This Artist's First Album Dominated No. 1 for 14 Weeks Straight

There may appear to be no magic formula for why some musicians are extremely successful almost immediately while others struggle for years before they receive recognition. To become a success, while natural talent is a significant factor, a lot more goes into it than merely having an outstanding voice. Musicians, just like any industry, must rely on networking and marketing, as well as promoting themselves and their work, to make any headway.

For those who do rise to the top, securing a position on the Billboard charts, which is a weekly ranking of how popular a song or album is in the United States and other countries, is a great indication of the impact a song and artist is having. While many bands and solo artists release a few albums before they hit their stride, others nail it almost immediately with their first album, a chart-topping debut that exemplifies their unique sound and solidifies their position in the music world.

24/7 Tempo reviewed data on Billboard 200 chart performance to determine the debut albums that dominated the charts. Debut studio albums released before 2010 were ranked based on an inverse point system wherein a week at No. 1 is worth 200 points, a week at No. 2 is worth 199 points, and so on, up to a week at No. 200 is worth one point.

Debut albums by solo artists who had previously released popular albums as members of a band were not considered. Billboard 200 chart data is current through April 22, 2023. (Here is a list of the 50 greatest pop albums of all time.)

Here are the biggest debut albums of all time

50. Cyndi Lauper, "She's So Unusual"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 4 (for 4 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 97 weeks
Chart debut date: Dec. 24, 1983

49. Christina Aguilera, "Christina Aguilera"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 97 weeks
Chart debut date: Sept. 11, 1999

48. The Mamas & the Papas, "If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 105 weeks
Chart debut date: March 12, 1966

47. Santana, "Santana"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 4 (for 6 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 108 weeks
Chart debut date: Sept. 13, 1969

46. Beastie Boys, "Licensed to Ill"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 7 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 152 weeks
Chart debut date: Nov. 29, 1986

45. Gretchen Wilson, "Here for the Party"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 2 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 102 weeks
Chart debut date: May 29, 2004

44. Florence + The Machine, "Lungs"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 14 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 131 weeks
Chart debut date: Nov. 7, 2009

43. Third Eye Blind, "Third Eye Blind"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 25 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 106 weeks
Chart debut date: April 26, 1997

42. Savage Garden, "Savage Garden"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 3 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 104 weeks
Chart debut date: May 3, 1997

41. Ace Of Base, "The Sign"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 2 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 102 weeks
Chart debut date: Dec. 11, 1993

40. Nelly, "Country Grammar"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 5 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 104 weeks
Chart debut date: July 15, 2000

39. The Cars, "The Cars"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 18 (for 2 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 139 weeks
Chart debut date: July 1, 1978

38. Stone Temple Pilots, "Core"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 3 (for 2 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 117 weeks
Chart debut date: Jan. 9, 1993

37. Van Halen, "Van Halen"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 19 (for 2 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 173 weeks
Chart debut date: March 11, 1978

36. Brooks & Dunn, "Brand New Man"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 10 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 153 weeks
Chart debut date: Sept. 7, 1991

35. Jimi Hendrix, "Are You Experienced?"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 5 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 106 weeks
Chart debut date: Aug. 26, 1967

34. Boston, "Boston"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 3 (for 6 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 138 weeks
Chart debut date: Sept. 25, 1976

33. Creed, "My Own Prison"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 22 (for 2 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 112 weeks
Chart debut date: Oct. 18, 1997

32. The Doors, "The Doors"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 2 (for 2 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 122 weeks
Chart debut date: March 25, 1967

31. Britney Spears, "…Baby One More Time"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 6 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 103 weeks
Chart debut date: Jan. 30, 1999

30. Wilson Phillips, "Wilson Phillips"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 2 (for 10 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 125 weeks
Chart debut date: April 14, 1990

29. Spice Girls, "Spice"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 5 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 105 weeks
Chart debut date: Feb. 22, 1997

28. Mariah Carey, "Mariah Carey"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 11 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 113 weeks
Chart debut date: June 30, 1990

27. Bush, "Sixteen Stone"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 4 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 109 weeks
Chart debut date: Jan. 28, 1995

26. Madonna, "Madonna"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 8 (for 3 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 168 weeks
Chart debut date: Sept. 3, 1983

25. 'N Sync, "'N Sync"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 2 (for 3 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 109 weeks
Chart debut date: April 11, 1998

24. Maroon 5, "Songs About Jane"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 6 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 158 weeks
Chart debut date: May 31, 2003

23. Evanescence, "Fallen"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 3 (for 7 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 114 weeks
Chart debut date: March 22, 2003

22. Jewel, "Pieces Of You"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 4 (for 2 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 114 weeks
Chart debut date: Feb. 17, 1996

21. Lady Antebellum (now Lady A), "Lady Antebellum"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 4 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 148 weeks
Chart debut date: May 3, 2008

20. Boyz II Men, "Cooleyhighharmony"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 3 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 133 weeks
Chart debut date: June 1, 1991

19. matchbox 20, "Yourself or Someone Like You"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 5 (for 2 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 121 weeks
Chart debut date: March 22, 1997

18. Hootie & The Blowfish, "Cracked Rear View"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 8 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 129 weeks
Chart debut date: July 23, 1994

17. Seal, "Seal"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 15 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 181 weeks
Chart debut date: July 20, 1991

16. The Black Crowes, "Shake Your Money Maker"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 4 (for 2 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 167 weeks
Chart debut date: March 24, 1990

15. Chicago, "Chicago Transit Authority"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 17 (for 2 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 171 weeks
Chart debut date: May 17, 1969

14. Paula Abdul, "Forever Your Girl"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 10 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 175 weeks
Chart debut date: July 23, 1988

13. Daughtry, "Daughtry"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 2 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 176 weeks
Chart debut date: Dec. 9, 2006

12. Backstreet Boys, "Backstreet Boys"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 4 (for 2 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 133 weeks
Chart debut date: Aug. 30, 1997

11. Carrie Underwood, "Some Hearts"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 2 (for 2 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 157 weeks
Chart debut date: Dec. 3, 2005

10. Whitney Houston, "Whitney Houston"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 14 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 176 weeks
Chart debut date: March 30, 1985

9. Garth Brooks, "Garth Brooks"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 13 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 224 weeks
Chart debut date: May 12, 1990

8. Norah Jones, "Come Away With Me"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 4 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 165 weeks
Chart debut date: March 16, 2002

7. Linkin Park, "[Hybrid Theory]"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 2 (for 4 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 295 weeks
Chart debut date: Nov. 11, 2000

6. Adele, "19"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 4 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 222 weeks
Chart debut date: June 28, 2008

5. Guns N' Roses, "Appetite for Destruction"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 1 (for 5 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 258 weeks
Chart debut date: Aug. 29, 1987

4. Pearl Jam, "Ten"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 2 (for 4 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 264 weeks
Chart debut date: Jan. 4, 1992

3. Lady Gaga, "The Fame"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 2 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 310 weeks
Chart debut date: Nov. 15, 2008

2. Zac Brown Band, "The Foundation"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 9 (for 1 week)
Total time on Billboard 200: 294 weeks
Chart debut date: Dec. 6, 2008

1. Taylor Swift, "Taylor Swift"

Peak position on Billboard 200: No. 5 (for 2 weeks)
Total time on Billboard 200: 275 weeks
Chart debut date: Nov. 11, 2006