EVEN at 67, pop celebrity Madonna has made it back on top again in the Official Albums Chart in the United Kingdom, matching Elvis Presley’s chart record and surpassing that of icon Bruce Springsteen.
‘Confessions II’, launched in the top spot, marks Madonna’s first champion in the country in more than a decade and continues her already historic winning streak, which began back in the mid-’80s.
Still considered the Queen of Pop, the pop idol has found her way back to the summit of the ranking of the most-consumed albums and extended plays (EPs) in the nation, breaking a tie with one of the most successful living male musicians and matching a true legend.
‘Confessions II’ is now Madonna’s thirteenth No. 1. It debuted on seven charts across the Atlantic last week and led all but one of them. It was only on the Official Albums Streaming tally, which is built entirely around plays on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and others, that Madonna missed the throne. It arrived at No. 7, earning the Grammy winner her sixth placement and first top 10.
Looking back, Madonna first reached the peak position in September 1985 with the iconic ‘Like a Virgin’—her sophomore set. Her last collection to rule was ‘MDNA’, which spent one week at No. 1 in the spring of 2012.
To highlight her achievements, here are all of Madonna’s No. 1s on the Official Albums Chart:
American Life
Celebration
Confessions II
Confessions on a Dance Floor
Evita
Hard Candy
Like a Prayer
Like a Virgin
MDNA
Music
Ray of Light
The Immaculate Collection
True Blue
With ‘Confessions II’ arriving as high as a title can climb, Madonna ties for the fifth-most rulers of all time on the Official Albums Chart in the UK. Thanks to her latest winner, she’s now on the same level as Elvis Presley.
The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and rock pioneer first soared to the No. 1 spot on the Official Albums ranking in November 1956. His most recent champion, ‘The Wonder of You’, debuted in the penthouse just under a decade ago.
Here are all of Presley’s No. 1s on the Official Albums Chart:
Blue Hawaii
Elvis Is Back
Elv1s – 30 Number One Hits
From Elvis in Memphis
G.I. Blues
If I Can Dream
King Creole
Loving You
Potluck
Rock and Roll
The King
The Wonder of You
Aside from matching Elvis, Madonna also broke her tie with The Boss, Bruce Springsteen.
Last week, before ‘Confessions II’ began appearing on charts around the world, Madonna was tied with the legendary singer-songwriter for the sixth-most rulers in UK history. The two solo stars had managed a dozen leaders apiece, but now she’s pulled ahead, for the time being.
The last time Springsteen earned a new ruler was back in November 2020 with ‘Letter to You’. Since then, a pair of projects, ‘Only the Strong Survive’ and ‘Tracks II: The Lost Albums’, have both missed out on dominating by just one position.
Here are all of Springsteen’s No. 1s on the Official Albums Chart:
Born in the U.S.A.
Devils & Dust
Greatest Hits
High Hopes
Human Touch
Letter to You
Magic
The Rising
Tunnel of Love
Western Stars
Working on a Dream
Wrecking Ball
Given Madonna’s powerful performances and strong vocals, she could soon climb the all-time list again. If she lands another No. 1 on the Official Albums Chart, she will move up once more.
This is at least how the standings look at the moment, although the ranking could change again soon, as Taylor Swift and the Rolling Stones are currently tied for the third-most champions ever, with 14 No. 1 albums apiece.
