The Beatles Reach A Major Milestone With One Album — For The Second Time

The Beatles haven’t released much brand new music in decades — aside from the occasional surprise single, though even that output is seemingly through — but the band still manages to appear on the charts in the United Kingdom every week. Decades after the group officially split, it’s the classic works that still sell, stream, and connect with fans every day. This frame, one of the outfit’s most successful compilations hits a particularly special milestone, one which the pioneering troupe has only reached a few times before.

Two Beatles Compilations Climb

The Beatles claim not, one but two spots on the Official Albums chart this frame. That ranking, which tracks the most-consumed full-lengths in the U.K., includes sales and streaming activity from fans throughout the nation. The group’s 1967-1970 compilation, often referred to as the Blue Album, lifts slightly to No. 55. Just a few spaces down, its companion collection 1962-1966 — better known as the Red Album — climbs as well, improving from No. 80 to No. 78.

1967-1970 Hits a Major Milestone

As 1967-1970 lifts to No. 55, it collects its one-hundred-and-fourth appearance on the Official Albums chart. That means the set has now spent exactly two years on the tally, though not consecutively – and there’s a bit of a catch.

Few Beatles Albums Have Reached That Mark

1967-1970 is just the sixth Beatles project to spend two full years somewhere on the U.K.’s main albums chart. That exclusive club also includes other hit collections as well as a pair of studio LPs. Interestingly, there are two different versions of 1967-1970 that have appeared on the list — and both have now reached the two-year threshold.

One version, officially titled The Beatles – 1967-1970, was originally released in the 1970s and has so far racked up 131 total stays. Its companion piece, The Beatles – 1962-1966, has now amassed 167 weeks on the tally. When it comes to traditional studio efforts, only two have managed to chart for at least 104 weeks: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band with 277, and Abbey Road with 142.

The biggest success among all Beatles efforts on the Official Albums ranking is 1, the band’s chart-topping compilation from 2000. That title has now appeared on the list for 467 weeks — more than twice as many as almost all other wins from the band.

Some Legendary Beatles Albums Still Have to Catch Up

Amazingly, 1967-1970 has now surpassed several of the Beatles’ studio releases that are considered by many to be among the greatest albums of all time. Iconic titles like Revolver, Rubber Soul, The Beatles (known to most as The White Album), and Let It Be have all failed to hit the 104-week mark, at least so far.

1962-1966 Could Be Next

While 1962-1966 has already spent 167 weeks on the list under one official title, another version of the set is quickly catching up. The current edition of 1962-1966 is up to 81 total turns on the Official Albums chart. It may also reach the two-year point in the not-too-distant future.

It’s not unusual for major groups like the Beatles to re-release albums in different formats over the years. Depending on how the Official Charts Company categorizes these versions — based on artwork, tracklists, remastering, and more — they may be counted separately, which helps explain why similar titles can tally such different numbers.