25 Female Singers Who Haven't Had A UK Number One Album
Today we found out that Britney Spears, once again, missed out on her all-important UK album number one. Her most recently released album, Glory, charted at number two this week.
The album is described as one of her most personal ones, and is definitely proving popular amongst the Britney Army, and yet in the UK she hasn’t quite made it to the top spot. However, there is plenty of weeks for Glory to climb all the way up there.
Surprisingly, Britney Spears isn’t the only female superstar to have missed out on hitting number one on the UK albums chart. Just last week, Dolly Parton charted at number two behind Frank Ocean’s “Blonde”.
These 25 female singers have never shined at the very top.
1. Britney Spears
Britney Spears has charted at number two a total of five times, now, on the UK albums chart, just missing out on the top spot again and again. In 2000 “…Baby One More Time” was beaten to the top by “The Man Who” by Travis; 2000’s “Oops! I Did It Again” was beaten by “Whitney: The Greatest Hits” by Whitney Houston; “Greatest Hits: My Prerogative”, released in 2004, was beaten by “Encore” by Eminem; in 2007 “Blackout” was beaten by “Long Road Out of Eden” by the Eagles; and today, in 2016, “Glory” was beaten by Barbra Streisand’s “Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway”.
She has a total of six UK number ones, her most recent being her collaborative effort with will.i.am on “Scream & Shout” back in 2012; however, 2004 with “Everytime” was her last solo number one UK single.
She is one of the biggest female artists in the world, having built up her career for the last 20 years. She currently has her own Las Vegas residency and is currently promoting her new album Glory.
2. Jennifer Lopez
Singer, actress, dancer, fashion designer, author and producer, is there anything Jennifer Lopez hasn’t done? Well, she hasn’t had a UK number one album that’s for sure. Out of the nine albums that have charted in the UK, her 2001 album, “J.Lo”, got the closest, hitting number two behind Limp Bizkit’s “Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog”.
She has a total of three UK number one singles, the most recent of which was 2011’s “On The Floor” featuring Pitbull.
She currently has a Las Vegas residency, a whole new studio album in the works, a new TV dance competition show, titled “World of Dance”, and her own shoe and jewellery collection to be released in January 2017.
3. Mary J. Blige
This R&B superstar hasn’t even come close to hitting the top spot on the UK albums chart. Of the 13 albums that have charted, 2001’s “No More Drama” got the closest charting at number four.
She has also never had a UK number one single, however, she does have 7 UK top 10s. She hit number two with “One”, a re-recorded collaborative version of the U2 hit single; beaten to the top by Gnarls Barkley with “Crazy”.
Having released “The London Sessions” at the end of 2014, Mary J. Blige parted ways with Geffen and Interscope records and signed a new contract with Capitol Records, could she finally score a UK number one single and album? Time will tell.
4. Dolly Parton
Country music has never become a big hit in the UK, without lack of trying. Dolly Parton has surely done her very best. A total of 18 Dolly Parton albums have charted in the UK’s top 100 albums chart, two of which peaked at number two; in 2014, “Blue Smoke: The Best Of” was beaten by Ed Sheeran’s “X”, and 2016’s “Pure & Simple”, which charted last week, was beaten by Frank Ocean’s “Blonde”.
Dolly Parton has also never had a UK number one single. The closest she has got was number seven, both in 1976 with “Jolene” and in 1983 with “Islands In The Stream” which was a collaboration with Kenny Rogers.
Currently, she is preparing to tour Canada and the US in promotion of her most recent album “Pure & Simple”.
5. Dame Shirley Bassey
Can you believe she has never had a UK number one album? A total of 39 Shirley Bassey albums have charted in the UK, with “The Shirley Bassey Singles Album” doing the best hitting number two back in 1975 just behind Tom Jones’ “20 Greatest Hits”.
Over on the singles front, she has hit the top spot twice with “As I Love You” in 1959 and “Reach For The Stars/Climb Ev’ry Mountain” in 1961.
6. Cyndi Lauper
This girl just wants to have fun but has never had fun at the top of the UK chart. On the album’s front, the closest she got was in 1994 where “Twelve Deadly Cyns… And Then Some” peaked at number two three times; firstly, beaten by Wet Wet Wet’s “End of Part One: Their Greatest Hits”; secondly by Luther Vandross’ “Songs”; and thirdly by REM’s “Monster”.
You would’ve thought “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” had made it to the top on the UK’s Singles Chart, but it fell short behind “Relax” by Frankie Goes to Hollywood in 1984.
Earlier this year she released “Detour” and it became her eighth album to chart in the UK. She has been touring North America and Europe in promotion of the album, and will be ending her “Detour Tour” in October.
7. Björk
It’s Oh So Quiet at the top of the UK charts for Björk, just missing out on the top spot back in 1995 with “Post” behind Michael Jackson’s “HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I”.
As for the UK singles chart, “It’s Oh So Quiet” is her best attempt to hit the top; charting at number four.
She is currently working on her tenth studio album.
8. Donna Summer
The first superstar in this list who has sadly passed away, so the chances of her actually getting a number one album is extremely slim right now. The closest she came was in 1977 with “I Remember Yesterday” which peaked at number three.
However, she did hit the top on the UK Singles Chart, with “I Feel Love” back in 1977.
9. Aretha Franklin
Anyone would’ve thought the legend, Aretha Franklin, had scored a UK number one album, but this is not the case. Her best charting position was in 1968 where “Aretha Now” peaked at number six.
She actually shined bright on the top of the UK Singles Chart though, back in 1987 she collaborated with George Michael on “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)”.
She released “Aretha Franklin Sings the Greatest Diva Classics” in 2014 which managed to chart in the UK at 34. There is no news on whether she is recording a new album, as of yet.
10. Pat Benatar
More widely known in the US than in the UK, Pat Benatar has had a long and successful career but has not even come close to a UK number one album. The closest was “Best Shots” which charted at number six back in 1987.
On the singles front, she hasn’t done well there either, the best she’s charted was number 17 with “Love Is a Battlefield” in 1985.
11. Debbie Harry
Well known as the lead singer of Blondie, Debbie Harry went solo between 1981 and 1999. Overall she has released five studio albums, some under Deborah Harry. Her 1981 debut solo album, “KooKoo”, hit number six in the UK; but it wasn’t until she released “The Complete Picture: The Very Best of Deborah Harry and Blondie” in 1991 where she missed out on the top spot and had to settle for number three.
In 1986, she did manage to get a top 10 hit, the only solo hit she has had; “French Kissin’ In The USA” hit number eight on the UK Singles Chart.
Blondie reformed in 1999 and are still going strong. They are currently working on their 11th studio album.
12. Sarah McLachlan
Much bigger in Canada and the US, Sarah McLachlan didn’t really hit it big in the UK, so it’s not surprising that she hasn’t had a UK number one album. Out of the four albums that have charted in the UK, 2004’s “Afterglow” did the best, charting at number 33.
Sarah McLachlan hasn’t done well on the UK Singles Chart either, only managing to get one top ten single, which was a collaboration with Delerium on song “Silence”.
13. Dusty Springfield
We can’t quite believe that Dusty Springfield hasn’t reigned supreme at the top of the UK Albums Chart. She did, however, hit number two back in 1966 with her album “Golden Hits” being beaten by “The Sound of Music” original soundtrack.
On the other hand, she has had a UK number one on the Singles Chart. Her song “You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me” hit the top back in 1966.
Unfortunately, Dusty Springfield is no longer with us, having sadly passed away in 1999, so it’s unlikely that she’ll reign supreme at the top of the UK Albums Chart in the future.
14. Stevie Nicks
Best known for her time with Fleetwood Mac, she went off and had a successful solo career, but never had a UK number one album. She did get to number three on the chart though, back in 1989 with “The Other Side of the Mirror”
As for singles, she really hasn’t done well at all. The best she’s done was her 2006 collaboration with Deep Dish on song “Dreams” which charted at 14.
She recently announced that she would commit to recording a new Fleetwood Mac album.
15. Martina McBride
Can you actually believe this massive country female singer have never ever appeared in the UK chart whatsoever? Chart log, Zobbel, states that her albums “Evolution” and “Shine” charted at 178 and 182 respectively in the years they were released.
To crack the UK with country music is massively difficult and many well-known country music acts have been trying for years. Carrie Underwood proved that even a performance on The X Factor doesn’t help either.
16. Paulina Rubio
Latin pop is another genre which fails to make an impact in the UK, and Paulina Rubio, known as the Queen of Latin Pop, knows that better than anyone. None of her albums have charted in the UK, and after a massive promotional campaign back in 2002, her one and only single to chart in the UK hit number 68. That was the end of Paulina Rubio in the UK.
She continues to be massive in other countries, and even became a judge on The X Factor US, alongside Demi Lovato, Kelly Rowland and Simon Cowell.
Paulina Rubio is currently working on her eleventh studio album, which is to be released soon. It’s doubtful she’ll make a comeback to the UK chart, but we can all hope that The Queen of Latin Pop will return to the UK chart.
17. Shakira
Another Latin pop female artist, however, Shakira has cracked the UK market but has yet to get a UK number one album. The closest she got was number two, with “Laundry Service” back in 2002, just behind the Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ “By The Way”.
She has, however, hit the top of the UK Singles Charts, twice. “Hips Don’t Lie” was at the top for five weeks in 2006; and “Beautiful Liar”, a collaboration with Beyoncé, stayed on top for three consecutive weeks.
She is in the middle of recording her eleventh studio album, will she finally get her UK number one album?
18. Kelly Clarkson
Are you as shocked as we are? The original American Idol has never been at the top of the UK Albums Chart. She did chart at number two with “My December” missing out on the top spot in 2007 behind “An End Has a Start” by the Editors.
On the UK Singles Chart, she has only ever had one number one, which was “My Life Would Suck Without You”, which is still a tune today!
She has recently signed with Atlantic Records and is planning to release a new album next year.
19. Carrie Underwood
Another American Idol winner who has never had a UK number one album. Carrie Underwood is known for her country music, although she has actually managed to chart in the UK. Three of her albums have hit the UK Albums Chart, her best was in 2012 with “Blown Away”, that peaked at number 11.
She’s done far worse when it comes to the UK Singles Chart though. Never quite managing to make it into the top 100, unless you count Carnival Ride’s album track “I Know You Won’t” which was never released as a single but managed to chart at number 94 in 2014. It charted after Kerrianne Covell auditioned for The X Factor with the song.
She is still promoting her recent album on “Storyteller Tour: Stories in the Round”, which ends 28 November.
20. Nelly Furtado
Surely she’s had a UK number one album, right? Wrong. Her debut album did the best, 2001’s “Whoa, Nelly!” peaked at number two in the UK, just behind Jamiroquai’s “A Funk Odyssey”. Her third album “Loose”, which scored a number one in the US and Canada, fell short in the UK charting at number four.
Nelly Furtado has actually had two UK number one singles, obviously “Maneater” hit the top spot back in 2006, managing three consecutive weeks at the top. She returned to the top spot with Timbaland and Justin Timberlake in 2007 on song “Give It to Me”.
She has been working on her sixth studio album, which is expected to be released in November 2016.
21. Hilary Duff
Hilary Duff is mostly known in the UK for playing Lizzie McGuire, she’s had a successful career as a singer and an actor, but as we know, juggling the two makes it difficult to get a UK number one album, as we found out with Jennifer Lopez earlier on in this article. Hilary Duff’s 2007 album “Dignity” is her best, managing to chart at number 25.
On the singles front, she’s has charted in the top ten twice; 2005’s “Wake Up” and 2003’s “So Yesterday” have charted at number seven and nine respectively.
Her most recent album “Breathe In. Breathe Out.”, released just last year, failed to chart; even with a lot of talk about her music video for “Sparks”; the single also failed to chart. She is currently working on a new album, let’s hope it charts better globally.
22. Dannii Minogue
Dannii Minogue, The X Factor judge we all knew and loved, has never had a UK number one album. Her sister, Kylie Minogue, has reached the top a number of times, but Dannii Minogue has yet to follow in her sister’s footsteps. Two of her albums have peaked at number eight: 1991’s “Love and Kisses” and 2003’s “Neon Nights”.
She’s fared better on the UK Singles Chart, having had nine UK top 10s. “I Begin to Wonder”, released in 2003, charted at number two.
23. Melanie C
Known for her time in girl group the Spice Girls, Melanie C has had quite the successful solo career. A total of six albums have been released, as well as one expected by October 2016. However, she’s never managed to get a number one album, although her debut album “Northern Star” charted the highest, managing to hit number four back in 2000.
She has had two UK number ones both in 2000. Her collaboration with Lisa “Left-Eye” Lopes on song “Never Be the Same Again” got to the top along with follow-up single “I Turn to You”.
Her new album “Version of Me” is expected to be out in October 2016, will she get her number one album? Time will tell.
24. Missy Elliott
Some people call her the queen of rap and hip hop, Missy Elliott is still a massive name in the music industry, but can you believe she’s never had a UK number one album? She has had two entries in the UK top ten though. 2001’s “Miss E So Addictive” charted at number ten; and her most recent album “Respect M.E.” hit number seven in 2006.
She hit number one on the UK Singles Chart, back 1998, when she featured on Melanie B’s single “I Want You Back”, as for her solo effort the best she’s charted at is number four in 2001 with “Get Ur Freak On”.
Missy Elliott is currently working on a whole new album, her first in ten years. She’s had time to make a real impact with this album, so expect it to be big. It might just get her to the top of the UK Albums Chart.
25. Demi Lovato
One of the most current artists in this list, and definitely one of the youngest, Demi Lovato has fought to get to where she is now. She’s been climbing up the UK albums chart with every new album release, so it’s only a matter of time before she hits number one, or will she be just like these other 24, never quite getting to the top. 2015’s “Confident” is her best charting place on the UK Albums Chart, hitting number six.
As for the singles chart, her best placing is “Heart Attack” at number three. Her most recent single, “Body Say” didn’t chart well at all as it were released on streaming services a week before being available to download.
She is currently on tour with Nick Jonas for their “Future Now Tour” and has plans to release new music soon.
That completes the list. Britney Spears’ latest album Glory charted at number two. Will any of these 25 female superstars ever make it to the top of the UK Albums Chart?
Were you surprised by any of these singers not making it to the top? Have we missed anyone who should be included in this list? Tweet us @CelebMix and let us know.
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