These are the Oricon number one albums of 1997, per the Oricon Albums Chart. [1]
| † | Indicates best-selling album of 1997 |
| Issue Date | Album | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| January 13 | Maximum | MAX |
| January 20 | ||
| January 27 | True | L'Arc-en-Ciel |
| February 3 | Sicks | The Yellow Monkey |
| February 10 | Magma | Koshi Inaba |
| February 17 | Welcome-Muzik | Kohmi Hirose |
| February 24 | Magma | Koshi Inaba |
| March 3 | Dreams & Memories | Favorite Blue |
| March 10 | Cowgirl Dreamin' | Yumi Matsutoya |
| March 17 | Bolero | Mr. Children |
| March 24 | Faces Places | Globe |
| March 31 | ||
| April 7 | The Power Source | Judy and Mary |
| April 14 | ||
| April 21 | Everlasting | Every Little Thing |
| April 28 | ||
| May 5 | Zard Blend: Sun & Stone | Zard |
| May 12 | ||
| May 19 | Smiling: The Best of Noriyuki Makihara | Noriyuki Makihara |
| May 26 | ||
| June 2 | Starting Over | Speed |
| June 9 | ||
| June 16 | ||
| June 23 | Evangelion: Death | TV soundtrack |
| June 30 | Cranberry Soda | Ryuichi Kawamura |
| July 7 | Kawamoto Makoto | Makoto Kawamoto |
| July 14 | Paradox | Nanase Aikawa |
| July 21 | ||
| July 28 | A Album | Kinki Kids |
| August 4 | Concentration 20 | Namie Amuro |
| August 11 | ||
| August 18 | Power of Dreams | Maki Ohguro |
| August 25 | ||
| September 1 | ||
| September 8 | ||
| September 15 | Fuzakenja nē | Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi |
| September 22 | Butterfly | Mariah Carey |
| September 29 | Junior Sweet | Chara |
| October 6 | ||
| October 13 | Review † | Glay |
| October 20 | ||
| October 27 | ||
| November 3 | ||
| November 10 | ||
| November 17 | Wands Historical Best Album | Wands |
| November 24 | Sing or Die | Dreams Come True |
| December 1 | Survive | B'z |
| December 8 | Love | Ryuichi Kawamura |
| December 15 | ||
| December 22 | I·De·A | Kyosuke Himuro |
| December 29 | Singles | Luna Sea |