148:
In 2020, Billboard updated their eligibility rules for independent albums. As of the chart dated July 18, 2020, labels that are independently owned and control their masters, but which are distributed directly through one of the "Big Three" record companies (as opposed to a major label within one of
71:
chart: "For
Billboard charting purposes, defining an independent album is done on a title level and based on its distribution. If an album is sold by an indie distributor (or, one of the major label's indie distribution arms), it is classified as an independent title and can chart on our Top
72:
Independent Albums tally. Classification is not based on a label's ownership, or if an act is signed to an independent label." Note that this definition does not exclude record labels owned by other large corporations from being classified as independent: for example,
1098:
1020:
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1038:
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153:. This change retroactively classified many albums that had hit #1 on the Billboard 200 as "independent". For the sake of consistency, those albums, such as
320:
84:, the largest media and entertainment conglomerate in the world. Disney lost the distinction in 2000 when they signed a distribution deal with Universal.
665:
1000:
982:), 2024 (hit #1 on Independent Albums seven years after hitting #1 on the Billboard 200, only doing so after an already-mentioned rules change)
946:
913:), 2021 (hit #1 on Independent Albums six years after hitting #1 on the Billboard 200, only doing so after an already-mentioned rules change)
145:(2024) are from former major label acts who had developed strong and established fanbases from their time being signed to a major label.
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1042:
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477:
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242:
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Though not clearly defined, an independent record label is generally considered to be any label that is not part of the
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1065:"Top Independent Albums Chart Expands Inclusion Criteria With New A2IM Partnership"
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721:), 2017 (considered an independent album despite the involvement of
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to be an independent label for over a decade, despite being part of
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Some of the independently released albums to have topped the
1001:"Ask Billboard: Indies, No. 2 Hits & Teddy Pendergrass"
1018:"Arcade Fire And Taylor Swift Sweep In With New No. 1s"
149:
the aforementioned companies), would be eligible for
526:
Blame It All on My Roots: Five
Decades of Influences
67:cites the following definition for use on their
1099:Lists of number-one albums in the United States
8:
1073:. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. June 16, 2020
18:List of number-one independent albums (U.S)
992:
191:), are not included in the list below.
7:
1037:Siklos, Richard (February 9, 2009).
947:Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana
340:(Eagles Recording Company II), 2007
44:began recording album sales data.
25:
1027:. billboard.biz. August 11, 2010.
31:independently distributed records
725:, which is owned by Universal)
33:to achieve the #1 spot on the
1:
1039:"Why Disney wants DreamWorks"
723:Capitol Christian Music Group
703:Procrastinate! Music Traitors
686:Hardwired... to Self-Destruct
849:(TenThousand Projects), 2019
689:(Blackened Recordings), 2016
135:'s collaborative album with
1041:. CNN/Money. Archived from
950:(Rimas Entertainment), 2023
938:(Rimas Entertainment), 2022
893:(Rimas Entertainment), 2020
494:Modern Vampires of the City
29:The following is a list of
1115:
49:big three record companies
737:(Bad Vibes Forever), 2018
181:), and the soundtrack to
1023:August 16, 2010, at the
890:El Último Tour Del Mundo
814:Map of the Soul: Persona
243:The Lion King Soundtrack
53:Sony Music Entertainment
505:Queens of the Stone Age
82:The Walt Disney Company
40:chart since 1991, when
846:A Love Letter to You 4
657:(Boys Don't Cry), 2016
430:Showroom of Compassion
151:Top Independent Albums
69:Top Independent Albums
782:Love Yourself: Answer
755:BMG Rights Management
675:BMG Rights Management
643:BMG Rights Management
611:BMG Rights Management
337:Long Road Out of Eden
269:Pocahontas Soundtrack
98:Long Road Out of Eden
61:Universal Music Group
641:(Viking Wizard Eyes/
374:Monkeywrench Records
316:Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
280:Bone Thugs-n-Harmony
1007:. January 22, 2010.
980:Big Machine Records
924:Walt Disney Records
803:Empire Distribution
801:(Bad Vibes Forever/
766:Love Yourself: Tear
558:Old Boots, New Dirt
274:Walt Disney Records
248:Walt Disney Records
189:Walt Disney Records
165:Big Machine Records
51:, which consist of
916:Various Artists –
858:Map of the Soul: 7
751:Broken Bow Records
671:Broken Bow Records
563:Broken Bow Records
483:Broken Bow Records
457:Mumford & Sons
398:Hope for Haiti Now
395:Various Artists –
266:Various Artists –
253:Various Artists –
240:Various Artists –
78:Disney Music Group
57:Warner Music Group
593:(Voltron Recordz/
574:Sound & Color
510:...Like Clockwork
467:Glassnote Records
306:Death Row Records
256:Friday Soundtrack
42:Nielsen Soundscan
16:(Redirected from
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1083:
1082:
1080:
1078:
1061:
1055:
1054:
1052:
1050:
1045:on June 10, 2009
1034:
1028:
1016:Vitoulis, Alex.
1014:
1008:
997:
935:Un Verano Sin Ti
911:Columbia Records
835:Caroline Records
719:Caroline Records
627:Dualtone Records
595:Caroline Records
326:Ruthless Records
290:Ruthless Records
261:Priority Records
231:Priority Records
215:Priority Records
211:Ruthless Records
21:
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1025:Wayback Machine
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833:(NF Real Music/
717:(NF Real Music/
698:Science Fiction
666:They Don't Know
609:(Rhythm Nation/
515:Matador Records
489:Vampire Weekend
451:Rostrum Records
446:Blue Slide Park
380:Vampire Weekend
285:E. 1999 Eternal
197:
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569:Alabama Shakes
566:
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486:
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454:
438:
435:Upbeat Records
422:
406:
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321:The Art of War
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296:Tha Dogg Pound
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1005:billboard.com
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999:Trust, Gary.
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964:
959:
958:Ty Dolla Sign
955:
952:
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948:
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937:
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931:
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925:
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907:XL Recordings
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879:Big Hit Music
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863:Big Hit Music
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819:Big Hit Music
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787:Big Hit Music
784:
783:
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771:Big Hit Music
768:
767:
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756:
752:
749:(Macon Music/
748:
747:
746:Rearview Town
742:
739:
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735:
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669:(Macon Music/
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624:
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617:The Lumineers
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612:
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601:Janet Jackson
599:
596:
592:
591:
586:
583:
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567:
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554:
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547:Reach Records
544:
543:
538:
535:
532:
531:Pearl Records
528:
527:
522:
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516:
512:
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506:
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499:XL Recordings
496:
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463:
458:
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419:Merge Records
416:
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394:
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390:XL Recordings
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179:XL Recordings
176:
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138:
137:Ty Dolla Sign
134:
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91:200, such as
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50:
45:
43:
39:
37:
32:
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19:
1075:. Retrieved
1068:
1059:
1047:. Retrieved
1043:the original
1032:
1012:
995:
973:
970:Taylor Swift
961:
945:
933:
917:
900:
888:
872:
856:
844:
841:Trippie Redd
828:
812:
796:
793:XXXTentacion
780:
764:
744:
741:Jason Aldean
732:
729:XXXTentacion
712:
696:
684:
664:
661:Jason Aldean
652:
636:
620:
604:
588:
572:
556:
553:Jason Aldean
540:
524:
521:Garth Brooks
508:
492:
476:
473:Jason Aldean
460:
444:
428:
412:
403:MTV Networks
396:
383:
367:
347:
335:
319:
299:
283:
267:
254:
241:
226:The Predator
224:
204:
182:
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155:Taylor Swift
147:
140:
126:
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106:
96:
88:
86:
73:
64:
46:
35:
28:
26:
1077:October 22,
1049:February 9,
966:(YZY), 2024
649:Frank Ocean
606:Unbreakable
579:ATO Records
478:Night Train
414:The Suburbs
409:Arcade Fire
358:ATO Records
354:TBD Records
349:In Rainbows
206:Niggaz4Life
131:(2016) and
123:Frank Ocean
108:In Rainbows
76:considered
987:References
975:Reputation
963:Vultures 1
954:Kanye West
830:The Search
714:Perception
638:California
590:Black Rose
441:Mac Miller
369:Backspacer
310:Interscope
142:Vultures 1
133:Kanye West
118:Backspacer
93:the Eagles
1070:Billboard
942:Bad Bunny
930:Bad Bunny
885:Bad Bunny
693:Brand New
681:Metallica
633:Blink-182
622:Cleopatra
364:Pearl Jam
344:Radiohead
301:Dogg Food
113:Pearl Jam
103:Radiohead
89:Billboard
74:Billboard
65:Billboard
36:Billboard
1093:Category
1021:Archived
221:Ice Cube
121:(2009),
111:(2008),
101:(2007),
926:), 2022
919:Encanto
881:), 2020
865:), 2020
837:), 2019
821:), 2019
805:), 2018
789:), 2018
773:), 2018
757:), 2018
705:), 2017
677:), 2016
645:), 2016
629:), 2016
613:), 2015
597:), 2015
581:), 2015
565:), 2014
549:), 2014
542:Anomaly
533:), 2013
517:), 2013
501:), 2013
485:), 2012
469:), 2012
453:), 2011
437:), 2011
421:), 2010
405:), 2010
392:), 2010
376:), 2009
360:), 2008
328:), 1997
312:), 1995
292:), 1995
276:), 1995
263:), 1995
250:), 1994
237:), 1992
217:), 1991
654:Blonde
585:Tyrese
537:Lecrae
385:Contra
332:Eagles
195:Albums
184:Frozen
128:Blonde
59:, and
897:Adele
798:Skins
462:Babel
201:N.W.A
169:Adele
1079:2021
1051:2009
956:and
425:Cake
160:1989
869:BTS
853:BTS
809:BTS
777:BTS
761:BTS
235:EMI
171:'s
167:),
157:'s
125:'s
115:'s
105:'s
38:200
1095::
1067:.
1003:.
972:–
960:–
944:–
932:–
902:25
899:–
887:–
874:Be
871:–
855:–
843:–
827:–
825:NF
811:–
795:–
779:–
763:–
743:–
731:–
711:–
709:NF
695:–
683:–
663:–
651:–
635:–
619:–
603:–
587:–
571:–
555:–
539:–
523:–
507:–
491:–
475:–
459:–
443:–
427:–
411:–
382:–
366:–
346:–
334:–
318:–
298:–
282:–
223:–
203:–
174:21
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