Robbie Williams breaks The Beatles record for most UK number one albums
Robbie Williams has beaten The Beatles’ longstanding record of having the most number one albums in UK chart history.
Williams’ latest record, Britpop, has today (January 23rd) been crowned as number one in the Official Chart, which marks his 16th album to have climbed to the top of the chart.
Since going solo after leaving Take That in the 1990s, only his 2009 album, Reality Killed The Video Star, has failed to go to number one.
Following news of the album reaching the top spot, Williams told the Official Charts, “Britpop is the record I’ve always wanted to make, and seeing it become my 16th Number 1 album means everything to me. Thank you to all the fans who have been with me every step of the way. You’ve made my dreams come true.”
Britpop was initially set to arrive on October 10th, 2025. However, Williams later moved to push it back until February, following news that Taylor Swift was planning to release The Life of a Showgirl on October 3rd.
During a concert at Dingwalls in October, Williams frankly admitted to fans, “We’re all pretending [the scheduling change] is not about Taylor Swift, but it fucking is, you can’t compete with that.”
He then explained that eclipsing the Fab Four’s record was why he was so motivated for Britpop to land at number one, adding, “I was worried about making you all wait for the record. But then I was like, ‘Fuck it’. I’m sorry, but I’m fucking being selfish. How many times in your life do you get to have the most number one albums the UK has fucking ever had.”
When Britpop was pushed back, it was moved to a February 6th, 2026, release, before unexpectedly arriving on streaming services three weeks early on January 16th.
Martin Talbot, CEO at the Official Charts, has congratulated Williams on his achievement, saying, “There are chart records and there are chart records – and Robbie Williams’ achievement today in securing his record 16th UK Number 1 album is simply extraordinary.”
Including his work with Take That, Williams now has 21 number one UK albums to his name. However, for now, Paul McCartney still hangs on to that particular record with 23, including his work with Wings and as a solo artist.
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