List of UK top-ten albums in 2003

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Justin Timberlake's debut solo album Justified was the second best selling album in the UK in 2003. The album had entered the top 10 on 16 November 2002 but did not reach its number-one peak until 1 February 2003. The album spent seven non-consecutive weeks at the album chart summit and lasted 24 weeks in the top 10 altogether. Justin Timberlake 2007-2.jpg
Justin Timberlake's debut solo album Justified was the second best selling album in the UK in 2003. The album had entered the top 10 on 16 November 2002 but did not reach its number-one peak until 1 February 2003. The album spent seven non-consecutive weeks at the album chart summit and lasted 24 weeks in the top 10 altogether.

The UK Albums Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling albums of the week in the United Kingdom. [1] [2] [3] Before 2004, the chart was only based on the sales of physical albums. This list shows albums that peaked in the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart during 2003, as well as albums which peaked in 2002 and 2004 but were in the top 10 in 2003. The entry date is when the album appeared in the top 10 for the first time (week ending, as published by the Official Charts Company, which is six days after the chart is announced).

Contents

One-hundred and twenty-two albums were in the top ten this year. Sixteen albums from 2002 remained in the top 10 for several weeks at the beginning of the year, while Elephunk by The Black Eyed Peas and Twentysomething by Jamie Cullum were both released in 2003 but did not reach their peak until 2004. Come Away with Me by Norah Jones, Justified by Justin Timberlake, Let Go by Avril Lavigne and Missundaztood by Pink were the albums from 2002 to reach their peak in 2003. Eleven artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 2003. 50 Cent, Busted, Girls Aloud, Michael Bublé and Sean Paul were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 album in 2003.

The first number-one album of the year was Let Go by Avril Lavigne. Overall, twenty-five different albums peaked at number-one in 2003, with twenty-five unique artists hitting that position.

Background

Multiple entries

One-hundred and twenty-two albums charted in the top 10 in 2003, with one-hundred and eight albums reaching their peak this year (including Their Greatest Hits: The Record and The Very Best of Cat Stevens , which both charted in previous years but reached a peak on their latest chart run).

Eleven artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 2003. Blue, Busted, Elvis Presley, Pink, Rachel Stevens, Red Hot Chili Peppers, R. Kelly, Robbie Williams, Sugababes and Westlife were the acts who had two top 10 albums this year. Busted and R. Kelly's two entries were both released this year.

Chart debuts

Twenty-nine artists achieved their first top 10 album in 2003 as a lead artist. Busted and R. Kelly both had one more entry in their breakthrough year.

The following table (collapsed on desktop site) does not include acts who had previously charted as part of a group and secured their first top 10 solo album, or featured appearances on compilations or other artists recordings.

ArtistNumber of top 10sFirst entryChart positionOther entries
Daniel Bedingfield 1 Gotta Get Thru This 2
Busted 2 Busted 2 A Present for Everyone (2)
Christina Aguilera 1 Stripped 2
50 Cent 1 Get Rich or Die Tryin' 2
Appleton 1 Everything's Eventual 9
Turin Brakes 1 Ether Song 4
The White Stripes 1 Elephant 1
David Sneddon 1 Seven Years – Ten Weeks 5
Evanescence 1 Fallen 1
R. Kelly 2 Chocolate Factory 10 The R. in R&B Collection, Vol. 1 (4)
Big Brovaz 1 Nu-Flow 6
Deftones 1 Deftones 7
Girls Aloud 1 Sound of the Underground 2
Delta Goodrem 1 Innocent Eyes 2
The Thrills 1 So Much for the City 3
Electric Six 1 Fire 7
The Darkness 1 Permission to Land 1
Kings of Leon 1 Youth & Young Manhood 3
Sean Paul 1 Dutty Rock 2
Elbow 1 Cast of Thousands 7
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 1 Take Them On, On Your Own 3
The Cooper Temple Clause 1 Kick Up the Fire, and Let the Flames Break Loose 5
DMX 1 Grand Champ 6
Hayley Westenra 1 Pure 7
The Black Eyed Peas 1 Elephunk [A] 3
Michael Bublé 1 Michael Bublé 6
Jamie Cullum 1 Twentysomething [B] 3
Bryn Terfel 1Bryn6
Alex Parks 1 Introduction 5
Notes

As members of Destiny's Child, Kelly Rowland and Beyoncé had two top 10 albums to their name ( The Writing's on the Wall in 1999 and Survivor two years later). Both had debut solo albums in 2003 that reached high positions - Beyoncé's Dangerously in Love and Kelly Rowland's Simply Deep topped the chart.

Ex Hear'Say singer Kym Marsh peaked at number 9 with her first and only solo album Standing Tall . Rachel Stevens broke out on her own after S Club went on hiatus and she made the top 10 with Funky Dory , her debut album.

Best-selling albums

Dido had the best-selling album of the year with Life for Rent . The album spent 21 weeks in the top 10 (including ten weeks at number one), sold over 2.168 million copies and was certified 6× platinum by the BPI. Justified by Justin Timberlake came in second place. Christina Aguilera's Stripped , Gotta Get Thru This from Daniel Bedingfield and Come Away with Me by Norah Jones made up the top five. Albums by The Darkness, Coldplay, Michael Jackson, Busted and R.E.M. were also in the top ten best-selling albums of the year.

Top-ten albums

Key
SymbolMeaning
Album peaked in 2002 but still in chart in 2003.
Album released in 2003 but peaked in 2004.
(#)Year-end top-ten album position and rank
EnteredThe date that the album first appeared in the chart.
PeakHighest position that the album reached in the UK Albums Chart.
Entered
(week ending)
Weeks
in
top
10
SingleArtistPeakPeak
reached
(week ending)
Weeks
at
peak
Albums in 2002
9 February 200231 Missundaztood Pink 218 January 20031
8 June 200214 The Eminem Show [C] Eminem 18 June 20025
29 Come Away with Me [D] (#5) Norah Jones 18 March 20034
20 July 200228 By the Way [E] Red Hot Chili Peppers 120 July 20025
24 August 20022 Melody AM [F] Röyksopp 924 August 20021
7 September 200231 A Rush of Blood to the Head [G] (#7) Coldplay 17 September 20023
7 Angels with Dirty Faces [H] Sugababes 27 September 20021
5 October 20029 ELV1S: 30 No. 1 Hits Elvis Presley 15 October 20022
28 Let Go Avril Lavigne 111 January 20033
2 November 20024 One by One [I] Foo Fighters 12 November 20021
9 November 200210 A New Day at Midnight David Gray 19 November 20021
16 November 200210 One Love Blue 116 November 20021
24 Justified [J] (#2) Justin Timberlake 11 February 20037
23 November 20029 Unbreakable: The Greatest Hits Volume 1 Westlife 123 November 20021
11 Greatest Hits 1970–2002 [K] Elton John 323 November 20022
30 November 200214 Escapology [L] Robbie Williams 130 November 20027
Albums in 2003
18 January 200317 Gotta Get Thru This [M] (#4) Daniel Bedingfield 22 August 20031
25 January 200317 Busted [N] Busted 28 February 20032
1 February 200321 Stripped [O] (#3) Christina Aguilera 215 March 20031
3 Their Greatest Hits: The Record [P] Bee Gees 58 February 20031
15 February 20034 Simply Deep Kelly Rowland 115 February 20031
2 Biography: The Greatest Hits Lisa Stansfield 315 February 20031
2 I Care 4 U Aaliyah 415 February 20031
22 February 20032 100th Window Massive Attack 122 February 20031
1 March 20038 Get Rich or Die Tryin' [Q] 50 Cent 21 March 20031
5Greatest Hits [R] Tom Jones 28 March 20031
8 March 20031 Everything's Eventual Appleton 98 March 20031
15 March 20031 Ether Song Turin Brakes 415 March 20031
22 March 20031 Reason Melanie C 522 March 20031
5Daniel in Blue Jeans: 20 Great Rock 'N' Roll Love Songs Daniel O'Donnell 329 March 20031
29 March 20031 Back in the World Live Paul McCartney 529 March 20031
2 Ballads – The Love Song Collection Boyzone 629 March 20032
1 Neon Nights Dannii Minogue 829 March 20031
5 April 20034 Meteora Linkin Park 15 April 20031
5 Home Simply Red 25 April 20031
1 One Heart Celine Dion 45 April 20031
12 April 200310 Elephant The White Stripes 112 April 20032
1 Eye Candy Mis-Teeq 612 April 20031
19 April 20031 The Very Best Of Lighthouse Family 919 April 20031
3 May 20034 American Life Madonna 13 May 20031
1 Couldn't Have Said It Better Meat Loaf 43 May 20031
10 May 20031 Seven Years – Ten Weeks David Sneddon 510 May 20031
2 Say You Will Fleetwood Mac 610 May 20031
17 May 20033 Think Tank Blur 117 May 20031
24 May 20031 The Golden Age of Grotesque Marilyn Manson 424 May 20031
16 Fallen [S] Evanescence 128 June 20031
3 Chocolate Factory R. Kelly 1024 May 20033
31 May 20033 Nu-Flow [T] Big Brovaz 631 May 20031
1 Deftones Deftones 731 May 20031
4The Definitive [U] The Drifters 831 May 20032
7 June 20031 Sound of the Underground Girls Aloud 27 June 20031
3 How the West Was Won Led Zeppelin 57 June 20031
14 June 200310 You Gotta Go There to Come Back [V] Stereophonics 114 June 20031
4 Best: The Greatest Hits of S Club 7 S Club 7 214 June 20031
3 St. Anger Metallica 314 June 20031
3Labour of Love, Vols. I, II & III: The Platinum Collection UB40 721 June 20031
21 June 20033 Hail to the Thief Radiohead 121 June 20031
3 Bare Annie Lennox 321 June 20031
5 July 20039 Dangerously in Love [W] Beyoncé 15 July 20035
6The Greatest Hits of George Benson George Benson 45 July 20031
12 July 20039 Innocent Eyes [X] Delta Goodrem 212 July 20032
4 So Much for the City [Y] The Thrills 312 July 20031
1 Chapter II Ashanti 512 July 20031
3 Parts of the Process (The Very Best of Morcheeba) Morcheeba 612 July 20031
1 Fire Electric Six 712 July 20031
19 July 200322 Permission to Land [Z] (#6) The Darkness 16 September 20034
2Ultimate Collection The Osmonds 419 July 20031
7 Youth & Young Manhood [AA] Kings of Leon 326 July 20031
2 August 20031 Phantom Power Super Furry Animals 42 August 20031
1 Standing Tall Kym Marsh 92 August 20031
9 August 20034 Magic and Medicine The Coral 19 August 20031
9 Dutty Rock [BB] Sean Paul 213 September 20031
1 The Ultimate Yes: 35th Anniversary Collection Yes 109 August 20031
23 August 20035 American Tune Eva Cassidy 123 August 20032
1 Kokopelli Kosheen 723 August 20031
30 August 20031 Cast of Thousands Elbow 730 August 20031
6 September 20031 Take Them On, On Your Own Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 36 September 20031
1 Love & Life Mary J. Blige 86 September 20031
13 September 20032 You've Got a Friend: The Best of James Taylor James Taylor 413 September 20031
20 September 20031 Dance of Death Iron Maiden 220 September 20031
1 Kick Up the Fire, and Let the Flames Break Loose The Cooper Temple Clause 520 September 20031
27 September 20032 Silence Is Easy Starsailor 227 September 20031
1 Reality David Bowie 327 September 20031
1 Seal IV Seal 427 September 20031
1 Grand Champ DMX 627 September 20031
8 Pure [CC] Hayley Westenra 722 November 20031
17 Elephunk [DD] The Black Eyed Peas 317 January 20044
4 October 20032 Absolution Muse 14 October 20031
2 Sacred Love Sting 34 October 20031
7 The R. in R&B Collection, Vol. 1 R. Kelly 44 October 20032
2 The Long Road Nickelback 54 October 20031
1 Results May Vary Limp Bizkit 74 October 20031
1 Singles 93–03 The Chemical Brothers 94 October 20031
11 October 200321 Life for Rent (#1) Dido 111 October 200310
4 Live at Knebworth Robbie Williams 211 October 20032
1 Funky Dory Rachel Stevens 911 October 20031
18 October 20032 ELVIIS: 2nd to None Elvis Presley 418 October 20031
2 Michael Bublé Michael Bublé 618 October 20031
25 October 20035 The Very Best of Sheryl Crow [EE] Sheryl Crow 225 October 20031
2 12 Memories Travis 325 October 20031
3 The Very Best of Cat Stevens [FF] Cat Stevens 61 November 20031
1 November 20032 Room on Fire The Strokes 21 November 20031
4 As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook, Volume II Rod Stewart 41 November 20031
1 Careful What You Wish For Texas 51 November 20031
8 November 200312 In Time: The Best of R.E.M. 1988–2003 (#10) R.E.M. 18 November 20031
5 Three [GG] Sugababes 38 November 20031
6 Twentysomething [HH] Jamie Cullum 36 March 20041
15 November 20034 Guilty Blue 115 November 20031
1 This Left Feels Right Bon Jovi 415 November 20031
22 November 20031 Try This Pink 322 November 20031
1 Ladies Night Atomic Kitten 522 November 20031
2Bryn Bryn Terfel 622 November 20031
1 The Definitive Collection Lionel Richie & The Commodores 1022 November 20031
29 November 200310 Number Ones (#8) Michael Jackson 129 November 20031
7 A Present for Everyone (#9) Busted 229 November 20031
9 Greatest Hits [II] Red Hot Chili Peppers 429 November 20031
1 Body Language Kylie Minogue 629 November 20031
1 Let It Be... Naked The Beatles 729 November 20031
6 December 20035 Turnaround Westlife 16 December 20031
2 Introduction Alex Parks 56 December 20031
13 December 200315 Friday's Child [JJ] Will Young 113 December 20032
2 Cliff at Christmas Cliff Richard 920 December 20031

Entries by artist

The following table shows artists who achieved two or more top 10 entries in 2003, including albums that reached their peak in 2002. The figures only include main artists, with featured artists and appearances on compilation albums not counted individually for each artist. The total number of weeks an artist spent in the top ten in 2003 is also shown.

EntriesArtistWeeksAlbums
2 Blue [KK] 7 Guilty , One Love
Busted 22 A Present for Everyone , Busted
Elvis Presley [KK] 3 ELV1S: 30 No. 1 Hits , ELVIIS: 2nd to None
Pink [LL] 7 Missundaztood , Try This
Rachel Stevens [MM] 5 Best: The Greatest Hits of S Club 7 , Funky Dory
Red Hot Chili Peppers [KK] 20 By the Way , Greatest Hits
R. Kelly 10 Chocolate Factory , The R. in R&B Collection, Vol. 1
Robbie Williams [KK] 13 Escapology , Live at Knebworth
Sugababes [KK] 7 Angels with Dirty Faces , Three
Westlife [KK] 7 Turnaround , Unbreakable: The Greatest Hits Volume 1

Notes

See also

References

General

Specific