The state of the UK album charts

[Shoat]

Confirming what a shit show our album sharts are now, the OCC have confirmed the 2024 end-of-year

Only 18 of the 100 were genuine fresh 2024 entries (in red)

Maybe if you were being generous you might also count Noah Kahan and Sabrina Carpenter's "Emails..." which didn't truly break through until this year

For as much as Beyonce dragging out a banjo felt like it was going to be a phenomenon, she has indeed been outperformed by a set of nursery rhymes

Proving the UK loves VARIETY, Taylor Swift has 10 entries. Including two versions of the same 1989 album, neither of which were released this year

It's not even just the GH playlisting that's the problem - a crazy amount of catalogue albums also clogging shit up, but at least Sexy Confident Katy Perry can still claim a little relevance.

1	TAYLOR SWIFT - The Tortured Poets Department
2	THE WEEKND - The Highlights
3	SABRINA CARPENTER - Short N' Sweet
4	NOAH KAHAN - Stick Season
5	BILLIE EILISH - Hit Me Heard And Soft
6	CHAPPELL ROAN - The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess
7	FLEETWOOD MAC - 50 Years - Don't Stop
8	CHARLI XCX - Brat
9	COLDPLAY - Moon Music
10	OLIVIA RODRIGO - Guts
11	OASIS - Time Flies - 1994-2009
12	ELTON JOHN - Diamonds
13	EMINEM - Curtain Call - The Hits
14	ABBA - Gold - Greatest Hits
15	TAYLOR SWIFT - 1989 (Taylor's Version)
16	MICHAEL JACKSON - The Essential
17	TAYLOR SWIFT - Lover
18	OLIVIA RODRIGO - Sour
19	TAYLOR SWIFT - Folklore
20	OASIS - Definitely Maybe
21	ARCTIC MONKEYS - AM
22	TAYLOR SWIFT - Midnights
23	FLEETWOOD MAC - Rumours
24	OASIS - What's The Story Morning Glory
25	QUEEN - Greatest Hits
26	SZA - SOS
27	TAYLOR SWIFT - Reputation
28	POST MALONE - The Diamond Collection
29	ARIANA GRANDE - Eternal Sunshine
30	BOB MARLEY & THE LEGENDS - Legend
31	LINKIN PARK - Papercuts - Singles Collection 2000-2023
32	EMINEM - The Death Of Slim Shady
33	EMINEM - Curtain Call 2
34	TEDDY SWIMS - I've Tried Everything But Therapy
35	MAROON 5 - Singles
36	LANA DEL REY - Born To Die
37	ED SHEERAN - Divide
38	GEORGE MICHAEL - Twenty Five
39	COCOMELON - Nursery Rhymes By Cocomelon
40	DUA LIPA - Radical Optimism
41	50 CENT - Best Of
42	GRACIE ABRAMS - The Secret Of Us
43	BEYONCE - Cowboy Carter
44	KATY PERRY - Teenage Dream
45	ELVIS PRESLEY - 30 #1 Hits
46	GREEN DAY - Greatest Hits
47	AMY WINEHOUSE - Back To Black
48	LEWIS CAPALDI - Divinely Uninspired To A Hellish Extent
49	TAYLOR SWIFT - Evermore
50	KANYE WEST - Graduation
51	BILLY JOEL - Piano Man - The Very Best Of
52	THE SMITHS - The Sound Of
53	WHITNEY HOUSTON - I Will Always Love You - The Best Of
54	RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS - Greatest Hits
55	BENSON BOONE - Fireworks & Rollerblades
56	LITTLE MIX - Between Us
57	PITBULL - Greatest Hits
58	TRAVIS SCOTT - Utopia
59	DAVID BOWIE - Legacy
60	FOO FIGHTERS - The Essential
61	FONTAINES D.C - Romance
62	HARRY STYLES - Harry's House
63	TAYLOR SWIFT - Red (Taylor's Version)
64	DUA LIPA - Dua Lipa
65	THE KILLERS - Rebel Diamonds
66	LADY GAGA - The Fame
67	NIRVANA - Nirvana
68	XXXTENTACION - Look At Me - The Album
69	ARCTIC MONKEYS - Whatever People Say I Am That's What I'm Not
70	RIHANNA - Good Girl Gone Bad
71	BRITNEY SPEARS - The Singles Collection
72	JOEL CORRY - Another Friday Night
73	BRUNO MARS - Doo-Wops & Hooligans
74	THE WEEKND - Starboy
75	TAYLOR SWIFT - 1989
76	RAYE - My 21st Century Blues
77	LEWIS CAPALDI - Broken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sent
78	THE BEATLES - 1967-1970
79	ED SHEERAN - Tour Collection
80	HOZIER - Hozier
81	ED SHEERAN - =
82	THE ROLLING STONES - Forty Licks
83	LAST DINNER PARTY - Prelude To Ecstasy
84	SABRINA CARPENTER - Emails I Can't Send
85	ADELE - 22
86	FRANK OCEAN - Blonde
87	PHIL COLLINS - The Singles
88	TAYLOR SWIFT - Speak Now (Taylor's Version)
89	50 CENT - Get Rich Or Die Tryin'
90	DUA LIPA - Future Nostalgia
91	THE CURE - Greatest Hits
92	EMINEM - The Eminem Show
93	ADELE - 25
94	SAM SMITH - In The Lonely Hour
95	CELINE DION - My Love - The Essential Collection
96	BILLIE EILISH - Happier Than Ever
97	BILLIE EILISH - When We All Fall Asleep Where Do We Go
98	MORGAN WALLEN - One Thing At A Time
99	HARRY STYLES - Fine Line
100	DRAKE - For All The Dogs

 

[AGinAg (37)]

Create a separate GH chart, after say a year in the chart.

Compilations were once seen as fair game for the main chart, and that stopped pretty quickly. I feel the same about GHs.

But then you'd be left with albums genuinely selling less than 100 copies reaching the charts.

 

[ZenGiraffe]

she has indeed been outperformed by a set of nursery rhymes

And DESERVEDLY SO

 

[AGinAg (37)]

Mind you Sabrina Carpenter, arguably the biggest star of the year #3 behind The Weeknd GH? Makes little sense.

 

[Sheena]

It’s the same ridiculous reason that I saw SEB had the biggest British female single of the year- it’s got a full year of streams against something released in, say, August. It’s absolute nonsense.

 

[VoR]

I still check the singles charts on a Friday despite it being largely static and of little interest, but I don't even bother glancing at the album charts unless it's week one for an act I like. It's just a completely dead, moribund chart. I'm agog they're not apparently more inclined to overhaul it.

 

[Shoat]

I still check the singles charts on a Friday despite it being largely static and of little interest, but I don't even bother glancing at the album charts unless it's week one for an act I like. It's just a completely dead, moribund chart. I'm agog they're not apparently more inclined to overhaul it.

The only reason I can think they haven't ditched it is it's also easy for someone to get a top 10 entry and a photo opp for the OCC (even if the record falls to #157 in its second week)

 

[VoR]

The only reason I can think they haven't ditched it is it's also easy for someone to get a top 10 entry and a photo opp for the OCC (even if the record falls to #157 in its second week)

Surely making room for more new stuff would only enhance that, though?

There's so much objectively popular new music that gets totally crowded out because a few thousand people streaming 'Dreams' while driving to their soul crushing office job counts as another bunch of sales for Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits.

 

[AGinAg (37)]

Everywhere by the Mac was the 40th "best selling" single of the year.

 

[Shoat]

Surely making room for more new stuff would only enhance that, though?

There's so much objectively popular new music that gets totally crowded out because a few thousand people streaming 'Dreams' while driving to their soul crushing office job counts as another bunch of sales for Fleetwood Mac's Greatest Hits.

I think on a week-to-week basis the GHs aren't necessarily crowding out new entries. Most acts are still capable of charting, but only for a single week before the first edition vinyls are sold out and everyone is back to streaming Wonderwall. But by that point the OCC have already been able to publish their puff pieces and dole out the perspex awards, so who cares.

 

[Sheena]

The point I just don’t understand is just why no one seems to give a fuck. Everyone agrees the system is broken and has thought so for YEARS AND YEARS. Surely this isn’t good for record companies? I just can’t fathom why no one is DOING anything.

 

[lolly]

The point I just don’t understand is just why no one seems to give a fuck. Everyone agrees the system is broken and has thought so for YEARS AND YEARS. Surely this isn’t good for record companies? I just can’t fathom why no one is DOING anything.

I feel the same. How does it benefit the industry that new acts struggle to break through because old albums are clogging up the charts? Or are they making enough from that that they don't need to?

 

[Madison]

I’ve never cared for the album chart. Even as a chart-obsessed teenager.

 

[lolly]

I’ve never cared for the album chart. Even as a chart-obsessed teenager.

I was the same. Largely because Bucks Fizz albums only had about three weeks on it.

 

[octophone]

It's a mess. It's ridiculous that an album like The Cure's Songs Of A Lost World that actually sold well isn't in this chart because albums that had 3 or 4 songs streaming all year pushed it out. It's no wonder the album is 'dying' when there's no lifespan in the form because of the clutter.

 

[passthatdutch]

So odd that The Weeknd is number 2 with essentially a greatest hits, but the tracks from his new album barely registered on the singles chart outside of the first week.

 

[passthatdutch]

The point I just don’t understand is just why no one seems to give a fuck. Everyone agrees the system is broken and has thought so for YEARS AND YEARS. Surely this isn’t good for record companies? I just can’t fathom why no one is DOING anything.

This is the thing I find strangest. Labels claim it's harder to brek new acts, but surely the state of the charts is a large part of the problem. Very odd they haven't lobbied the OCC for change.

 

[ILL ADVISED]

Elton John gets his 9th number one album this week as Diamonds climbs to number one this week

Released on multiple formats. I imagine incredibly low sales

 

[ManicKangaroo]

Not too low

01 14,759 Elton John - Diamonds [3,838 CDs, 3,197 vinyl, 713 cassettes, 1,478 blu-ray, 98 Yoto cards, 227 downloads, 5,208 streaming] [total: 1,676,002]

 

[lolly]

Is below 15k not that bad for a #1 album, then?

 

[dmlaw]

And what in fuck is a yoto card?

 

[ManicKangaroo]

Is below 15k not that bad for a #1 album, then?

Quite low but he'd only done 6.7k on Wednesday's mids so it looked like he was going to finish with much less and probably caught by Sabrina Carpenter

 

[Penelope]

Is below 15k not that bad for a #1 album, then?

sub-10k is very common, no?

 

[ManicKangaroo]

No

 

[lolly]

Quite low but he'd only done 6.7k on Wednesday's mids so it looked like he was going to finish with much less and probably caught by Sabrina Carpenter

I saw loads of online advertising for it, but only in the later half of the week, thinking about it. And the CD was reduced to £6 on amazon when I checked.

 

[Shoat]

DULL CHART GEEKERY MOMENT

To nobody's surprise, 2025 has been EVEN WORSE for new albums. Only 16 of the top 100 were 2025 releases, and sadly one of those was evil old Morgan Wallen. We're doubling down on the perpetual CLOG of greatest hits and hinged "classics". Although I imagine some of us will be DELIGHTED at a new Sheeran album seemingly tanking.

There must come a point where someone says LET'S NOT BOTHER CHAPS

NEW	01.	TAYLOR SWIFT	The Life Of A Showgirl
	02.	SABRINA CARPENTER	Short N' Sweet
GH	03.	ED SHEERAN	Tour Collection
GH	04.	OASIS	Time Flies
GH	05.	FLEETWOOD MAC	50 Years: Don't Stop
GH	06.	THE WEEKND	The Highlights
	07.	OASIS	What's The Story (Morning Glory)
NEW	08.	SABRINA CARPENTER	Man's Best Friend
NEW	09.	ALEX WARREN	You'll Be Alright Kid
NEW	10.	SAM FENDER	People Watching
NEW	11.	OLIVIA DEAN	The Art Of Loving
GH	12.	ELTON JOHN	Diamonds
	13.	CHAPPELL ROAN	The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess
GH	14.	MICHAEL JACKSON	The Essential
NEW	15.	TATE MCRAE	So Close To What
	16.	NOAH KAHAN	Stick Season
	17.	BILLIE EILISH	Hit Me Hard And Soft
	18.	CHARLI XCX	Brat
GH	19.	ABBA	Gold
	20.	FLEETWOOD MAC	Rumours
		Other newbies
NEW	29.	LADY GAGA	MAYHEM
NEW	34.	CENTRAL CEE	Can't Rush Greatness
NEW	47.	ED SHEERAN	Play
NEW	50.	PARTYNEXTDOOR & DRAKE	Some Sexy Songs 4 U
NEW	58.	THE WEEKND	Hurry Up Tomorrow
NEW	78.	DAVE	The Boy Who Played The Harp
NEW	84.	SLEEP TOKEN	Even In Arcadia
NEW	91.	MORGAN WALLEN	I'm The Problem
NEW	95.	TEDDY SWIMS	I've Tried Everything But Therapy - Part 2
NEW	96.	SOMBR	I Barely Know Her

 

[AlgoAlex]

DULL CHART GEEKERY MOMENT

To nobody's surprise, 2025 has been EVEN WORSE for new albums. Only 16 of the top 100 were 2025 releases, and sadly one of those was evil old Morgan Wallen. We're doubling down on the perpetual CLOG of greatest hits and hinged "classics". Although I imagine some of us will be DELIGHTED at a new Sheeran album seemingly tanking.

There must come a point where someone says LET'S NOT BOTHER CHAPS

NEW	01.	TAYLOR SWIFT	The Life Of A Showgirl
	02.	SABRINA CARPENTER	Short N' Sweet
GH	03.	ED SHEERAN	Tour Collection
GH	04.	OASIS	Time Flies
GH	05.	FLEETWOOD MAC	50 Years: Don't Stop
GH	06.	THE WEEKND	The Highlights
	07.	OASIS	What's The Story (Morning Glory)
NEW	08.	SABRINA CARPENTER	Man's Best Friend
NEW	09.	ALEX WARREN	You'll Be Alright Kid
NEW	10.	SAM FENDER	People Watching
NEW	11.	OLIVIA DEAN	The Art Of Loving
GH	12.	ELTON JOHN	Diamonds
	13.	CHAPPELL ROAN	The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess
GH	14.	MICHAEL JACKSON	The Essential
NEW	15.	TATE MCRAE	So Close To What
	16.	NOAH KAHAN	Stick Season
	17.	BILLIE EILISH	Hit Me Hard And Soft
	18.	CHARLI XCX	Brat
GH	19.	ABBA	Gold
	20.	FLEETWOOD MAC	Rumours
		Other newbies
NEW	29.	LADY GAGA	MAYHEM
NEW	34.	CENTRAL CEE	Can't Rush Greatness
NEW	47.	ED SHEERAN	Play
NEW	50.	PARTYNEXTDOOR & DRAKE	Some Sexy Songs 4 U
NEW	58.	THE WEEKND	Hurry Up Tomorrow
NEW	78.	DAVE	The Boy Who Played The Harp
NEW	84.	SLEEP TOKEN	Even In Arcadia
NEW	91.	MORGAN WALLEN	I'm The Problem
NEW	95.	TEDDY SWIMS	I've Tried Everything But Therapy - Part 2
NEW	96.	SOMBR	I Barely Know Her

Lily Allen surely wasn’t far off ?!

 

[AlgoAlex]

What is a Morgan Waller

 

[funky]

Showing your age there Alex Not sure what that says about ME

 

[lolly]

What is a Morgan Waller

He's Rik Waller's son

 

[AlgoAlex]

Showing your age there Alex Not sure what that says about ME

Oh i was being slightly sarky, he’s some right wing country music YANK I believe AND i have no need to hear anything. Shocked he has sold anything HERE

 

[RJN]

What is a Morgan Waller

Next year’s FIFA world peace award winner

 

[Shoat]

Lily Allen surely wasn’t far off ?!

Just one more public David Harbour meltdown might have been enough to swing it