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All the Number 1 albums of the 1990s

Selection of 90s album covers

To mark National Album Day 2023, which this year celebrates the albums of the 1990s, we're taking a look back at all the Number 1 albums of the decade.

From the first Number 1 album of the 1990s - Colour, by British soul group The Christians, all the way through to Shania Twain's blockbusting Come On Over which marked 1999's final chart topper on the Official Albums Chart before the turn of the millennium. 

Let's delve into the wondrously eclectic decade that brought us Britpop, Spice Girls, a surprise Meat Loaf renaissance, a Titanic takeover, Madonna's still-immaculate Immaculate Collection, Take That, East 17, boyband domination in general, and not to forget one subsequent smash hit solo career for Robbie Williams. As a decade on the charts, the '90s had it all.

These are the Number 1 albums of the 1990s, every last one of them, in chronological order. See all the Number 1 albums ever here from 1956 to now.

Every Number 1 album of the 1990s

1990

DATE TITLE ARTIST WKS AT NO.1
27/01/1990 COLOUR CHRISTIANS 1
03/02/1990 ... BUT SERIOUSLY PHIL COLLINS 7
24/03/1990 I DO NOT WANT WHAT I HAVEN'T GOT SINEAD O'CONNOR 1
31/03/1990 CHANGESBOWIE DAVID BOWIE 1
07/04/1990 ONLY YESTERDAY - RICHARD & KAREN CARPENTER'S GREATEST HITS CARPENTERS 2
21/04/1990 BEHIND THE MASK FLEETWOOD MAC 1
28/04/1990 ONLY YESTERDAY - RICHARD & KAREN CARPENTER'S GREATEST HITS CARPENTERS 5
02/06/1990 VOLUME II (1990 A NEW DECADE) SOUL II SOUL 3
23/06/1990 THE ESSENTIAL PAVAROTTI LUCIANO PAVAROTTI 1
30/06/1990 STEP BY STEP NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK 1
07/07/1990 THE ESSENTIAL PAVAROTTI LUCIANO PAVAROTTI 3
28/07/1990 SLEEPING WITH THE PAST ELTON JOHN 5
01/09/1990 GRAFITTI BRIDGE PRINCE 1
08/09/1990 IN CONCERT CARRERAS DOMINGO PAVAROTTI 1
15/09/1990 LISTEN WITHOUT PREJUDICE VOLUME 1 GEORGE MICHAEL 1
22/09/1990 IN CONCERT CARRERAS DOMINGO PAVAROTTI 4
20/10/1990 SOME FRIENDLY CHARLATANS 1
27/10/1990 THE RHYTHM OF THE SAINTS PAUL SIMON 2
10/11/1990 THE VERY BEST OF ELTON JOHN ELTON JOHN 2
24/11/1990 THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION MADONNA 9

1991

DATE TITLE ARTIST WKS AT NO.1
26/01/1991 MCMCX A. D. ENIGMA 1
02/02/1991 THE SOUL CAGES STING 1
09/02/1991 DOUBT JESUS JONES 1
16/02/1991 INNUENDO QUEEN 2
02/03/1991 CIRCLE OF ONE OLETA ADAMS 1
09/03/1991 AUBERGE CHRIS REA 1
16/03/1991 SPARTACUS FARM 1
23/03/1991 OUT OF TIME R.E.M. 1
30/03/1991 GREATEST HITS EURYTHMICS 9
01/06/1991 SEAL SEAL 3
22/06/1991 GREATEST HITS EURYTHMICS 1
29/06/1991 LOVE HURTS CHER 6
10/08/1991 ESSENTIAL PAVAROTTI II LUCIANO PAVAROTTI 2
24/08/1991 METALLICA METALLICA 1
31/08/1991 JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT LONDON STAGE CAST 2
14/09/1991 FROM TIME TO TIME - THE SINGLES COLLECTION PAUL YOUNG 1
21/09/1991 ON EVERY STREET DIRE STRAITS 1
28/09/1991 USE YOUR ILLUSION II GUNS N' ROSES 1
05/10/1991 WAKING UP THE NEIGHBOURS BRYAN ADAMS 1
12/10/1991 STARS SIMPLY RED 2
26/10/1991 CHORUS ERASURE 1
02/11/1991 STARS SIMPLY RED 1
09/11/1991 GREATEST HITS II QUEEN 1
16/11/1991 SHEPHERD MOONS ENYA 1
23/11/1991 WE CAN'T DANCE GENESIS 1
30/11/1991 DANGEROUS MICHAEL JACKSON 1
07/12/1991 GREATEST HITS II QUEEN 4

1992

DATE TITLE ARTIST WKS AT NO.1
04/01/1992 STARS SIMPLY RED 5
08/02/1992 HIGH ON THE HAPPY SIDE WET WET WET 2
22/02/1992 STARS SIMPLY RED 3
14/03/1992 DIVINE MADNESS MADNESS 3
04/04/1992 HUMAN TOUCH BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 1
11/04/1992 ADRENALIZE DEF LEPPARD 1
18/04/1992 DIVA ANNIE LENNOX 1
25/04/1992 UP RIGHT SAID FRED 1
02/05/1992 WISH CURE 1
09/05/1992 STARS SIMPLY RED 1
16/05/1992 1992 - THE LOVE ALBUM CARTER - THE UNSTOPPABLE SEX MACHINE 1
23/05/1992 FEAR OF THE DARK IRON MAIDEN 1
30/05/1992 MICHAEL BALL MICHAEL BALL 1
06/06/1992 BACK TO FRONT LIONEL RICHIE 6
18/07/1992 U.F. ORB ORB 1
25/07/1992 THE GREATEST HITS 1966-1992 NEIL DIAMOND 3
15/08/1992 WELCOME TO WHEREVER YOU ARE INXS 1
22/08/1992 WE CAN'T DANCE GENESIS 1
29/08/1992 BEST ... I SMITHS 1
05/09/1992 KYLIE GREATEST HITS KYLIE MINOGUE 1
12/09/1992 TUBULAR BELLS II MIKE OLDFIELD 2
26/09/1992 THE BEST OF BELINDA VOLUME I BELINDA CARLISLE 1
03/10/1992 GOLD - GREATEST HITS ABBA 1
10/10/1992 AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE R.E.M. 1
17/10/1992 SYMBOL PRINCE & THE NEW POWER GENERATION 1
24/10/1992 GLITTERING PRIZE 81/92 SIMPLE MINDS 3
14/11/1992 KEEP THE FAITH BON JOVI 1
21/11/1992 CHER'S GREATEST HITS: 1965-1992 CHER 1
28/11/1992 POP! - THE FIRST 20 HITS ERASURE 2
12/12/1992 CHER'S GREATEST HITS: 1965-1992 CHER 6

1993

DATE TITLE ARTIST WKS AT NO.1
23/01/1993 LIVE - THE WAY WE WALK VOLUME 2: THE LONGS GENESIS 2
06/02/1993 JAM LITTLE ANGELS 1
13/02/1993 PURE CULT CULT 1
20/02/1993 WORDS OF LOVE BUDDY HOLLY & THE CRICKETS 1
27/02/1993 WALTHAMSTOW EAST 17 1
06/03/1993 DIVA ANNIE LENNOX 1
13/03/1993 ARE YOU GONNA GO MY WAY LENNY KRAVITZ 2
27/03/1993 THEIR GREATEST HITS HOT CHOCOLATE 1
03/04/1993 SONGS OF FAITH AND DEVOTION DEPECHE MODE 1
10/04/1993 SUEDE SUEDE 1
17/04/1993 BLACK TIE WHITE NOISE DAVID BOWIE 1
24/04/1993 AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE R.E.M. 1
01/05/1993 CLIFF RICHARD - THE ALBUM CLIFF RICHARD 1
08/05/1993 AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE R.E.M. 1
15/05/1993 REPUBLIC NEW ORDER 1
22/05/1993 AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE R.E.M. 1
29/05/1993 JANET JANET JACKSON 2
12/06/1993 NO LIMITS TWO UNLIMITED 1
19/06/1993 WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT (OST) TINA TURNER 1
26/06/1993 EMERGENCY ON PLANET EARTH JAMIROQUAI 3
17/07/1993 ZOOROPA U2 1
24/07/1993 PROMISES AND LIES UB40 7
11/09/1993 MUSIC BOX MARIAH CAREY 1
18/09/1993 BAT OUT OF HELL II - BACK INTO HELL MEAT LOAF 1
25/09/1993 IN UTERO NIRVANA 1
02/10/1993 BAT OUT OF HELL II - BACK INTO HELL MEAT LOAF 1
09/10/1993 VERY PET SHOP BOYS 1
16/10/1993 BAT OUT OF HELL II - BACK INTO HELL MEAT LOAF 1
23/10/1993 EVERYTHING CHANGES TAKE THAT 1
30/10/1993 BAT OUT OF HELL II - BACK INTO HELL MEAT LOAF 3
20/11/1993 BOTH SIDES PHIL COLLINS 1
27/11/1993 BAT OUT OF HELL II - BACK INTO HELL MEAT LOAF 5

1994

DATE TITLE ARTIST WKS AT NO.1
01/01/1994 ONE WOMAN - THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION DIANA ROSS 1
08/01/1994 EVERYTHING CHANGES TAKE THAT 1
15/01/1994 SO FAR SO GOOD BRYAN ADAMS 1
22/01/1994 ONE WOMAN - THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION DIANA ROSS 1
29/01/1994 TEASE ME CHAKA DEMUS & PLIERS 2
12/02/1994 UNDER THE PINK TORI AMOS 1
19/02/1994 THE CROSS OF CHANGES ENIGMA 1
26/02/1994 MUSIC BOX MARIAH CAREY 4
26/03/1994 VAUXHALL AND I MORRISSEY 1
02/04/1994 MUSIC BOX MARIAH CAREY 1
09/04/1994 THE DIVISION BELL PINK FLOYD 4
07/05/1994 PARKLIFE BLUR 1
14/05/1994 OUR TOWN - THE GREATEST HITS OF DEACON BLUE DEACON BLUE 2
28/05/1994 I SAY I SAY I SAY ERASURE 1
04/06/1994 SEAL SEAL 2
18/06/1994 REAL THINGS TWO UNLIMITED 1
25/06/1994 EVERYBODY ELSE IS DOING IT SO WHY CAN'T WE? CRANBERRIES 1
02/07/1994 HAPPY NATION ACE OF BASE 2
16/07/1994 MUSIC FOR THE JILTED GENERATION PRODIGY 1
23/07/1994 VOODOO LOUNGE ROLLING STONES 1
30/07/1994 END OF PART ONE (THEIR GREATEST HITS) WET WET WET 4
27/08/1994 COME PRINCE 1
03/09/1994 END OF PART ONE (THEIR GREATEST HITS) WET WET WET 1
10/09/1994 DEFINITELY MAYBE OASIS 1
17/09/1994 THE THREE TENORS IN CONCERT 1994 CARRERAS DOMINGO PAVAROTTI 1
24/09/1994 FROM THE CRADLE ERIC CLAPTON 1
01/10/1994 SONGS LUTHER VANDROSS 1
08/10/1994 MONSTER R.E.M. 2
22/10/1994 CROSS ROAD - THE BEST OF BON JOVI BON JOVI 3
12/11/1994 UNPLUGGED IN NEW YORK NIRVANA 1
19/11/1994 CROSS ROAD - THE BEST OF BON JOVI BON JOVI 2
03/12/1994 CARRY ON UP THE CHARTS - THE BEST OF THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH BEAUTIFUL SOUTH 1
10/12/1994 LIVE AT THE BBC BEATLES 1
17/12/1994 CARRY ON UP THE CHARTS - THE BEST OF THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH BEAUTIFUL SOUTH 6

1995

DATE TITLE ARTIST WKS AT NO.1
28/01/1995 THE COLOUR OF MY LOVE CELINE DION 6
11/03/1995 GREATEST HITS BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 1
18/03/1995 MEDUSA ANNIE LENNOX 1
25/03/1995 ELASTICA ELASTICA 1
01/04/1995 THE COLOUR OF MY LOVE CELINE DION 1
08/04/1995 WAKE UP! BOO RADLEYS 1
15/04/1995 GREATEST HITS BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 1
22/04/1995 PICTURE THIS WET WET WET 3
13/05/1995 NOBODY ELSE TAKE THAT 2
27/05/1995 STANLEY ROAD PAUL WELLER 1
03/06/1995 SINGLES ALISON MOYET 1
10/06/1995 PULSE PINK FLOYD 2
24/06/1995 HISTORY - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE BOOK 1 MICHAEL JACKSON 1
01/07/1995 THESE DAYS BON JOVI 4
29/07/1995 I SHOULD COCO SUPERGRASS 3
19/08/1995 IT'S GREAT WHEN YOU'RE STRAIGHT ... YEAH BLACK GRAPE 2
02/09/1995 SAID AND DONE BOYZONE 1
09/09/1995 THE CHARLATANS CHARLATANS 1
16/09/1995 ZEITGEIST LEVELLERS 1
23/09/1995 THE GREAT ESCAPE BLUR 2
07/10/1995 DAYDREAM MARIAH CAREY 1
14/10/1995 (WHAT'S THE STORY) MORNING GLORY? OASIS 1
21/10/1995 LIFE SIMPLY RED 3
11/11/1995 DIFFERENT CLASS PULP 1
18/11/1995 MADE IN HEAVEN QUEEN 1
25/11/1995 ROBSON & JEROME ROBSON & JEROME 7

1996

DATE TITLE ARTIST WKS AT NO.1
13/01/1996 (WHAT'S THE STORY) MORNING GLORY? OASIS 6
24/02/1996 EXPECTING TO FLY BLUETONES 1
02/03/1996 (WHAT'S THE STORY) MORNING GLORY? OASIS 3
23/03/1996 FALLING INTO YOU CELINE DION 1
30/03/1996 ANTHOLOGY 2 BEATLES 1
06/04/1996 GREATEST HITS TAKE THAT 4
04/05/1996 JAGGED LITTLE PILL ALANIS MORISSETTE 2
18/05/1996 1977 ASH 1
25/05/1996 OLDER GEORGE MICHAEL 3
15/06/1996 LOAD METALLICA 1
22/06/1996 18 TIL I DIE BRYAN ADAMS 1
29/06/1996 JAGGED LITTLE PILL ALANIS MORISSETTE 1
06/07/1996 RECURRING DREAM - THE VERY BEST OF CROWDED HOUSE CROWDED HOUSE 2
20/07/1996 JAGGED LITTLE PILL ALANIS MORISSETTE 8
14/09/1996 COMING UP SUEDE 1
21/09/1996 NEW ADVENTURES IN HI-FI R.E.M. 1
28/09/1996 K KULA SHAKER 2
12/10/1996 NATURAL PETER ANDRE 1
19/10/1996 GREATEST HITS SIMPLY RED 2
02/11/1996 BLUE IS THE COLOUR BEAUTIFUL SOUTH 1
09/11/1996 A DIFFERENT BEAT BOYZONE 1
16/11/1996 SPICE SPICE GIRLS 1
23/11/1996 TAKE TWO ROBSON & JEROME 2
07/12/1996 SPICE SPICE GIRLS 8

1997

DATE TITLE ARTIST WKS AT NO.1
01/02/1997 EVITA (OST) MADONNA & VARIOUS ARTISTS 1
08/02/1997 GLOW REEF 1
15/02/1997 WHITE ON BLONDE TEXAS 1
22/02/1997 BLUR BLUR 1
01/03/1997 ATTACK OF THE GREY LANTERN MANSUN 1
08/03/1997 SPICE SPICE GIRLS 1
15/03/1997 POP U2 1
22/03/1997 SPICE SPICE GIRLS 4
19/04/1997 DIG YOUR OWN HOLE CHEMICAL BROTHERS 1
26/04/1997 ULTRA DEPECHE MODE 1
03/05/1997 TELLIN' STORIES CHARLATANS 2
17/05/1997 SPICE SPICE GIRLS 1
24/05/1997 BLOOD ON THE DANCE FLOOR - HISTORY IN THE MIX MICHAEL JACKSON 2
07/06/1997 OPEN ROAD GARY BARLOW 1
14/06/1997 WU-TANG FOREVER WU-TANG CLAN 1
21/06/1997 MIDDLE OF NOWHERE HANSON 1
28/06/1997 OK COMPUTER RADIOHEAD 2
12/07/1997 THE FAT OF THE LAND PRODIGY 6
23/08/1997 WHITE ON BLONDE TEXAS 1
30/08/1997 BE HERE NOW OASIS 4
27/09/1997 MARCHIN' ALREADY OCEAN COLOUR SCENE 1
04/10/1997 BE HERE NOW OASIS 1
11/10/1997 URBAN HYMNS VERVE 5
15/11/1997 SPICEWORLD SPICE GIRLS 2
29/11/1997 LET'S TALK ABOUT LOVE CELINE DION 2
13/12/1997 SPICEWORLD SPICE GIRLS 1
20/12/1997 LET'S TALK ABOUT LOVE CELINE DION 2

1998

DATE TITLE ARTIST WKS AT NO.1
03/01/1998 URBAN HYMNS VERVE 6
14/02/1998 TITANIC (OST) MUSIC COMPOSED AND CONDUCTED BY JAMES HORNER 1
21/02/1998 URBAN HYMNS VERVE 1
28/02/1998 TITANIC (OST) MUSIC COMPOSED AND CONDUCTED BY JAMES HORNER 2
14/03/1998 RAY OF LIGHT MADONNA 2
28/03/1998 LET'S TALK ABOUT LOVE CELINE DION 1
04/04/1998 THE BEST OF JAMES JAMES 1
11/04/1998 THIS IS HARDCORE PULP 1
18/04/1998 LIFE THRU A LENS ROBBIE WILLIAMS 2
02/05/1998 MEZZANINE MASSIVE ATTACK 2
16/05/1998 INTERNATIONAL VELVET CATATONIA 1
23/05/1998 VERSION 2.0 GARBAGE 1
30/05/1998 BLUE SIMPLY RED 1
06/06/1998 WHERE WE BELONG BOYZONE 1
13/06/1998 BLUE SIMPLY RED 1
20/06/1998 THE GOOD WILL OUT EMBRACE 1
27/06/1998 TALK ON CORNERS CORRS 1
04/07/1998 FIVE FIVE 1
11/07/1998 TALK ON CORNERS CORRS 1
18/07/1998 HELLO NASTY BEASTIE BOYS 1
25/07/1998 JANE MCDONALD JANE MCDONALD 3
15/08/1998 TALK ON CORNERS CORRS 3
05/09/1998 WHERE WE BELONG BOYZONE 2
19/09/1998 TALK ON CORNERS CORRS 1
26/09/1998 THIS IS MY TRUTH TELL ME YOURS MANIC STREET PREACHERS 3
17/10/1998 HITS PHIL COLLINS 1
24/10/1998 QUENCH BEAUTIFUL SOUTH 2
07/11/1998 I'VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU ROBBIE WILLIAMS 1
14/11/1998 THE BEST OF 1980-1990 & B-SIDES U2 1
21/11/1998 LADIES & GENTLEMEN - THE BEST OF GEORGE MICHAEL GEORGE MICHAEL 8

1999

DATE TITLE ARTIST WKS AT NO.1
16/01/1999 I'VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU ROBBIE WILLIAMS 1
23/01/1999 YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY, BABY FATBOY SLIM 4
20/02/1999 I'VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU ROBBIE WILLIAMS 1
27/02/1999 TALK ON CORNERS CORRS 3
20/03/1999 PERFORMANCE AND COCKTAILS STEREOPHONICS 1
27/03/1999 13 BLUR 2
10/04/1999 TALK ON CORNERS CORRS 1
17/04/1999 GOLD - GREATEST HITS ABBA 1
24/04/1999 EQUALLY CURSED AND BLESSED CATATONIA 1
01/05/1999 GOLD - GREATEST HITS ABBA 2
15/05/1999 HEAD MUSIC SUEDE 1
22/05/1999 THE HUSH TEXAS 1
29/05/1999 GOLD - GREATEST HITS ABBA 2
12/06/1999 BY REQUEST BOYZONE 2
26/06/1999 SYNKRONIZED JAMIROQUAI 1
03/07/1999 SURRENDER CHEMICAL BROTHERS 1
10/07/1999 BY REQUEST BOYZONE 7
28/08/1999 THE MAN WHO TRAVIS 2
11/09/1999 COME ON OVER SHANIA TWAIN 3
02/10/1999 RHYTHM AND STEALTH LEFTFIELD 1
09/10/1999 RELOAD TOM JONES 1
16/10/1999 COME ON OVER SHANIA TWAIN 3
06/11/1999 STEPTACULAR STEPS 3
27/11/1999 ALL THE WAY - A DECADE OF SONG CELINE DION 1
04/12/1999 STEPTACULAR STEPS 1
11/12/1999 COME ON OVER SHANIA TWAIN 5

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Gery

0

The person who wrote this article is clearly very biased. The Immaculate Collection was #1 for 9 weeks, so why isn't there a picture of the album cover alongside all the others?  Bitter much?