Top Christian Albums Explained

Top Christian Albums is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that ranks the best-performing Christian albums in the United States. Like the Billboard 200, the data is compiled by Nielsen Soundscan based on each album's weekly physical and digital sales, as well as on-demand streaming and digital sales of its individual tracks.[1] The chart was introduced on the magazine issue dated March 29, 1980, under the title "Best Selling Inspirational LPs".[2] The current name was adopted on August 16, 2003, in an effort to "streamline" chart titles.[3] The first number-one album was Candle's Music Machine. Amy Grant's Age to Age, released in 1982, topped the chart for 85 consecutive weeks, the longest for any album on the chart.[4]

The current number-one album on the chart is Child of God by Forrest Frank.[5]

Artist milestones

Most number-one albums

scope=col Artistscope=col scope=col class="unsortable"
17[6]
16[7]
MercyMe12[8]
9[9]
Passion[10]
Lecrae[11]
Hillsong United8[12]
[13]
Casting Crowns[14]
Elevation Worship[15]
Third Day7[16]
Newsboys[17]
[18]
Hillsong Worship[19]
TobyMac6[20]
Needtobreathe6[21]
Phil Wickham4[22]
Lauren Daigle4[23] ---->

Most cumulative weeks at number one

scope=col Artistscope=col scope=col class="unsortable"
333
121[24]
112[25]
Kanye West106[26]
86
79[27]
Carman64[28]
Steven Curtis Chapman62
Casting Crowns61
MercyMe60
P.O.D.54[29]
dc Talk53[30]
Switchfoot48[31]
Petra44[32]

Album milestones

Most cumulative weeks at number one

The following albums have spent at least 30 cumulative weeks atop the chart:

scope=col Artistscope=col scope=col Yearsscope=col Albumscope=col class="unsortable"
1022018–23Look Up Child[33]
Kanye West982021–24Donda[34]
851982–84Age to Age[35]
681986–88Morning Like This[36]
611984–85Straight Ahead[37]
dc Talk381993–94Free at Last[38]
Switchfoot382004–05The Beautiful Letdown[39]
361985–86Unguarded[40]
361985–86Lead Me On[41]
351997–98[42]
P.O.D.352001–02Satellite[43]
Carman341989–90Revival In the Land[44]

Most consecutive weeks at number one

The following albums have spent at least 25 consecutive weeks atop the chart:

scope=col Artistscope=col scope=col Yearsscope=col Albumscope=col class="unsortable"
851982–84Age to Age[45]
611984–85Straight Ahead
401986–87Morning Like This
372018–19Look Up Child
361985–86Unguarded
351997–98
281988–89Lead Me On
251987–88The Collection

Most weeks on the chart

The following albums have spent at least 200 weeks on the chart:

Album currently charting, as of Issue November 30, 2024
scope=col scope=col Artistscope=col scope=col Albumscope=col class="unsortable"
1Skillet549Awake [46]
2Hillsong United513Zion [47]
3503How Can It Be [48]
4NF478Mansion [49]
5455How Great Is Our God: The Essential Collection [50]
6Elevation Worship441Here as in Heaven [51]
7Skillet423Unleashed [52]
8NF422Therapy Session [53]
9Hillsong Worship404Let There Be Light [54]
10Zach Williams391Chain Breaker [55]
11388Precious Memories Collection [56]
12381The Collection[57]
13MercyMe352I Can Only Imagine: The Very Best of MercyMe [58]
14Flyleaf337Flyleaf[59]
15324Look Up Child [60]
16314Elvis: Ultimate Gospel[61]
17For King & Country308Run Wild. Live Free. Love Strong.[62]
18Hillsong Worship300There Is More[63]
19286Age to Age[64]
20tobyMac285This Is Not a Test[65]
21For King & Country268Burn the Ships[66]
22Zach Williams268Rescue Story [67]
23Kanye West265Jesus Is King[68]
24257More Than Wonderful[69]
25257Voice of Truth: The Ultimate Collection[70]
26255Only Jesus[71]
27Elevation Worship238Graves into Gardens[72]
28237Hymns Just for You[73]
29MercyMe228Lifer [74]
30212Hills and Valleys[75]
31Skillet207Comatose[76]
32CeCe Winans193Believe for It[77]
33MercyMe187Welcome to the New [78]
34Hillsong United185Wonder[79]
35Hillsong United178People[80]
36Maverick City Music176The Maverick City Vol 03 Part 1[81] ---->

See also

Notes and References

  1. Billboard Charts Legend . November 10, 2019 . Billboard.
  2. March 29, 1980 . Best Selling Inspirational LPs . November 11, 2019 . . AmericanRadioHistory.
  3. August 16, 2003 . Bad Boys . 58 . November 11, 2019 . Note that we have streamlined the name of the latter album list, dropping the word 'Contemporary.' . . AmericanRadioHistory.
  4. Web site: Ruhlmann . William . Amy Grant Biography & History . November 11, 2019 . AllMusic.
  5. November 30, 2024 . Top Christian Albums . November 30, 2024 . Billboard.
  6. Asker . Jim . February 15, 2018 . Michael W. Smith Returns to Hot Christian Songs Chart: Music Can 'Transform a Life on Every Level' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190703150949/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8099914/michael-w-smith-returns-hot-christian-songs . July 3, 2019 . . Prometheus Global Media.
  7. Michael W. Smith Chart History: Christian Albums . November 12, 2019 . Billboard.
  8. MercyMe Chart History: Christian Albums . November 2, 2022 . Billboard.
  9. Steven Curtis Chapman Chart History: Christian Albums . November 12, 2019 . Billboard.
  10. Passion Conferences Chart History: Christian Albums . November 12, 2019 . Billboard.
  11. LeCrae Chart History: Christian Albums . September 2, 2020 . Billboard.
  12. Hilsong United Chapman Chart History: Christian Albums . November 11, 2019 . Billboard.
  13. Chris Tomlin Chart History: Christian Albums . August 12, 2020 . Billboard.
  14. Casting Crowns Chart History: Christian Albums . September 8, 2022 . Billboard.
  15. Elevation Worship Chart History: Christian Albums . June 29, 2023 . Billboard.
  16. Third Day Chart History: Christian Albums . November 12, 2019 . Billboard.
  17. Newsboys Chart History: Christian Albums . November 12, 2019 . Billboard.
  18. Jeremy Camp Chart History: Christian Albums . November 12, 2019 . Billboard.
  19. Hillsong Worship Chart History: Christian Albums . November 12, 2019 . Billboard.
  20. TobyMac Chart History: Christian Albums . August 31, 2021 . Billboard.
  21. Needtobreathe Chart History: Christian Albums . September 28, 2023 . Billboard.
  22. Phil Wickham Chart History: Christian Albums . August 31, 2021 . Billboard.
  23. Lauren Daigle Chart History: Christian Albums . September 21, 2021 . Billboard.
  24. Lauren Daigle Chart History: Christian Albums . September 21, 2023 . Billboard.
  25. Sandi Patty Chart History: Christian Albums . November 12, 2019 . Billboard.
  26. Kanye West Chart History: Christian Albums . February 29, 2024 . Billboard.
  27. Kirk Franklin Chart History: Christian Albums . November 12, 2019 . Billboard.
  28. Carmen Chart History: Christian Albums . https://web.archive.org/web/20191112031009/https://www.billboard.com/music/carman/chart-history/ILL . dead . November 12, 2019 . November 12, 2019 . Billboard.
  29. P.O.D. Chart History: Christian Albums . https://web.archive.org/web/20191109201904/https://www.billboard.com/music/pod/chart-history/ILL . dead . November 9, 2019 . November 12, 2019 . Billboard.
  30. dc Talk Chart History: Christian Albums . https://web.archive.org/web/20191112025446/https://www.billboard.com/music/dc-talk/chart-history/ILL . dead . November 12, 2019 . November 12, 2019 . Billboard.
  31. Switchfoot Chart History: Christian Albums . November 12, 2019 . Billboard.
  32. Petra Chart History: Christian Albums . https://web.archive.org/web/20191017125948/https://www.billboard.com/music/petra/chart-history/ILL . dead . October 17, 2019 . November 12, 2019 . Billboard.
  33. Lauren Daigle – Look Up Child . April 11, 2021 . Billboard.
  34. Kanye West – Donda . February 29, 2024 . Billboard.
  35. Amy Grant – Age to Age . November 11, 2019 . Billboard.
  36. Sandi Patty – Morning Like This . November 11, 2019 . Billboard.
  37. Amy Grant – Straight Ahead . November 11, 2019 . Billboard.
  38. dc Talk – Free at Last . https://web.archive.org/web/20191111185938/https://www.billboard.com/music/dc-talk/chart-history/ILL/song/195459 . dead . November 11, 2019 . November 11, 2019 . Billboard.
  39. Switchfoot – The Beautiful Letdown . November 11, 2019 . Billboard.
  40. Amy Grant – Unguarded . November 11, 2019 . Billboard.
  41. Amy Grant – Lead Me On . November 11, 2019 . Billboard.
  42. LeAnn Rimes – You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs . November 11, 2019 . Billboard.
  43. P.O.D. – Satellite . https://web.archive.org/web/20191109193522/https://www.billboard.com/music/pod/chart-history/ILL/song/409671 . dead . November 9, 2019 . November 11, 2019 . Billboard.
  44. Carman – Revival In the Land . https://web.archive.org/web/20191111191315/https://www.billboard.com/music/carman/chart-history/ILL/song/327528 . dead . November 11, 2019 . November 11, 2019 . Billboard.
  45. Darden . Bob . Amy Grant's Phenomenal Success . 37 . November 11, 2019 . . AmericanRadioHistory.
  46. Skillet – Awake . November 27, 2024 . Billboard.
  47. Hillsong United Chart History. November 27, 2024 . Billboard.
  48. Lauren Daigle Chart History . November 27, 2024 . Billboard.
  49. NF – Chart History . November 6, 2024 . Billboard.
  50. Chris Tomlin – How Great Is Our God: The Essential Collection . November 27, 2024 . Billboard.
  51. Elevation Worship – Here As in Heaven . November 27, 2024 . Billboard.
  52. Skillet – Unleashed . . November 6, 2024.
  53. NF – Chart History . . November 6, 2024.
  54. Hillsong Worship – Let There Be Light . . November 6, 2024.
  55. Zach Williams – Chain Breaker . . November 6, 2024.
  56. Alan Jackson – Precious Memories Collection . November 27, 2024 . Billboard.
  57. Amy Grant – The Collection . November 19, 2019 . Billboard.
  58. MercyMe – I Can Only Imagine: The Very Best of MercyMe . November 27, 2024 . Billboard.
  59. Flyleaf – Flyleaf . . November 27, 2024.
  60. Lauren Daigle – Look Up Child . November 27, 2024 . Billboard.
  61. Elvis Presley – Elvis: Ultimate Gospel . December 29, 2022 . Billboard.
  62. For King & Country – Run Wild. Live Free. Love Strong. . August 4, 2022 . Billboard.
  63. Hillsong Worship – There Is More . . November 27, 2024.
  64. Amy Grant – Age to Age . December 4, 2019 . Billboard.
  65. tobyMac – This Is Not a Test . August 17, 2022 . Billboard.
  66. For King & Country – Burn the Ships . . November 30, 2023.
  67. Zach Williams – Rescue Story . . November 27, 2024.
  68. Kanye West Chart History . . November 27, 2024.
  69. Sandi Patty – More than Wonderful . November 11, 2019 . Billboard.
  70. Casting Crowns – Voice of Truth: The Ultimate Collection . . November 27, 2024.
  71. Casting Crowns – Only Jesus . . November 27, 2024.
  72. Elevation Worship – Graves into Gardens . . November 27, 2024.
  73. Sandi Patty – Hymns Just For You . November 11, 2019 . Billboard.
  74. MercyMe – Lifer . June 15, 2022 . Billboard.
  75. Tauren Wells – Hills and Valleys . . September 8, 2022.
  76. Skillet – Comatose . November 11, 2019 . Billboard.
  77. Web site: [Ce Ce Winans Chart History |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/cece-winans/chart-history/ill/ |access-date=November 27, 2024].
  78. Web site: MercyMe – Lifer . March 15, 2023 . Billboard.
  79. Web site: Hillsong United Chart History . May 25, 2023.
  80. Web site: Hillsong United Chart History . December 7, 2023.
  81. Web site: Maverick City Music Chart History . December 7, 2023.

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