List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 2012

Last updated

Adele's 21 was the best-selling album of 2012. This was her second consecutive year at the top of the U.S. year-end charts. She became the second artist in history to achieve this feat, after Michael Jackson. Adele - Live 2009 (4) cropped.jpg
Adele's 21 was the best-selling album of 2012. This was her second consecutive year at the top of the U.S. year-end charts. She became the second artist in history to achieve this feat, after Michael Jackson.

The highest-selling albums and EPs in the United States are ranked in the Billboard 200, which is published by Billboard magazine. The data are compiled by Nielsen Soundscan based on each album's weekly physical and digital sales. In 2012, a total of 32 albums claimed the top position of the chart. One of which, Canadian singer Michael Bublé's album Christmas started its peak in late 2011. [1]

Contents

Adele's album 21 was the longest-running number-one album of the year for the second time, staying atop the chart for eleven non-consecutive weeks. [2] Red by Taylor Swift had the second-most weeks at number one with five. Other albums with extended chart runs include Babel by Mumford & Sons, Tuskegee by Lionel Richie, Blown Away by Carrie Underwood, Born and Raised by John Mayer and Uncaged by Zac Brown Band; each spent two weeks on the top position. Throughout 2012, only one act achieved multiple number-one albums on the chart: One Direction with Up All Night and Take Me Home . Swift's album Red sold 1.21 million copies in its first week, making it the album with the highest weekly sales in 2012. [3] 21 was the biggest-selling album of 2012, with 4,410,000 copies sold. [4]

Chart history

Taylor Swift's Red earned the singer-songwriter her third number-one album. It opened with the biggest sales week of 2012, selling 1.21 million copies in its first week. Taylor Swift Red Tour 2013.jpg
Taylor Swift's Red earned the singer-songwriter her third number-one album. It opened with the biggest sales week of 2012, selling 1.21 million copies in its first week.
Lionel Richie's Tuskegee gave the singer his third number-one album and the first since 1986's Dancing on the Ceiling. Lionel Richie 2019.jpg
Lionel Richie's Tuskegee gave the singer his third number-one album and the first since 1986's Dancing on the Ceiling .
Country singer Carrie Underwood earned her third number-one album, Blown Away, which became her first to spend more than a week at the top. Carrie Underwood 2012.jpg
Country singer Carrie Underwood earned her third number-one album, Blown Away , which became her first to spend more than a week at the top.
Rock singer John Mayer scored his second chart-topping album, Born and Raised, which spent two consecutive weeks at number one. John Mayer live in 2007 01.png
Rock singer John Mayer scored his second chart-topping album, Born and Raised , which spent two consecutive weeks at number one.
Babel by British folk rock band Mumford & Sons garnered their first number-one. It topped the chart for three consecutive weeks, and earned 2012's second-biggest sales week after Red. Mumford & Sons in Teatro Romano Verona 2012.jpg
Babel by British folk rock band Mumford & Sons garnered their first number-one. It topped the chart for three consecutive weeks, and earned 2012's second-biggest sales week after Red.
English-Irish boy band One Direction scored two number-one albums in 2012, Up All Night and Take Me Home. One Direction at the Logies Awards 2012.jpg
English-Irish boy band One Direction scored two number-one albums in 2012, Up All Night and Take Me Home .
Pink earned her first number-one album with her sixth effort The Truth About Love, released twelve years since her debut. It has the third biggest debut sales by a female singer in this year, behind MDNA and Red. P!nk Live 2013.jpg
Pink earned her first number-one album with her sixth effort The Truth About Love , released twelve years since her debut. It has the third biggest debut sales by a female singer in this year, behind MDNA and Red.
Key
†Indicates best performing album of 2012
Issue dateAlbumArtist(s)SalesRef.
January 7 Christmas Michael Bublé 467,000 [5] [6]
January 14 21 † Adele 144,000 [7] [8]
January 21124,000 [9] [10]
January 28104,000 [11] [12]
February 495,000 [13] [14]
February 11116,000 [15] [16]
February 18122,000 [17] [18]
February 25237,000 [19] [20]
March 3730,000 [21] [22]
March 10297,000 [23] [24]
March 17247,000 [25] [26]
March 24 Wrecking Ball Bruce Springsteen 196,000 [27] [28]
March 31 Up All Night One Direction 176,000 [29] [30]
April 7 The Hunger Games: Songs from District 12 and Beyond Various artists175,000 [31] [32]
April 14 MDNA Madonna 359,000 [33] [34]
April 21 Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded Nicki Minaj 253,000 [35] [36]
April 28 Tuskegee Lionel Richie 129,000 [37] [38]
May 5114,000 [39] [40]
May 12 Blunderbuss Jack White 138,000 [41] [42]
May 19 Blown Away Carrie Underwood 267,000 [43] [44]
May 26120,000 [45] [46]
June 2 Trespassing Adam Lambert 77,000 [47] [48]
June 9 Born and Raised John Mayer 219,000 [49] [50]
June 1665,000 [51] [52]
June 2321†Adele75,000 [53] [54]
June 30 Looking 4 Myself Usher 128,000 [55] [56]
July 7 Believe Justin Bieber 374,000 [57] [58]
July 14 Living Things Linkin Park 223,000 [59] [60]
July 21 Fortune Chris Brown 134,000 [61] [62]
July 28 Uncaged Zac Brown Band 234,000 [63] [64]
August 4 Life Is Good Nas 149,000 [65] [66]
August 11UncagedZac Brown Band48,000 [67] [68]
August 18 God Forgives, I Don't Rick Ross 218,000 [69] [70]
August 25 Now 43 Various artists111,000 [71] [72]
September 1 Based on a T.R.U. Story 2 Chainz 75,000 [73] [74]
September 8 Chapter V Trey Songz 135,000 [75] [76]
September 15 Eye on It TobyMac 69,000 [77] [78]
September 22 North Matchbox Twenty 95,000 [79] [80]
September 29 Away from the World Dave Matthews Band 266,000 [81] [82]
October 6 The Truth About Love Pink 280,000 [83] [84]
October 13 Babel Mumford & Sons 600,000 [85] [86]
October 20169,000 [87] [88]
October 2796,000 [89] [90]
November 3 Night Train Jason Aldean 409,000 [91] [92]
November 10 Red Taylor Swift 1,208,000 [93] [94]
November 17344,000 [95] [96]
November 24196,000 [97] [98]
December 1 Take Me Home One Direction540,000 [99] [100]
December 8 Unapologetic Rihanna 238,000 [101] [102]
December 15 Girl on Fire Alicia Keys 159,000 [103] [104]
December 22RedTaylor Swift167,000 [105] [106]
December 29208,000 [107] [108]

See also

Related Research Articles

The Billboard 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by Billboard magazine to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists. Sometimes, a recording act is remembered for its "number ones" that outperformed all other albums during at least one week. The chart grew from a weekly top 10 list in 1956 to become a top 200 list in May 1967, acquiring its existing name in March 1992. Its previous names include the Billboard Top LPs (1961–1972), Billboard Top LPs & Tape (1972–1984), Billboard Top 200 Albums (1984–1985), Billboard Top Pop Albums (1985–1991), and Billboard 200 Top Albums (1991–1992).

The Digital Songs or Digital Song Sales chart ranks the best-selling digital songs in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published by Billboard magazine. Although it originally started tracking song sales the week of October 30, 2004, it officially debuted in the issue dated January 22, 2005, and merged all versions of a song sold from digital music distributors. Its data was incorporated in the Hot 100 three weeks later. Since October 2004, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboard's music singles charts. The decision was based on the dramatic increase of the digital market while commercial single sales in a physical format were becoming negligible.

The Billboard Global 200 is a weekly record chart published by Billboard magazine. The chart ranks the top songs globally and is based on digital sales and online streaming from over 200 territories worldwide. First announced in mid-2019, it officially launched in September 2020.

Top Album Sales is a music chart published by Billboard magazine starting in May 1991, and has existed in its current form since December 2014. It is a weekly chart documenting the best-selling albums on a weekly basis in the United States. Up until December 2014, this had been documented by the Billboard 200 chart, but that chart was altered to factor in music streaming by accounting for album-equivalent units in its tallies to document the effect of the rise of music streaming outlet such as Apple Music and Spotify. Starting in the Top Album Sales chart's debut week of May 25, 1991, Billboard began tabulating charts with electronically monitored piece count information from Soundscan, now known as Luminate. During the week of December 6, 2014, the chart switched to a methodology that blends album sales with track equivalent album units and streaming equivalent album units. The Top Album Sales chart was created to preserve the older methodology of counting pure album sales.

References

  1. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2011-11-23). "Michael Buble Bests Nickelback, Rihanna on Billboard 200". Billboard . Retrieved 2011-11-23.
  2. ↑ Grein, Paul (2012-11-07). "Adele's '21' Goes Diamond - Yahoo! TV". Yahoo! Music . Retrieved 2012-11-09.
  3. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-10-30). "Taylor Swift's 'Red' Sells 1.21 Million; Biggest Sales Week for an Album Since 2002". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2013-12-26.
  4. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2013-01-03). "Adele's '21' 2012's Best-Selling Album; Gotye Has Top Song". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2013-01-07.
  5. ↑ "January 7, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  6. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2011-12-28). "Michael Buble's 'Christmas' Spends Fifth Week at No. 1, Adele's '21' Has Best Sales Week Yet". Billboard . Retrieved 2011-12-28.
  7. ↑ "January 14, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  8. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-01-04). "Adele's '21' Claims 14th Week Atop Billboard 200". Billboard . Retrieved 2012-01-04.
  9. ↑ "January 21, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  10. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-01-11). "Adele's '21' Hits 15th Week at No. 1". Billboard . Retrieved 2012-01-11.
  11. ↑ "January 28, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  12. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-01-18). "Adele Matches 'Titanic's' No. 1 Run Atop Billboard 200". Billboard . Retrieved 2012-01-18.
  13. ↑ "February 4, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  14. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-01-25). "Adele's '21' - Biggest No. 1 Album Since 'Bodyguard'". Billboard . Retrieved 2012-01-25.
  15. ↑ "February 11, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  16. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-02-01). "Tim McGraw Scores Top Billboard 200 Debut, Adele Still No. 1". Billboard . Retrieved 2012-02-01.
  17. ↑ "February 18, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  18. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-02-08). "Lana Del Rey Debuts at No. 2 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart". Billboard . Retrieved 2012-02-08.
  19. ↑ "February 25, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  20. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-02-15). "Adele's '21' Hits 20th Week at No. 1, Van Halen Debuts at No. 2". Billboard . Retrieved 2012-02-15.
  21. ↑ "March 3, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  22. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-02-21). "Adele's '21' Hits 21st Week at No. 1; Sells 730,000 Post-Grammys". Billboard . Retrieved 2012-02-21.
  23. ↑ "March 10, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  24. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-02-29). "Adele's '21': Longest-Running No. 1 Album Since 'Purple Rain'". Billboard . Retrieved 2012-02-29.
  25. ↑ "March 17, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  26. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-03-07). "Kid Cudi's WZRD Scores Top Billboard 200 Debut, Adele Still No. 1". Billboard . Retrieved 2012-03-07.
  27. ↑ "March 24, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  28. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-03-14). "Bruce Springsteen Squeaks By Adele, Earns Tenth No. 1 Album". Billboard . Retrieved 2012-03-14.
  29. ↑ "March 31, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  30. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-03-21). "One Direction Makes History With No. 1 Debut on Billboard 200". Billboard . Retrieved 2012-03-21.
  31. ↑ "April 7, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  32. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-03-28). "'Hunger Games' Soundtrack Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard . Retrieved 2012-03-28.
  33. ↑ "April 14, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  34. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-03-28). "Madonna Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200, Lionel Richie at No. 2". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-03-28.
  35. ↑ "April 21, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  36. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-04-11). "Nicki Minaj's 'Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded' Debuts At No. 1 On Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-04-11.
  37. ↑ "April 28, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  38. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-04-18). "Lionel Richie's 'Tuskegee' Hits No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-04-18.
  39. ↑ "May 5, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  40. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-04-25). "Billboard 200: Lionel Richie Holds Off Jason Mraz, Stays At No. 1". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-04-25.
  41. ↑ "May 12, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  42. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-05-02). "Jack White Debuts At No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-05-02.
  43. ↑ "May 19, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  44. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-05-09). "Carrie Underwood's 'Blown Away' Debuts At No. 1 With Best Country Sales In Months". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  45. ↑ "May 26, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  46. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-05-16). "Carrie Underwood's 'Blown Away' Nabs Second Week at No. 1". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
  47. ↑ "June 2, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  48. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-05-23). "Adam Lambert Snags First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-05-23.
  49. ↑ "June 9, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  50. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-05-30). "John Mayer Earns Third No. 1 Album on Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-05-30.
  51. ↑ "June 16, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  52. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-06-06). "John Mayer's No. 1 for Second Week on Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-06-06.
  53. ↑ "June 23, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  54. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-06-13). "Alan Jackson Scores Top Debut on Billboard 200, Adele's Back at No. 1". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-06-13.
  55. ↑ "June 30, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  56. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-06-20). "Usher Scores Fourth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 With 'Looking 4 Myself'". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  57. ↑ "July 7, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  58. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-06-27). "Official: Justin Bieber's 'Believe' Is Year's Biggest Debut, Bows at No. 1". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-06-27.
  59. ↑ "July 14, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  60. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-07-04). "Linkin Park Squeaks By Maroon 5, Hits No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-07-04.
  61. ↑ "July 21, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  62. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-07-11). "Chris Brown's 'Fortune' Album Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 By Chris Brown, Hits No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-07-11.
  63. ↑ "July 28, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  64. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-07-18). "Zac Brown Band, Frank Ocean Debut at Nos. 1 & 2 on Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-07-18.
  65. ↑ "August 4, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  66. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-07-25). "Nas Bows at No. 1 with 'Life is Good'". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-07-25.
  67. ↑ "August 11, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  68. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-08-01). "Zac Brown Band Reclaims Top Spot on Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-08-01.
  69. ↑ "August 18, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  70. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-08-08). "Rick Ross Scores Fourth No. 1 Album with 'God Forgives, I Don't'". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-08-08.
  71. ↑ "August 25, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  72. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-08-15). "'Now 43' Scores Franchise's 16th No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
  73. ↑ "September 1, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  74. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-08-22). "2 Chainz Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-08-22.
  75. ↑ "September 8, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  76. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-08-29). "Trey Songz Gets First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-08-29.
  77. ↑ "September 15, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  78. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-09-05). "TobyMac Earns First No. 1 Christian Album on Billboard 200 Since 1997". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-09-05.
  79. ↑ "September 22, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  80. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-09-12). "Matchbox Twenty Scores First No. 1 Album On Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-09-12.
  81. ↑ "September 29, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  82. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-09-19). "Dave Matthews Band Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-09-19.
  83. ↑ "October 6, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  84. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-09-26). "Pink Earns First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-09-26.
  85. ↑ "October 13, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  86. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-10-03). "Mumford & Sons' 'Babel' Scores Biggest Debut of Year, Bows at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-10-03.
  87. ↑ "October 20, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  88. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-10-10). "Muse's 'The 2nd Law' Leads Seven Top 10 Debuts on Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-10-10.
  89. ↑ "October 27, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  90. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-10-17). "Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Score Top Billboard 200 Debut, Mumford Still No. 1". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-10-17.
  91. ↑ "November 3, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  92. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-10-24). "Jason Aldean's 'Night Train' Rolls to No. 1 On Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
  93. ↑ "November 10, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  94. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-10-31). "Taylor Swift's 'Red' Sells 1.21 Million; Biggest Sales Week for an Album Since 2002". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-10-31.
  95. ↑ "November 17, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  96. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-11-07). "Taylor Swift Still Rules Billboard 200, Meek Mill Starts at No. 2". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-11-07.
  97. ↑ "November 24, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  98. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-11-14). "Taylor Swift's 'Red' Still No. 1, 'Now 44' Scores Top Debut". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
  99. ↑ "December 1, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  100. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-11-20). "One Direction's 'Take Me Home' Debuts at No. 1 With Year's Third-Biggest Opening". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-11-20.
  101. ↑ "December 8, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  102. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-11-27). "Rihanna Earns First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-11-27.
  103. ↑ "December 15, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  104. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-12-04). "Alica Keys Earns Fifth No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-12-04.
  105. ↑ "December 22, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  106. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-12-12). "Taylor Swift's 'Red' Back at No. 1, Wiz Khalifa and Ke$ha Debut Top 10". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-12-12.
  107. ↑ "December 29, 2012". Billboard 200 .
  108. ↑ Caulfield, Keith (2012-12-19). "Bruno Mars Debuts at No. 2 as Taylor Swift's 'Red' Still Rules". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-12-19.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.