Nirvana’s Nevermind becomes the ninth album in American history to spend 750 weeks on the Billboard 200, as the band follows Pink Floyd, Bob Marley and several others. Kurt Cobain of Nirvana during the taping of MTV Unplugged at Sony Studios in New York City, 11/18/93. (Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images) *** Special Rates Apply *** Call for Rates ***
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Nirvana only released three albums, but the band’s impact cannot be measured in the number of full-lengths shared. The group changed the sound of rock music, helping bring grunge from the West Coast of America to the world several decades ago, and no project is more successful than Nevermind. Nirvana’s sophomore album is widely regarded as a masterpiece and one of the most commercially successful projects in the genre, one which is still hugely popular today, decades after it was released to the public.
Nevermind is one of a handful of legacy efforts that make space on a number of Billboard tallies every frame, including the Billboard 200, which ranks the most consumed albums in the United States. As Nevermind finds space on that competitive list once more, it reaches an impressive milestone, joining a very exclusive club that has only welcomed some of the most famous titles of all time.
Nirvana’s Nevermind Hits a Major Milestone on the Billboard 200
Nevermind reaches 750 weeks on the Billboard 200 this frame. The album improves two spots to No. 76, and Luminate reports that the project shifted another 13,400 equivalent units in the most recent tracking period. Amazingly, while streaming activity is responsible for most of those, the album did sell almost 3,400 copies — a huge sum for a decades-old set.
Nirvana Joins Pink Floyd, Journey and Metallica
LONDON – JULY 02: (L to R) David Gilmour, Roger Waters, Nick Mason and Rick Wright from the band Pink Floyd on stage at “Live 8 London” in Hyde Park on July 2, 2005 in London, England. The free concert is one of ten simultaneous international gigs including Philadelphia, Berlin, Rome, Paris, Barrie, Tokyo, Cornwall, Moscow and Johannesburg. The concerts precede the G8 summit (July 6-8) to raising awareness for MAKEpovertyHISTORY. (Photo by MJ Kim/Getty Images)
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Nevermind is just the ninth album in American history to make it to 750 weeks on the Billboard 200. It was only two periods ago that an eighth title made it to the same number, as Greatest Hits by Guns N’ Roses stood out as the most recent entry, until now.
Here is a rundown of all nine releases that have hit the 750-week milestone on the Billboard 200:
- Pink Floyd — The Dark Side of the Moon
- Bob Marley and the Wailers — Legend
- Journey — Greatest Hits
- Metallica — Metallica
- Creedence Clearwater Revival — Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits
- Eminem — Curtain Call: The Hits
- Bruno Mars — Doo-Wops & Hooligans
- Guns N’ Roses — Greatest Hits
- Nirvana — Nevermind
Nirvana’s Nevermind Stands Out for a Special Reason
Of the nine releases that have spent at least 750 frames somewhere on the Billboard 200, only half are traditional studio albums, while the others are compilations featuring a musical act’s most famous tunes. Of the aforementioned bunch, only The Dark Side of the Moon, Metallica, Doo-Wops & Hooligans, and now Nevermind are “regular” albums.
Michael Jackson May be Next to Join This Club
VARIOUS, VARIOUS – JUNE 25: Michael Jackson performs in concert circa 1986. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
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It is likely that in less than a year, there will be 10 full-lengths that have made it to the historic landmark figure. Michael Jackson’s Thriller is the tenth-longest-charting album on the Billboard 200, but it only recently cracked 700 frames, so it will be months before that blockbuster follows Nevermind.
Nirvana’s Nevermind Earned the Band Its First No. 1 Album
Nirvana released Nevermind in September 1991. By that point, the band had already emerged as one of the most exciting new rock acts thanks to its debut Bleach, but the follow-up helped the group soar to incredible heights.
The full-length reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and was powered by singles like “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “Come As You Are,” “Lithium,” and “In Bloom.” The RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) has certified it 13-times platinum, as Nevermind has moved at least 13 million copies in the U.S. alone, and more than twice as many globally.
Nevermind Climbs on Every Billboard Chart This Week
As Nevermind celebrates its historic achievement on the Billboard 200, the set is on the rise across multiple Billboard charts. Nevermind improves to No. 6 on the Top Alternative Albums list and Nos. 11 and 13 on the Top Rock Albums and Top Rock & Alternative Albums charts, respectively. At the same time, the blockbuster returns to the Top Album Sales roster, and if the former leader can hold on for one more frame — or return at some point in the future, should it disappear again soon — it will make it to 500 weeks as a bestseller.