Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Has Spent 15 Weeks at No. 1 — Here’s Every Album That’s Done That

Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl is the 30th album to log 15 or more weeks at No. 1 in the 70-year history of the Billboard 200. And it’s the first to stay on top that long by an artist who was this deep into their career. Showgirl is Swift’s 12th studio album (and that’s not counting her “Taylor’s Version” re-recordings).

In addition, Swift is the only artist to stay at No. 1 for 15 or more weeks with multiple albums. Her previous studio album, 2024’s The Tortured Poets Department, logged 17 weeks on top. That Swift achieved this feat with back-to-back studio albums this deep into her career is another tremendous achievement.

Three artists tallied 15 or more weeks on top with their 11th studio albums: Andy Williams (Days of Wine and Roses logged 16 weeks on top in 1963), Fleetwood Mac (Rumours had 31 weeks on top in 1977-78) and Pink Floyd (The Wall had 15 weeks on top in 1980).

As usual, we have some fine print. The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was the group’s 12th studio album in the U.S., but only their eighth studio album in the U.K. Why the disparity? The group’s American label, Capitol Records, concocted several albums for the American market, including “Yesterday”… and Today.

Bee Gees released 14 studio albums prior to Saturday Night Fever, 12 of which were released internationally. But Billboard regards that blockbuster 1977 soundtrack as a Various Artists release.

Here’s a list of all albums that have logged 30 or more weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, with a notation of how deep into their discography the artists were at the time. They are listed in descending order by most weeks at No. 1. In the case of a tie, the oldest album is listed first.

• West Side Story (Movie Soundtrack)

  Weeks at No. 1: 54 (beginning May 5, 1962)

  Notes: This is a multi-artist film soundtrack. The film is an adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. On April 9, 1962, one month before the album hit No. 1, West Side Story won a near-record 10 Oscars, including best picture.

• Michael Jackson, Thriller

  Weeks at No. 1: 37 (beginning Feb. 26, 1983)

  Notes: This was Jackson’s sixth solo studio album, his second as an adult pop star. On Feb. 28, 1984, Jackson became the first artist to sweep eight Grammys in one night, including album of the year for Thriller and record of the year for “Beat It.”

• Harry Belafonte, Calypso

  Weeks at No. 1: 31 (beginning Sept. 8, 1956)

  Notes: This was the singer/actor’s third studio album. His second studio album, Belafonte, was No. 1 the week (March 24, 1956) the Billboard 200 launched as a consistent weekly feature.

• Movie Soundtrack, South Pacific

  Weeks at No. 1: 31 (beginning May 19, 1958)

  Notes: This is another multi-artist film soundtrack. The film was an adaptation of the 1949 Broadway musical by Rodgers & Hammerstein.

• Fleetwood Mac, Rumours

  Weeks at No. 1: 31 (beginning April 2, 1977)

  Notes: This was the band’s 11th studio album; the second by the five-member line-up that made the group famous. On Feb. 23, 1978, Rumours won a Grammy for album of the year.

• Movie Soundtrack, Saturday Night Fever

  Weeks at No. 1: 24 (beginning Jan. 21, 1978)

  Notes: The era-defining Bee Gees hits dominated this album, but technically it’s a multi-artist film soundtrack. The Bee Gees had 14 previous studio albums, 12 of which were released internationally. On Feb. 15, 1979, Fever won a Grammy for album of the year.

• Prince & the Revolution/Movie Soundtrack, Purple Rain

  Weeks at No. 1: 24 (beginning Aug. 4, 1984)

  Notes: This film soundtrack was Prince’s sixth studio album, but his first on which he gave front-cover billing to his backing group, The Revolution. On March 25, 1985, Prince won an Oscar for best original song score for Purple Rain.

• Adele, 21

  Weeks at No. 1: 24 (beginning March 12, 2011)

  Notes: This was the English star’s second studio album. On Feb. 12, 2012, Adele won six Grammys, including album of the year for 21 and record and song of the year for “Rolling in the Deep.”

• M.C. Hammer, Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ’Em

  Weeks at No. 1: 21 (beginning June 9, 1990)

  Notes: This was the rapper’s third studio album, his second for a major label.

• Elvis Presley/Movie Soundtrack, Blue Hawaii

  Weeks at No. 1: 20 (beginning Dec. 11, 1961)

  Notes: This film soundtrack was Presley’s 10th album, following six studio albums and three other soundtracks.

• Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard (Movie Soundtrack)

  Weeks at No. 1: 20 (beginning Dec. 12, 1992)

  Notes: This film soundtrack was Houston’s fourth album, following three studio collections. On March 1, 1994, Houston won three Grammys, including album of the year for The Bodyguard and record of the year for “I Will Always Love You.”

• Morgan Wallen, One Thing at a Time

  Weeks at No. 1: 19 (beginning March 18, 2023)

  Notes: This was the country star’s third studio album.

• The Monkees, More of the Monkees

  Weeks at No. 1: 18 (beginning Feb. 11, 1967)

  Notes: This was the pop/rock group’s second studio album. This album was in its 17th week at No. 1 on June 4, 1967, when the group’s TV show, The Monkees, won a Primetime Emmy for outstanding comedy series.

• Movie Soundtrack, Dirty Dancing

  Weeks at No. 1: 18 (beginning Nov. 14, 1987)

  Notes: This is a multi-artist film soundtrack. On April 11, 1988, the album’s lead single, Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes’ “(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life,” won an Oscar for best original song.

• Garth Brooks, Ropin’ the Wind

  Weeks at No. 1: 18 (beginning Sept. 28, 1991)

  Notes: This was the country star’s third studio album. On Sept. 30, 1992, Brooks won two CMA Awards, including album of the year for Ropin.’

• The Police, Synchronicity

  Weeks at No. 1: 17 (beginning July 23, 1983)

  Notes: This was the trio’s fifth and final studio album. They went out on top. They are the only act in Billboard 200 history to log 15 or more weeks at No. 1 and not release a follow-up. On Feb. 28, 1984, the album’s lead single, “Every Breath You Take,” won the Grammy for song of the year, beating out two Michael Jackson songs and keeping Jackson from sweeping the Big Three awards.

• Billy Ray Cyrus, Some Gave All

  Weeks at No. 1: 17 (beginning June 13, 1992)

  Notes: This was Cyrus’ debut studio album. On Sept. 30, 1992, the album’s lead single, “Achy Breaky Heart,” won the CMA Award for single of the year. Seven weeks later, on Nov. 23, Cyrus’ daughter Miley was born. It was a big year in the Cyrus household.

• Taylor Swift, The Tortured Poets Department

  Weeks at No. 1: 17 (beginning May 4, 2024)

  Notes: This was Swift’s 11th studio album, not counting her “Taylor’s Versions” albums.

• Original Cast, The Sound of Music

  Weeks at No. 1: 16 (beginning Jan 25, 1960)

  Notes: Mary Martin headlined this Broadway cast album from the 1959 Rodgers & Hammerstein classic. On April 24, 1960, The Sound of Music won best musical at the Tony Awards, in a rare tie with the less-well-remembered Fiorello!.

• Andy Williams, Days of Wine and Roses

  Weeks at No. 1: 16 (beginning May 4, 1963)

  Notes: This was the velvet-voiced crooner’s 11th studio album, and his fourth for Columbia Records, where he achieved his greatest success. The album was subtitled “And Other TV Requests.” Williams’ weekly TV variety series The Andy Williams Show had debuted in 1962. On May 26, 1963, when this album was in its fourth week at No. 1, the show won a Primetime Emmy for outstanding program achievement in the field of variety.

• Vanilla Ice, To the Extreme

  Weeks at No. 1: 16 (beginning Nov. 10, 1990)

  Notes: This was the rapper’s major label debut album. In early 1990, Vanilla Ice had released an early version of the album under the title Hooked on the independent label Ichiban Records.

• Movie Soundtrack, Titanic

  Weeks at No. 1: 16 (beginning Jan. 24, 1998)

  Notes: James Horner composed the music for this mostly instrumental soundtrack. On March 23, 1998, Titanic won a record-tying 11 Oscars, including best picture. Nearly a year later, on Feb. 24, 1999, Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On,” which is featured on the album, won Grammys for record and song of the year.

• Original Cast, My Fair Lady

  Weeks at No. 1: 15 (beginning July 14, 1956)

  Notes: Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison headlined the Broadway cast album to the 1956 Lerner & Loewe musical. On April 21, 1957, My Fair Lady won six Tony Awards, including best musical.

• The Kingston Trio, The Kingston Trio at Large

  Weeks at No. 1: 15 (beginning July 27, 1959)

  Notes: This was the pop-folk group’s second studio album.

• The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

  Weeks at No. 1: 15 (beginning July 1, 1967)

  Notes: This was the Beatles’ eighth studio album in the U.K., and their 12th in the U.S. Both counts include their film soundtracks. On Feb. 29, 1968, Sgt. Pepper’s became the first rock album to win a Grammy for album of the year.

• Carole King, Tapestry

  Weeks at No. 1: 15 (beginning June 19, 1971)

  Notes: This was King’s second studio album; her first produced by the legendary Lou Adler. On March 14, 1972, King became the second artist (and first woman) to win Grammys for album, record and song of the year in one night. She won those awards for Tapestry, “It’s Too Late” and “You’ve Got a Friend,” respectively.

• Pink Floyd, The Wall

  Weeks at No. 1: 15 (beginning Jan 19, 1980)

  Notes: This was the English rock group’s 11th studio album. That includes their 1969 soundtrack to the film More.

• REO Speedwagon, Hi Infidelity

  Weeks at No. 1: 15 (beginning Feb. 21, 1981)

  Notes: This was the rock group’s ninth studio album.

• Men at Work, Business as Usual

  Weeks at No. 1: 15 (beginning Nov. 13, 1982)

  Notes: This was the Australian new wave/pop group’s debut album. On Feb. 23, 1983, Men at Work won a Grammy for best new artist.

• Taylor Swift, The Life of a Showgirl

  Weeks at No. 1: 15 (beginning Oct. 18, 2025)

  Notes: This is Swift’s 12th studio album, not counting “Taylor’s Version” releases.