For the first time, a woman earns three of Billboard’s biggest year-end charts honors: No. 1 on Top Artists, the No. 1 Billboard 200 Album and the No. 1 Hot 100 song. The woman, of course, is Adele. The album: “21.” The song: “Rolling in the Deep” (both on XL/Columbia).
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Since Billboard added the top overall artist category to its year-end recaps in 1981, no woman has ever pulled off the triple crown win until this year.
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Billboard’s year-end music recaps are based on chart performance during the chart year that began with last year’s charts dated Dec. 4 and ended with the Nov. 26, 2011 charts.
The Top Artists recap ranks the best-performing acts of the year derived from activity on the Billboard 200 albums tally and the Billboard Hot 100 singles list, as well as streaming, social, touring boxscore and ringtone data.
Previous to 2011, there were only four years where one artist swept the top three pop categories. In 2004, Usher did it with his album Confessions and single “Yeah!” (featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris). The previous year, 50 Cent managed the feat with the album “Get Rich or Die Tryin'” and single “In Da Club.”
Only one other man, George Michael, claimed the top trio of accolades, with his “Faith” album and title track in 1988. Ace of Base is the lone group to achieve all three, with its album “The Sign” and title cut in 1994.
Aside from Adele, the only time a woman has earned the No. 1 titles on both the year-end Billboard 200 and Hot 100 recaps was in 1993. That year, Whitney Houston reigned with the soundtrack to “The Bodyguard” and the ubiquitous “I Will Always Love You” single.
Adele simply took over Billboard’s charts in 2011, storming both the Billboard 200 and Hot 100. Her “21” album, released Feb. 22, debuted at No. 1 on the former tally and has spent 13 nonconsecutive weeks atop the list. Two of its singles, “Rolling in the Deep” and “Someone Like You,” spent seven and five weeks at No. 1, respectively, on the Hot 100.
While “21” could certainly return to No. 1, its 13 weeks in the penthouse mark the most weeks atop the list since the soundtrack to “Titanic” spent 16 weeks at No. 1 in 1998.
Year In Music Main Page: See All The 2011 Charts
Adele’s triumph as the top artist of 2011 also rewrites a bit of history: This is the third year in a row where a woman takes home the honors. That’s the longest women have ruled the Top Artists chart. Adele follows Lady Gaga (2010) and Taylor Swift (2009).
Also in 2011, for the first time, all four of the top artists on the year-end Top Artists recap are solo female acts. Following Adele at No. 1 are Rihanna, Katy Perry and last year’s champ, Lady Gaga, at Nos. 2-4, respectively. Truly, it was the year of the woman on Billboard’s pop charts.
While women rule Top Artists, the top-ranked male is Lil Wayne, who comes in at No. 5 and is the top male artist. His album “Tha Carter IV” (Young Money/Cash Money/Universal Republic) ranks at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 Albums recap, while he also places six titles on the Hot 100 Songs roundup (Nos. 21, 23, 41, 47, 53 and 95).
Also on the Hot 100 Songs tally, below Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” at No. 1 is LMFAO‘s “Party Rock Anthem” (Party Rock/will.i.am/Cherrytree/Interscope), featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock, at No. 2. It was LMFAO’s first top 10 single, and spent six weeks at No. 1 during the summer.
Behind LMFAO at Nos. 3 and 4 are two former No. 1 singles from Katy Perry: “Firework” and “E.T.” (featuring Kanye West), both on Capitol. Seeing an artist takeover the upper reaches of the year-end Hot 100 tally has been a recurring theme over the past few years. In 2009, Lady Gaga and the Black Eyed Peas controlled the top four, each placing a pair of singles within the region.
The Peas rank at No. 11 on Top Artists’ marking the first time there hasn’t been a duo or group among the top 10 artists of the year in the 30 years Billboard has been compiling the overall top artist category.