The Billboard 200 measures the commercial performance of the top albums during the weekly tracking period from Friday through Thursday. While the charts used to be determined just by record sales, the evolving technological landscape has prompted Billboard to adjust its methodology in the 21st century.
One of the most significant alterations came in 2014 when Billboard transitioned to a combination of factors including online streams and individual track sales in addition to the traditional album sales that previously made up the entirety of the Billboard 200’s measurement. Now an album sale counts as one album unit. Sales of 10 individual tracks also counts as a unit. And you need 3,750 ad-supported streams or 1,250 paid subscription streams to equal one unit. In 2020 Billboard also started considering streams of music videos on platforms like YouTube.
The record for the most number-one albums is held by The Beatles with 19; they also hold the record for the most number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 with 20. Beatles alum Paul McCartney actually has 27 top albums when you count his solo albums and those he recorded with the band Wings. Jay-Z ranks second with 14 number-one albums, which makes him the top solo artist on the all-time list. Taylor Swift is next with 13 number-ones. Barbra Streisand is the only artist to claim the top spot in six different decades.
Who’s making history this year? See the full list below, updating throughout 2024.
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Eminem, ‘The Death of Slim Shady (Coup De Grace)’
Image Credit: Courtesy of Danny Clinch 1 week at number-one
This is the veteran rapper’s 11th album to reach number-one, tying Bruce Springsteen, Barbra Streisand and Kanye West for the fifth most number-one albums in history.
July 27 — 281,000 album units
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Taylor Swift, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores for Billboard 12 weeks at number-one
This is her 14th career number-one, tying Jay-Z for the most chart-toppers among solo artists. Only The Beatles have more (19). It also achieved the biggest streaming week of all time and dominated the Hot 100 singles chart by occupying all of the top 14 spots. It ultimately became the first album by a woman to spend its first 12 weeks at number-one.
May 4 — 2.61 million album units
May 11 — 439,000 album units
May 18 — 289,000 album units
May 25 — 260,000 album units
June 1 — 378,000 album units
June 8 — 175,000 album units
June 15 — 148,000 album units
June 22 — 128,000 album units
June 29 — 126,000 album units
July 6 — 115,000 album units
July 13 — 114,000 album units
July 20 — 163,000 album units -
Metro Boomin and Future, ‘We Still Don’t Trust You’
Image Credit: Swan Gallet/WWD 1 week at number-one
It’s the 10th number-one album for Future and the fifth for Metro Boomin. It makes Future one of just 10 artists to achieve 10 number-one albums in their career.
April 27 — 127,500 album units
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Beyonce, ‘Cowboy Carter’
Image Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Recording Academy 2 weeks at number-one
This is Beyonce’s eighth number-one album, which places her fourth among women for the most chart-toppers of all time. It also generated the most one-week streams of her entire career. Additionally, she became the first Black woman ever to top the Top Country Albums chart.
April 13 — 407,000 album units
April 20 — 125,500 album units -
Metro Boomin and Future, ‘We Don’t Trust You’
Image Credit: Vanni Bassetti/Getty Images for Dior Homme 1 week at number-one
It’s the ninth number-one album for Future and the fourth for Metro Boomin. It also had the biggest week of Metro Boomin’s career and the second biggest of Future’s career.
April 6 — 251,000 album units
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Ariana Grande, ‘Eternal Sunshine’
Image Credit: Katia Temkin 2 weeks at number-one
It’s the sixth number-one album of Grande’s career, following “Yours Truly,” “My Everything,” “Sweetener,” “Thank U, Next” and “Positions.” It features the Billboard Hot 100 number-one hits “Yes, And?” and “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love).”
March 23 — 227,000 album units
March 30 — 100,500 album units -
Morgan Wallen, ‘One Thing at a Time’
Image Credit: Courtesy of John Shearer 3 weeks at number-one in 2024 (19 weeks total)
This is the longest run at number-one for any album since Adele’s “21” spent 24 nonconsecutive weeks on top. “One Thing at a Time” was recently named Billboard number-one album of 2023. It’s the longest running number-one country album of all time.
January 20 — 61,000 album units
February 10 — 66,000 album units
March 16 — 68,000 album units -
Twice, ‘With You-th’
Image Credit: Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images 1 week at number-one
This is the K-pop girl group’s first number-one album. They’re the third female group in three years to top the chart, following Blackpink and NewJeans.
March 9 — 95,000 album units
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Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign, ‘Vultures 1’
Image Credit: Chelsea Lauren/WWD 2 weeks at number-one
This is the 11th chart topper for Kanye West and the first for Ty Dolla $ign. The album arrived after multiple delays and amid coontroversy after antisemitic statements made by West in the past year.
February 24 — 148,000 album units
March 2 — 75,000 album units -
Toby Keith, ’35 Biggest Hits’
Image Credit: Tammie Arroyo for Variety 1 week at number-one
The country star topped the chart shortly after his death from cancer on February 5. It’s the fifth number-one album for Keith, but it’s his first since 2010.
February 17 — 66,000 album units
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21 Savage, ‘American Dream’
Image Credit: Christopher Polk for PMC 2 weeks at number-one
This is the fourth consecutive number-one album for the rapper, who previously topped the chart with “I Am > I Was,” “Savage Mode II” (with Metro Boomin) and “Her Loss” (with Drake). It achieved his biggest week ever for a non-collaborative album.
January 27 — 133,000 album units
February 3 — 78,000 album units -
Taylor Swift, ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’
Image Credit: Courtesy of Republic Records 2 weeks at number-one in 2024 (6 weeks total)
By spending a fifth week at number-one, “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” extended its record as the longest-running chart topper among Swift’s re-recorded albums. It also secured her 68th total week at number-one on the Billboard 200, more than any other solo artist and second only to The Beatles among all artists.
January 6 — 98,000 album units
January 13 — 64,000 album units
