Robbie Williams has surpassed Elvis Presley's long- record and now has had 14 solo albums that reach the number one spot in the UK chart, with only The Beatles ahead of him now.
Since making his solo debut in 1995, the former Angels vocalist has stunned the music industry and his fans with his impressive work. Recently, Robbie Williams has made headlines again after shattering the illustrious The King of Rock'n'Roll's Guinness World Record.
His rise as a solo artist
When Take That was formed in 1989, Robbie Williams was the youngest member after joining the likes of Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, Howard Donald, and Jason Orange at the age of 16. Robbie rose to fame as a member of the boy band Take That with Gary Barlow, Jason Orange, Howard Donald, and Mark Owen, before quitting the supergroup in 1995, launching his solo career the year after.
It was no surprise that he was the most well-liked member of the wildly successful group since he was always known as the joker in the bunch. Extroverted and lively, he loved practical jokes. A fans favorite, Robbie Williams sang the lead vocals on Could It Be Magic, I Found Heaven, and Everything Changes even though Gary Barlow composed and performed on the majority of Take That's singles.
Robbie achieved superstardom in 2003 when he performed at Knebworth three times for audiences of about 125,000 each time. To put that in any form of perspective, the crowds were larger than those for Oasis, Queen, and Led Zeppelin combined!
During his illustrious career as an artist, he’s also won 12 solo BRIT Awards including Best British Single for Angels, She’s The One, and Rock DJ as well as Best British Male Solo Artist in 2001, 2002, and 2003. During that period, he also scored Number 1 singles with the mega-hit Rock DJ and ‘Somethin’ Stupid, a duet with Nicole Kidman.
Just weeks ago, the pop star has once again stormed the charts with his latest album XXV and has beaten the record set by Elvis Presley in UK music history. Before, in February 2001, Elvis Presley had 100 hit albums on the UK chart. This is just one of the 15 records held by The King - others include Most No.1 Singles In The UK Chart, Most No.1 Hit Singles By A Solo Artist, and Most Fan Clubs.
According to the Express, the former Take That star’s LP XXV has topped the UK’s Offical Charts, becoming the 48-year-old’s 14th album to reach the top of the charts.
The position means that the Angels singer has overtaken the King of Rock and Roll’s previous record of 13 number one albums, making him the solo artist with the most albums to climb to the top of the UK charts ever, notes the Express.
Robbie Williams is just behind The Beatles
Now, The Beatles are the only act in the UK to score more number one albums than Robbie, with 15 albums to hit the number one spot. Meanwhile, the overall record holder for an individual with the most number one albums is Paul McCartney who has racked up a staggering 23 across his career in The Beatles, Wings, and as a solo artist.
On his achievement, the Rock DJ performer said: ‘Thank you to everyone who’s supported the album: everyone who’s bought it, streamed it, downloaded it, and reviewed it.
‘I’m so pleased that it’s gone to number one, and whilst it feels strange to be receiving an award during these somber times, I wanted to thank you all for your support and dedicate this to the fans, who I never take for granted. I appreciate it, thank you so much.’
XXV marks Robbie’s 25th anniversary as a solo artist and features 11 classic songs, like Let Me Entertain You and Come Undone, as well as three new tracks.
The last albums he released, before XXV, were the compilation album Under the Radar Volume 3, comprising demos, B-sides, and rare tracks, and the Christmas album The Christmas Present, both in 2019, according to Virgin Radio.
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