Rihanna Tops U.K. Albums Chart, Scores New Records

Rihanna fever is officially sweeping the United Kingdom, as the Barbadian superstar lands a simultaneous No. 1 single and album for the second time this year, and several new U.K. chart records in the process. Meanwhile, "Now! That's What I Call Music 80" (EMI TV/Universal Music TV) creates a record of its own, debuting atop the compilation chart with first-week sales of 296,000, the biggest opening sale for any album in the U.K. market this year, either a compilation or by an individual artist. But that's still well down on the initial 333,000 achieved by "Now 77," its counterpart in last year's festive market. 

Official Charts Company sales data published Sunday (Nov. 27) showed her "Talk That Talk" album (Def Jam/Universal) going straight to No. 1 with first-week sales of 163,000. The single "We Found Love" (Def Jam/Universal), featuring Calvin Harris, started another week at No. 1, its sixth non-consecutive frame at the top. 0

Rihanna becomes the first female artist to achieve the coveted feat of simultaneous album and single chart-toppers twice in a calendar year, after the "Loud" album and "What's My Name" track, featuring Drake, were both No. 1 in January. It's the first time any artist has secured that honor for close to 40 years: T. Rex did it in May 1972 with the album "Bolan Boogie" and single "Metal Guru," six months after leading the way with both "Electric Warrior" and "Telegram Sam." 


Rihanna is also the first solo female to score two different No. 1 albums in a calendar year. She extends her lead in total weeks atop the U.K. singles chart this year, now standing at seven (also including one for "What's My Name"), and "We Found Love" is her sixth No. 1 single in the territory in consecutive five years, another record for a female artist.   

Here is the complete list of songs by women to achieve strangleholds of at least 10 frames on the Hot 100 (including two tracks in which other acts share lead credit and one in which two women trade lead vocals):


Weeks at No. 1, Title, Artist, Peak Year


16, "One Sweet Day," Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, 1995 (*the longest reign of any title in the chart's history)
14, "We Belong Together," Mariah Carey, 2005
14, "I Will Always Love You," Whitney Houston, 1992
13, "The Boy Is Mine," Brandy & Monica, 1998
11, "I'll Be Missing You," Puff Daddy & Faith Evans featuring 112, 1997
11, "Un-Break My Heart," Toni Braxton, 1996
10, "We Found Love," featuring Calvin Harris, 2011 (to-date)
10, "Irreplaceable," Beyonce, 2006
10, "Foolish," Ashanti, 2002
10, "Physical," Olivia Newton-John, 1981
10, "You Light Up My Life," Debby Boone, 1977