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The pop charts have always been ruled by the young, but some of classic rock’s most enduring acts don’t seem to have gotten the memo.<\/p>\n
Nearly 10% of the current Billboard Top 200<\/em><\/a> album sales chart slots are taken up by classic rock albums, some of which are closing in on their 50th birthdays.<\/p>\n The majority of these are greatest hits compilations, but there are four famous studio albums that are still racking up enough weekly sales to compete with Taylor Swift and her peers.<\/p>\n A couple are even closing on Pink Floyd<\/a>‘s The Dark Side of the Moon<\/em><\/a>, which holds the record for most total weeks spent on the chart with 990.<\/p>\n Here’s a rundown of the 18 classic rock albums that are still currently on the Billboard<\/em> Top 200:<\/p>\n 194. Metallica, Metallica<\/em> (1991)\u00a0<\/strong> It’s been 24 years since Metallica<\/a> streamlined their sound for their self-titled 1991 commercial breakthrough,<\/a> and the album has spent a remarkable 15 and a half of those years on the Billboard<\/em> 200. The only original album that has spent more weeks on the chart is Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon<\/em>, which currently stands at 990.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 187. Eagles, Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975<\/em> (1976)<\/strong> Eagles<\/a> have released several greatest hits collections since this, their first. But somehow even though Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975<\/em><\/a> doesn’t feature anything from Hotel California<\/a><\/em> or The Long Run<\/a><\/em> it has racked up over 500 weeks on the Billboard 200.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 178. Aerosmith, Greatest Hits<\/em> (2023)<\/strong> Over four decades after releasing their first album entitled Greatest Hits<\/em>, Aerosmith<\/a> released a second and much more expansive compilation using the same name. It makes perfect sense given how their post-reunion ’80s and beyond run has yielded greater commercial success than their ’70s work. The new Greatest Hits<\/em> is only two years old but has spent nearly all of that time lodged in the Top 200.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 159. Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, Greatest Hits<\/em> (1994)<\/strong> Even now, almost six years after his last concert<\/a>, Bob Seger<\/a> remains in the hearts of record-buying rock fans, with his 1994 Greatest Hits<\/em> album having spent more than a decade in the Top 200. He’s been very careful not to flood the market, with only two other compilations getting a wide release so far.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 153. ABBA, Gold:<\/em> Greatest Hits<\/em> (1992)<\/strong> ABBA<\/a>‘s most popular greatest hits collection has sold over 30 million copies all over the world, and there’s no end in sight as Gold<\/em> continues to rack up major sales.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 143. Radiohead, OK Computer<\/em> (1997)<\/strong> Radiohead<\/a>‘s 1997 masterpiece OK Computer<\/em> might just be on its way to becoming a younger generation’s The Dark Side of the Moon<\/em>. Spurred on by the recent viral TikTok success of the song “Let Down,” the album has re-entered the Top 200.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 137. Guns N’ Roses, Greatest Hits<\/em> (2004)<\/strong> You might not think a greatest hits compilation from three of the best-selling albums in recent rock history was all that necessary, but millions upon millions of Guns N’ Roses<\/a> fans clearly disagree, keeping Greatest Hits<\/em> – which Axl Rose initially tried to block – on the charts for over 700 weeks to date.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 134. Lynyrd Skynyrd, All Time Greatest Hits<\/em> (2000)<\/strong> With their classic lineup’s time together cut short by a tragic plane crash<\/a>, Lynyrd Skynyrd <\/a>have understandably released numerous compilations of their ’70s output. 2000’s All Time Greatest Hits<\/em> is the one that has endured the most, logging over six years on the charts since its 2000 release.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 128. Daryl Hall and John Oates, The Very Best Of…<\/em> (2001)<\/strong> To quote Taylor Swift, it seems very likely that Daryl Hall and John Oates<\/a> are never ever ever getting back together. But the duo’s recent breakup and legal battles<\/a> haven’t had a negative effect on the sales of their 2001 compilation The Very Best Of…<\/em> which is currently two weeks away from spending a total of six years on the Billboard Top 200.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 112. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Greatest Hits<\/em> (1993)<\/strong> Tom Petty<\/a>‘s\u00a0Greatest Hits<\/em> arrived at pretty much the perfect time in his career, for casual fans at least. It features all the big songs from every one of his platinum-plus solo or Heartbreakers albums except for 1995’s Wildflowers<\/em>,and also included a brand-new smash, “Last Dance With Mary Jane.” That may be why this 1993 compilation hasn’t been replaced on the charts by 2019’s The Best of Everything<\/em>, which spanned his entire discography.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 94. Fleetwood Mac, Greatest Hits<\/em> (1998)<\/strong> Fleetwood Mac<\/a> released their first album titled Greatest Hits<\/em> in 1971, but in retrospect that was a bit premature. Four years later, the group’s classic lineup of Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham formed. They almost immediately began the decade-plus run of radio and chart dominance that is chronicled on this best-selling 1998 compilation, which is closing on on seven years of total chart time.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 88. Journey, Journey’s Greatest Hits<\/em> (1988)<\/strong> Here’s another compilation that was perfectly timed for mainstream music fans, capturing all of the big hits from Journey<\/a>‘s time with singer Steve Perry<\/a>, released just a year after his first departure from the group. Journey’s Greatest Hits<\/em> ranks behind only The Dark Side of the Moon<\/em> and Bob Marley’s Legend<\/em> in terms of total weeks spent on the Billboard 200.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 83. Nirvana, Nevermind<\/em> (1991)<\/strong> One of just four non-compilations on this list, Nirvana<\/a>‘s generation-defining\u00a0Nevermind<\/a><\/em> has spent over 14 years total on the charts and remains in the top 100 thirty-four years after its release.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 69. Queen, Greatest Hits<\/em> (1981)<\/strong> To date, Queen<\/a> has released an estimated 17 compilation albums, drawn from just 15 original studio efforts. But they seem to have got it right on their first swing. Their first best-of, 1981’s Greatest Hits<\/em>, remains the most popular, having spent nearly 13 years on the charts in the 44 years since its release.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 64. Creedence Clearwater Revival, Chronicle<\/em> (1976)<\/strong> If Wikipedia is to be believed, no less than 45<\/a> different Creedence Clearwater Revival<\/a> compilations have been released over the last 55 years. The only one you need is 1976’s Chronicle<\/em>, which has very deservedly logged 176 months on the charts so far.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 60. Billy Joel, Greatest Hits Vol. I & II<\/em> (1985)<\/strong> You know you’ve had a good career when you suddenly realize you’re so overdue to release a greatest hits album that you need to release Vol. I and II<\/em> at the same time. That’s the power move Billy Joel<\/a> successfully pulled off in 1985. Compared to many of the other titles here the double-disc collection has spent very little time on the charts. Perhaps its return can be traced to the impact of the recent And So It Goes<\/em> documentary.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 51. Elton John, Diamonds<\/em> (2017)<\/strong> Elton John<\/a> has released 31 studio albums and 16 compilations, a very understandable ratio given the near-constant supply of hit singles he’s released over the past 55 years. His most recent collection has been out for seven years and 10 months and has spent nearly every week of that time on the Billboard<\/em> 200.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 27. Fleetwood Mac, Rumours<\/em> (1977)<\/strong> You could say Fleetwood Mac <\/a>are having a moment now, but their most recent surge in popularity seems to have been going on for many many years. Rumours<\/a><\/em> is their second album in the current Billboard 200, and the highest-ranking classic rock title on the charts.<\/p>\n The album’s second single “Dreams” also currently sits at No. 47 on Spotify’s current Top Songs<\/a> list. Don’t look for any of this to result in another reunion though. Stevie Nicks has repeatedly said she can’t imagine reforming the group<\/a> without Christine McVie, who died in<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n There have been more than 45 of these outside projects, which deepen and add to the band’s legacy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Nick DeRiso<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
(805 weeks on the chart)<\/p>\n
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(409 weeks on the chart)<\/p>\n
(650 weeks on the chart)<\/p>\nFleetwood Mac Solo Albums Ranked <\/h2>\n