Number1Albums.com
@numberonealbums.bsky.social
The inside stories behind pop music's blockbuster records. Operated by @craigrosen.bsky.social. Number1Albums.com
No. 1 this week in 1991, @Metallica's Black Album. @larsulrich told me, "Everyone has one album when everything comes together. This was ours.” More at the link. number1albums.com/metallica__m...
August 31, 2025 at 11:26 PM
No. 1 this week in 1991, @Metallica's Black Album. @larsulrich told me, "Everyone has one album when everything comes together. This was ours.” More at the link. number1albums.com/metallica__m...
No. 1 this week in 1970, Paul McCartney's "McCartney." While it was displaced from the pole position, ironically, by "Let It Be," it did accomplish what McCartney set out to do: establish the former Beatle as a solo force. More at the link. number1albums.com/mccartney-pa...
May 25, 2025 at 10:14 PM
No. 1 this week in 1970, Paul McCartney's "McCartney." While it was displaced from the pole position, ironically, by "Let It Be," it did accomplish what McCartney set out to do: establish the former Beatle as a solo force. More at the link. number1albums.com/mccartney-pa...
No. 1 this week in 1973, "Houses of the Holy" by @ledzeppelin. “The vibe was much the same,” John Paul Jones told me. “We would do the tours, we would do the recordings, then we wouldn’t see each other at all. We weren’t a band that socialized.” More at the link. number1albums.com/houses-of-th...
May 21, 2025 at 2:43 AM
No. 1 this week in 1973, "Houses of the Holy" by @ledzeppelin. “The vibe was much the same,” John Paul Jones told me. “We would do the tours, we would do the recordings, then we wouldn’t see each other at all. We weren’t a band that socialized.” More at the link. number1albums.com/houses-of-th...
No. 1 this week in 1964, "The Beatles' Second Album" by The Beatles. “We always objected terribly to what the Americans did to our recordings, but we had no say in it,” said George Martin, the group’s producer. “They just did what they wanted to do.” number1albums.com/the-beatles-...
May 12, 2025 at 2:26 AM
No. 1 this week in 1964, "The Beatles' Second Album" by The Beatles. “We always objected terribly to what the Americans did to our recordings, but we had no say in it,” said George Martin, the group’s producer. “They just did what they wanted to do.” number1albums.com/the-beatles-...
No. 1 this week in 1980, "Against the Wind" by @BobSeger & the Silver Bullet Band. “I remember my manager calling me up every week while we were on tour and saying, ‘We’re Avis,’ which meant we were still number two,” Seger told me. More at the link. number1albums.com/against-the-...
May 10, 2025 at 3:36 AM
No. 1 this week in 1980, "Against the Wind" by @BobSeger & the Silver Bullet Band. “I remember my manager calling me up every week while we were on tour and saying, ‘We’re Avis,’ which meant we were still number two,” Seger told me. More at the link. number1albums.com/against-the-...
No. 1 this week in 1976, "Presence" by Led Zeppelin. “It was just after Robert’s car accident,” John Paul Jones told me. “We were in Los Angeles and nobody seemed to want to turn up for rehearsals and for writing sessions.” More at the link. number1albums.com/presence-led...
May 9, 2025 at 3:16 AM
No. 1 this week in 1976, "Presence" by Led Zeppelin. “It was just after Robert’s car accident,” John Paul Jones told me. “We were in Los Angeles and nobody seemed to want to turn up for rehearsals and for writing sessions.” More at the link. number1albums.com/presence-led...
No. 1 this week in 1987, "The Joshua Tree"by U2. “There was always someone playing an instrument, and everyone else just kind of joined in as they saw fit, including Danny [Lanois] and Brian [Eno],” Adam Clayton told me. More at the link. number1albums.com/the-joshua-t...
April 26, 2025 at 2:43 PM
No. 1 this week in 1987, "The Joshua Tree"by U2. “There was always someone playing an instrument, and everyone else just kind of joined in as they saw fit, including Danny [Lanois] and Brian [Eno],” Adam Clayton told me. More at the link. number1albums.com/the-joshua-t...
No. 1 this week in 1992, "Adrenalize" by Def Leppard. Joe Elliott told me, "After about six weeks, we sat around a coffee table and looked at each other and said, ‘This is bullshit. There’s no soul in what we’re doing. He’s not coming back, he’s dead...'" number1albums.com/adrenalize-d...
April 20, 2025 at 10:27 PM
No. 1 this week in 1992, "Adrenalize" by Def Leppard. Joe Elliott told me, "After about six weeks, we sat around a coffee table and looked at each other and said, ‘This is bullshit. There’s no soul in what we’re doing. He’s not coming back, he’s dead...'" number1albums.com/adrenalize-d...
No. 1 this week in 1977, "Rumours" by Fleetwood Mac. Mick Fleetwood told me, "John McVie had the best phrase. He said it was literally like living through a musical soap opera, and that’s why we called the album Rumours." More at the link. number1albums.com/rumours_-_fl...
April 11, 2025 at 1:01 AM
No. 1 this week in 1977, "Rumours" by Fleetwood Mac. Mick Fleetwood told me, "John McVie had the best phrase. He said it was literally like living through a musical soap opera, and that’s why we called the album Rumours." More at the link. number1albums.com/rumours_-_fl...
No. 1 this week in 1995, "Me Against the World" by 2PAC. “The first time he played [‘Dear Mama’] for me, I thought it was a hit record,” Tom Whalley told me. “But that was one of the songs that I had to convince 2Pac to put on the record.” More at the link. number1albums.com/2pac-me-agai...
April 9, 2025 at 11:13 PM
No. 1 this week in 1995, "Me Against the World" by 2PAC. “The first time he played [‘Dear Mama’] for me, I thought it was a hit record,” Tom Whalley told me. “But that was one of the songs that I had to convince 2Pac to put on the record.” More at the link. number1albums.com/2pac-me-agai...
No. 1 this week in 1974, "John Denver's Greatest Hits" by John Denver. “By the time we did 'Greatest Hits,' I had my own band,” John told me. “On those original recordings, I didn’t have a band, I was just playing with session players.” More at the link. number1albums.com/john_denvers...
April 9, 2025 at 3:12 AM
No. 1 this week in 1974, "John Denver's Greatest Hits" by John Denver. “By the time we did 'Greatest Hits,' I had my own band,” John told me. “On those original recordings, I didn’t have a band, I was just playing with session players.” More at the link. number1albums.com/john_denvers...
No. 1 this week in 1985, "No Jacket Required" by Phil Collins. Phil told me, "There was something about ‘1999’ that I liked, but Prince is a Black American and I’m a white Englishman, so it’s going to sound very different." More at the link. number1albums.com/no_jacket_re...
April 5, 2025 at 2:25 PM
No. 1 this week in 1985, "No Jacket Required" by Phil Collins. Phil told me, "There was something about ‘1999’ that I liked, but Prince is a Black American and I’m a white Englishman, so it’s going to sound very different." More at the link. number1albums.com/no_jacket_re...
No. 1 this week in 1972, "America" by America. Dewey Bunnell told me, "We had these songs worked out to perfection, three-part harmonies, and we all had our guitar parts. We could play them in our sleep.” More at the link. number1albums.com/america_amer...
April 2, 2025 at 4:16 PM
No. 1 this week in 1972, "America" by America. Dewey Bunnell told me, "We had these songs worked out to perfection, three-part harmonies, and we all had our guitar parts. We could play them in our sleep.” More at the link. number1albums.com/america_amer...
No. 1 this week in 1965, the "Goldfinger" soundtrack. John Barry told me, "Anthony [Newley] wanted to know what the hell 'Goldfinger' was. So I told him, 'It's very simple, it's like "Mack the Knife." It's a song about a villain.'" More at the link. number1albums.com/goldfinger-s...
March 31, 2025 at 4:00 PM
No. 1 this week in 1965, the "Goldfinger" soundtrack. John Barry told me, "Anthony [Newley] wanted to know what the hell 'Goldfinger' was. So I told him, 'It's very simple, it's like "Mack the Knife." It's a song about a villain.'" More at the link. number1albums.com/goldfinger-s...
No. 1 this week in 1958, "The Music Man" original cast album. Barbara Cook told me, "The first time I heard the score, I was just bowled over. I’d really never heard that kind of rhythmic, talking thing that Meredith had come up with. It was so unusual.” number1albums.com/the_music_ma...
March 30, 2025 at 6:30 PM
No. 1 this week in 1958, "The Music Man" original cast album. Barbara Cook told me, "The first time I heard the score, I was just bowled over. I’d really never heard that kind of rhythmic, talking thing that Meredith had come up with. It was so unusual.” number1albums.com/the_music_ma...
No. 1 this week in 1973, the "Deliverance" soundtrack. Eric Weissberg told me, "All of a sudden [my lawyer's] eyes got real wide. He put his hand over the mouthpiece and said, ‘Joe says the album’s already out.’ I said that’s impossible. What album?” number1albums.com/dueling_banj...
March 28, 2025 at 3:34 PM
No. 1 this week in 1973, the "Deliverance" soundtrack. Eric Weissberg told me, "All of a sudden [my lawyer's] eyes got real wide. He put his hand over the mouthpiece and said, ‘Joe says the album’s already out.’ I said that’s impossible. What album?” number1albums.com/dueling_banj...
No. 1 this week in 1974, "The Way We Were" by Barbra Streisand. "It was a nightmare putting the thing together,” producer Tommy LiPuma told me, “because there were numerous performances. I had to listen to all of them to find the right take.” More at the link. number1albums.com/the_way_we_w...
March 26, 2025 at 7:17 PM
No. 1 this week in 1974, "The Way We Were" by Barbra Streisand. "It was a nightmare putting the thing together,” producer Tommy LiPuma told me, “because there were numerous performances. I had to listen to all of them to find the right take.” More at the link. number1albums.com/the_way_we_w...
No. 1 this week in 1975, Led Zeppelin's "Physical Graffiti." John Paul Jones told me, "It was recorded at a house, so there was a pretty relaxed vibe about the whole thing. It wasn’t like we went in the studio every-day — we kind of lived in the studio." More number1albums.com/physical-gra...
March 25, 2025 at 6:15 PM
No. 1 this week in 1975, Led Zeppelin's "Physical Graffiti." John Paul Jones told me, "It was recorded at a house, so there was a pretty relaxed vibe about the whole thing. It wasn’t like we went in the studio every-day — we kind of lived in the studio." More number1albums.com/physical-gra...
No. 1 this week in 1961, "Calcutta" by Lawrence Welk. “Instead of the ‘champagne music’ we decided that we would do something a little different,” musical supervisor George Cates told me. “We decided to use a harpsichord.” number1albums.com/calcutta_-_l...
March 24, 2025 at 3:54 PM
No. 1 this week in 1961, "Calcutta" by Lawrence Welk. “Instead of the ‘champagne music’ we decided that we would do something a little different,” musical supervisor George Cates told me. “We decided to use a harpsichord.” number1albums.com/calcutta_-_l...
No. 1 this week in 1965, the "Mary Poppins" soundtrack. “We had to have a reason for telling the audience about this magical word, ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,’ or for the wonderful things about being a chimney sweep," Richard Sherman told me. number1albums.com/mary_poppins...
March 23, 2025 at 4:10 PM
No. 1 this week in 1965, the "Mary Poppins" soundtrack. “We had to have a reason for telling the audience about this magical word, ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,’ or for the wonderful things about being a chimney sweep," Richard Sherman told me. number1albums.com/mary_poppins...
No. 1 this week in 1963, "Songs I Sing on the Jackie Gleason Show" by Frank Fontaine. ABC A&R man Sid Feller told me, “He would have this crazy look on his face and would wear this dumb hat and then he would sing and out came this big, booming operatic voice. ” number1albums.com/songs-i-sing...
March 22, 2025 at 2:32 PM
No. 1 this week in 1963, "Songs I Sing on the Jackie Gleason Show" by Frank Fontaine. ABC A&R man Sid Feller told me, “He would have this crazy look on his face and would wear this dumb hat and then he would sing and out came this big, booming operatic voice. ” number1albums.com/songs-i-sing...
No. 1 this week in 1975, “Have You Never Been Mellow” by Olivia Newton-John. She told me, “I created a controversy in Nashville, because I was an Australian girl, produced by an Englishman and an Australian, singing country music that wasn’t written by me.” number1albums.com/have-you-nev...
March 21, 2025 at 3:48 PM
No. 1 this week in 1975, “Have You Never Been Mellow” by Olivia Newton-John. She told me, “I created a controversy in Nashville, because I was an Australian girl, produced by an Englishman and an Australian, singing country music that wasn’t written by me.” number1albums.com/have-you-nev...
No. 1 this week in 1993, "Unplugged" by Eric Clapton. “I want to thank a lot of people, but the one person I want to thank is my son, for the love he gave me and the song he gave me,” Clapton said as he accepted his sixth award of the night at the Grammys. number1albums.com/unplugged_-_...
March 19, 2025 at 4:36 PM
No. 1 this week in 1993, "Unplugged" by Eric Clapton. “I want to thank a lot of people, but the one person I want to thank is my son, for the love he gave me and the song he gave me,” Clapton said as he accepted his sixth award of the night at the Grammys. number1albums.com/unplugged_-_...
No. 1 this week in 1976, "Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975" by Eagles. "We thought it would be good to bridge the time between albums,” Don Henley told me. “We knew it was going to take a while to make the next one.” More at the link. number1albums.com/eagles-their...
March 18, 2025 at 8:33 PM
No. 1 this week in 1976, "Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975" by Eagles. "We thought it would be good to bridge the time between albums,” Don Henley told me. “We knew it was going to take a while to make the next one.” More at the link. number1albums.com/eagles-their...
No. 1 this week in 1966, "The Ballad of the Green Berets" by Ssgt. Barry Sadler. “We found out that it was against Army regulations to use a photo¬graph of a military man in uniform on an album cover without permission from the U.S. government.” number1albums.com/ballads_of_t...
March 17, 2025 at 8:44 PM
No. 1 this week in 1966, "The Ballad of the Green Berets" by Ssgt. Barry Sadler. “We found out that it was against Army regulations to use a photo¬graph of a military man in uniform on an album cover without permission from the U.S. government.” number1albums.com/ballads_of_t...