Independent Albums

Billboard record chart

This article is about the Billboard record chart. For information on albums which have been released independently, see independent music.

For the United Kingdom chart, see UK Independent Singles and Albums Charts.

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The Independent Albums chart (previously titled Top Independent Albums) ranks the highest-selling independent music albums and extended plays (EPs) in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published weekly by Billboard magazine.[1] It is used to list artists who are not signed to major labels. Rankings are compiled by point-of-purchase sales obtained by Nielsen, and from legal music downloads from a variety of online music stores. The chart began in the week of February 5, 2000.[2][3]

The top 25 positions are published through the Billboard website, with further chart positions available through a paid subscription to Billboard.biz.[1] As with all Billboard charts, albums appearing on the Independent chart may also concurrently appear on the Billboard 200, the main chart published based solely on sales, as well as any of the other Billboard charts. In addition, exclusive album titles which are only sold through individual retail sites may also be included in the chart, following a revised chart policy announced on November 7, 2007.[4]

The chart's first number one was Who Let the Dogs Out by Baha Men,[3] which went on to top the year-end chart for 2001.[5]

## Best-selling top independent albums by year

[edit]

Since 2002, Billboard.biz has annually published an end-of-year list of the top 50 best selling independent albums. Billboard also independently announced the highest selling album for 2001. Jason Aldean have topped this chart five times since its inception, twice with his 2009 album Wide Open.

* 2001 (see 2001 in music): Baha Men \- Who Let the Dogs Out[5]
* 2002 (see 2002 in music): Mannheim Steamroller \- Christmas Extraordinaire[6]
* 2003 (see 2003 in music): Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz \- Kings of Crunk[7]
* 2004 (see 2004 in music): Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz - Kings of Crunk[8]
* 2005 (see 2005 in music): Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz - Crunk Juice[9]
* 2006 (see 2006 in music): Little Big Town \- The Road to Here[10]
* 2007 (see 2007 in music): Various Artists - Hairspray[11]
* 2008 (see 2008 in music): The Eagles \- Long Road out of Eden[12]
* 2009 (see 2009 in music): Jason Aldean \- Wide Open[13]
* 2010 (see 2010 in music): Jason Aldean - Wide Open[14]
* 2011 (see 2011 in music): Jason Aldean - My Kinda Party[15]
* 2012 (see 2012 in music): Mumford & Sons \- Babel[16]
* 2013 (see 2013 in music): Mumford & Sons - Babel[17]
* 2014 (see 2014 in music): Garth Brooks \- Blame It All on My Roots: Five Decades of Influences[18]
* 2015 (see 2015 in music): Jason Aldean - Old Boots, New Dirt[19]
* 2016 (see 2016 in music): Radiohead \- A Moon Shaped Pool[20]
* 2017 (see 2017 in music): Metallica \- Hardwired... to Self-Destruct[21]
* 2018 (see 2018 in music): Jason Aldean - Rearview Town[22]
* 2019 (see 2019 in music): BTS \- Map of the Soul: Persona[23]
* 2020 (see 2020 in music): Bad Bunny – YHLQMDLG[24]
* 2021 (see 2021 in music): Bad Bunny – El Último Tour Del Mundo[25]
* 2022 (see 2022 in music): Bad Bunny – Un Verano Sin Ti[26]
* 2023 (see 2023 in music): Bad Bunny – Un Verano Sin Ti[27]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Independent Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
2. ^ Billboard. Feb 5, 2000
3. ^ a b "Week of December 02, 2000 - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2000-12-02. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
4. ^ "Revised Chart Policy Lands Eagles At No. 1". Billboard. 2007-11-07. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
5. ^ a b "Baha Men 'Move' To Follow 'Dogs'". Billboard. Retrieved 2010-01-26.
6. ^ "2002 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2002-12-28. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
7. ^ "2003 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2002-12-27. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
8. ^ "2004 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2002-12-25. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
9. ^ "2005 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2002-11-26. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
10. ^ "2006 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2006. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
11. ^ "2007 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2007. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
12. ^ "2008 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2008. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
13. ^ "2009 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2009. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
14. ^ "2010 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2010. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
15. ^ "2011 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2011. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
16. ^ "Independent Albums - Year-End 2012". Billboard. 2012. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
17. ^ "Independent Albums - Year-End 2013". Billboard. 2013. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
18. ^ "Independent Albums - Year-End 2014". Billboard. 2014. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
19. ^ "Independent Albums - Year-End 2015". Billboard. 2015. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
20. ^ "Independent Albums - Year-End 2016". Billboard. 2016. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
21. ^ "Independent Albums - Year-End 2017". Billboard. 2017. Retrieved 2018-01-11.
22. ^ "Independent Albums - Year-End 2018". Billboard. 2018. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
23. ^ "Independent Albums - Year-End 2019". Billboard. 2019. Retrieved 2020-02-16.
24. ^ "Independent Albums – Year-End 2020". Billboard.
25. ^ "Independent Albums – Year-End 2021". Billboard.
26. ^ "Independent Albums – Year-End 2022". Billboard.
27. ^ "Independent Albums – Year-End 2023". Billboard.

## External links

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* Billboard Independent Albums
* Billboard

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Billboard charts

Billboard|

| Top charts|

| Songs|

* Hot 100
* Radio Songs
* Digital Song Sales
* Digital Tracks (defunct)
* Streaming Songs
* Bubbling Under Hot 100
* U.S. Afrobeats Songs

|

Albums|

* Billboard 200
* Top Album Sales
* Catalog Albums
* Independent Albums
* Comprehensive Albums (defunct)
* Bubbling Under the Top LPs (defunct)

Artists|

* Artist 100

Global|

* Global 200

Hits of the World|

* Canadian Albums
* Canadian Hot 100
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Internet|

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Pop|

* Pop Airplay
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* Pop 100 (defunct)
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Country|

* Top Country Albums
* Hot Country Songs
* Country Airplay

Rock|

* Hot Rock & Alternative Songs
* Mainstream Rock
* Alternative Airplay
* Triple A

R&B/Hip-Hop|

* Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
* Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
* R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay
* Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop
* Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles (defunct)
* Hot Rap Songs
* Hot R&B Songs
* Adult R&B Songs
* Rhythmic

Dance/Electronic|

* Dance/Electronic Albums
* Dance/Electronic Songs
* Dance/Electronic Digital Songs
* Dance/Mix Show Airplay
* Dance Club Songs (suspended)
* Dance Singles Sales (defunct)

Christian/Gospel|

* Top Christian Albums
* Hot Christian Songs
* Christian Airplay
* Top Gospel Albums
* Hot Gospel Songs

Breaking and Entering|

* Emerging Artists
* Heatseekers Albums
* Heatseekers Songs (defunct)

Holiday|

* Christmas/Holiday charts

Additional charts|

* Comedy Albums
* Kid Albums
* World Digital Song Sales

Billboard Español|

* Top Latin Albums
* Hot Latin Songs
* Latin Airplay
* Latin Pop Albums
* Latin Pop Airplay
* Latin Rhythm Albums
* Latin Rhythm Airplay
* Regional Mexican Albums
* Regional Mexican Airplay
* Tropical Albums
* Tropical Airplay

Billboard Argentina|

* Argentina Hot 100

Billboard Brasil|

* Brasil Hot 100
* Artistas 25

Billboard China|

* China Top 100 (defunct)
* China Airplay/FL (defunct)

Billboard Greece|

* Billboard Greek Airplay (defunct)

Billboard Indonesia|

* Indonesia Top 100

Billboard Japan|

* Japan Hot 100
* Japan Hot Albums

Billboard Korea|

* K-pop 100 (defunct)
* Billboard K-Town
* Timeline
* 2020s

Billboard Philippines|

* Philippines Hot 100
* Top Philippine Songs

Billboard Türkiye|

* Türkiye Top 20 (defunct)

Billboard Việt Nam|

* Vietnam Hot 100
* Vietnam Top Vietnamese Songs

Music & Media|

* European Albums (defunct)
* European Hot 100 (defunct)

Lists of number-one
albums and singles|

* Adult Contemporary
* Alternative Airplay
* Americana/Folk Albums
* Billboard 200
* Dance Club Songs
* Dance/Mix Show Airplay
* Dance/Electronic Albums
* Dance/Electronic Songs
* Hot 100
* Hot Country Songs
* Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
* K-Pop
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* Simultaneous album and single
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* Top Country Albums
* Year-End

Lists of artists who
reached number one|

* US
* Canada
* Japan
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* Dance Club Songs
* Dance/Mix Show Airplay
* Hot Country Songs
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* Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
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* Rhythmic
* Social 50

See also|

* Billboard Radio Monitor (defunct)
* R&R (defunct)
* Billboard Twitter Real-Time (defunct)
* Decade-End
* Joel Whitburn
* List of Billboard Hot 100 chart achievements and milestones
* List of K-pop on the Billboard charts
* Albums
* Songs
* Japan Hot 100
* World Digital Song Sales
* Year-end

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