List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 1991 explained

The album chart name changed from "Top Pop Albums" to "Billboard 200 Top Albums" on September 7, 1991.^[1] The highest-selling albums and EPs in the United States are ranked in the Billboard 200, which is published by Billboard magazine. In 1991, a total of 14 albums claimed the top of the chart. One of which, American rapper Vanilla Ice's To the Extreme started its peak on the issue dated November 10, 1990, and spent 8 weeks atop the chart in 1991.

Mariah Carey's self-titled debut album was the longest running number-one album of the year, spending 11 consecutive weeks atop the chart and was the best-selling album of 1991.^[2]

Starting in 1991, Billboard began using Nielsen Soundscan data for its album chart, which provided more precise and accurate sales figures.^[3]

Chart history

style="background-color:#FFFF99"

	Indicates best performing album of 1991
	Indicates #1 album before Nielsen SoundScan tracked sales

scope=col	Issue date	scope=col	Album	scope=col	Artist(s)	scope=col	Label	scope=col	Sales	scope=col class="unsortable"
	To the Extreme	Vanilla Ice	SBK		^[4]
	^[5]
	^[6]
	^[7]
	^[8]
	^[9]
	^[10]
	^[11]
	bgcolor=#FFFF99 style="text-align: center;" rowspan=11	Mariah Carey		Columbia	^[12]
	^[13]
	^[14]
	^[15]
	^[16]
	^[17]
	^[18]
	^[19]
	^[20]
	^[21]
	^[22]
	Out of Time	R.E.M.	Warner Bros.	^[23]
	Time, Love & Tenderness		Columbia	N/A	^[24]
	Out of Time	R.E.M.	Warner Bros.	89,000	^[25] ^[26]
	Spellbound		Captive/Virgin	88,000	^[27] ^[28]
				89,000	^[29] ^[30]
	Niggaz4Life	N.W.A	Ruthless	954,000	^[31]
	Slave to the Grind	Skid Row	Atlantic	134,000	^[32] ^[33]
	For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge	Van Halen	Warner Bros.	243,000	^[34] ^[35]
	N/A	^[36]
	N/A	^[37]
	Unforgettable... with Love		Elektra	N/A	^[38]
	N/A	^[39]
	N/A	^[40]
	N/A	^[41]
	N/A	^[42]
	Metallica	Metallica	Elektra	598,000	^[43] ^[44]
	290,000	^[45] ^[46]
	N/A	^[47]
	N/A	^[48]
	Ropin' the Wind		Capitol	300,000	^[49] ^[50]
	Use Your Illusion II	Guns N' Roses	Geffen	770,000	^[51] ^[52]
	340,000	^[53] ^[54]
	Ropin' the Wind	Garth Brooks	Capitol	254,000	^[55] ^[56]
	270,000	^[57] ^[58]
	230,000	^[59] ^[60]
	220,000	^[61] ^[62]
	190,000	^[63] ^[64]
	175,000	^[65] ^[66]
	175,000	^[67] ^[68]
	Achtung Baby	U2	Island	295,000	^[69] ^[70]
	Dangerous		Epic	326,500	^[71] ^[72]
	378,000	^[73] ^[74]
	370,000	^[75] ^[76]

See also

• 1991 in music
• List of number-one albums (United States)

Notes and References

1. Top Pop Albums. The Billboard 200 Top Albums. September 7, 1991. Billboard. January 11, 2022. 74. WorldRadioHistory.
2. News: The highest hit album the year you were born. The Independent. John. Lynch. August 4, 2019. March 26, 2022.
3. Web site: Harvilla . Rob . 2021-05-25 . How SoundScan Changed Everything We Knew About Popular Music . 2024-04-07 . The Ringer . en.
4. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . January 5, 1991.
5. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . January 12, 1991.
6. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . January 19, 1991.
7. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . January 26, 1991.
8. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . February 2, 1991.
9. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . February 9, 1991.
10. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . February 16, 1991.
11. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . February 23, 1991.
12. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . March 2, 1991.
13. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . March 9, 1991.
14. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . March 16, 1991.
15. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . March 23, 1991.
16. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . March 30, 1991.
17. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . April 6, 1991.
18. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . April 13, 1991.
19. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . April 20, 1991.
20. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . April 27, 1991.
21. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . May 4, 1991.
22. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . May 11, 1991.
23. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . May 18, 1991.
24. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . May 25, 1991.
25. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . June 1, 1991.
26. Web site: Between The Bullets. Mayfield. Geoff. June 1, 1991. 112. Billboard. 0006-2510. 107. 1.
27. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . June 8, 1991.
28. Book: Inc. Billboard. July 22, 2006. June 11, 2018.
29. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . June 15, 1991.
30. Book: Inc. Billboard. July 22, 2006. June 11, 2018.
31. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . June 22, 1991.
32. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . June 29, 1991.
33. Web site: Holden. Stephen. Billboard's New Charts Roil the Record Industry. The New York Times. June 22, 1991. June 8, 2016.
34. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . July 6, 1991.
35. Web site: Mayfield. Geoff. Between the Bullets . July 6, 1991. June 8, 2016.
36. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . July 13, 1991.
37. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . July 20, 1991.
38. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . July 27, 1991.
39. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . August 3, 1991.
40. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . August 10, 1991.
41. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . August 17, 1991.
42. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . August 24, 1991.
43. Top Pop Albums. Billboard . August 31, 1991.
44. Web site: L.A. Times Archives . Metallica Locks On to No. 1 : The band's 'Re-Load' has the highest sales total over one week for a rock album this year. . . 27 November 1997 . 10 August 2022.
45. Billboard 200 Top Albums. Billboard . September 7, 1991.
46. Web site: Between The Bullets. Mayfield. Geoff. September 7, 1991. 112. Billboard. 0006-2510. 107. 1.
47. Billboard 200 Top Albums. Billboard . September 14, 1991.
48. Billboard 200 Top Albums. Billboard . September 21, 1991.
49. Billboard 200 Top Albums. Billboard . September 28, 1991.
50. Web site: Philips . Chuck . Hats Off ! Garth Brooks Tops Chart : Pop music: Country singer's new album topples Metallica. Fans are gleeful but have no illusions--next week GNR's sales will be counted. . . 20 September 1991 . 10 August 2022.
51. Billboard 200 Top Albums. Billboard . October 5, 1991.
52. Hasty, Katie. An alternative version of Don't Cry is featured on the second album with the same music but different lyrics. "Kanye Edges GNR, Ludacris For No. 1 Debut". billboard.com. December 3, 2008.
53. Billboard 200 Top Albums. Billboard . October 12, 1991.
54. Web site: Between The Bullets. Mayfield. Geoff. October 12, 1991. 112. Billboard. 0006-2510. 107. 1.
55. Billboard 200 Top Albums. Billboard . October 19, 1991.
56. Web site: Between The Bullets. Mayfield. Geoff. October 19, 1991. 112. Billboard. 0006-2510. 107. 1.
57. Billboard 200 Top Albums. Billboard . October 26, 1991.
58. Web site: Between The Bullets. Mayfield. Geoff. October 26, 1991. 112. Billboard. 0006-2510. 107. 1.
59. Billboard 200 Top Albums. Billboard . November 2, 1991.
60. Web site: Between The Bullets. Mayfield. Geoff. November 2, 1991. 112. Billboard. 0006-2510. 107. 1.
61. Billboard 200 Top Albums. Billboard . November 9, 1991.
62. Web site: Between The Bullets. Mayfield. Geoff. November 9, 1991. 112. Billboard. 0006-2510. 107. 1.
63. Billboard 200 Top Albums. Billboard . November 16, 1991.
64. Web site: Between The Bullets. Mayfield. Geoff. November 16, 1991. 112. Billboard. 0006-2510. 107. 1.
65. Billboard 200 Top Albums. Billboard . November 23, 1991.
66. Web site: Between The Bullets. Mayfield. Geoff. November 23, 1991. 112. Billboard. 0006-2510. 107. 1.
67. Billboard 200 Top Albums. Billboard . November 30, 1991.
68. Web site: Between The Bullets. Mayfield. Geoff. November 30, 1991. 112. Billboard. 0006-2510. 107. 1.
69. Billboard 200 Top Albums. Billboard . December 7, 1991.
70. Web site: Macminn . Aleene . POP/ROCK . . 28 November 1991 . 10 August 2022.
71. Billboard 200 Top Albums. Billboard . December 14, 1991.
72. Web site: Philips . Chuck . Michael Jackson's 'Dangerous' Is No 'Thriller' : * Pop music: Sales of 326,500 copies are well below first-week figures for Guns N' Roses and Metallica. . . 5 December 1991 . 10 August 2022.
73. Billboard 200 Top Albums. Billboard . December 21, 1991.
74. Web site: Between The Bullets. Mayfield. Geoff. December 21, 1991. 112. Billboard. 0006-2510. 107. 1.
75. Billboard 200 Top Albums. Billboard . December 28, 1991.
76. Web site: Between The Bullets. Mayfield. Geoff. December 28, 1991. 112. Billboard. 0006-2510. 107. 1.