Official Albums Chart Marks 70th Anniversary

The Official Albums Chart traces its history back to 1956 and marks its 70th anniversary in 2026. The album chart emerged four years after the first singles chart was created in the United Kingdom in November 1952. Originally named the Record Mirror Chart after the British music newspaper Record Mirror, the list began to be referred to as the Official Albums Chart in 1969. Frank Sinatra's Songs For Swingin Lovers became the first album to reach number one on July 22, 1956.

Digital downloads were included in the album chart calculations starting in 2006. In 2015, online streaming was officially added to the Official Albums Chart.

Robbie Williams holds the record for the most number one albums among solo artists, having achieved 16 number one albums since 1997. The Beatles hold the title for the group with the most number one albums, with 15 number one albums. The music album of the film South Pacific holds the record for the longest time spent at number one, both consecutively and in total. In addition, National Album Day, which was first launched in 2018, will be celebrated on Saturday, October 17 in 2026.