Top Country Albums is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The 50-position chart lists the most popular

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

albums in the country, calculated weekly by Broadcast Data Systems based on physical sales along with digital sales and streaming. The chart was first published in the issue of ''Billboard'' dated January 11, 1964, under the title Hot Country Albums, when the number one album was '' Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash'' by

Johnny Cash John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American country singer-songwriter. Much of Cash's music contained themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially in the later stages of his c ...

. The chart changed its name to Top Country LP's in the issue of ''Billboard'' dated January 13, 1968, Top Country LPs (with no apostrophe) in the issue dated May 31, 1980, and Top Country Albums in the issue dated October 20, 1984. The record for the highest number of weeks spent at number one by an album is held by '' Dangerous: The Double Album'' by

Morgan Wallen Morgan Cole Wallen (born May 13, 1993) is an American country singer and songwriter. He competed in the sixth season of ''The Voice'', originally as a member of Usher's team, but later as a member of Adam Levine's team. After being eliminated ...

, which as of the chart dated December 24, 2022 has spent a total of 87 non-consecutive weeks atop the chart.

Methodology

From its launch until May 1991, the chart was compiled based on sales reports submitted by a representative sample of record stores nationwide. In 1991 the sales reports were replaced by electronic point of sale data. Since February 2017 the chart has been "based on multi-metric consumption (blending traditional album sales, track equivalent albums, and streaming equivalent albums)".

Chart records

Albums with most weeks at number one

The following albums have spent more than 30 weeks at number one, as of the chart dated December 24, 2022: The figure for "Fearless" by Taylor Swift does not include the weeks spent at number one by ''

Fearless (Taylor's Version) ''Fearless (Taylor's Version)'' is the first re-recorded album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on April 9, 2021, through Republic Records. It is a re-recording of Swift's second studio album, '' Fearless'' (2008), and the ...

'', her 2021 complete re-recording of the album. Dixie Chicks and Lady Antebellum subsequently changed their names to The Chicks and Lady A respectively.

Artist with most number ones

George Strait George Harvey Strait Sr. (born May 18, 1952) is an American country music singer, songwriter, actor, and music producer. Strait is considered one of the most influential and popular recording artists of all time. In the 1980s, he was credited for ...

has achieved the most number ones, reaching the top spot with 27 albums.

Artists with most cumulative weeks at number one

The followings acts have achieved at least 50 weeks at number one, as of the chart dated December 24, 2022. The total for The Chicks consists of 71 weeks under the band's previous name, Dixie Chicks, and 2 under its new name.

Artists with most consecutive number one albums

The following artists have garnered the most consecutive number one albums on the Top Country Albums chart.

References

External links

Current Top Country Albums chart
{{Billboard Billboard charts American country music