Music lovers, are you wondering which albums rocked the charts this year? It’s hard to keep up with all the new music coming out. You might feel lost in a sea of songs and artists.
Did you know that SZA’s “SOS” is the top album on the Billboard 200™ right now? That’s pretty cool! This blog post will help you catch up on the hottest albums of the year. We’ll look at the top 10 albums that everyone’s been talking about.
Ready to discover some great music?
Midnights - Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift’s “Midnights” took the music world by storm. It came out on October 21, 2022, and quickly broke records. The album sold a huge 1.6 million copies in its first week in the U.S. alone.
Fans couldn’t get enough, streaming it over 1 billion times worldwide in less than seven days.
Swift made history with “Midnights.” She became the first artist ever to hold all top ten spots on the Billboard Hot 100 chart at once. This beat Drake’s old record. The album’s success shows Swift’s star power and her ability to connect with fans.
Next up, let’s look at SZA’s hit album “SOS.
SOS - SZA
SZA’s album “SOS” made a big splash in 2023. It hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart again after almost two years. The album first came out on December 9, 2022. It has 23 songs and spent 11 weeks at the top spot.
In late December, “SOS” earned 178,000 album units. This was thanks to a new version with 15 extra tracks. Fans loved the new songs, which helped boost sales.
SOS is a chart-topping success that keeps on giving.
“SOS” ended 2024 as the 6th best-selling album of the year. This shows how much people liked SZA’s music. The album’s long-lasting success proves it’s a hit with fans. SZA’s talent shines through in every song, making “SOS” a standout in the music world.
One Thing at a Time - Morgan Wallen
Morgan Wallen’s “One Thing at a Time” was a huge hit in 2023. It topped the U.S. charts for 16 weeks, not all in a row. The album sold 5.362 million units, making it the best-selling album of the year.
Fans loved it!
The album’s main song, “Last Night,” broke records too. It was played over 1 billion times on streaming apps. That’s a lot of people listening! Wallen’s country tunes clearly struck a chord with music lovers across America.
GUTS - Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia Rodrigo’s “GUTS” hit the charts hard this year. It landed at No. 1 on Billboard 200, selling 302,000 units in its first week. Fans loved it so much that all 12 songs made it to the top 40 on Billboard Hot 100.
That’s a big deal!
The album’s main song, “Vampire,” climbed back to No. 1 after ten weeks in the top ten. Another hit, “Get Him Back!” started at No. 11 on the Hot 100. Rodrigo’s music clearly struck a chord with listeners, making “GUTS” one of the year’s top albums.
Utopia - Travis Scott
Travis Scott’s “Utopia” made a big splash this year. It hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart on August 12, 2023. The album sold 496,000 units in its first week. That’s a lot! Almost half of those units came from streaming.
People also bought 252,000 copies of the album.
“Utopia” is full of cool team-ups. Scott worked with other big stars like 21 Savage, Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, Future, and The Weeknd. These team-ups helped make the album a hit. Fans loved hearing their favorite artists together.
The mix of styles made “Utopia” feel like a musical dream world.
1989 (Taylor's Version) - Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift’s “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” hit the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart on December 9, 2023. It stayed at No. 1 for two weeks straight, starting November 11. Fans loved it, and it sold 141,000 album units by November 30.
This album did better than her other re-recorded ones.
Swift’s new take on “1989” was a big hit. It showed how much people still love her older songs. The album’s success proves that Taylor’s plan to redo her early work is working well.
Fans are excited to hear these familiar tunes with her more mature voice.
Un Verano Sin Ti - Bad Bunny
Bad Bunny’s “Un Verano Sin Ti” was a big hit in 2022. It stayed at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for 13 weeks. That’s a long time! The album also ruled the Top Latin Albums chart for 27 weeks.
Fans loved this summer-themed album. It showed how popular Latin music has become.
This album proved Bad Bunny is a star. It broke records and won hearts. People couldn’t stop listening to its catchy tunes. The songs made everyone feel like they were on a fun beach trip.
Next up, we’ll look at another chart-topping album that got people talking.
Heroes & Villains - Metro Boomin
Metro Boomin hit it big with “Heroes & Villains.” This album took the top spot on Billboard 200 on December 17, 2022. It sold 185,000 units in its first week. That’s a lot! The album has 15 songs and some cool team-ups.
Future, Chris Brown, and Travis Scott all join in.
Metro Boomin knows how to make hits. He’s done it before with “Savage Mode II” and “Not All Heroes Wear Capes.” Both of those albums also reached number one. “Heroes & Villains” shows he’s still got the magic touch.
Fans loved the mix of beats and star power. Now, let’s look at our next chart-topper.
The Highlights - The Weeknd
The Weeknd’s “The Highlights” was a big hit this year. It grabbed the second spot on the UK sales chart. Fans loved it, and it spread like wildfire on TikTok. The album has many catchy tunes that people can’t stop singing.
This album shows why The Weeknd is so popular. His songs are trendy and easy to dance to. Many people play his music at parties or when they want to feel good. Next up, we’ll look at another chart-topping album that made waves this year.
Dangerous: The Double Album - Morgan Wallen
Morgan Wallen’s “Dangerous: The Double Album” made waves in 2024. It grabbed the No. 8 spot on the U.S. Spotify charts for most-streamed albums. This shows how much fans love Wallen’s music.
The album’s success proves he’s a big name in country music.
Wallen’s album stood out among other top hits. It stayed popular long after its release. Fans kept streaming it, pushing it up the charts. This album helped Wallen become one of the most-listened-to artists of the year.
It’s clear that “Dangerous” struck a chord with many music lovers.
Bottom Line
The music world has changed a lot. Albums don’t stay on charts as long as they used to. Now, they only last 2-3 weeks at the top. This is because of digital streaming. Over 25 years, it caused physical album sales to drop by 80-90%.
Big stars now rule the charts. Only a few artists get most of the success. Most singers have their best years early on. They usually do best between their second and seventh year in the business.
After that, it gets harder to stay on top.
These changes mean artists need to work harder. They must put out new music more often. They also need to use social media to keep fans interested. Streaming has made it easier for people to hear new music.
But it’s also made it harder for artists to make money from album sales. The music industry is always changing. Artists who can adapt will do best in this new world.
