Adele is once again back on the music scene, and I for one, enjoyed those 3 hours where we didn’t hear any Adele on the radio. Got nothing against her personally or otherwise — I just got so freaking burnt out on hearing her songs. I really couldn’t take much more. So maybe this is why I find it so confusing and strange (and, OK, mildly infuriating) that Billboard named Adele’s “21” the “greatest album of all time.”
The way Billboard determined this, however, was not based on pure opinion. They used a point system, as described here:
[…] albums are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at the lower reaches of the chart earning the least. Due to changes in chart methodology through the years, eras are weighted differently to account for chart turnover rates over various periods.
Okay. So where does that put “21”?
Adele’s blockbuster 21 tops the Billboard 200’s all-time albums ranking, fueled not only by the set’s 24 nonconsecutive weeks atop the list (the most weeks at No. 1 for an album by a woman), but also its lengthy chart run in the upper reaches of the tally.
21 debuted on the chart dated March 12, 2011 and spent its first 78 weeks in the top 10 (and then returned for three more frames … so far). The album has yet to leave the list since its release, and has lingered on the tally for more than 245 consecutive weeks.
It’s so odd to me, I hear so much about Adele and hear her so much on the radio/as background for TV shows and yet I don’t personally know a single person who buys her albums or tickets to her concerts. At least not that I’m aware of?
Anyway, if you were curious, the #2 spot is — get ready for this — the soundtrack to The Sound of Music, with Michael Jackson‘s “Thriller” taking third.
I guess if you break it down and make it a matter of math, “21” could technically be “the greatest album of all time”, but I feel like a lot more goes into a great album than how many weeks it charts. But, you know, it’s Billboard. It’s what they’re about.
What do YOU think is the greatest album of all time?
Bought a copy for my gf a few years ago. It’s still wrapped.
I think Adele has a great voice, I like that she concentrates on music and doesn’t like this “sell out at every opportunity and do movies and whatever”-thing and it’s great that the most successful woman in music is one who lets her music do the talking and not her tits.
But I find her music rather boring. Not bad, just…meh. Gives me nothing.
And greatest album of all time is Iron Maiden’s Number of the Beast.
When Adele makes her Dark Side of the Moon let me know.
I’m a great fan of adele. I love her and her 21 album. But i hate her newest song.
not suprised as the usa is a shithole and knows nothing about music
Beatles anyone?