My next chart statistics will focus on albums and each of their peak positions. In twenty years of compiling a Top Ten Albums chart, 142 titles hit the top spot. Fewer titles hit the runner-up position because future and former #1’s would occupy that spot as they climbed to or fell from the peak position. I will not list former chart toppers that also spent time at #2. Titles are listed chronologically, and I list the albums that kept them from hitting the top spot.
Album title–Artist (weeks at #2) / Album title(s) that occupied the #1 spot–Artist(s) (weeks at #1 for each album that kept the #2 album from hitting the top spot, if multiple albums)
1983
01. Rhythm of Youth–Men Without Hats (2) / Thriller–Michael Jackson [a]
1984
02. Borrowed Time–John Lennon (4) / Milk and Honey–John Lennon and Yoko Ono [EP][b]
1985
03. Break Out–Pointer Sisters (9) / Valotte–Julian Lennon
04. We Are the World–USA for Africa (4) / Valotte–Julian Lennon
05. Make it Big–Wham! (10) / Songs from the Big Chair–Tears For Fears (7); Reckless–Bryan Adams (3)
06. Contact–Pointer Sisters (14) / The Power Station–The Power Station (3); Once Upon a Time–Simple Minds (11) [c]
1986
07. Whitney Houston–Whitney Houston (6) / Once Upon a Time–Simple Minds (2); Heart–Heart (1); True Blue–Madonna (3)
08. Pretty in Pink–Soundtrack (3) / Heart–Heart
09. Music from the Edge of Heaven–Wham! (3) / True Blue–Madonna
10. True Colors–Cyndi Lauper (3) / True Blue–Madonna
11. Back in the High Life–Steve Winwood (1) / So–Peter Gabriel
1987
12. Graceland–Paul Simon (3) / So–Peter Gabriel (1); Hot Together–Pointer Sisters (1); Slippery When Wet–Bon Jovi (1)
13. Control–Janet Jackson (1) / Hot Together–Pointer Sisters
14. Into the Fire–Bryan Adams (2) / The Joshua Tree–U2
15. Whitney–Whitney Houston (7) / Live in the City of Light–Simple Minds (5); Bad–Michael Jackson (2)
16. Bad Animals–Heart (7) / Live in the City of Light–Simple Minds (2); Cloud Nine–George Harrison (5)
17. Mending Wall–Chalk Circle (3) / Bad–Michael Jackson
1988
18. All the Best!–Paul McCartney (4) / Cloud Nine–George Harrison
19. Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D’Arby–Terence Trent D’Arby (1) / Lovesexy–Prince
20. New Jersey–Bon Jovi (2) / Rattle and Hum–U2
1989
21. Introspective–Pet Shop Boys (2) / Volume One–Traveling Wilburys
22. Hold Me in Your Arms–Rick Astley (5) / Volume One–Traveling Wilburys
23. Sonic Temple–The Cult (3) / Street Fighting Years–Simple Minds
24. Steel Wheels–Rolling Stones (2) / Like a Prayer–Madonna
25. The Seeds of Love–Tears For Fears (4) / Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814–Janet Jackson
26. Do the Right Thing–Soundtrack (1) / Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814–Janet Jackson
1990
27. Results–Liza Minnelli (4) / Flowers in the Dirt–Paul McCartney
28. Brigade–Heart (4) / Cosmic Thing–The B-52’s (3); I’m Breathless–Madonna (1)
29. Shut Up and Dance–Paula Abdul (4) / I’m Breathless–Madonna
30. Snow in June–The Northern Pikes (5) / Right Rhythm–The Pointer Sisters
31. Listen Without Prejudice–George Michael (3) / X–INXS
32. Twin Peaks–Soundtrack (1) / X–INXS
1991
33. I’m Your Baby Tonight–Whitney Houston (4) / X–INXS
34. Behaviour.–Pet Shop Boys (8) / X–INXS (3); Out of Time–R.E.M. (5)
35. Free–Rick Astley (1) / Out of Time–R.E.M.
36. Spellbound–Paula Abdul (6) / Real Life–Simple Minds
37. Unforgettable–Natalie Cole (3) / Out of Time–R.E.M.
1992
38. Real Love–Lisa Stansfield (9) / Achtung Baby–U2
39. Lucky Town–Bruce Springsteen (3) / Adrenalize–Def Leppard
40. Electronic–Electronic (3) / Nevermind–Nirvana
41. Totally Krossed Out–Kris Kross (3) / Good Stuff–The B-52’s
42. Wish–The Cure (4) / Good Stuff–The B-52’s
1993
43. Duran Duran–Duran Duran (4) / Off the Ground–Paul McCartney [d]
44. Ten Summoner’s Tales–Sting (4) / Off the Ground–Paul McCartney
45. The Beatles/1962-1966–The Beatles (3) / The Beatles/1967-1970–The Beatles
46. Paul is Live–Paul McCartney (3) / Very–Pet Shop Boys
1994
47. Supermodel of the World–RuPaul (11) / Very–Pet Shop Boys
48. Maybe You Should Drive–Barenaked Ladies (7) / Zero Patience A Musical About AIDS–Soundtrack
49. Disco 2–Pet Shop Boys (2) / Zero Patience A Musical About AIDS–Soundtrack
1995
50. Elegant Slumming–M People (5) / Good News from the Next World–Simple Minds (2); Thank You–Duran Duran (3)
51. Something to Remember–Madonna (5) / Design of a Decade 1986/1996–Janet Jackson (1); The Beatles Anthology 1–The Beatles (4)
1996
52. Rising–Yoko Ono/IMA (2) / Jagged Little Pill–Alanis Morissette
53. Raise the Pressure–Electronic (3) / New Adventures in Hi-Fi–R.E.M.
54. Greatest Hits–Take That (3) / Bilingual–Pet Shop Boys
55. Hi™ How Are You Today?–Ashley MacIsaac (3) / The Beatles Anthology 3–The Beatles
1997
56. Garbage–Garbage (5) / Blue–LeAnn Rimes
57. Odelay–Beck (4) / Blue–LeAnn Rimes
58. Unchained Melody/The Early Years–LeAnn Rimes (2) / Evita–Soundtrack
59. You Light Up My Life Inspirational Songs–LeAnn Rimes (3) / Be Here Now–Oasis
1998
60. Let’s Talk About Love–Celine Dion (3) / The Velvet Rope–Janet (1); ray of light–Madonna (2)
61. Surfacing–Sarah McLachlan (4) / ray of light–Madonna
62. Kokko–värttinä (7) / ray of light–Madonna
63. Version 2.0–garbage (3) / Vihma–Värttinä
64. White Christmas–Rosemary Clooney (1) / Vihma–Värttinä
1999
65. my love is your love–Whitney Houston (3) / Vihma–Värttinä
66. Piece of Paradise–Sky (2) / Vihma–Värttinä
67. Gloria!–Gloria Estefan (1) / Vihma–Värttinä
68. Come On Over–Shania Twain (5) / emo–sari kaasinen (4); Oi dai–Värttinä (1)
69. Christmas Kantele–Eija Kankaanranta & Mervi Yli-Vainio (1) / Joko Joulun alkaa saa–Sari ja Mari Kaasinen
2000
70. Tsihi Tsihi–Sirmakka (3) / Seleniko–Värttinä
71. Proud–Heather Small. (7) / Ilmatar–Värttinä
2001
72. Reveal–R.E.M. (4) / Wingspan Hits and History–Paul McCartney
73. beautifulgarbage–Garbage (3) / 6.12.–Värttinä
74. Blueprint for a Sunrise–Yoko Ono (4) / 6.12.–Värttinä (1); Sinä päivänä kun synnyin–Ultra Bra (3)
75. The Best of George Harrison–George Harrison (4) / All Things Must Pass–George Harrison
2002
76. Vengeance–Garmarna (3) / Kroketti–Ultra Bra
77. Forty Licks–Rolling Stones (4) / Elv1s 30 #1 Hits–Elvis Presley
78. Up!–Shania Twain (5) / Brainwashed–George Harrison
2003
79. Rakkaus viiltää–Kerkko Koskinen (2) / iki–Värttinä (1); Onnelliset kohtaa–Scandinavian Music Group (1)
80. In Time The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003–R.E.M. (3) / Elvis 2nd to None–Elvis Presley (1); iki–Värttinä (1); Let it Be… Naked–The Beatles (1)
81. Greatest Hits–LeAnn Rimes (2) / Let it Be… Naked–The Beatles
82. Sarin Joulu–Sari Kaasinen & Otawa (1) / Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas–Ella Fitzgerald [e]
Three albums were kept out of the top spot by three different albums:
Whitney Houston–Whitney Houston (6) by Once Upon a Time–Simple Minds (2); Heart–Heart (1); True Blue–Madonna (3)
Graceland–Paul Simon (3) by So–Peter Gabriel (1); Hot Together–Pointer Sisters (1); Slippery When Wet–Bon Jovi (1)
In Time The Best of R.E.M. 1988-2003–R.E.M. (3) by Elvis 2nd to None–Elvis Presley (1); iki–Värttinä (1); Let it Be… Naked–The Beatles (1)
[a] Rhythm of Youth had already been in release for over a year and a half and was on my chart when I started it in November 1983.
[b] [EP] = A 12″ single. In the first months of my albums chart I would rank 12″ maxi-singles or 12″ extended plays in with my full-length long-playing albums. In a sense I was ranking discs based on their size, as opposed to their content.
[c] The record for the longest run at #2.
[d] Duran Duran’s second self-titled album.
[e] I stopped compiling an albums chart in 2004 and it is unlikely that Sarin Joulu–a Christmas album–would have risen higher.