Though not clearly defined, an independent record label is generally considered to be any label that is not part of the big three record companies, which consist of Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and Universal Music Group.[citation needed]Billboard cites the following definition for use on their Top Independent Albums chart: "For Billboard charting purposes, defining an independent album is done on a title level and based on its distribution. If an album is sold by an indie distributor (or, one of the major label's indie distribution arms), it is classified as an independent title and can chart on our Top Independent Albums tally. Classification is not based on a label's ownership, or if an act is signed to an independent label." Note that this definition does not exclude record labels owned by other large corporations from being classified as independent: for example, Billboard considered Disney Music Group to be an independent label for over a decade, despite being part of The Walt Disney Company, the largest media and entertainment conglomerate in the world.[3] Disney lost the distinction in 2000 when they signed a distribution deal with Universal.
Some of the independently released albums to have topped the Billboard 200, such as the Eagles' Long Road Out of Eden (2007), Radiohead's In Rainbows (2008), Pearl Jam's Backspacer (2009), and Frank Ocean's Blonde (2016) are from former major label acts who had developed strong and established fanbases from their time being signed to a major label.
In 2020, Billboard updated their eligibility rules for independent albums. As of the chart dated July 18, 2020, labels that are independently owned and control their masters, but which are distributed directly through one of the "Big Three" record companies (as opposed to a major label within one of the aforementioned companies), would be eligible for Top Independent Albums.[4] This change retroactively classified many albums that had hit #1 on the Billboard 200 as "independent". For the sake of consistency, those albums, such as Taylor Swift's 1989 (Big Machine Records), Adele's 21 (XL Recordings), and the soundtrack to Frozen (Walt Disney Records), are not included in the list below.
Adele – 25 (XL Recordings/Columbia Records), 2021 (hit #1 on Independent Albums six years after hitting #1 on the Billboard 200, only doing so after an already-mentioned rules change)
^Vitoulis, Alex. "Arcade Fire And Taylor Swift Sweep In With New No. 1s" August 16, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. billboard.biz. August 11, 2010.
^Siklos, Richard (February 9, 2009). . CNN/Money. Archived from the original on June 10, 2009. Retrieved February 9, 2009.
^"Top Independent Albums Chart Expands Inclusion Criteria With New A2IM Partnership". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. June 16, 2020. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
October 19, 2023
list, billboard, number, independent, albums, topic, this, article, meet, wikipedia, notability, guideline, stand, alone, lists, please, help, demonstrate, notability, topic, citing, reliable, secondary, sources, that, independent, topic, provide, significant,. The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia s notability guideline for stand alone lists Please help to demonstrate the notability of the topic by citing reliable secondary sources that are independent of the topic and provide significant coverage of it beyond a mere trivial mention If notability cannot be shown the article is likely to be merged redirected or deleted Find sources List of Billboard 200 number one independent albums news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2010 Learn how and when to remove this template message The following is a list of independently distributed records to achieve the 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart since 1991 when Nielsen Soundscan began recording album sales data 1 2 Though not clearly defined an independent record label is generally considered to be any label that is not part of the big three record companies which consist of Sony Music Entertainment Warner Music Group and Universal Music Group citation needed Billboard cites the following definition for use on their Top Independent Albums chart For Billboard charting purposes defining an independent album is done on a title level and based on its distribution If an album is sold by an indie distributor or one of the major label s indie distribution arms it is classified as an independent title and can chart on our Top Independent Albums tally Classification is not based on a label s ownership or if an act is signed to an independent label Note that this definition does not exclude record labels owned by other large corporations from being classified as independent for example Billboard considered Disney Music Group to be an independent label for over a decade despite being part of The Walt Disney Company the largest media and entertainment conglomerate in the world 3 Disney lost the distinction in 2000 when they signed a distribution deal with Universal Some of the independently released albums to have topped the Billboard 200 such as the Eagles Long Road Out of Eden 2007 Radiohead s In Rainbows 2008 Pearl Jam s Backspacer 2009 and Frank Ocean s Blonde 2016 are from former major label acts who had developed strong and established fanbases from their time being signed to a major label In 2020 Billboard updated their eligibility rules for independent albums As of the chart dated July 18 2020 labels that are independently owned and control their masters but which are distributed directly through one of the Big Three record companies as opposed to a major label within one of the aforementioned companies would be eligible for Top Independent Albums 4 This change retroactively classified many albums that had hit 1 on the Billboard 200 as independent For the sake of consistency those albums such as Taylor Swift s 1989 Big Machine Records Adele s 21 XL Recordings and the soundtrack to Frozen Walt Disney Records are not included in the list below Albums EditN W A Niggaz4Life Ruthless Records Priority Records 1991 Ice Cube The Predator Priority Records EMI 1992 Various Artists The Lion King Soundtrack Walt Disney Records 1994 Various Artists Friday Soundtrack Priority Records 1995 Various Artists Pocahontas Soundtrack Walt Disney Records 1995 Bone Thugs N Harmony E 1999 Eternal Ruthless Records 1995 Tha Dogg Pound Dogg Food Death Row Records Interscope 1995 Bone Thugs N Harmony The Art of War Ruthless Records 1997 Eagles Long Road out of Eden Eagles Recording Company II 2007 Radiohead In Rainbows TBD Records ATO Records 2008 Pearl Jam Backspacer Monkeywrench Records 2009 Vampire Weekend Contra XL Recordings 2010 Various Artists Hope for Haiti Now MTV Networks 2010 Arcade Fire The Suburbs Merge Records 2010 Cake Showroom of Compassion Upbeat Records 2011 Mac Miller Blue Slide Park Rostrum Records 2011 Mumford amp Sons Babel Glassnote Records 2012 Jason Aldean Night Train Broken Bow Records 2012 Vampire Weekend Modern Vampires of the City XL Recordings 2013 Queens of the Stone Age Like Clockwork Matador Records 2013 Garth Brooks Blame It All on My Roots Five Decades of Influences Pearl Records 2013 Lecrae Anomaly Reach Records 2014 Jason Aldean Old Boots New Dirt Broken Bow Records 2014 Alabama Shakes Sound amp Color ATO Records 2015 Tyrese Black Rose Voltron Recordz Caroline Records 2015 Janet Jackson Unbreakable Rhythm Nation BMG Rights Management 2015 The Lumineers Cleopatra Dualtone Records 2016 Blink 182 California Viking Wizard Eyes BMG Rights Management 2016 Frank Ocean Blonde Boys Don t Cry 2016 Jason Aldean They Don t Know Macon Music Broken Bow Records BMG Rights Management 2016 Metallica Hardwired to Self Destruct Blackened Recordings 2016 Brand New Science Fiction Procrastinate Music Traitors 2017 NF Perception NF Real Music Caroline Records 2017 considered an independent album despite the involvement of Capitol Christian Music Group which is owned by Universal XXXTentacion Bad Vibes Forever 2018 Jason Aldean Rearview Town Macon Music Broken Bow Records BMG Rights Management 2018 BTS Love Yourself Tear Big Hit Music 2018 BTS Love Yourself Answer Big Hit Music 2018 XXXTentacion Skins Bad Vibes Forever Empire Distribution 2018 BTS Map of the Soul Persona Big Hit Music 2019 NF The Search NF Real Music Caroline Records 2019 Trippie Redd A Love Letter to You 4 TenThousand Projects 2019 BTS Map of the Soul 7 Big Hit Music 2020 BTS Be Big Hit Music 2020 Bad Bunny El Ultimo Tour Del Mundo Rimas Entertainment 2020 Adele 25 XL Recordings Columbia Records 2021 hit 1 on Independent Albums six years after hitting 1 on the Billboard 200 only doing so after an already mentioned rules change Various Artists Encanto Walt Disney Records 2022 Bad Bunny Un Verano Sin Ti Rimas Entertainment 2022References Edit Trust Gary Ask Billboard Indies No 2 Hits amp Teddy Pendergrass billboard com January 22 2010 Vitoulis Alex Arcade Fire And Taylor Swift Sweep In With New No 1s Archived August 16 2010 at the Wayback Machine billboard biz August 11 2010 Siklos Richard February 9 2009 Why Disney wants DreamWorks CNN Money Archived from the original on June 10 2009 Retrieved February 9 2009 Top Independent Albums Chart Expands Inclusion Criteria With New A2IM Partnership Billboard Nielsen Business Media Inc June 16 2020 Retrieved October 22 2021 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title List of Billboard 200 number one independent albums amp oldid 1173582019, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
