The longest-charting album in music history spent 1,334 weeks in the top 100
One way to judge an album’s success is to look at how long it spent on the charts. While this negates the critical reception of a record, it can give us a glimpse into its commercial impact and, as such, indicate the perception of the general public.
Between 1981 and 1988, and after 1994, the UK Albums Chart comprised a top 100. Before 1981 (and between 1988 and 1994), the list was made up of a top 75. Re-released albums are considered one and the same as the original, so both releases contribute to that particular record’s position.
Interestingly, the three albums at the head of the list of albums that have been on the UK Album Chart for the longest time are all compilation albums. However, it ought to be noted that compilation albums by ‘various artists’ are excluded from entry into the chart.
In third place is Legend by Bob Marley and the Wailers with 1049 weeks in the charts, while just ahead of it is ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits with 1071 weeks. Dominating the list of albums, though, is the Queen compilation album Greatest Hits, with a whopping 1334 weeks spent in the top 100.
What makes Queen’s dominance particularly fascinating is that Greatest Hits has long since outgrown the idea of being merely a compilation album. In Britain especially, it feels more like a permanent fixture, sitting beside ageing stereos in living rooms or stacked next to old Now CDs in second-hand shops. Few albums ever become woven into the fabric of everyday life in quite the same way. Even people who claim not to like Queen (liars) usually know every word once ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ or ‘Somebody to Love’ comes on.
Greatest Hits was released back in October 1981 and featured the best-selling singles of the British rock band’s career, beginning with their first-ever appearance on the singles chart (‘Seven Seas of Rhye’) and going right up to 1980’s hit single ‘Flash’. The band’s collaboration with David Bowie ‘Under Pressure’ was also included in some countries.
The album didn’t have a single universal cover and instead featured different artwork depending on the country or region. The tracklisting also varied, with songs changing based on which tracks had been most popular in particular countries. Alongside the compilation, Queen released Greatest Flix, a 60-minute video collection available on VHS and LaserDisc. It featured every music video the band had released up to 1981.
The fact that Queen took the enviable top spot in the list goes to show what a commercially significant act they were. While the band’s early output was defined by a prog-rock sound, they later delved into a more radio-friendly method of writing, particularly on A Night at the Opera, which featured ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’, the track which itself enjoyed nine weeks at number one in the UK Singles Chart.
In many respects, Greatest Hits also benefited from arriving at exactly the right moment. By the early 1980s, punk had already exploded and faded, new wave was beginning to dominate radio, and many of Queen’s contemporaries were struggling to adapt. Yet Queen, somehow, managed to exist outside of obvious trends. Their music was theatrical enough for glam fans, heavy enough for rock audiences and melodic enough for pop listeners, which meant the compilation never really aged out of relevance.
All in all, Greatest Hits has been certified 23x platinum in the UK, making it the best-selling album in UK history. If looking for an introduction to Queen, or even if looking to revisit some of their biggest hits, then look no further than this classic compilation.
