Top Christian Albums

Top Christian Albums is a weekly chart published in Billboard magazine that ranks the best-performing Christian albums in the United States. Like the Billboard 200, the data is compiled by Nielsen Soundscan based on each album's weekly physical and digital sales, as well as on-demand streaming and digital sales of its individual tracks.^[1] The chart was introduced on the magazine issue dated March 29, 1980, under the title "Best Selling Inspirational LPs".^[2] The current name was adopted on August 16, 2003, in an effort to "streamline" chart titles.^[3] The first number-one album was Candle's Music Machine.^[2] Amy Grant's Age to Age, released in 1982, topped the chart for 85 consecutive weeks, the longest for any album on the chart.^[4]

The current number-one album on the chart is Donda by Kanye West.^[5]

Artist milestones

Most number-one albums Artist No. Ref. Amy Grant 17 ^[6] Michael W. Smith 16 ^[7] MercyMe 12 ^[8] Steven Curtis Chapman 9 ^[9] Passion ^[10] Lecrae ^[11] Hillsong United 8 ^[12] Chris Tomlin ^[13] Casting Crowns ^[14] Third Day 7 ^[15] Newsboys ^[16] Jeremy Camp ^[17] Hillsong Worship ^[18] Elevation Worship ^[19]

Most cumulative weeks at number one Artist Wks. Ref. Amy Grant 333 ^[6] Lauren Daigle 121 ^[20] Sandi Patti 112 ^[21] Kanye West 103 ^[22] Michael W. Smith 86 ^[7] Kirk Franklin 79 ^[23] Carman 64 ^[24] Steven Curtis Chapman 62 ^[9] Casting Crowns 61 ^[14] MercyMe 60 ^[8] P.O.D. 54 ^[25] dc Talk 53 ^[26] Switchfoot 48 ^[27] Petra 44 ^[28]

Album milestones

Most cumulative weeks at number one The following albums have spent at least 30 cumulative weeks atop the chart: Artist Wks. Years Album Ref. Lauren Daigle 102 2018–23 Look Up Child ^[29] Kanye West 95 2021–24 Donda ^[30] Amy Grant 85 1982–84 Age to Age ^[31] Sandi Patty 68 1986–88 Morning Like This ^[32] Amy Grant 61 1984–85 Straight Ahead ^[33] dc Talk 38 1993–94 Free at Last ^[34] Switchfoot 38 2004–05 The Beautiful Letdown ^[35] Amy Grant 36 1985–86 Unguarded ^[36] Amy Grant 36 1985–86 Lead Me On ^[37] LeAnn Rimes 35 1997–98 You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs ^[38] P.O.D. 35 2001–02 Satellite ^[39] Carman 34 1989–90 Revival In the Land ^[40]

Most consecutive weeks at number one The following albums have spent at least 25 consecutive weeks atop the chart: Artist Wks. Years Album Ref. Amy Grant 85 1982–84 Age to Age ^[41] Amy Grant 61 1984–85 Straight Ahead Sandi Patty 40 1986–87 Morning Like This Lauren Daigle 37 2018–19 Look Up Child Amy Grant 36 1985–86 Unguarded LeAnn Rimes 35 1997–98 You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs Amy Grant 28 1988–89 Lead Me On Amy Grant 25 1987–88 The Collection

Most weeks on the chart

The following albums have spent at least 200 weeks on the chart:

Key

Album currently charting, as of Issue February 10, 2024^[5] No. Artist Wks. Album Ref. 1 Skillet 507 Awake † ^[42] 2 Hillsong United 479 Zion † ^[43] 3 Lauren Daigle 461 How Can It Be † ^[44] 4 NF 445 Mansion † ^[45] 5 Chris Tomlin 415 How Great Is Our God: The Essential Collection † ^[46] 6 Elevation Worship 408 Here as in Heaven † ^[47] 7 NF 406 Therapy Session † ^[48] 8 Skillet 389 Unleashed † ^[49] 9 Amy Grant 381 The Collection ^[50] 10 Zach Williams 366 Chain Breaker † ^[51] 11 Hillsong Worship 365 Let There Be Light † ^[52] 12 Alan Jackson 346 Precious Memories Collection † ^[53] 13 Elvis Presley 314 Elvis: Ultimate Gospel ^[54] 14 MercyMe 310 I Can Only Imagine: The Very Best of MercyMe ^[55] 15 For King & Country 308 Run Wild. Live Free. Love Strong. ^[56] 16 Amy Grant 286 Age to Age ^[57] 17 tobyMac 285 This Is Not a Test ^[58] 18 Lauren Daigle 282 Look Up Child ^[59] 19 Hillsong Worship 280 There Is More ^[60] 20 For King & Country 268 Burn the Ships ^[61] 21 Sandi Patty 257 More Than Wonderful ^[62] 22 Sandi Patty 237 Hymns Just for You ^[63] 23 MercyMe 228 Lifer † ^[64] 24 Zach Williams 225 Rescue Story ^[65] 25 Kanye West 223 Jesus Is King ^[66] 26 Tauren Wells 212 Hills and Valleys ^[67] 27 Skillet 207 Comatose ^[68]

Number ones

• 1980s
• 1990s
• 2000s
• 2010s
• 2020s

See also

• Christian Songs
• Official Christian & Gospel Albums Chart

References

1. "Billboard Charts Legend". Billboard. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
2. "Best Selling Inspirational LPs" (PDF). Billboard. March 29, 1980. Retrieved November 11, 2019 – via AmericanRadioHistory.
3. "Bad Boys" (PDF). Billboard. August 16, 2003. p. 58. Retrieved November 11, 2019 – via AmericanRadioHistory. Note that we have streamlined the name of the latter album list, dropping the word 'Contemporary.'
4. Ruhlmann, William. "Amy Grant | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
5. "Top Christian Albums". Billboard. February 8, 2024. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
6. Asker, Jim (February 15, 2018). "Michael W. Smith Returns to Hot Christian Songs Chart: Music Can 'Transform a Life on Every Level'". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. from the original on July 3, 2019.
7. "Michael W. Smith Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
8. "MercyMe Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
9. "Steven Curtis Chapman Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
10. "Passion Conferences Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
11. "LeCrae Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved September 2, 2020.
12. "Hilsong United Chapman Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2019.^{[dead link]}
13. "Chris Tomlin Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
14. "Casting Crowns Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
15. "Third Day Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
16. "Newsboys Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
17. "Jeremy Camp Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
18. "Hillsong Worship Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
19. "Elevation Worship Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
20. "Lauren Daigle Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
21. "Sandi Patty Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
22. "Kanye West Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
23. "Kirk Franklin Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
24. . Billboard. Archived from the original on November 12, 2019. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
25. . Billboard. Archived from the original on November 9, 2019. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
26. . Billboard. Archived from the original on November 12, 2019. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
27. "Switchfoot Chart History: Christian Albums". Billboard. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
28. . Billboard. Archived from the original on October 17, 2019. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
29. "Lauren Daigle – Look Up Child". Billboard. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
30. "Kanye West – Donda". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
31. "Amy Grant – Age to Age". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
32. "Sandi Patty – Morning Like This". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
33. "Amy Grant – Straight Ahead". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
34. . Billboard. Archived from the original on November 11, 2019. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
35. "Switchfoot – The Beautiful Letdown". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
36. "Amy Grant – Unguarded". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
37. "Amy Grant – Lead Me On". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
38. "LeAnn Rimes – You Light Up My Life: Inspirational Songs". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
39. . Billboard. Archived from the original on November 9, 2019. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
40. . Billboard. Archived from the original on November 11, 2019. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
41. Darden, Bob. "Amy Grant's Phenomenal Success" (PDF). Billboard. p. 37. Retrieved November 11, 2019 – via AmericanRadioHistory.
42. "Skillet – Awake". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
43. "Hillsong United Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
44. "Lauren Daigle Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
45. "NF – Mansion". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
46. "Chris Tomlin – How Great Is Our God: The Essential Collection". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
47. "Elevation Worship – Here As in Heaven". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
48. "NF – Therapy Session". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
49. "Skillet – Unleashed". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
50. "Amy Grant – The Collection". Billboard. Retrieved November 19, 2019.
51. "Zach Williams – Chain Breaker". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
52. "Hillsong Worship – Let There Be Light". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
53. "Alan Jackson – Precious Memories Collection". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
54. "Elvis Presley – Elvis: Ulimate Gospel". Billboard. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
55. "MercyMe – I Can Only Imagine: The Very Best of MercyMe". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
56. "For King & Country – Run Wild. Live Free. Love Strong". Billboard. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
57. "Amy Grant – Age to Age". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2019.
58. "tobyMac – This Is Not a Test". Billboard. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
59. "Lauren Daigle – Look Up Child". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
60. "Hillsong Worship – There Is More". Billboard. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
61. "For King & Country – Burn the Ships". Billboard. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
62. "Sandi Patty – More than Wonderful". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
63. "Sandi Patty – Hymns Just For You". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
64. "MercyMe – Lifer". Billboard. Retrieved June 15, 2022.
65. "Zach Williams – Rescue Story". Retrieved February 8, 2024.
66. "Kanye West Chart History". Retrieved February 8, 2024.
67. "Tauren Wells – Hills and Valleys". Billboard. Retrieved September 8, 2022.
68. "Skillet – Comatose". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2019.

External links

• Official website