Independent Albums
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 December 2, 2000.[2]
The top 25 positions are currently 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 chart. 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.[3]
The chart's first number one was Who Let the Dogs Out by Baha Men,[2] which went on to top the year-end chart for 2001.[4]
Best-selling top independent albums by year
Since 2002, Billboard.biz has annually published an end-of-year list of the top fifty best selling independent albums. Billboard also independently announced the highest selling album for 2001. Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz have topped this chart three times since its inception, twice with their 2002 album Kings of Crunk.
- 2001 (see 2001 in music): Baha Men - Who Let the Dogs Out[4]
- 2002 (see 2002 in music): Mannheim Steamroller - Christmas Extraordinaire[5]
- 2003 (see 2003 in music): Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz - Kings of Crunk[6]
- 2004 (see 2004 in music): Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz - Kings of Crunk[7]
- 2005 (see 2005 in music): Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz - Crunk Juice[8]
- 2006 (see 2006 in music): Little Big Town - The Road to Here[9]
- 2007 (see 2007 in music): Various Artists - Hairspray[10]
- 2008 (see 2008 in music): The Eagles - Long Road out of Eden[11]
- 2009 (see 2009 in music): Jason Aldean - Wide Open[12]
- 2010 (see 2010 in music): Jason Aldean - Wide Open[13]
- 2011 (see 2011 in music): Jason Aldean - My Kinda Party[14]
References
- 1 2 "Independent Albums". Billboard. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
- 1 2 "Week of December 02, 2000 - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2000-12-02. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
- ↑ "Revised Chart Policy Lands Eagles At No. 1". Billboard. 2007-11-07. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
- 1 2 "Baha Men 'Move' To Follow 'Dogs'". Billboard. Retrieved 2010-01-26.
- ↑ "2002 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2002-12-28. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
- ↑ "2003 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2002-12-27. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
- ↑ "2004 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2002-12-25. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
- ↑ "2005 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2002-11-26. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
- ↑ "2006 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2006. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
- ↑ "2007 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2007. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
- ↑ "2008 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2008. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
- ↑ "2009 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2009. Retrieved 2010-01-16.
- ↑ "2010 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-31.
- ↑ "2011 Year End Charts - Independent Albums". Billboard. 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-12.