Albums That Stayed at No. 1 the Longest

Published: January 18, 2024 by 24/7 Tempo Staff

It’s quite an achievement to have a No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100, and even more impressive to top the Billboard 200 album chart for a week. But when a musician’s album stays at the top of the Billboard LP listings for weeks, that is another level of greatness.

To determine the albums with the longest stays at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on album performance from Billboard. Albums were ranked based on the number of weeks spent at the No. 1 position on the Billboard 200 slot. Chart data is current through Sept. 9, 2023. (For a more recent list, click here for the most popular albums of 2023.)

Billboard sources its data from Luminate, a company collecting data on music and other entertainment forms. The Billboard 200 reflects multi-metric consumption, meaning album sales, album track equivalent sales (where 10 sold track equal one album unit), and streaming equivalents.

Of individual artists, The Beatles, with four albums, have had more longer-lasting No. 1 LPs than anyone else.

The most prolific female performer on the list is Whitney Houston, with three albums. She may soon be overtaken by the prodigious Taylor Swift, who already has two very long-staying apex albums, both of which entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1.

The top three artists on our list all had No. 1 albums at the top of the Billboard 200 for at least 24 weeks, and they remained on the chart for more than 500 weeks. (Here is a list of the most popular debut albums of all time.)

Here are the albums with the longest stays on the Billboard charts

40. Various Artists, “Miami Vice (Soundtrack)” (1985)

Source: Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 11 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 38 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Oct. 12, 1985 (at No. 28)

39. The Beatles, “Meet the Beatles!” (1964)

Source: Hulton Archive / Archive Photos via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 11 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 74 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Feb. 1, 1964 (at No. 92)

38. Whitney Houston, “Whitney” (1987)

Source: osseous / Flickr

1987 Whitney Houston concert (CC BY 2.0) by osseous

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 11 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 88 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: June 27, 1987 (at No. 1)

37. Mariah Carey, “Mariah Carey” (1990)

Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 11 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 113 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: June 30, 1990 (at No. 80)

36. Taylor Swift, “Fearless” (2008)

Source: Bryan Bedder / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 11 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 261 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Nov. 29, 2008 (at No. 1)

35. The Beatles, “Abbey Road” (1969)

Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Moviepix via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 11 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 489 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Oct. 18, 1969 (at No. 178)

34. Taylor Swift, “1989” (2014)

Source: Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 11 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 454 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Nov. 15, 2014 (at No. 1)

33. Various Artists, “Grease (Soundtrack)” (1978)

Source: Paramount Pictures / Moviepix via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 12 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 80 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: May 20, 1978 (at No. 53)

32. Santana, “Supernatural” (1999)

Source: David Redfern / Redferns via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 12 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 103 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: July 3, 1999 (at No. 19)

31. George Michael, “Faith” (1987)

Source: Sean Gallup / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 12 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 96 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Nov. 21, 1987 (at No. 41)

30. Alanis Morissette, “Jagged Little Pill” (1995)

Source: Jason Kempin / Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 12 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 127 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: July 1, 1995 (at No. 117)

29. Bad Bunny, “Un Verano Sin Ti” (2022)

Source: Gladys Vega / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 13 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 69 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: May 21, 2022 (at No. 1)

28. The Monkees, “The Monkees” (1966)

Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 13 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 102 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Oct. 8, 1966 (at No. 121)

27. Various Artists, “Frozen (Soundtrack)” (2013)

Source: Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 13 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 179 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Dec. 14, 2013 (at No. 18)

26. Original Cast Recording, “Hair” (1968)

Source: Central Press / Stringer / Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 13 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 151 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Aug. 3, 1968 (at No. 159)

25. Drake, “Views” (2016)

Source: Kevin Winter / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 13 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 380 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: May 21, 2016 (at No. 1)

24. The Beatles, “A Hard Day’s Night (Soundtrack)” (1964)

Source: Fox Photos / Hulton Archive via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 14 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 56 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: July 18, 1964 (at No. 12)

23. Stevie Wonder, “Songs in the Key Of Life” (1976)

Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 14 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 82 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Oct. 16, 1976 (at No. 1)

22. Various Artists, “Mary Poppins (Soundtrack)” (1964)

Source: Express / Archive Photos via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 14 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 122 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Oct. 3, 1964 (at No. 140)

21. Whitney Houston, “Whitney Houston” (1985)

Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 14 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 176 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: March 30, 1985 (at No. 166)

20. Morgan Wallen, “One Thing at a Time” (2023)

Source: Jason Davis / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 15 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 26 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: March 18, 2023 (at No. 1)

19. Pink Floyd, “The Wall” (1979)

Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 15 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 158 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Dec. 15, 1979 (at No. 51)

18. REO Speedwagon, “Hi Infidelity” (1980)

Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 15 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 101 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Dec. 13, 1980 (at No. 62)

17. Men At Work, “Business As Usual” (1982)

Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 15 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 90 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: July 3, 1982 (at No. 179)

16. The Beatles, “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” (1967)

Source: John Pratt / Hulton Archive via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 15 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 232 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: June 24, 1967 (at No. 8)

15. Carole King, “Tapestry” (1971)

Source: King Kay / Daily Express / Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 15 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 318 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: April 10, 1971 (at No. 79)

14. Vanilla Ice, “To the Extreme” (1990)

Source: wonker / Flickr

Vanilla Ice (CC BY 2.0) by wonker

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 16 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 67 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Sept. 22, 1990 (at No. 151)

13. Various Artists, “Titanic (Soundtrack)” (1997)

Source: Mike Hewitt / Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 16 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 73 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Dec. 27, 1997 (at No. 154)

12. The Police, “Synchronicity” (1983)

Source: Fin Costello / Redferns via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 17 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 75 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: July 2, 1983 (at No. 17)

11. Billy Ray Cyrus, “Some Gave All” (1992)

Source: Laura Levine / Corbis Historical via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 17 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 97 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: June 6, 1992 (at No. 4)

10. The Monkees, “More of the Monkees” (1967)

Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 18 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 96 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Feb. 4, 1967 (at No. 122)

9. Various Artists, “Dirty Dancing (Soundtrack)” (1987)

Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 18 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 97 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Sept. 19, 1987 (at No. 77)

8. Garth Brooks, “Ropin’ the Wind” (1991)

Source: Vinnie Zuffante / Archive Photos via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 18 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 132 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Sept. 28, 1991 (at No. 1)

7. Whitney Houston, “The Bodyguard (Soundtrack)” (1992)

Source: Vinnie Zuffante / Archive Photos via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 20 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 155 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Dec. 5, 1992 (at No. 2)

6. M.C. Hammer, “Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em” (1990)

Source: vblibrary / Flickr

U Can’t Touch This (CC BY 2.0) by Enokson

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 21 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 108 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: March 10, 1990 (at No. 69)

5. Prince And The Revolution, “Purple Rain (Soundtrack)” (1984)

Source: Warner Bros. / Moviepix via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 24 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 167 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: July 14, 1984 (at No. 11)

4. Various Artists, “Saturday Night Fever (Soundtrack)” (1976)

Source: Vinnie Zuffante / Archive Photos via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 24 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 137 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Dec. 25, 1976 (at No. 124)

3. Adele, “21” (2011)

Source: Sean Gallup / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 24 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 578 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: March 12, 2011 (at No. 1)

2. Fleetwood Mac, “Rumours” (1977)

Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 31 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 543 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Feb. 26, 1977 (at No. 10)

1. Michael Jackson, “Thriller” (1982)

Source: asimzb / Flickr

Thrilling room (CC BY 2.0) by Asim Bijarani

Time at No. 1 on Billboard 200: 37 weeks
Total time on Billboard 200: 588 weeks
Entered Billboard 200: Dec. 25, 1982 (at No. 11)