Willie Nelson Blocked From Another Career No. 1

Willie Nelson remains one of the few artists who still releases roughly one album per year. The country legend, who recently turned 92, returns this week with his seventy-seventh solo studio project — a figure that doesn’t even include compilations, live sets, and numerous other special releases. Nelson has long since proved himself one of the most prolific musicians of his generation, and his latest release, Oh What a Beautiful World, gives him yet another win on several charts in the U.K. this week.

Willie Nelson Almost Hits No. 1

As it debuts, the new effort earns Nelson another notable placement more than half a century into his reign as a global superstar. Oh What a Beautiful World opens at No. 2 on the Official Country Artists Albums chart, a ranking in the U.K. that details only the bestselling and most prominent releases by artists known primarily for country music.

Leading the list this frame is Send a Prayer My Way, a collaborative project by Julien Baker and Torres. That set debuted at No. 1 last week and holds atop the tally for a second consecutive frame, blocking Nelson from the top spot.

Willie Nelson’s No. 1 Albums

Over the years, Nelson has enjoyed a lot of success on the Official Country Artists Albums chart. He’s now claimed seven leaders on the tally, including Spirit, Heroes, To All the Girls, Ride Me Back Home, First Rose of Spring, That’s Life, and The Last Leaf on the Tree.

He’s also become familiar with the runner-up position. Oh What a Beautiful World marks his milestone tenth release to peak at No. 2 on the genre-specific tally. Previous efforts that reached the second spot include Band of Brothers, American Classic, Songbird, and the simply titled Country Music. It’s possible that Oh What a Beautiful World may climb to the summit in the coming weeks.

Willie Nelson’s Incredible Top 10 Count

In total, Nelson has now pushed 41 titles onto the Official Country Artists Albums chart. That’s one of the biggest totals among all acts who have landed on the list. Of those, 34 have entered the top 10, with only a few missing that mark.

Oh What a Beautiful World Launches on Multiple Charts

Beyond its position on the country-specific roster, Oh What a Beautiful World also performs well on several other U.K. charts. The studio LP narrowly misses the top 10 on the Official Americana Albums chart, landing just one space below that tier. It also appears at No. 49 on the Official Albums Sales chart, No. 50 on the Official Physical Albums roster, and No. 70 on the Official Album Downloads ranking.