Scoring his 16th No.1 as a solo artist, Williams surpassed The Beatles to become the act with the most UK No.1 albums ever. (Music Week Reports)
Williams tied with The Beatles last year when the Better Man OST debuted at No.1. He has now set the new record with 13th studio album Britpop, the release of which was brought forward last Friday (January 16).
Britpop debuted at No.1 with consumption of 34,157 units (16,536 CDs, 2,510 vinyl albums, 13,791 cassettes, 672 digital downloads and 648 sales-equivalent streams), according to the Official Charts Company.
Robbie Williams’ only studio album not to reach the summit is 2009’s Reality Killed The Video Star, which peaked at No.2.
On top of his solo success, Robbie Williams has also topped the chart as a member of Take That, being a full member of the band when Everything Changes (1993) and Nobody Else (1995) were No.1, and rejoining them for 2010 chart-topper Progress. He also contributed to most tracks on their 1996 No.1 compilation Greatest Hits and some on subsequent (2018) hits package, Odyssey. So Williams could claim up to 19, 20 or even 21 No.1 albums. The higher total is beaten only by Paul McCartney (23, including 15 with The Beatles).
The former Take That star surprisingly released Britpop three weeks earlier than planned last Friday (16.01.26) and admitted that he is desperate to grab the record for himself.
Robbie told The Scott Mills Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2: "Yeah I want that more than anything in my career right now, of course I do.
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Robbie Williams’ solo No.1 albums:
· Life Thru A Lens (1997)
· I’ve Been Expecting You (1998)
· Sing When You’re Winning (2000)
· Swing When You’re Winning (2001)
· Escapology (2002)
· Greatest Hits (2004)
· Intensive Care (2005)
· Rudebox (2006)
· In and Out of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990-2010 (2010)
· Take The Crown (2012)
· Swings Both Ways (2013)
· The Heavy Entertainment Show (2016)
· The Christmas Present (2019)
· XXV (2022)
· Better Man (2025)
