Many of the longest-charting albums in the history of the Billboard 200 – the ranking published each week by Billboard that details the most-consumed albums and EPs in the United States using a mix of sales and streaming activity – are compilations. This makes sense, since for decades, if a fan wanted to hear the biggest hits by a major musical act, they either had to snap up all the singles when available, buy every album, or save their money and focus on one greatest hits set.
In the streaming era, these projects have become even more important, as they are the ones that millions of people flock to day after day and week after week to play the smashes they remember. Eminem’s Curtain Call: The Hits has long ranked as one of the most successful titles on the Billboard 200, and this frame, as it holds on once again, the rapper joins one of the most exclusive clubs on the rundown.
Eminem Reaches 800 Weeks
Curtain Call celebrates 800 weeks on the Billboard 200 this frame. As it reaches that milestone – one which only a handful of full-lengths in history have come even close to matching – the compilation dips four spaces to No. 64.
Eminem Joins an Exclusive Club of Successful Albums
Curtain Call becomes only the sixth album in history to make it to 800 weeks on the Billboard 200. About two months ago, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits broke into that tier as well. That compilation is now up to 810 turns somewhere on the tally.
The exclusive group also includes Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon – the longest-charting album ever – Legend by Bob Marley and the Wailers, Journey’s Greatest Hits and Metallica’s self-titled effort.
Bruno Mars Could Be Next
It may only be about two months before a seventh effort is inducted into the 800-week club. Bruno Mars’s debut full-length Doo-Wops & Hooligans climbs one peg to No. 81 this frame as it reaches 792 turns somewhere on the Billboard 200. After that, Nirvana’s Nevermind and another greatest hits compilation, this time by Guns N’ Roses, could also make it to 800 frames within the next few months.
Eminem’s Curtain Call Is Far Ahead of His Other Albums
Curtain Call is easily Eminem’s longest-charting album on the Billboard 200. The Eminem Show ranks second in his discography, with a little more than half as many appearances, as it is currently at 443 frames somewhere on the roster.
Seven of the 13 titles Eminem has placed on the Billboard 200 have held on for triple-digit turns. That is an impressive track record for any artist, as many successful acts have only seen one or two efforts (at best) accomplish the feat. Only two Eminem albums that have landed on the Billboard 200 have failed to crack a full year on the tally, and they are two of his more recent releases – Revival and The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce).
Eminem’s Compilation Remains a Genre Favorite
Curtain Call appears on two additional Billboard album rankings this week, and it falls on both of them. The compilation dips to No. 16 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 10 on the Top Rap Albums roster.
Curtain Call peaked at No. 2 on both genre-specific lists, in contrast to the Billboard 200, where it rose all the way to No. 1. The compilation is counted as one of Eminem’s 11 champions on that tally.