In this interesting feature, we look at Great 1-2 Punches, landmark studio albums that were out at the same time. There are many more cases of two or more great albums released at the same time, but what makes these special is that they were all 1-2 at the same time on the album chart. CCR's Cosmo's Factory and Led Zeppelin II, for example, were both popular for the entire fall of 1970, but were never 1-2.
And there are plenty of times in which two solid albums were 1-2, but these ones are monumental albums that are recognized as some of the best ever recorded. There are also several examples of Greatest Hits and Soundtrack albums being part of great 1-2 punches, but we aren't considering them in this specific feature.
Hotel California/Rumours
In songs, we talk about 1967 as being a magic year for music. In albums, 1977 was certainly one of them. The Eagles had been at #1 for two weeks previously, and had hung around at #2 for several weeks before regaining #1 on March 26. Rumours, meanwhile, had debuted at #10 on February 26 and was moving its way up. Those two albums were 1-2 on March 26, the beginning of one of the most amazing battles of the Rock Era for holding the honor of being #1, made even more amazing that they were two of The Top 20 Artists of the Rock Era*.
Fleetwood Mac had the upper hand the following week (April 2), but two weeks later, Hotel California replaced it. The Eagles held off Fleetwood Mac for five weeks (April 16 through May 14) before The #1 Album of the Rock Era* took over again. Rumours was #1 for the next eight consecutive weeks (with Hotel California second for three of those) and a total of 29 more to finish its reign with a total of 31 weeks at #1.
All told, these glorious releases spent eleven consecutive weeks 1-2, with three lead changes during that time.
Born in the U.S.A./Like a Virgin/Make It Big
Another amazing battle took place in 19845 with some fascinating chart runs. Some background: Bruce Springsteen took over at #1 from Sports by Huey Lewis & the News, another solid album in its own right, on July 7, 1984. Born in the U.S.A. presided over the rest of the heap for four weeks before relinquishing the top spot to the "Purple Rain" Soundtrack on August 4.
But Springsteen didn't give up, not by any means. Born in the U.S.A. would spend the next 24 weeks in the Top 3, including 20 at #2. And should you wish to consider Born in the U.S.A. and "Purple Rain" as a famous 1-2 battle, who are we to argue? Those two great albums spent a total of 23 weeks at 1-2, with Springsteen remarkably replacing "Purple Rain" at #1 on January 19, 1985.
But the plot thickened on January 26, when Madonna's Like a Virgin entered the fray at #2. Born in the U.S.A. held off Madonna's landmark release for two weeks (for a total of seven weeks at #1), then Like a Virgin took over for three weeks at #1. For two of those, Springsteen was the runner-up. Then Wham's Make It Big edged up to #2 on February 23 before spending three weeks of its own at #1.
Born in the U.S.A. and Like a Virgin spent four weeks 1-2, with Like a Virgin and Made It Big spending the next two weeks 1-2. The three best-sellers were 1-2-3 from February 9 through March 2.
And if you factor in "Purple Rain" into the picture, "Purple Rain", Born in the U.S.A. and Like a Virgin were either 1-2 in some combination for 28 weeks, all but two of them consecutively, and 1-2-3 in differing combinations from December 22, 1984 through February 2, 1985 (seven straight weeks), truly one of the most remarkable battles for #1 in the Rock Era. Born in the U.S.A. would go on to spend an incredible 44 weeks in the Top 3.
Hysteria/Appetite for Destruction/Tracy Chapman
Three more of The Top 100 Albums of the Rock Era* did battle in 1988. Hysteria was one of the longest-lasting top-sellers of the Rock Era, first hitting #1 in its 49th week on July 23, 1988. It remained there for two weeks. Then, Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses reached #1 in its 50th week, displacing Hysteria, in its 51st week. It could be the only time period that an album has reached #1 in its 50th week replacing another album that had been out for 50 weeks. Remarkable. But these two weren't done.
Hysteria reversed fortune another time and regained #1 on August 13, with Guns N' Roses falling to third, as Def Leppard was top dog after 52 weeks, replacing an album that had been out for 51. Two weeks later, on August 27, the sensational debut album from Tracy Chapman assumed #1 with Hysteria second. Def Leppard again hit #1 the following week, bumping Tracy to second, with Appetite for Destruction returning to third. Guns N' Roses and Chapman swapped spots the following week for another run to the top for Appetite for Destruction.
Guns N' Roses retook the #1 spot from Hysteria in its 57th week and remained there for another three weeks. Hysteria remained second after 58 weeks, and stayed #2 for three weeks.
Sorting through all of those battles, Hysteria and Appetite for Destruction were 1-2 for a total of seven weeks in different combinations and lead changes. Tracy Chapman and Hysteria were 1-2 for two weeks with alternating #1's. And the three great albums were 1-2-3 for six consecutive weeks from September 3 through October 8.
Thriller/Synchronicity
The #2 Album of the Rock Era* first took over as the top album of the week on February 26, 1983. Thriller had spent 18 non-consecutive weeks at #1 holding off several albums (among them Journey's Frontiers and Def Leppard's Pyromania).
That was when the Police entered the picture, moving up to challenge on July 16. The following week, Synchronicity took over from the historic Thriller for a run of its own, with Michael Jackson dropping to third on July 23. When Thriller moved back up to #2 on July 30, the Police would hold on to #1 over Thriller for seven consecutive weeks. Jackson returned to the top briefly (September 10) before Synchronicity reigned for 10 more weeks, with incredibly Thriller hanging around at #2 for eight of those.
In all, these two great albums were 1-2 for 16 weeks.
Green River/Abbey Road/Led Zeppelin II
That says a mouthful! One of CCR's best career albums, followed by the classic Abbey Road and then the second release by a group that would soon become superstars. Green River got to #1 first on October 4, 1969, and spent four weeks at the top. Abbey Road moved from #178 to 4 and then to #1 on November 1. Those two would be 1-2 for the next three weeks. Then Led Zeppelin II entered the picture, climbing from 15 to 2 in just its third week to move the CCR album to third.
Those three great albums were together at 1-2-3 on both November 22 and 29th--Abbey Road and Led Zeppelin II continued a 1-2 battle for an incredible13 weeks (a total of 15) in varying order. The Beatles scored three more weeks at #1 before Led Zep overtook them. One week later, Abbey Road was back on top for two, then Led Zeppelin II was #1, then Abbey Road again for one, then Led Zeppelin II for five more weeks.
Led Zeppelin II/Bridge Over Troubled Water
And then you had another of The Top Albums of the Rock Era* right afterwards. The week after the famous 1-2 run of Abbey Road and Led Zeppelin II (while Bridge Over Troubled Water was moving from 106-4), Simon & Garfunkel took over at #1, pushing Led Zep to second. The two classic albums remained that way from March 7-21 of 1970.
The Wall/Against the Wind
Pink Floyd was nearing the end of its amazing 15-week run at #1 when Bob Seger's third consecutive blockbuster album Against the Wind moved from 9-2 on March 29, 1980. From there, Seger would patiently wait for five weeks before toppling The Wall on May 3. Against the Wind spent five weeks at #1, with The Wall in the #2 spot for three of those. These two monumental albums spent eight weeks at 1-2.
Bridge Over Troubled Water/Deja Vu
The classic Simon & Garfunkel album was just finishing up its great run at #1 when the famous partnership of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young entered the picture. Tough to find two albums that track through as well as these two at the same time. From April 25, 1970 to May 16, these two great LP's were 1-2, with CSNY taking over for one week on the final date.
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy/Venus and Mars/One of These Nights
These three heavyweights of 1975 were another amazing combination. Elton John's best career album debuted at #1 (becoming one of the first to do so) on June 7, and two weeks later, Venus and Mars rocketed from 25-2 to provide competition. Those two great albums would continue 1-2 for four weeks, with the great Eagles release joining them in the third spot on July 12.
On July 19, Venus and Mars and Captain Fantastic switched spots, making two weeks in which these three releases finished the week 1-2-3. One of These Nights took over the following week to begin a five-week run at #1, ended when amazingly Captain Fantastic returned to the top spot again.
In Through the Out Door/The Long Run
These two heavyweight groups battled it out in the fall of 1979. Led Zeppelin's best career album reached #1 in just two weeks, first taking over on September 15. It had spent five weeks at #1 when the Eagles' best career album debuted at #2 on October 20.
In Through the Out Door maintained for another week (for a total reign of seven weeks). The Long Run took over on November 3 in just its third week, with Zeppelin providing tough competition at #2 for three weeks. After In Through the Out Door fell, the Eagles remained at #1 for six more weeks for a total of nine at the top.
In Through the Out Door and The Long Run were 1-2 for five consecutive weeks.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band/The Doors
Sgt. Pepper's is one of the best concept albums ever made, not to mention being one of The Top 10 Albums of the Rock Era*. You could invent several album classifications for comparing albums, and Sgt. Pepper's would be in many of them.
The Doors' debut was not as respected then as it is now, spending two weeks at #2. But they were behind one of the greatest of all-time, and it stands to reason that without Sgt. Pepper's, The Doors would have likely climbed to #1.
Frampton Comes Alive!/Fleetwood Mac
Another great 1-2 battle took place in 1976. The incredible introduction of Peter Frampton as a solo artist to most music fans had already been #1 for three weeks in August. The enduring self-titled release from Fleetwood Mac remarkably edged up to #2 after 57 weeks to challenge on August 28. The Mac took over at #1 on September 4, before Frampton regained the top spot on September 11 for five more weeks. In all, the two spent three weeks at 1-2.
Songs in the Key of Life/Hotel California
Stevie Wonder's masterpiece was in for another battle. It had presided at #1 for 13 weeks from October of 1976 through January of 1977. Plenty of albums had tried to take over (including Boz Scaggs' Silk Degrees, Hasten Down the Wind from Linda Ronstadt, Steve Miller's Fly Like An Eagle, Earth, Wind & Fire's Spirit, the monumental Boston debut, and Led Zeppelin's The Song Remains The Same among others).
But the one that finally did it was Hotel California by the Eagles. It moved into the runner-up position on January 8, 1977, then finally overtook the giant on January 15, for a total of two weeks in varying order of being 1-2. The Eagles accumulated eight total weeks at #1, and Songs in the Key of Life also returned for another week at #1 several weeks later.
The Joshua Tree/Whitney
U2's The Joshua Tree was #1 for eight weeks and on its way down in June of 1987. Whitney Houston's sophomore album debuted at #1 on June 27, and the following week, U2 moved back up to challenge. Houston held off U2 for four weeks, then spent six more weeks at #1.
Slippery When Wet/The Joshua Tree
Slippery When Wet had already had its heyday, eight weeks at #1, but was still hanging around the Top 10 when U2's The Joshua Tree debuted at #7 on April 4, 1987. U2 first reached #1 on April 25, and on May 16, Slippery When Wet made its third run at #1. For four weeks, Bon Jovi remained second, before dropping, while The Joshua Tree remained at #1 for two more weeks.
"The Sound of Music" Soundtrack/Rubber Soul/Whipped Cream & Other Delights
Three monumental releases followed each other to the top of the album chart, and these three held down the top three positions from January 8-29, a total of four weeks.
The soundtrack for one of the best movies ever made was released in 1965. It raced to #1 and spent 70 weeks on the album chart in the U.S. It was the second biggest-selling album of the decade in the U.K. (home of the Beatles), and spent 73 weeks on the Norwegian album chart to become the seventh best-charting album of all-time there.
The Beatles recorded Rubber Soul after returning to London from their famous North American trip in 1964. The album is the group's first to seriously focus on recording an LP rather than assemble songs recorded at different times and places for their previous releases. Rubber Soul features George Harrison's playing of the sitar for the first time on a recording. "Norwegian Wood" is credited with sparking a rage for the instrument in the mid-60's.
Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass were the only act that could rival the Beatles for album sales during most of the 60's, and Whipped Cream was the group at its best.
The Wall/The Long Run
As chronicled above, The Long Run had already spent nine weeks at #1 in 1979 before falling to #5 in the week that Pink Floyd moved from 20-7 (January 5, 1980). The Wall took over at #1 two weeks later, beginning an incredible 15-week run at the top.
But the Eagles had a resurgence and moved back up to #2 on January 26, a position they would hold for two weeks before dropping.
Songs in the Key of Life/Frampton Comes Alive!
This is another of the best examples of two of The Top Albums of the Rock Era* battling it out. You have Songs in the Key (#3 of all-time*) vs. Frampton at #55 for the Rock Era*. Frampton Comes Alive! had spent nine weeks at #1 in three different shifts when Songs in the Key of Life replaced it by debuting at #1 on October 16, 1976. Frampton tumbled to third that week, but on October 23, rebounded to #2 making for a superb 1-2 combination.
Forever Your Girl/Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814
Paula Abdul's Forever Your Girl was another late bloomer, not hitting #1 until it was in its 64th week, and it only remained there one week. That coincidentally was the first week that Rhythm Nation came out. Jackson first hit #1 on October 28, 1989, where it remained for four weeks.
Forever Your Girl, meanwhile, was working its way back up the chart, and amazingly hit #1 again on February 3, 1990, its 81st week of release! Abdul would record another nine consecutive weeks at the top for a total of 10. Rhythm Nation took a cue from Abdul and began advancing back up as well and on February 24th, these two great albums by two of The Top 100 Female Artists of the Rock Era* were 1-2.
Abdul held off Jackson for six weeks in a row, making this an epic battle of two outstanding albums.
Fulfillingness' First Finale/Bad Company
Stevie Wonder had just taken over the #1 spot on September 14, 1974 when the self-titled release from Bad Company climbed to 2. The two greats would hold down those two slots the following week as well. Bad Company got a turn at #1 the following week, with Stevie Wonder slipping to third.
The Monkees/More of the Monkees
It's tough to find two albums this big at the same time, much less by the same act. In fact, the Monkees set the Rock Era record for the most consecutive weeks at #1 when their debut (13 weeks at #1) was followed by More of the Monkees (18 weeks at #1). From February 11 to March 4 of 1967, these two releases by the same group were 1-2, a total of four weeks.
The first has now gone over the five million mark in sales, while the second not only matched that feat, but was the first rock album to finish the year as the top-seller in the United States.
Jagged Little Pill/Falling Into You
Alanis Morissette's great album had incredibly gone to #1 and back down five times by the summer of 1996, and its accumulated time at #1 had reached ten weeks by August. On August 31, Celine Dion's album Falling Into You moved up to #2 to challenge. Those albums were 1-2 for two weeks.
Dion's album didn't take over from Morissette, but did notch three weeks at #1 in October.
Jagged Little Pill/Daydream
Jagged Little Pill by Morissette had a nice two-week stay at #1 in 1995 before Mariah Carey's Daydream debuted at #1 on October 21, 1995. Daydream remained on top for three more weeks, with Morissette making another challenge to rise to #2 on November 4.
Daydream returned to #1 several weeks later for four more weeks (none of those had Jagged Little Pill at #2), but Morissette's classic album still was not done. A full twenty weeks after it had been displaced, Jagged Little Pill made it back to #1 for ten weeks in four further runs to the top.
Both albums had incredible persistence, but they were 1-2 in two non-consecutive weeks.
Slippery When Wet/Different Light
These two great albums collided on January 31, 1987 and February 7. Slippery When Wet first reached #1 on October 25, 1986, slipped to #2, then remarkably returned to #1 ten weeks later on January 17. Bon Jovi spent another seven weeks at #1 in their second run for a total of eight.
Metallica/Ropin' the Wind
It only lasted one week, but these two classic albums met head to head in 1991. The self-titled Metallic release was #1 for four weeks when Garth Brooks lassoed it and took over with Ropin' the Wind on September 28. Brooks' classic album would go on to post 17 weeks at #1 in three different turns.
That's pretty much the end of the epic 1-2 album battles. Once we got into the late 90's, great albums became pretty much a thing of the past. It didn't take record-breaking sales slumps to read the writing on the wall. All of a sudden, albums were debuting at #1 like it wasn't news, which is a slam to the other hundreds of albums out at the time. Also, you had greatest hits albums released thirty years after a group broke up (1 by the Beatles) that were runaway #1's over everything else out at the time, not to mention the "Now" series of albums, in which record companies had to gather the best songs from 20 different artists to achieve a #1 album.
It took a child of five to realize that not only were great albums reserved for the time period 1964-1998, but the albums that have followed in the last 17 years cannot begin to compete with those in the best years of the Rock Era. Maybe that will change. Artists like Adele and John Mayer have the right idea. We at Inside The Rock Era reserve judgement, and patiently wait for the day when we can once again describe another epic battle between two great albums for #1 and #2.
And there are plenty of times in which two solid albums were 1-2, but these ones are monumental albums that are recognized as some of the best ever recorded. There are also several examples of Greatest Hits and Soundtrack albums being part of great 1-2 punches, but we aren't considering them in this specific feature.
Hotel California/Rumours
In songs, we talk about 1967 as being a magic year for music. In albums, 1977 was certainly one of them. The Eagles had been at #1 for two weeks previously, and had hung around at #2 for several weeks before regaining #1 on March 26. Rumours, meanwhile, had debuted at #10 on February 26 and was moving its way up. Those two albums were 1-2 on March 26, the beginning of one of the most amazing battles of the Rock Era for holding the honor of being #1, made even more amazing that they were two of The Top 20 Artists of the Rock Era*.
Fleetwood Mac had the upper hand the following week (April 2), but two weeks later, Hotel California replaced it. The Eagles held off Fleetwood Mac for five weeks (April 16 through May 14) before The #1 Album of the Rock Era* took over again. Rumours was #1 for the next eight consecutive weeks (with Hotel California second for three of those) and a total of 29 more to finish its reign with a total of 31 weeks at #1.
All told, these glorious releases spent eleven consecutive weeks 1-2, with three lead changes during that time.
Born in the U.S.A./Like a Virgin/Make It Big
Another amazing battle took place in 19845 with some fascinating chart runs. Some background: Bruce Springsteen took over at #1 from Sports by Huey Lewis & the News, another solid album in its own right, on July 7, 1984. Born in the U.S.A. presided over the rest of the heap for four weeks before relinquishing the top spot to the "Purple Rain" Soundtrack on August 4.
But Springsteen didn't give up, not by any means. Born in the U.S.A. would spend the next 24 weeks in the Top 3, including 20 at #2. And should you wish to consider Born in the U.S.A. and "Purple Rain" as a famous 1-2 battle, who are we to argue? Those two great albums spent a total of 23 weeks at 1-2, with Springsteen remarkably replacing "Purple Rain" at #1 on January 19, 1985.
But the plot thickened on January 26, when Madonna's Like a Virgin entered the fray at #2. Born in the U.S.A. held off Madonna's landmark release for two weeks (for a total of seven weeks at #1), then Like a Virgin took over for three weeks at #1. For two of those, Springsteen was the runner-up. Then Wham's Make It Big edged up to #2 on February 23 before spending three weeks of its own at #1.
Born in the U.S.A. and Like a Virgin spent four weeks 1-2, with Like a Virgin and Made It Big spending the next two weeks 1-2. The three best-sellers were 1-2-3 from February 9 through March 2.
And if you factor in "Purple Rain" into the picture, "Purple Rain", Born in the U.S.A. and Like a Virgin were either 1-2 in some combination for 28 weeks, all but two of them consecutively, and 1-2-3 in differing combinations from December 22, 1984 through February 2, 1985 (seven straight weeks), truly one of the most remarkable battles for #1 in the Rock Era. Born in the U.S.A. would go on to spend an incredible 44 weeks in the Top 3.
Hysteria/Appetite for Destruction/Tracy Chapman
Three more of The Top 100 Albums of the Rock Era* did battle in 1988. Hysteria was one of the longest-lasting top-sellers of the Rock Era, first hitting #1 in its 49th week on July 23, 1988. It remained there for two weeks. Then, Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses reached #1 in its 50th week, displacing Hysteria, in its 51st week. It could be the only time period that an album has reached #1 in its 50th week replacing another album that had been out for 50 weeks. Remarkable. But these two weren't done.
Hysteria reversed fortune another time and regained #1 on August 13, with Guns N' Roses falling to third, as Def Leppard was top dog after 52 weeks, replacing an album that had been out for 51. Two weeks later, on August 27, the sensational debut album from Tracy Chapman assumed #1 with Hysteria second. Def Leppard again hit #1 the following week, bumping Tracy to second, with Appetite for Destruction returning to third. Guns N' Roses and Chapman swapped spots the following week for another run to the top for Appetite for Destruction.
Guns N' Roses retook the #1 spot from Hysteria in its 57th week and remained there for another three weeks. Hysteria remained second after 58 weeks, and stayed #2 for three weeks.
Sorting through all of those battles, Hysteria and Appetite for Destruction were 1-2 for a total of seven weeks in different combinations and lead changes. Tracy Chapman and Hysteria were 1-2 for two weeks with alternating #1's. And the three great albums were 1-2-3 for six consecutive weeks from September 3 through October 8.
Thriller/Synchronicity
The #2 Album of the Rock Era* first took over as the top album of the week on February 26, 1983. Thriller had spent 18 non-consecutive weeks at #1 holding off several albums (among them Journey's Frontiers and Def Leppard's Pyromania).
That was when the Police entered the picture, moving up to challenge on July 16. The following week, Synchronicity took over from the historic Thriller for a run of its own, with Michael Jackson dropping to third on July 23. When Thriller moved back up to #2 on July 30, the Police would hold on to #1 over Thriller for seven consecutive weeks. Jackson returned to the top briefly (September 10) before Synchronicity reigned for 10 more weeks, with incredibly Thriller hanging around at #2 for eight of those.
In all, these two great albums were 1-2 for 16 weeks.
Green River/Abbey Road/Led Zeppelin II
That says a mouthful! One of CCR's best career albums, followed by the classic Abbey Road and then the second release by a group that would soon become superstars. Green River got to #1 first on October 4, 1969, and spent four weeks at the top. Abbey Road moved from #178 to 4 and then to #1 on November 1. Those two would be 1-2 for the next three weeks. Then Led Zeppelin II entered the picture, climbing from 15 to 2 in just its third week to move the CCR album to third.
Those three great albums were together at 1-2-3 on both November 22 and 29th--Abbey Road and Led Zeppelin II continued a 1-2 battle for an incredible13 weeks (a total of 15) in varying order. The Beatles scored three more weeks at #1 before Led Zep overtook them. One week later, Abbey Road was back on top for two, then Led Zeppelin II was #1, then Abbey Road again for one, then Led Zeppelin II for five more weeks.
Led Zeppelin II/Bridge Over Troubled Water
And then you had another of The Top Albums of the Rock Era* right afterwards. The week after the famous 1-2 run of Abbey Road and Led Zeppelin II (while Bridge Over Troubled Water was moving from 106-4), Simon & Garfunkel took over at #1, pushing Led Zep to second. The two classic albums remained that way from March 7-21 of 1970.
The Wall/Against the Wind
Pink Floyd was nearing the end of its amazing 15-week run at #1 when Bob Seger's third consecutive blockbuster album Against the Wind moved from 9-2 on March 29, 1980. From there, Seger would patiently wait for five weeks before toppling The Wall on May 3. Against the Wind spent five weeks at #1, with The Wall in the #2 spot for three of those. These two monumental albums spent eight weeks at 1-2.
Bridge Over Troubled Water/Deja Vu
The classic Simon & Garfunkel album was just finishing up its great run at #1 when the famous partnership of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young entered the picture. Tough to find two albums that track through as well as these two at the same time. From April 25, 1970 to May 16, these two great LP's were 1-2, with CSNY taking over for one week on the final date.
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy/Venus and Mars/One of These Nights
These three heavyweights of 1975 were another amazing combination. Elton John's best career album debuted at #1 (becoming one of the first to do so) on June 7, and two weeks later, Venus and Mars rocketed from 25-2 to provide competition. Those two great albums would continue 1-2 for four weeks, with the great Eagles release joining them in the third spot on July 12.
On July 19, Venus and Mars and Captain Fantastic switched spots, making two weeks in which these three releases finished the week 1-2-3. One of These Nights took over the following week to begin a five-week run at #1, ended when amazingly Captain Fantastic returned to the top spot again.
In Through the Out Door/The Long Run
These two heavyweight groups battled it out in the fall of 1979. Led Zeppelin's best career album reached #1 in just two weeks, first taking over on September 15. It had spent five weeks at #1 when the Eagles' best career album debuted at #2 on October 20.
In Through the Out Door maintained for another week (for a total reign of seven weeks). The Long Run took over on November 3 in just its third week, with Zeppelin providing tough competition at #2 for three weeks. After In Through the Out Door fell, the Eagles remained at #1 for six more weeks for a total of nine at the top.
In Through the Out Door and The Long Run were 1-2 for five consecutive weeks.
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band/The Doors
Sgt. Pepper's is one of the best concept albums ever made, not to mention being one of The Top 10 Albums of the Rock Era*. You could invent several album classifications for comparing albums, and Sgt. Pepper's would be in many of them.
The Doors' debut was not as respected then as it is now, spending two weeks at #2. But they were behind one of the greatest of all-time, and it stands to reason that without Sgt. Pepper's, The Doors would have likely climbed to #1.
Frampton Comes Alive!/Fleetwood Mac
Another great 1-2 battle took place in 1976. The incredible introduction of Peter Frampton as a solo artist to most music fans had already been #1 for three weeks in August. The enduring self-titled release from Fleetwood Mac remarkably edged up to #2 after 57 weeks to challenge on August 28. The Mac took over at #1 on September 4, before Frampton regained the top spot on September 11 for five more weeks. In all, the two spent three weeks at 1-2.
Songs in the Key of Life/Hotel California
Stevie Wonder's masterpiece was in for another battle. It had presided at #1 for 13 weeks from October of 1976 through January of 1977. Plenty of albums had tried to take over (including Boz Scaggs' Silk Degrees, Hasten Down the Wind from Linda Ronstadt, Steve Miller's Fly Like An Eagle, Earth, Wind & Fire's Spirit, the monumental Boston debut, and Led Zeppelin's The Song Remains The Same among others).
But the one that finally did it was Hotel California by the Eagles. It moved into the runner-up position on January 8, 1977, then finally overtook the giant on January 15, for a total of two weeks in varying order of being 1-2. The Eagles accumulated eight total weeks at #1, and Songs in the Key of Life also returned for another week at #1 several weeks later.
The Joshua Tree/Whitney
U2's The Joshua Tree was #1 for eight weeks and on its way down in June of 1987. Whitney Houston's sophomore album debuted at #1 on June 27, and the following week, U2 moved back up to challenge. Houston held off U2 for four weeks, then spent six more weeks at #1.
Slippery When Wet/The Joshua Tree
Slippery When Wet had already had its heyday, eight weeks at #1, but was still hanging around the Top 10 when U2's The Joshua Tree debuted at #7 on April 4, 1987. U2 first reached #1 on April 25, and on May 16, Slippery When Wet made its third run at #1. For four weeks, Bon Jovi remained second, before dropping, while The Joshua Tree remained at #1 for two more weeks.
"The Sound of Music" Soundtrack/Rubber Soul/Whipped Cream & Other Delights
Three monumental releases followed each other to the top of the album chart, and these three held down the top three positions from January 8-29, a total of four weeks.
The soundtrack for one of the best movies ever made was released in 1965. It raced to #1 and spent 70 weeks on the album chart in the U.S. It was the second biggest-selling album of the decade in the U.K. (home of the Beatles), and spent 73 weeks on the Norwegian album chart to become the seventh best-charting album of all-time there.
The Beatles recorded Rubber Soul after returning to London from their famous North American trip in 1964. The album is the group's first to seriously focus on recording an LP rather than assemble songs recorded at different times and places for their previous releases. Rubber Soul features George Harrison's playing of the sitar for the first time on a recording. "Norwegian Wood" is credited with sparking a rage for the instrument in the mid-60's.
Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass were the only act that could rival the Beatles for album sales during most of the 60's, and Whipped Cream was the group at its best.
The Wall/The Long Run
As chronicled above, The Long Run had already spent nine weeks at #1 in 1979 before falling to #5 in the week that Pink Floyd moved from 20-7 (January 5, 1980). The Wall took over at #1 two weeks later, beginning an incredible 15-week run at the top.
But the Eagles had a resurgence and moved back up to #2 on January 26, a position they would hold for two weeks before dropping.
Songs in the Key of Life/Frampton Comes Alive!
This is another of the best examples of two of The Top Albums of the Rock Era* battling it out. You have Songs in the Key (#3 of all-time*) vs. Frampton at #55 for the Rock Era*. Frampton Comes Alive! had spent nine weeks at #1 in three different shifts when Songs in the Key of Life replaced it by debuting at #1 on October 16, 1976. Frampton tumbled to third that week, but on October 23, rebounded to #2 making for a superb 1-2 combination.
Forever Your Girl/Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814
Paula Abdul's Forever Your Girl was another late bloomer, not hitting #1 until it was in its 64th week, and it only remained there one week. That coincidentally was the first week that Rhythm Nation came out. Jackson first hit #1 on October 28, 1989, where it remained for four weeks.
Forever Your Girl, meanwhile, was working its way back up the chart, and amazingly hit #1 again on February 3, 1990, its 81st week of release! Abdul would record another nine consecutive weeks at the top for a total of 10. Rhythm Nation took a cue from Abdul and began advancing back up as well and on February 24th, these two great albums by two of The Top 100 Female Artists of the Rock Era* were 1-2.
Abdul held off Jackson for six weeks in a row, making this an epic battle of two outstanding albums.
Fulfillingness' First Finale/Bad Company
Stevie Wonder had just taken over the #1 spot on September 14, 1974 when the self-titled release from Bad Company climbed to 2. The two greats would hold down those two slots the following week as well. Bad Company got a turn at #1 the following week, with Stevie Wonder slipping to third.
The Monkees/More of the Monkees
It's tough to find two albums this big at the same time, much less by the same act. In fact, the Monkees set the Rock Era record for the most consecutive weeks at #1 when their debut (13 weeks at #1) was followed by More of the Monkees (18 weeks at #1). From February 11 to March 4 of 1967, these two releases by the same group were 1-2, a total of four weeks.
The first has now gone over the five million mark in sales, while the second not only matched that feat, but was the first rock album to finish the year as the top-seller in the United States.
Jagged Little Pill/Falling Into You
Alanis Morissette's great album had incredibly gone to #1 and back down five times by the summer of 1996, and its accumulated time at #1 had reached ten weeks by August. On August 31, Celine Dion's album Falling Into You moved up to #2 to challenge. Those albums were 1-2 for two weeks.
Dion's album didn't take over from Morissette, but did notch three weeks at #1 in October.
Jagged Little Pill/Daydream
Jagged Little Pill by Morissette had a nice two-week stay at #1 in 1995 before Mariah Carey's Daydream debuted at #1 on October 21, 1995. Daydream remained on top for three more weeks, with Morissette making another challenge to rise to #2 on November 4.
Daydream returned to #1 several weeks later for four more weeks (none of those had Jagged Little Pill at #2), but Morissette's classic album still was not done. A full twenty weeks after it had been displaced, Jagged Little Pill made it back to #1 for ten weeks in four further runs to the top.
Both albums had incredible persistence, but they were 1-2 in two non-consecutive weeks.
Slippery When Wet/Different Light
These two great albums collided on January 31, 1987 and February 7. Slippery When Wet first reached #1 on October 25, 1986, slipped to #2, then remarkably returned to #1 ten weeks later on January 17. Bon Jovi spent another seven weeks at #1 in their second run for a total of eight.
Metallica/Ropin' the Wind
It only lasted one week, but these two classic albums met head to head in 1991. The self-titled Metallic release was #1 for four weeks when Garth Brooks lassoed it and took over with Ropin' the Wind on September 28. Brooks' classic album would go on to post 17 weeks at #1 in three different turns.
That's pretty much the end of the epic 1-2 album battles. Once we got into the late 90's, great albums became pretty much a thing of the past. It didn't take record-breaking sales slumps to read the writing on the wall. All of a sudden, albums were debuting at #1 like it wasn't news, which is a slam to the other hundreds of albums out at the time. Also, you had greatest hits albums released thirty years after a group broke up (1 by the Beatles) that were runaway #1's over everything else out at the time, not to mention the "Now" series of albums, in which record companies had to gather the best songs from 20 different artists to achieve a #1 album.
It took a child of five to realize that not only were great albums reserved for the time period 1964-1998, but the albums that have followed in the last 17 years cannot begin to compete with those in the best years of the Rock Era. Maybe that will change. Artists like Adele and John Mayer have the right idea. We at Inside The Rock Era reserve judgement, and patiently wait for the day when we can once again describe another epic battle between two great albums for #1 and #2.
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