Breaking down the numbers, Paul has scored 15 Number 1 LPs as a member of The Beatles, two with Wings, six with his solo projects and one alongside Linda McCartney to become the most prolific Albums Chart-topper in history.
Speaking on his success, Paul said: “Guess what? Our album is Number 1! Can’t get much higher. And we are well chuffed.
“My team and the whole gang of people who worked on this thing, they have done a fantastic job, so thank you to all of them. And thank you to all of YOU who bought it! And thank you to me!”
Paul McCartney’s 24 Number 1 Albums
YEAR OF RELEASE
TITLE
ARTIST
1963
PLEASE PLEASE ME
THE BEATLES
1963
WITH THE BEATLES
THE BEATLES
1964
A HARD DAY’S NIGHT
THE BEATLES
1964
BEATLES FOR SALE
THE BEATLES
1965
HELP
THE BEATLES
1965
RUBBER SOUL
THE BEATLES
1966
REVOLVER
THE BEATLES
1967
SGT PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND
THE BEATLES
1968
THE BEATLES (THE WHITE ALBUM)
THE BEATLES
1969
ABBEY ROAD
THE BEATLES
1970
LET IT BE
THE BEATLES
1971
RAM
PAUL & LINDA MCCARTNEY
1974
BAND ON THE RUN
PAUL MCCARTNEY & WINGS
1975
VENUS AND MARS
WINGS
1977
THE BEATLES LIVE AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL
THE BEATLES
1980
MCCARTNEY II
PAUL MCCARTNEY
1982
TUG OF WAR
PAUL MCCARTNEY
1984
GIVE MY REGARDS TO BROAD STREET (OST)
PAUL MCCARTNEY
1989
FLOWERS IN THE DIRT
PAUL MCCARTNEY
1994
LIVE AT THE BBC
THE BEATLES
1996
ANTHOLOGY 2
THE BEATLES
2000
1
THE BEATLES
2020
MCCARTNEY III
PAUL MCCARTNEY
2026
THE BOYS OF DUNGEON LANE
PAUL MCCARTNEY
On the feat Becca Monahan and Chris Austin, Co-Managing Directors, Official Charts Company, comment:
“Paul McCartney securing his 24th UK Number 1 album in the UK is an incredible achievement, and his place as the most successful albums artist in the history of the Official Charts is truly deserved.
“Across seven decades, Paul’s music has found new generations of fans, and this latest milestone is a testament to his extraordinary career.
“As we near the 70th anniversary of the Official Albums Chart on 22nd July, Paul’s continued success highlights his profound and sustained impact across the lifetime of the chart.
“Congratulations to Paul on another historic milestone.”
What’s more, The Boys Of Dungeon Lane also tops the Official Vinyl Albums Chart, this week’s best-seller on wax, and the Official Record Store Chart, shifting the most copies in independent UK record shops over the past seven days.
Paul’s success comes with the announcement of Beatles Day, set to take place annually on June 25 to celebrate the anniversary of The Beatles’ BBC Our World Performance of All You Need Is Love.
Elsewhere, electronic Scottish duo Boards of Canada secure their highest-charting album to date with Inferno (3). Their first release in 13 years, it joins 2013’s Tomorrow’s Harvest as a Top 10 hit.
All the eights! Floridian rockers Shinedown celebrate their third Top 10 album, with eighth studio set EI8HT debuting at Number 8. It follows the success of their two previous projects, 2022’s Number 4-peaking Planet Zero 2018’s ATTENTION ATTENTION, which also reached Number 8.
Following the release of SE9 Part 2 to complete the SE9 series, Skye Newman sees her original SE9 Part 1 EP rebound back into the chart, clinching a new peak in the process (11).
As she kicks off her brand-new petal album era with hate that i made you love me, Ariana Grande finds her chart-topping 2016 record Dangerous Woman permeate the Top 20 once again following the release of its Tenth Anniversary edition (17).
English rose Freya Ridings completes a hat-trick of Top 40 records, as Mother of Pearl (26) joins Blood Orange (2023) and self-titled debut Freya Ridings (2019) in achieving the accolade.
It’s a third Top 40 for multihyphenate Kiefer Sutherland, as his latest release GREY lands at Number 31, while newlywed Dua Lipa sees Live From Mexico pierce the main standings (21).
Images: MPL Communications