29 November 2021
Newsdesk
As music fans across the world recently commemorated Freddie Mercury 30 years on from his tragic death, his much-loved band Queen have once again re-affirmed their enduring appeal after their ‘Greatest Hits’ album topped a brand-new chart.
This must-own album for any music fan includes the timeless classics ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’, ‘Another One Bites The Dust’, ‘We Will Rock You’ and arguably the finest track ever written ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.
The compilation is officially the most-streamed album from the 70s, 80s or 90s according to a new ranking compiled by the Official Charts Company exclusively for Greatest Hits Radio. In a radio first, the chart revealed the Top 200 albums across the three decades since UK streaming data began.
Running across the weekend on Greatest Hits Radio, the final Top 40 was revealed by Simon Mayo yesterday afternoon (Sunday 28th November). The countdown also celebrates one year of the Simon Mayo Album Show which showcases the finest albums of the 70s, 80s and 90s every Sunday.
Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumours’ took second place, but their seminal record was also the highest ranked studio album. Released in 1977, it featured a number of the band’s biggest hits including ‘Dreams’, ‘Go Your Own Way’ and ‘Don’t Stop’. Oasis album ‘What’s the Story Morning Glory’ debuted at third place and as the highest album of the 90s, while ‘Definitely Maybe’ placed sixth overall. Just behind Oasis was Abba’s ‘Gold – Greatest Hits’ who prove as popular as ever after celebrating the success of ‘Voyage’ their first album in 40 years which entered the Official Albums Chart at Number One on its release earlier this month.
Oasis weren’t the only act to have more than one original album in the Top 40. Bob Marley, Michael Jackson and Nirvana each also had two studio albums in the list while Meatloaf boasted three. The Top 40 showed a broad range of albums across the decades with the earliest album being1970’s album ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ by Simon & Garfunkel. That entered the chart at #28, 17 places behind Dr Dre whose 1999 album - confusingly named ‘2001’ - was the most recent album to chart.
Greatest Hits Radio presenter Simon Mayo said “As the first chart of its kind, this is a fascinating insight into the albums that resonate the most with audiences today. From the Stones to Springsteen, these are the records that have really stood the test of time.”
Lauren Kreisler, Head of Brand & Digital at the Official Charts Company said – “What an outstanding weekend of programming this has been! It’s one thing to have a hit record in the 70s, 80s or 90s, but for these albums to find relevancy and a whole generation of new listeners through streaming platforms all these decades later…that’s how you know you’ve got a classic on your hands. Thank you to Greatest Hits Radio for teaming up on a truly unique Official Chart countdown.”
See below for the full Top 40 list.
You can listen to Greatest Hits Radio on FM, DAB digital radio, on your smart speaker, mobile device or online at greatesthitsradio.co.uk
1 GREATEST HITS QUEEN 1981
2 RUMOURS FLEETWOOD MAC 1977
3 WHAT'S THE STORY MORNING GLORY OASIS 1995
4 GOLD - GREATEST HITS ABBA 1992
5 LEGEND BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS 1984
6 DEFINITELY MAYBE OASIS 1994
7 THE STONE ROSES STONE ROSES 1989
8 HOT ROCKS - 1964-1971 ROLLING STONES 1971
9 1967-1970 BEATLES 1973
10 EXODUS BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS 1977
11 2001 DR DRE 1999
12 BAD MICHAEL JACKSON 1987
13 THE VERY BEST OF MARVIN GAYE 1996
14 IN UTERO NIRVANA 1993
15 GREATEST HITS BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 1995
16 THRILLER MICHAEL JACKSON 1982
17 NEVERMIND NIRVANA 1991
18 BACK IN BLACK AC/DC 1980
19 GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD ELTON JOHN 1973
20 GREATEST HITS 2PAC 1998
21 GREATEST HITS SIMON & GARFUNKEL 1972
22 VOULEZ-VOUS ABBA 1979
23 THE LION KING ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK 1994
24 HEAVEN AND HELL MEAT LOAF & BONNIE TYLER 1989
25 APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION GUNS N' ROSES 1987
26 BAT OUT OF HELL 2 - BACK INTO HELL MEAT LOAF 1993
27 EXPERIENCE HENDRIX - THE BEST OF JIMI HENDRIX 1997
28 BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER SIMON & GARFUNKEL 1970
29 DIVINE MADNESS MADNESS 1992
30 THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON PINK FLOYD 1973
31 GREATEST HITS POLICE 1992
32 THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION MADONNA 1990
33 THE JOSHUA TREE U2 1987
34 THE PLATINUM COLLECTION BLONDIE 1994
35 HATFUL OF HOLLOW SMITHS 1984
36 CALIFORNICATION RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS 1999
37 KAYA BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS 1978
38 STICKY FINGERS ROLLING STONES 1971
39 1962-1966 BEATLES 1973
40 BAT OUT OF HELL MEAT LOAF 1977
