Image from thepopcop.co.uk
Originally posted on the DMDB Facebook page on 6/25/11.
These figures are drawn from the third edition of The Complete Book of the British Charts: Singles and Albums and ChartStats.com. Ties were broken by first ranking albums by highest chart peak and then by overall points according to Dave’s Music Database.
1. Queen…Greatest Hits (1981), 486 weeks
2. Abba…Gold – Greatest Hits (1993), 479 weeks
3. Fleetwood Mac…Rumours (1977), 477 weeks
4. Meat Loaf…Bat Out of Hell (1977), 469 weeks
5. Bob Marley & the Wailers…Legend (1984), 409 weeks
6. The Sound of Music (soundtrack, 1965), 381 weeks
7. Pink Floyd…Dark Side of the Moon (1973), 374 weeks
8. South Pacific (soundtrack, 1958), 315 weeks
9. Simon & Garfunkel…Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970), 303 weeks
10. Mike Oldfield…Tubular Bells (1973), 291 weeks
11. Simon & Garfunkel…Greatest Hits (1972), 283 weeks
12. Phil Collins…Face Value (1981), 274 weeks
13. Jeff Wayne…War of the Worlds (1978), 256 weeks
14. Michael Jackson…Thriller (1982), 230 weeks
15. Dire Straits…Brothers in Arms (1985), 228 weeks
16. Madonna…The Immaculate Collection (1990), 207 weeks
17. U2…Under a Blood Red Sky (1983), 203 weeks
18. Michael Jackson…Off the Wall (1979), 203 weeks
19. The King and I (soundtrack, 1956), 200 weeks
20. Dire Straits…Love Over Gold (1982), 200 weeks
21. Take That…Never Forget – The Ultimate Collection (2005), 194 weeks
22. The Beatles…Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), 191 weeks
23. The Beatles…1962-1966 (1973), 190 weeks
24. Tracy Chapman…Tracy Chapman (1988), 188 weeks
25. Nirvana…Nevermind (1991), 185 weeks
26. R.E.M….Out of Time (1991), 183 weeks
27. R.E.M….Automatic for the People (1992), 179 weeks
28. Oasis…Definitely Maybe (1994), 177 weeks
29. Guns N’ Roses…Appetite for Destruction (1987), 177 weeks
30. Phil Collins…No Jacket Required (1985), 176 weeks
31. West Side Story (soundtrack, 1961), 175 weeks
32. Alanis Morissette…Jagged Little Pill (1995), 172 weeks
33. Queen…The Platinum Collection: Greatest Hits I, II, & III (2000), 171 weeks
34. Oasis…(What’s the Story) Morning Glory? (1995), 170 weeks
35. U2…The Joshua Tree (1987), 167 weeks
36. Oklahoma! (soundtrack, 1955), 163 weeks
37. Phil Collins…Hello, I Must Be Going (1982), 163 weeks
38. Dire Straits…Alchemy (1984), 163 weeks
39. Radiohead…The Bends (1995), 160 weeks
40. Dirty Dancing (soundtrack, 1987), 158 weeks
41. Buddy Holly & the Crickets…The Buddy Holly Story (1959), 156 weeks
42. My Fair Lady (cast album, 1956), 155 weeks
43. Michael Jackson…Bad (1987), 155 weeks
44. Lionel Richie…Can’t Slow Down (1983), 154 weeks
45. Lighthouse Family…Ocean Drive (1995), 154 weeks
46. Guns N’ Roses…Greatest Hits (2004), 152 weeks
47. Madonna…Like a Virgin (1984), 152 weeks
48. David Gray…White Ladder (1998), 151 weeks
49. Snow Patrol…Eyes Open (2006), 151 weeks
50. The Beatles…1967-1970 (1973), 151 weeks
51. Barry Manilow…Manilow Magic – The Best of (1979), 151 weeks
52. U2...War (1983), 148 weeks
53. Tina Turner…Private Dancer (1984), 147 weeks
54. Dire Straits…Making Movies (1980), 147 weeks
55. Kings of Leon…Only by the Night (2008), 143 weeks
56. The Corrs…Talk on Corners (1997), 142 weeks
57. George Mitchell Minstrels…From the Black and White Minstrel Show (1960), 142 weeks
58. The Beach Boys…Best of (1966), 142 weeks
59. Phantom of the Opera (cast album, 1986), 141 weeks
60. Tina Turner…Simply the Best (1991), 141 weeks
61. Coldplay…Parachutes (2000), 139 weeks
62. Shania Twain…Come on Over (1997), 138 weeks
63. Led Zeppelin…Led Zeppelin II (1969), 138 weeks
64. Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass…Going Places (1965), 138 weeks
65. Carpenters…The Singles 1969-1973 (1973), 137 weeks
66. ZZ Top…Eliminator (1983), 137 weeks
67. Norah Jones…Come Away with Me (2002), 136 weeks
68. The Commitments (soundtrack, 1991), 136 weeks
69. Simply Red…Picture Book (1985), 135 weeks
70. Simply Red…Stars (1991), 134 weeks
71. Take That…Beautiful World (2006), 132 weeks
72. Dido…No Angel (1999), 132 weeks
73. UB40…Best of – Volume One (1987), 132 weeks
74. Dire Straits…Dire Straits (1978), 132 weeks
75. U2…The Unforgettable Fire (1984), 131 weeks
76. Abba…Greatest Hits (1976), 130 weeks
77. Bruce Springsteen…Born in the U.S.A. (1984), 130 weeks
78. Barbra Streisand…Love Songs (1982), 128 weeks
79. Frank Sinatra…My Way – The Best of (1997), 128 weeks
80. Lady Gaga…The Fame (2008), 127 weeks
81. Michael Jackson…Number Ones (2003), 127 weeks
82. Rod Stewart…Best of (1989), 127 weeks
83. The Seekers…Best of (1968), 125 weeks
84. Paul McCartney & Wings…Band on the Run (1973), 124 weeks
85. Robbie Williams…Life Thru a Lens (1997), 123 weeks
86. Bon Jovi…Slippery When Wet (1986), 123 weeks
87. Madonna…Madonna (1983), 123 weeks
88. Eurythmics…Greatest Hits (1991), 122 weeks
89. Red Hot Chili Peppers…Californication (1999), 121 weeks
90. James Blunt…Back to Bedlam (2004), 120 weeks
91. Paul Young…No Parlez (1983), 119 weeks
92. Coldplay…Rush of Blood to the Head (2002), 119 weeks
93. Whitney Houston…Whitney Houston (1985), 119 weeks
94. Snow Patrol…Final Straw (2004), 118 weeks
95. Duran Duran…Duran Duran (1981), 118 weeks
96. Amy Winehouse…Frank (2003), 118 weeks
97. Barry White…The Collection (1988), 117 weeks
98. Wham!...Fantastic (1983), 116 weeks
99. Stereophonics…Word Gets Around (1997), 116 weeks
100. Paul Simon…Graceland (1986), 115 weeks