missed any)
Hot 100 airplay - only -- longest run in the top 10 1991-present
Torn,Natalie Imbruglia 32
Iris,Goo Goo Dolls 29
Truly Madly Deeply,Savage Garden 29
Missing,Everything But The Girl 28
No One, Alicia Keys 28
Don't Speak, No Doubt 28
Smooth,Santana Featuring Rob Thomas 28
I Love You Always Forever,Donna Lewis 27
Slide,Goo Goo Dolls 27
Another Night, Real McCoy 26
Name,Goo Goo Dolls 26
Where My Girls At?, 702 26
3AM, matchbox20 25
Apologize, Timbaland Feat. OneRepublic 25
Fly, SugarRay 25
Nobody Knows, The Tony Rich Project 25
Semi-CharmedLife,Third Eye Blind 25
Un-Break My Heart, Toni Braxton 25
We Belong Together,Mariah Carey 25
I Don't Want To Wait,Paula Cole 24
I Wanna Know, Joe 24
Low,Flo Rida Feat. T-Pain 24
Only Wanna Be With You ,Hootie & The Blowfish 24
Walkin' On The Sun,Smash Mouth 24
Yeah!, Usher 24
You Belong With Me,Taylor Swift 24
You Were Meant For Me ,Jewel 24
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Tea-why
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Post by Tea-why on Jan 19, 2010 13:39:02 GMT -5
Very cool. Thanks 2m. I'm happy to see Real McCoy on that list  |
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Young Money
7x Platinum Member
IT'S YOUNG MULAH BAYBAHHHHHHHHH!
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Posts: 7,035
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Post by Young Money on Jan 20, 2010 11:14:38 GMT -5
Iris  That was robbed of a #1 Hot 100. It would probably have the most weeks at #1 on the Hot 100 if there rules were different. It was #1 on Airplay for like 18 weeks or more |
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Young Money
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IT'S YOUNG MULAH BAYBAHHHHHHHHH!
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Post by Young Money on Jan 20, 2010 11:15:00 GMT -5
And wow, the Goo Goo Dolls used to be such powerhouses. :O
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badrobot
3x Platinum Member
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Post by badrobot on Jan 24, 2010 3:01:46 GMT -5
Iris That was robbed of a #1 Hot 100. It would probably have the most weeks at #1 on the Hot 100 if there rules were different. It was #1 on Airplay for like 18 weeks or more Well, to be fair, EBTG spent 28 weeks in the top ten with "Missing" (just one week less than "Iris") with a single available and never hit #1, so it's entirely possible Iris wouldn't have hit #1 either. Giant airplay hits often rely on longevity rather than a high peak... |
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Post by KeepDeanWeird on Feb 1, 2010 22:05:35 GMT -5
Wow at fact that "IDWTW" spent 24 weeks in airplay Top 10, but peaked at 11 on HOT 100!
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Post by areyoureadytojump on Feb 4, 2010 20:39:03 GMT -5
MOST TOP 10 ALBUMS ON THE BILLBOARD 200
Rolling Stones 36
Frank Sinatra 32
The Beatles 30
Barbra Streisand 30 "Love Is The Answer"
Elvis Presley 27
Bob Dylan 18
Madonna 18 "Celebration"
Paul McCartney 17
Johnny Mathis 16
Elton John 16
Bruce Springsteen 16
Neil Diamond 16 "Hot August Night"
George Strait 16 "Twang"
Mariah Carey 15 "Memoirs..."
Kingston Trio 14
Mitch Miler 14
Garth Brooks 14
Prince 14
Dave Matthews 14 "Big Whiskey..."
Rod Stewart 14 "Soulbook"
The Beach Boys 13
Van Halen 13
Tim McGraw 13 "Southern Voice"
Eric Clapton 12
Ray Coniff 12
Andy Williams 12
Chicago 12
Jay Z 12 "The Blueprint 3"
R Kelly 12 "Untitled"
Barry Manilow "The Greatest Love Songs Of All Time"
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Post by dbt88 on Feb 17, 2010 14:52:05 GMT -5
Wow at fact that "IDWTW" spent 24 weeks in airplay Top 10, but peaked at 11 on HOT 100! Yeah, I noticed it too. But the song charted more than 50 weeks on Hot 100, and ranked #10 in the Year-End. One of those songs that probably had massive airplay but lagged on sales. |
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Post by areyoureadytojump on Feb 26, 2010 14:49:37 GMT -5
3/6/10 charts at Billboard.com:
ABOUT 'FACE': Mariah Carey begins at the Hot 100's anchor spot, as "Up Out My Face," featuring Nicki Minaj, arrives at No. 100. Carey has now debuted at either the chart's first or last position five times, making three bows at No. 1 ("Fantasy," "One Sweet Day" and "Honey") and two at No. 100, where "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time" opened in 2008. (Fittingly, Carey's contribution to the "2010 AT&T Team USA Soundtrack" is a new song entitled "100%").
"Up Out My Face" marks Carey's 42nd Hot 100 charted entry, lifting her past Barbra Streisand into a solo share of sixth place for most Hot 100 hits among women in the chart's archives.
Here is a look at the solo female artists who have made the most visits to the Hot 100, followed by the dates of their first charted songs:
73, Aretha Franklin (March 4, 1961)
56, Dionne Warwick (Dec. 8, 1962)
55, Madonna (Oct. 29, 1983)
53, Connie Francis (Dec. 2, 1957)
48, Brenda Lee (March 2, 1957)
42, Mariah Carey (June 2, 1990)
41, Barbra Streisand (April 4, 1964)
40, Diana Ross (April 25, 1970)
39, Janet Jackson (Dec. 18, 1982)
39, Whitney Houston (June 9, 1984)
39, Mary J. Blige (June 20, 1992)
On R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, "Up Out My Face" becomes Carey's 38th top 40 title, pushing 41-39.
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kelly7898
Bubbling Under
Joined: March 2010
Posts: 1
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Post by kelly7898 on Mar 23, 2010 1:29:02 GMT -5
I usually try to post lists as they become relevant in a given week. Like most top 10 hits or most weeks in the top 10, etc. Many lists, I have posted several times in the weekly chart threads but get buried quickly when I go to do an update so I have to re-post. Now that the chart threads have been separated, I could probably do more of these. Here is the first list: Since Linkin Park is set to open with 550K next week, easily making it the biggest sales week of the year for a single album, here is the top 10 thus far: 2/17/2007 NOT TOO LATE NORAH JONES 405,031 4/14/2007 LET IT GO TIM MCGRAW 325,009 5/5/2007 BEST DAMN THING AVRIL LAVIGNE 286,358 2/24/2007 INFINITY ON HIGH FALL OUT BOY 259,674 5/19/2007 BECAUSE OF YOU NE-YO 251,264 2/24/2007 NOT TOO LATE NORAH JONES 235,687 4/14/2007 NOW 24 VARIOUS ARTISTS 229,998 4/21/2007 NOW 24 VARIOUS ARTISTS 213,180 5/19/2007 CALL ME IRRESPONSIBLE MICHAEL BUBLE 212,070 3/3/2007 NOT TOO LATE NORAH JONES 210,861 Thank you for the post. Hi guys, Im a newbie. Nice to join this forum. _________________ Watch How To Train Your Dragon Online Free |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 23, 2010 1:30:44 GMT -5
Welcome, glad to have you here
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2010 14:30:42 GMT -5
Chart Watch Extra: The All-Time Record-Holders
Posted Wed Mar 17, 2010 1:12pm PDT by Paul Grein in Chart Watch
This week marks the 65th anniversary of Billboard's first album chart. The chart was just a top 10 listing when it first appeared in the issue dated March 24, 1945. It expanded to its current 200 positions in 1967.
Like just about every top 10 that has followed in the past 65 years, that first top 10 featured a mix of legends (Glenn Miller, Judy Garland, Tommy Dorsey) and hit-makers that had just a brief time in the spotlight. (Does anybody out there remember orchestra leader Mark Warnow or the "boogie woogie" piano duo of Pete Johnson and Albert Ammons? I didn't think so.)
To get the party started, here are 20 all-time record-holders from the past 65 years. I also identify the two closest runners-up.
The first six categories are open to all artists. The next six are divided by musical genre. Carving 65 years of music into genres is something only a fool would attempt. Naturally, I couldn't resist. As you might imagine, I have a fair amount of Fine Print after the list.
The Beatles: The artist with the most #1 albums. The Fab Four had 19 #1 albums from Meet The Beatles! in 1964 to 1 in 2000-2001. Runners-up: Jay-Z (11) and Elvis Presley (10). The Beatles also had the most weeks at #1 (132).
Frank Sinatra: The artist with the most top 10 albums. Ol' Blue Eyes had 40 top 10 albums from The Voice Of Frank Sinatra in 1946 to Nothing But The Best in 2008. Runners-up: The Rolling Stones (36) and the Beatles and Barbra Streisand (30 each). Sinatra also had the longest span of top five albums (62 years and two months).
Elvis Presley: The artist with the most chart albums. The King of Rock and Roll has charted with 121 albums, from Elvis Presley in 1956 to three albums just last month. Runners-up: Frank Sinatra (86) and Johnny Mathis (72). Presley also had the longest span of #1 albums (46 years and six months).
Stevie Wonder: The youngest solo artist with a #1 album. The future Motown legend was 13 years and three months old when Little Stevie Wonder/The 12 Year Old Genius hit #1 in August 1963. Key song: "Fingertips-Pt 2." Runners-up: LeAnn Rimes (14 years and six months) and Miley Cyrus (14 years and eight months). See The Fine Print.
Bob Dylan: The oldest artist with a #1 album. The rock legend was just one week shy of 68 when Together Through Life hit #1 in May 2009. Key song: "Beyond Here Lies Nothin.'" Runners-up: Barbra Streisand (67 and six months) and Neil Diamond (67 and four months).
Pink Floyd's The Dark Side Of The Moon: The album with the most weeks on the chart. The rock classic has logged 754 weeks on the chart from March 1973 to this very week. Key hit: "Money." Runners-up: Johnny Mathis' Johnny's Greatest Hits (490 weeks) and the My Fair Lady cast album, with Julie Andrews, (480 weeks).
Michael Jackson's Thriller: The pop album with the most weeks at #1. Jackson's genre-bridging blockbuster was #1 for 37 weeks in 1983-1984. Key hits: "Billie Jean" and "Beat It." Runners-up: Harry Belafonte's Calypso (31 weeks) and Bee Gees' Saturday Night Fever soundtrack (24 weeks).
Fleetwood Mac's Rumours: the rock album with the most weeks at #1. The hit-laden album was on top for 31 weeks in 1977-1978. Key hits: "Dreams" and "Don't Stop." Runners-up: Prince & the Revolution's Purple Rain soundtrack (24 weeks) and the Police's Synchronicity (17 weeks).
Usher's Confessions: the R&B album with the most weeks at #1. The blockbuster was #1 for nine weeks in 2004. Key hits: "Yeah!" and "Burn." Runners-up: the Ink Spots' The Ink Spots (seven weeks) and Bobby Brown's Don't Be Cruel and Janet Jackson's janet. (six weeks each). See The Fine Print.
M.C. Hammer's Please Hammer Don't Hurt Em: The rap or hip-hop album with the most weeks at #1. Hammer hammered the competition for 21 weeks in 1990. Key hits: "U Can't Touch This" and "Pray." Runners-up: Vanilla Ice's To The Extreme (16 weeks) and Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP (eight weeks).
Garth Brooks' Ropin' The Wind: the country album with the most weeks at #1. The album was on top for 18 weeks in 1991-1992. Key hits: "Shameless" and "What's She Doing Now." Runners-up: Billy Ray Cyrus' Some Gave All (17 weeks) and Taylor Swift's Fearless (11 weeks). See The Fine Print.
The King Cole Trio's The King Cole Trio: The jazz album with the most weeks at #1. Cole's album was on top for 12 weeks in 1945. Key song: "It's Only A Paper Moon." Runners-up: Stan Kenton and his Orchestra's A Presentation Of Progressive Jazz and Benny Goodman and his Orchestra's 1937/1938 Jazz Concert No. 2 (eight weeks each).
Various Artists, West Side Story: The soundtrack album with the most weeks at #1. The soundtrack to the Oscar-winning musical was #1 for 54 weeks in 1962-1963. Key songs: "Maria" and "Tonight." "Runners-up: Mario Lanza's The Student Prince and other Great Musical Comedies (42 weeks) and South Pacific (31 weeks).
James Horner, Titanic: The (predominately) instrumental soundtrack with the most weeks at #1. Horner's score for the Oscar-winning disaster flick was #1 for 16 weeks in 1998. Key songs: "Southampton," "My Heart Will Go On." Runners-up: Ernest Gold's Exodus (14 weeks) and Henry Mancini's Breakfast At Tiffany's (12 weeks).
Various Artists, Miami Vice: The TV soundtrack with the most weeks at #1. The album was on top for 11 weeks in 1985-1986. Key hits: Jan Hammer's "Miami Vice Theme" and Glenn Frey's "You Belong To The City." Runners-up: Henry Mancini's The Music From Peter Gunn (10 weeks) and the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour (eight weeks).
Mary Martin/Ezio Pinza, South Pacific: The original cast album with the most weeks at #1. This album from the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical was #1 for 69 weeks from 1949 to 1951. Key song: "Some Enchanted Evening." Runners-up: The Sound Of Music, also starring Martin, (16 weeks) and My Fair Lady, starring Julie Andrews, (15 weeks).
Bing Crosby's Merry Christmas: The Christmas album with the most weeks at #1. This holiday perennial was #1 for 39 weeks from 1945 to 1958. Key hits: "White Christmas" and "I'll Be Home For Christmas." Runners-up: Josh Groban's Noel (five weeks) and Elvis Presley's Elvis' Christmas Album (four weeks).
Bob Newhart's The Button-Down Mind Of Bob Newhart: The comedy album with the most weeks at #1. The stand-up set by the future TV legend was on top for 14 weeks in 1960. Runners-up: Vaughn Meader's JFK parody The First Family (12 weeks) and Allan Sherman's My Son, The Nut (eight weeks).
Judy Garland's Judy At Carnegie Hall: The live album with the most weeks at #1. This classic album was on top for 13 weeks in 1961. Key songs: "Over The Rainbow" and "The Trolley Song." Runners-up: Peter Frampton's Frampton Comes Alive! (10 weeks) and Benny Goodman's 1937/38 Jazz Concert No. 2 (eight weeks).
Glenn Miller and His Orchestra's Glenn Miller: The greatest hits album with the most weeks at #1. The collection topped the chart for 16 weeks from 1945 to 1947. Key hits: "In The Mood" and "Moonlight Serenade." Runners-up: Elton John's Greatest Hits (10 weeks) and Garth Brooks' The Hits and the Beatles' 1 (eight weeks each). Miller's album also had the longest posthumous run at #1. His plane disappeared on a flight over the English Channel in December 1944.
The Fine Print: I adhered to the Grammys' genre classifications of albums. This played a big role in shaping the R&B listing above. The Grammys classified numerous contenders as pop, rather than R&B, including Michael Jackson's Thriller and Bad, Stevie Wonder's Songs In The Key Of Life, Donna Summer's Bad Girls and multiple albums by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. The Grammys classified Prince & the Revolution's Purple Rain as rock.
Ray Charles' 1962 classic Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music logged 14 weeks at #1, which would have made it the third longest-running #1 country album of all time. But I'm classifying it as pop, rather than country. That's because none of the songs from the album (or its hit sequel) cracked the country chart (!), while the album's two classic singles, "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "You Don't Know Me," reached #1 and #2, respectively, on the Hot 100.
On the youngest solo artist to have a #1 album, I didn't count the duo Kris Kross, whose members were 13 and 14 in May 1992 when Totally Krossed Out hit #1. And I didn't count the first Hannah Montana soundtrack, because it wasn't billed as a Miley Cyrus album. Cyrus was 13 years and 11 months old in November 2006 when that soundtrack topped the chart. She had stepped up to front-cover billing nine months later when Hannah Montana 2/Meet Miley Cyrus topped the chart.
What have we learned today? Mary Martin starred in (and Rodgers & Hammerstein composed) the two musicals with the longest-running #1 original cast albums: South Pacific and The Sound Of Music. But Martin didn't land either film role. The parts went instead to Mitzi Gaynor and Julie Andrews. Martin, whose son is Dallas star Larry Hagman, died in 1990.
Henry Mancini died in 1994, but he still has one of the longest-running #1 instrumental soundtracks and one of the longest-running #1 TV soundtracks of all time.
Hat Tip: Joel Whitburn's excellent series of research books made compiling this column much easier (not easy, mind you, but easier!). The two key books that I used this time were The Billboard Albums, 6th Edition and Top Pop Albums & Singles 1940-1954. Joel's website is
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