Rolling Stones Tie Beatles for Second-Most No. 1 Albums in UK History

It has been more than six decades since the Rolling Stones released their self-titled debut album in the United Kingdom. In the years since, the rock outfit has become one of the most successful and influential groups of all time, even as its lineup has changed.

The band's newest collection, Foreign Tongues, mixes rock and blues, originals and covers — the same styles and approaches the Rolling Stones have been melding for decades. Unsurprisingly, the set is an immediate smash in the group's home country. It launches at No. 1 on five of the six charts it reaches, and its arrival momentarily reignites the band's historic rivalry with another homegrown favorite.

The Rolling Stones Score a Fifteenth No. 1 Album

Foreign Tongues opens at No. 1 on the Official Albums chart, the United Kingdom's most closely watched list of the most-consumed albums and EPs in the nation. Both purchases and streaming activity contribute to where a title lands on the 100-space tally.

The full-length gives the Rolling Stones a milestone fifteenth champion on the competitive roster. As Foreign Tongues arrives, the band ties the Beatles for the second-most No. 1 albums in U.K. history. The two legendary acts are now also matched for the most leaders among groups.

All of the Rolling Stones' No. 1 Albums on the Official Albums Chart

• Aftermath
• Blue & Lonesome
• Emotional Rescue
• Exile on Main St.
• Exile on Main Street – 2010 Remaster
• Foreign Tongues
• Get Yer Ya-Ya's Out!: The Rolling Stones in Concert
• Goats Head Soup
• Goats Head Soup – Deluxe Edition
• Hackney Diamonds
• Let It Bleed
• Rolling Stones
• Rolling Stones No. 2
• Sticky Fingers
• Voodoo Lounge

The Rolling Stones Pass Taylor Swift – and Trail Robbie Williams

Only Robbie Williams has collected more rulers. Earlier this year, Britpop gave the singer — who has also dominated as a member of Take That, though those wins are counted separately — his record-breaking sixteenth solo No. 1.

Before Foreign Tongues debuted, the Rolling Stones were tied with Taylor Swift, who remains steady with 14 rulers and now slips to fourth place among all acts. Swift most recently led with The Life of a Showgirl less than a year ago, in fall 2025.

The Beatles Still Lead the Rolling Stones in One Way

While the Beatles and the Rolling Stones have earned the same number of No. 1 albums, the total time the two acts have spent atop the Official Albums chart varies widely. According to the Official Charts Company, the Beatles have accumulated 176 weeks at No. 1. With the first frame earned by Foreign Tongues, the Rolling Stones rise to 37 periods in charge — only a fraction of the Fab Four's total.

Williams, despite claiming one more champion than either group, has spent 39 weeks on the throne. That puts him only two frames ahead of the Rolling Stones, though both trail the Beatles by well over 100 stays.

The Rolling Stones Reach 65 Official Albums Chart Wins

Foreign Tongues becomes the Rolling Stones' milestone sixty-fifth appearance on the Official Albums chart. Of that enormous sum, 43 releases have broken into the top 10.

The band most recently collected both a new top 10 and another No. 1 in November 2023 with Hackney Diamonds. That album marked a highly anticipated return after more than a decade without a traditional studio full-length of new material.

Foreign Tongues is the Rolling Stones' first new entry on the busy list since Live at the Wiltern. That project spent one week on the tally at No. 95 in March 2024.

Foreign Tongues Leads Five U.K. Charts

The Rolling Stones debut at No. 1 on five rankings simultaneously. In addition to conquering the Official Albums chart, Foreign Tongues rules the following charts:

• Official Albums Sales
• Official Album Downloads
• Official Physical Albums
• Official Vinyl Albums

The set becomes the band's fifth leader on the Official Albums Sales chart, seventh on the Official Physical Albums ranking, and fourth on the vinyl-only tally.