The Grateful Dead Have Missed No. 1 By One Space Several Times This Year

The Grateful Dead returns to a number of Billboard rankings this week with yet another entry in its hugely successful Dave’s Picks series — a collection that now includes more than 50 full-lengths curated by longtime archivist David Lemieux. The jam-rock veterans nearly collect another No. 1 in the U.S. this frame, missing the top spot by just one rung. That’s a familiar outcome for the Grateful Dead, especially on the Top Album Sales chart, where multiple releases — including several from the Dave’s Picks line — have peaked at No. 2. The latest arrival adds to a long history of close calls, and it’s not even the group’s first near-miss of the year.

The Grateful Dead’s New No. 2

Dave’s Picks Volume 54: Baltimore Civic Center, Baltimore, MD – 3/26/73 opens at No. 2 on the Top Album Sales chart. Luminate reports that the release sold a little more than 19,000 copies in its first tracking frame.

That sum, while impressive, wasn’t enough to pose real competition when compared to Skeleta by Ghost. That new release launches with just under 77,000 pure purchases, easily securing the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s list of the top-selling full-lengths and EPs in the country.

The Grateful Dead surely doesn’t mind landing at No. 2. In fact, it’s something the band is used to at this point.

Multiple No. 2 Albums in 2025 Alone

Dave’s Picks Volume 54 is the second title by the Grateful Dead to stall at No. 2 on the Top Album Sales chart in 2025. Just a few months ago in February, Dave’s Picks Volume 53: Riverfront Coliseum, Cincinnati, OH – 10/2/76 also reached the same position. It spent just one frame at No. 2 before disappearing — a showing that’s not uncommon for Grateful Dead releases. The band often issues these archival live sets in limited quantities that sell extremely well out of the gate and then vanish from Billboard’s rosters within a matter of days.

Three Bestselling Albums in 2025

The band has now debuted three projects on the Top Album Sales chart in 2025 alone. In April, between the two Dave’s Picks entries, Beacon Theatre, New York, NY – 6/14/76 also appeared on the tally. It, too, stuck around for just one frame, but it peaked at a much lower No. 27.

The Grateful Dead’s Milestone Top Two Titles

Throughout the years, the Grateful Dead has collected 46 top 10 placements on the Top Album Sales chart, surely one of the most impressive runs of bestsellers among all acts. Just one of those sets has reached the summit. A milestone 10, including the group’s latest offering, have missed the mark by a single rung.