Swift is the leading solo artist on the list and the top American artist.
Taylor Swift, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Elvis.
Photos: Gi; Illustration by Lyanne Natividad
Taylor Swift has returned to the top of the Billboard 200 for an eighth week with her album The Life of a Showgirl, boosting her total weeks at No. 1 to 94. This achievement places her second only to The Beatles, who held the No. 1 spot for 132 weeks between 1964 and 2001.
Swift is the highest-ranking solo artist and American on the list of acts with the most weeks at No. 1. Her first album to top the Billboard 200 was Fearless in November 2008, which also won a Grammy for Album of the Year.
Although Elvis Presley’s accomplishments on the Billboard Hot 100 are somewhat limited due to the chart’s launch in 1958, the Billboard 200 reflects his entire career, starting with his debut album entering at No. 11 on March 31, 1956.
If the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack is counted as a Bee Gees album, the group spent 31 weeks at No. 1, but Billboard categorizes it as a multi-artist soundtrack.
Below is a list of artists who have spent 30 or more weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 since March 24, 1956. Ties are listed alphabetically.
Mariah Carey (30 weeks)
Image Credit: Michael Brennan/GI First week at No. 1: March 2, 1991
Most recent week at No. 1: May 10, 2008
Longest-running No. 1: Mariah Carey (11 weeks in 1991)
Notes: All of Carey’s No. 1 albums are studio releases. Her 1994 holiday album, Merry Christmas, peaked at No. 3.
Eagles (30 weeks)
First week at No. 1: July 26, 1975
Most recent week at No. 1: Nov. 17, 2007
Longest-running No. 1: The Long Run (nine weeks in 1979)
Notes: The Long Run lasted one week more at No. 1 than Hotel California. Eagles/Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 is certified 38 times platinum by the RIAA.
Prince (35 weeks)
Image Credit: Richard E. Aaron/Redferns First week at No. 1: Aug. 4, 1984
Most recent week at No. 1: May 7, 2016
Longest-running No. 1: Purple Rain soundtrack (24 weeks in 1984-85)
Notes: Prince’s No. 1 albums include two soundtracks, Purple Rain and Batman. Purple Rain had the longest run at No. 1 of any soundtrack in the 1980s.
