Billboard 200

The Billboard 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 highest-ranking music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists. Often, a recording act will be remembered by its "number ones", those of their albums that outperformed all others during at least one week.

The chart is based mostly on sales (both at retail and digitally) of albums in the United States. The weekly sales period was originally Monday to Sunday when Nielsen started tracking sales in 1991, but since July 2015, tracking week begins on Friday (to coincide with the Global Release Date of the music industry) and ends on Thursday. A new chart is published the following Tuesday with an issue post-dated to the Saturday of the following week. The chart's streaming schedule is also tracked from Friday to Thursday.[1]

Example:
Friday January 1 – sales tracking week begins
Thursday January 7 – sales tracking week ends
Tuesday January 12 – new chart published, with issue date of Saturday January 23.

New product is released to the American market on Fridays. Digital downloads of albums are also included in Billboard 200 tabulation. Albums that are not licensed for retail sale in the United States (yet purchased in the U.S. as imports) are not eligible to chart. A long-standing policy which made titles that are sold exclusively by specific retail outlets (such as Walmart and Starbucks) ineligible for charting, was reversed on November 7, 2007, and took effect in the issue dated November 17.[2]

Beginning with the December 13, 2014 issue, Billboard updated the methodology of their album chart to also include on-demand streaming and digital track sales (as measured by Nielsen SoundScan) by way of a new algorithm, utilizing data from all of the major on-demand audio subscription services in the United States.[3]

As of the issue dated May 14, 2016, the number-one album on the Billboard 200 is Lemonade by Beyoncé.[4]

History

Billboard began an album chart in 1945. Initially only five positions long, the album chart was not published on a weekly basis, sometimes three to seven weeks passing before it was updated. A biweekly (though with a few gaps), 15-position Best-Selling Popular Albums chart appeared in 1955. With the increase in album sales as the early 1950s format wars stabilized into market dominance by 45 RPM singles and long-playing twelve-inch albums, with 78 RPM record and long-playing ten-inch album sales decreasing dramatically, Billboard premiered a weekly Best-Selling Popular Albums chart on March 24, 1956. The position count varied anywhere from 10 to 30 albums. The first number-one album on the new weekly list was Belafonte by Harry Belafonte. The chart was renamed to Best-Selling Pop Albums later in 1956, and then to Best-Selling Pop LPs in 1957.

Beginning on May 25, 1959, Billboard split the ranking into two charts Best-Selling Stereophonic LPs for stereo albums (30 positions) and Best-Selling Monophonic LPs for mono albums (50 positions). These were renamed to Stereo Action Charts (30 positions) and Mono Action Charts (40 positions) in 1960. In January 1961, they became Action Albums—Stereophonic (15 positions) and Action Albums—Monophonic (25 positions). Three months later, they became Top LPs—Stereo (50 positions) and Top LPs—Monaural (150 positions).

On August 17, 1963 the stereo and mono charts were combined into a 150-position chart called Top LPs. On April 1, 1967, the chart was expanded to 175 positions, then finally to 200 positions on May 13, 1967. In February 1972, the album chart's title was changed to Top LPs & Tape; in 1984 it was retitled Top 200 Albums; in 1985 it was retitled again to Top Pop Albums; in 1991 it became The Billboard 200 Top Albums; and it was given its current title of The Billboard 200 on March 14, 1992.

Catalog albums

In 1960, Billboard began concurrently publishing album charts which ranked sales of older or mid-priced titles. These Essential Inventory charts were divided by stereo and mono albums, and featured titles that had already appeared on the main stereo and mono album charts. Mono albums were moved to the Essential Inventory—Mono chart (25 positions) after spending 40 weeks on the Mono Action Chart, and stereo albums were moved to the Essential Inventory—Stereo chart (20 positions) after 20 weeks on the Stereo Action Chart.

In January 1961, the Action Charts became Action Albums—Monophonic (24 positions), and Action Albums—Stereophonic (15 positions). Albums appeared on either chart for up to nine weeks, then were moved to an Essential Inventory list of approximately 200 titles, with no numerical ranking. This list continued to be published until the consolidated Top LPs chart debuted in 1963.

In 1982, Billboard began publishing a Midline Albums chart (alternatively titled Midline LPs) which ranked older or mid-priced titles. The chart held 50 positions and was published on a bi-weekly (and later tri-weekly) basis.

On May 25, 1991, Billboard premiered the Top Pop Catalog Albums chart. The criteria for this chart were albums that were more than 18 months old and had fallen below position 100 on the Billboard 200.[5] An album needed not have charted on the Billboard 200 at all to qualify for catalog status.

Starting with the issue dated December 5, 2009, however, the catalog limitations which removed albums over 18 months old, that have dropped below position 100 and have no currently-running single, from the Billboard 200 was lifted, turning the chart into an all-inclusive list of the 200 highest-selling albums in the country (essentially changing Top Comprehensive Albums into the Billboard 200). A new chart that keeps the previous criteria for the Billboard 200 (dubbed Top Current Albums) was also introduced in the same issue.[6]

Holiday albums

Billboard has adjusted its policies for Christmas[7] and holiday[7] albums several times. The albums were eligible for the main album charts until 1963, when a Christmas Albums list was created. Albums appearing here were not listed on the Top LPs chart. In 1974, this rule was reverted and holiday albums again appeared within the main list.

In 1983, the Christmas Albums chart was resurrected, but a title's appearance here did not disqualify it from appearing on the Top Pop Albums chart. In 1994 the chart was retitled Top Holiday Albums. As of 2009 the chart holds 50 positions and is run for several weeks during the end-of-calendar-year holiday season. Its current policy allows holiday albums to concurrently chart on the Top Holiday Albums list and the Billboard 200.

Incorporation of streaming data and track sales

Beginning with the December 13, 2014 issue, Billboard updated the methodology of its album chart again, changing from a "pure sales-based ranking" to one measuring "multi-metric consumption".[3] With this overhaul, the Billboard 200 includes on-demand streaming and digital track sales (as measured by Nielsen SoundScan) by way of a new algorithm, utilizing data from all of the major on-demand audio subscription services including Spotify, Beats Music, Google Play and Xbox Music. Under the new methodology, ten track sales or 1,500 song streams from an album are treated as equivalent to one purchase of the album. Billboard will continue to publish a pure album sales chart, called Top Album Sales, that maintains the traditional Billboard 200 methodology, based exclusively on SoundScan's sales data.[3]

Nielsen SoundScan

Since May 25, 1991, the Billboard 200's positions have been derived from Nielsen SoundScan sales data, as of 2008 contributed by approximately 14,000 music sellers. Because these numbers are supplied by a subset of sellers rather than record labels, it is common for these numbers to be substantially lower than those reported by the Recording Industry Association of America when Gold, Platinum and Diamond album awards are announced (RIAA awards reflect wholesale shipments, not retail sales).

Year-end charts

Billboard's "chart year" runs from the first week of December to the final week in November. This altered calendar allows for Billboard to calculate year-end charts and release them in time for its final print issue in the last week of December. Prior to Nielsen SoundScan, year-end charts were calculated by an inverse-point system based solely on an album's performance on the Billboard 200 (for example, an album would be given one point for a week spent at position 200, two points for a week spent at position 199... up to 200 points for each week spent at number one). Other factors including the total weeks on the chart and at its peak position were calculated into an album's year-end total.

After Billboard began obtaining sales information from Nielsen SoundScan, the year-end charts are now calculated by a very straightforward cumulative total of yearlong sales. This gives a more accurate picture of any given year's best-selling albums, as a title that hypothetically spent nine weeks at number one in March could possibly have sold fewer copies than one spending six weeks at number three in January. Interestingly, albums at the peak of their popularity at the time of the November/December chart-year cutoff many times end up ranked lower than one would expect on a year-end tally, yet are ranked on the following year's chart as well, as their cumulative points are split between the two chart-years.

Uses

The Billboard 200 can be helpful to radio stations as an indication of the types of music listeners are interested in hearing. Retailers can also find it useful as a way to determine which recordings should be given the most prominent display in a store. Other outlets, such as airline music services, also employ the Billboard charts to determine their programming.

Limitations

The chart omits unit sales for listed albums and total recorded sales, making it impossible to determine, for example, if the number-one album this week sold as well as the number-one from the same period in the prior year. It is also impossible to determine the relative success of albums on a single chart; there is no indication of whether the number-one album sold thousands more copies than number 50, or only dozens more. All music genres are combined, but there are separate Billboard charts for individual market segments. The complete sales data broken down by location is made available, but only in the form of separate SoundScan subscriptions.

Artist milestones

Most top-ten albums

Source:[8]

Most number-one albums

Source:[9][10][11]

Most consecutive number-one studio albums

Source:[12][12][13]

Most consecutive studio albums to debut at number-one

Source:[14][15][16]

Most cumulative weeks at number one

Most albums in the top 10 simultaneously

Source:[17]

Most albums in the Top 200 simultaneously

Source:[23]

Album milestones

Most weeks at number one

Most weeks on the chart

Note that totals are for the main albums chart only, catalog chart totals are not factored in.[28]

Biggest jumps to number-one

Biggest drops from number-one

Additional milestones

See also

Sources

References

  1. ↑ Billboard Staff (2015-06-24). "Billboard to Alter Chart Tracking Week for Global Release Date". Billboard. Retrieved 2015-06-24.
  2. ↑ Peters, Mitchell (2007-11-06). "Revised Chart Policy Lands Eagles At No. 1". Billboard. Retrieved 2007-11-06.
  3. 1 2 3 Trust, Gary (2014-11-20). "Billboard 200 Makeover: Album Chart to Incorporate Streams & Track Sales". Billboard. Retrieved 2014-11-20.
  4. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (May 1, 2016). "Beyonce Earns Sixth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart With 'Lemonade". Billboard. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  5. ↑ Peters, Mitchell (2008-01-08). "New Chart Parameters for Billboard, Nielsen SoundScan". Billboard. Retrieved 2008-01-08.
  6. ↑ Trust, Gary (2009-11-17). "Billboard 200 Undergoes Makeover". Billboard. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
  7. 1 2 Taylor, Chuck (2010-06-29). "Billboard Holiday Albums Chart Goes Live Early". Billboard. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
  8. ↑ Trust, Gary (2010-10-28). "Weekly Chart Notes: Elton John, Taylor Swift, Shakira". Billboard. Retrieved 2011-03-11.
  9. 1 2 3 "Barbra Streisand Makes History at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2014-12-01.
  10. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2013-12-11). "Garth Brooks Earns Ninth No. 1 Album, Britney Spears Debuts At No. 4". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-12-11.
  11. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2014-09-23). "Barbra Streisand Makes History at No.1 on Billboard 200". Retrieved 2014-09-23.
  12. 1 2 Chart Beat Thursday: Eminem, Jason Derulo, Cyndi Lauper Billboard. Retrieved February 20, 2012
  13. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2013-12-18). "It's Official: Beyonce Makes History With Fifth No. 1 Album". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  14. ↑ "Metallica Scores Fifth Straight No. 1 Album". Billboard. Retrieved 2012-09-06.
  15. ↑ "Dave Matthews Band Debuts at No. 1". Billboard. Retrieved 2012-09-19.
  16. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2015-08-30). "Disturbed Scores Fifth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2015-08-30.
  17. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (29 February 2012). "Whitney Houston: First Woman With Three Albums in Billboard 200's Top 10". billboard.com. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
  18. 1 2 Nielsen Business Media, Inc (1959-11-16). Billboard Chart 11/16/59. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  19. 1 2 Nielsen Business Media, Inc (1959-11-23). Billboard Chart 11/23/59. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  20. 1 2 Nielsen Business Media, Inc (1959-11-30). Billboard Chart, 11/30/59. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  21. 1 2 Nielsen Business Media, Inc (1959-12-07). Billboard Chart, 12/7/59. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  22. 1 2 Nielsen Business Media, Inc (1959-12-14). Billboard Chart, 12/14/59. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  23. ↑ "Prince Sets Record With Five Albums in Top 10 of Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. May 3, 2016. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  24. 1 2 Caulfield, Keith (January 21, 2016). "Billboard 200 Chart Moves: Classic David Bowie Albums Hit New Highs". billboard.com. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
  25. ↑ "Billboard 200 chart - Week of March 10, 2012". billboard.com. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 22 June 2015. Note: Houston had placed 10 albums on the chart dated 10 March 2012: Whitney: The Greatest Hits (#2), The Bodyguard (#6), Whitney Houston (#9), I Look to You (#16), My Love Is Your Love (#30), I'm Your Baby Tonight (#39), The Triple Feature (#73), The Preacher's Wife Soundtrack (#105), Just Whitney (#126) and Whitney (#133).
  26. ↑ Billboard magazine, issue dated 27 October 1979. Google Books. p. 95,97. Retrieved 2015-05-12.
  27. ↑ "Tour De Force". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 2015-05-11.
  28. ↑ "Pink Floyd's Legendary LP Dark Side Of The Moon Sets A Billboard Chart Record". Billboard. Retrieved 2014-04-05.
  29. ↑ "Pink Floyd Billboard 200 charting history". Billboard. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  30. ↑ "Bob Marley Billboard 200 charting history". Billboard. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  31. ↑ "Journey Billboard 200 charting history". Billboard. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  32. ↑ "Metallica Billboard 200 charting history". Billboard. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  33. ↑ "Guns N' Roses Billboard 200 charting history". Billboard. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  34. ↑ "Carole King Billboard 200 charting history". Billboard. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  35. ↑ "Nirvana Billboard 200 charting history". Billboard. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  36. ↑ "Led Zeppelin Billboard 200 charting history". Billboard. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  37. ↑ "Zac Brown Band Billboard 200 charting history". Billboard. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  38. ↑ "Enigma Billboard 200 charting history". Billboard. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  39. ↑ "Eminem Billboard 200 charting history". Billboard. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
  40. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2011-02-09). "Nicki Minaj Hits No. 1 in 11th Week on Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 2011-02-09.
  41. ↑ "Billboard 200 Chart Moves: Loretta Lynn Earns Her Highest Charting Album Ever With 'Full Circle'". Billboard. 2016-03-18. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
  42. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2011-01-26). "Decemberists' 'The King Is Dead' Tops Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 2011-01-26.
  43. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-01-04). "Adele's '21' Claims 14th Week Atop Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
  44. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2013-01-23). "A$AP Rocky Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-01-23.
  45. 1 2 "Elton Expands 'Captain Fantastic' With Live Tracks". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2014
  46. ↑ Grein, Paul (17 Oct 2008), Chart Watch Extra: The Acts With the Most Top 10 Albums Ever, Yahoo! Music, retrieved 5 Feb 2013
  47. ↑ Grein, Paul (12 Nov 2010), Chart Watch Extra: King's 50-Year Reign, Yahoo! Music, retrieved 15 May 2012
  48. ↑ Conradt, Stacy. "The Quick 10: 10 Billboard Milestones". Mental Floss. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
  49. ↑ Elvis Presley Pop Albums, Elvis Presley, retrieved 15 May 2012
  50. 1 2 "Billboard's Number One Albums of the Rock Era, Pt. 1 (1956–1995)". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 2011-02-20.
  51. ↑ Cohen, Ronald (2002). Rainbow Quest: the folk music revival and American society, 1940-1970. University of Massachusetts Press. p. 132. ISBN 1-55849-348-4.
  52. ↑ Fink, Matt. "Review of Here We Go Again". AllMusic Guide. Retrieved March 19, 2010.
  53. ↑ Rubeck, Shaw, Blake et al., The Kingston Trio On Record (Naperville IL: KK Inc, 1986), p. 37 ISBN 978-0-9614594-0-6
  54. ↑ "Britney Spears Sells 609,000 Copies Of 'In The Zone'". Yahoo! Music. December 1, 2003. Retrieved 2011-02-07.
  55. ↑ "Britney Earns (Another) Guinness World Record". Britney.com. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
  56. ↑ Leona Lewis Makes Big Splash Atop Billboard 200 Billboard. Retrieved 2012-03-21
  57. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-03-21). "One Direction Makes History With No. 1 Debut on Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 2012-03-21.
  58. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2009-07-01). "Michael Jackson Breaks Billboard Charts Records". Billboard. Retrieved 2009-07-01.
  59. ↑ "Michael Jackson's music tops charts". CNN. 2009-07-01. Retrieved 2009-07-01.
  60. ↑ Adam Lambert's 'Trespassing' Is First Album From An Openly Gay Male Artist To Top The Billboard Charts. Starpulse.com (2012-05-23). Retrieved 2013-08-18.
  61. ↑ Gary Trust. "Ask Billboard: Indies, No. 2 Hits & Teddy Pendergrass".
  62. ↑ Trust, Gary (February 3, 2011). "Weekly Chart Notes: Amos Lee, Far*East Movement, Kelly Clarkson". Retrieved February 8, 2011.
  63. ↑ Gael Fashingbauer Cooper (June 15, 2014). Casey Kasem's 'American Top 40' reached for the stars. NBC News. Retrieved June 15, 2014. "An unparalleled storyteller, Kasem loved to drop a teasing question about a song or a band, then cut to commercial, making his trivia so tantalizing that listeners just had to stay tuned to find out the answer. (...) Who had the most No. 1 albums without a Top 40 single? (Comic and mood-music expert Jackie Gleason, at least at the time.)"
  64. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2013-12-18). "It's Official: Beyonce Makes History With Fifth No. 1 Album". Billboard. Retrieved 2013-12-18.
  65. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2014-11-26). "One Direction's 'Four' Makes Historic No. 1 Debut on Billboard 200 Chart". Retrieved 2014-11-26.

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