Swift is the only woman to achieve the feat—and the only artist who released their first album in 1990 or later.
As previously reported, Taylor Swift‘s Folklore tops the Billboard 200 for the fourth week. It’s Swift’s sixth album to log four or more weeks on top of Billboard‘s flagship album chart, which puts her in very exclusive company. Since the Billboard 200 was introduced in March 1956, just four other artists have released six or more albums that spent four or more weeks at No. 1.
Swift is the only woman to achieve the feat—and the only artist who released their first album in 1990 or later. That latter point is significant, because albums aren’t remaining at No. 1 as long as they used to. As a result, this feat is getting harder to accomplish.
Here’s the complete list of artists with six or more albums that each spent four or more weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
The Beatles: Fifteen of the Fab Four’s 19 No. 1 albums spent four or more weeks on top. They are, in descending order of weeks at No. 1, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (15 weeks in 1967), the A Hard Day’s Night soundtrack (14 weeks in 1964), Meet the Beatles! (11 weeks in 1964), Abbey Road (11 weeks in 1969-70), Beatles ’65 (nine weeks in 1965), the Help! soundtrack (nine weeks in 1965), The Beatles (a.k.a. The White Album) (nine weeks in 1968-69), the Magical Mystery Tour soundtrack (eight weeks in 1968), the 1 greatest hits compilation (eight weeks in 2000-01), Beatles VI (six weeks in 1965), Rubber Soul (six weeks in 1966), Revolver (six weeks in 1966), The Beatles’ Second Album (five weeks in 1964), “Yesterday”…And Today (five weeks in 1966) and the Let It Be soundtrack (four weeks in 1970).
Elvis Presley: Six of the King’s 10 No. 1 albums spent four or more weeks on top. They are the Blue Hawaii soundtrack (20 weeks in 1961-62), his debut album Elvis Presley (10 weeks in 1956), the Loving You soundtrack (10 weeks in 1957), the G.I. Blues soundtrack (10 weeks in 1957), Elvis (five weeks in 1956-57) and Elvis’ Christmas Album (four weeks in 1957-58).
The Rolling Stones: Six of The Stones’ nine No. 1 albums spent four or more weeks on top. They are Tattoo You (nine weeks in 1981), Emotional Rescue (seven weeks in 1980), Sticky Fingers (four weeks in 1971), Exile on Main St. (four weeks in 1972), Goats Head Soup (four weeks in 1973) and Black and Blue (four weeks in 1976).
Garth Brooks: Six of Brooks’ nine No. 1 albums spent four or more weeks on top – more than any other country artist. They are Ropin’ the Wind (18 weeks in 1991-92), The Hits compilation album (eight weeks in 1994-95), The Chase (seven weeks in 1992), In Pieces (five weeks in 1993), Sevens (five weeks in 1997-98) and Double Live (five weeks in 1998-99). Ropin’ made history as the first country album to enter the Billboard 200 at No. 1. It is, to this day, the country album with the longest run at No. 1.
Taylor Swift: Six of Swift’s seven No. 1 albums have spent four or more weeks on top. They are Fearless (11 weeks in 2008-09), Red (seven weeks in 2012-13), Speak Now (six weeks in 2010-11), 1989 (five weeks in 2014-15), Reputation (four weeks in 2017-18) and Folklore (four weeks, so far, in 2020).
