While some artists shoot to the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart with their debut efforts, it sometimes takes years — or decades — to hit No. 1 for the very first time.
In the first quarter of the 21st century, we’ve seen a who’s who of acts with illustrious careers on the Billboard 200 finally notch their first No. 1s. For this spotlight, we’re looking at veteran acts who: 1, First hit the chart before Jan. 1, 1990; 2, Led for the first time between Jan. 1, 2000, and Dec. 31, 2024; 3, First reigned at least 10 years after a first entry; and 4, Charted at least five albums before reaching No. 1.
As Billboard celebrates the top-performing artists, albums and songs of the first 25 years of the century since 2000, browse below, listed chronologically by their first coronations, the legendary acts — spanning pop, rock, R&B, country and more — for whom Y2K and beyond brought their first No. 1 albums at last.
Billboard’s Top Artists, Top Billboard 200 Albums and Top Hot 100 Songs of the 21st Century recaps reflect performance on weekly charts dated Jan. 1, 2000, through Dec. 28, 2024. The Top Artists category ranks the best-performing acts in that span based on activity on the Billboard 200 and Billboard Hot 100. (Titles released prior to mid-1999 are excluded, although such entries that appeared on the Billboard 200 or Hot 100 in that span contribute to the calculation of the Top Artists chart.)
Luther Vandross
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First No. 1 Billboard 200 album:Dance With My Father Date album hit No. 1: June 28, 2003
Nearly 22 years after Luther Vandross made his Billboard 200 debut with Never Too Much in September 1981, the R&B legend finally topped the chart with Dance With My Father. Sadly, the set debuted atop the list after he suffered a stroke that April 16. The LP went on to win the Grammy Award for best R&B album and launch a top 40-charting hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with its title track, which Vandross wrote with friend and previous collaborator Richard Marx. Vandross died on July 1, 2005, at age 54 due to complications from the stroke.
In 2012, Marx told Billboard, “I’m just so proud to be his co-pilot on that song.”
Jimmy Buffett
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First No. 1 Billboard 200 album: License to Chill Date album hit No. 1: July 31, 2004
Thirty years after Jimmy Buffett arrived on the Billboard 200 with Living and Dying in ¾ Time (on March 2, 1974), Billboard’s most famous alumnus led for the first time with License to Chill. He charted 28 albums on the chart before he finally sailed to No. 1 with the album. The set was introduced by the all-star collaborative single “Hey, Good Lookin’ ” — a cover of the Hank Williams classic — with Clint Black, Kenny Chesney, Alan Jackson, Toby Keith and George Strait. The team-up hit No. 8 on Hot Country Songs. Buffett had warmed up audiences the year before with smash single “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” with Jackson, likewise his first No. 1 on Hot Country Songs.
Buffett passed in September 2023. His final studio album, Equal Strain on All Parts, debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 that November.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
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First No. 1 Billboard 200 album: Stadium Arcadium Date album hit No. 1: May 27, 2006
Almost 20 years after Red Hot Chili Peppers premiered on the Billboard 200 in November 1987 with Uplift Mofo Party Plan, the Southern California alt-rockers ruled for the first time with Stadium Arcadium. The set followed a quartet of top 10 studio sets from the act: “By the Way” (No. 2 in 2002), Californication (No. 3, 1999), One Hot Minute (No. 4, 1995) and Blood Sugar Sex Magik (No. 3, 1992). Stadium Arcadium’s first single, “Dani California,” reached No. 6 on the Hot 100, granting the group its highest charting hit since 1992’s No. 2-peaking “Under the Bridge” (from Blood Sugar Sex Magik). Stadium Arcadium also earned the act its first album of the year Grammy nomination.
Reba McEntire
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First No. 1 Billboard 200 album: Reba Duets Date album hit No. 1: Oct. 6, 2007
The star-studded Reba Duets brought country legend Reba McEntire to the top of the Billboard 200 for the first time, when it debuted atop the chart. The renaissance woman first graced the tally on June 6, 1987, with her Greatest Hits — more than 10 years after she first reached the Hot Country Songs chart with “I Don’t Want to Be a One Night Stand” in May 1976. On Reba Duets, the singer paired with such acts as Kenny Chesney, Kelly Clarkson, Don Henley, Faith Hill and Justin Timberlake. Lead single “Because of You,” with Clarkson, hit No. 2 on Hot Country Songs, after Clarkson’s solo original climbed to No. 7 on the Hot 100 in 2005.
Neil Diamond
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First No. 1 Billboard 200 album: Home Before Dark Date album hit No. 1: May 24, 2008
Forty years after Neil Diamond debuted on the Billboard 200 — and after 45 charting albums — the icon topped the chart for the first time with Home Before Dark, which launched at No. 1. The project marked the second Diamond album produced by Rick Rubin, after they teamed for 2005’s 12 Songs, which peaked at No. 4 and brought the singer-songwriter to the top five for the first time since 1981. The sets also yielded a pair of Adult Contemporary chart hits: “Delirious Love,” featuring Brian Wilson, from 12 Songs, and “Pretty Amazing Grace, from Home Before Dark.
Tony Bennett
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First No. 1 Billboard 200 album:Duets II Date album hit No. 1: Oct. 8, 2011
When Duets II debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, Tony Bennett not only became the oldest living act to reign, but he also scored his first leader 55 years after he made his chart debut — he made his entrance with Tony on the Feb. 23, 1957-dated chart. Before Duets II, Bennett logged 39 titles, including a pair of top 10s, both in the 1960s: I Left My Heart in San Francisco in 1962, and I Wanna Be Around in 1963. The all-star Duets II features the likes of Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga, Josh Groban, Carrie Underwood and Amy Winehouse. For Winehouse, the album’s “Body and Soul” marked her final recording before she died on July 23, 2011.
Gaga’s song, “The Lady Is a Tramp,” led to two albums with Bennett, including his second chart-topper, Cheek to Cheek, in 2014. With that set, he beat his own record as the senior-most act to hit No. 1, earned at age 88. His final album released before his death in 2023, Love for Sale, also with Gaga, hit No. 8 in 2021.
Black Sabbath
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First No. 1 Billboard 200 album:13 Date album hit No. 1: June 29, 2013
Almost 43 years after Black Sabbath first reached the Billboard 200, the iconic heavy metal band earned its first No. 1. 13 also marked the group’s first studio album with singer Ozzy Osbourne since 1978’s Never Say Die! Surprisingly, 13 became just the act’s second top 10, following 1971’s Master of Reality, which reached No. 8. Black Sabbath made its Billboard 200 debut the week of Aug. 29, 1970, with its self-titled album.
“Weird Al” Yankovic
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First No. 1 Billboard 200 album: Mandatory Fun Date album hit No. 1: Aug. 2, 2014
The comedian-singer notched his first No. 1 more than 30 years after his debut on the Billboard 200. Mandatory Fun also marked the first comedy set to lead the tally since 1963, when Allan Sherman’s My Son, the Nut spent eight weeks at No. 1. Mandatory Fun became Yankovic’s third top 10, following Alpocalypse (No. 9, 2011) and Straight Outta Lynwood (No. 10, 2006). Yankovic debuted on the Billboard 200 dated May 21, 1983, with his self-titled set.
Among Mandatory Fun’s spoofs: the grammar-police blotter “Word Crimes,” which reworks Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines.”
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
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First No. 1 Billboard 200 album:Hypnotic Eye Date album hit No. 1: Aug. 16, 2014
It only took nearly 37 years, but Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers got their first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 at last with Hypnotic Eye. The band had bowed with its self-titled set on the Sept. 24, 1977-dated chart. (Of the 21 charted titles from Petty before Hypnotic Eye, three were billed as Petty solo projects, while the rest were credited to Petty and the Heartbreakers. Hypnotic Eye became the first No. 1 for Petty with or without the band officially billed.) Petty’s arrival at No. 1 followed 11 top 10s in 1979-2010, with three reaching No. 2 bests. Petty also scored 16 top 40 hits on the Hot 100 in 1978-95. He passed in 2017.
Notably, along with Petty’s own proper chart history are the Traveling Wilburys’ three titles, including two top 10s, in 1988-2007. Petty, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne and Roy Orbison comprised the supergroup.
James Taylor
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First No. 1 Billboard 200 album: Before This World Date album hit No. 1: July 4, 2015
The legendary folk-rocker earned his first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 after a 45-year wait. He first appeared with Sweet Baby James on the March 14, 1970-dated chart. Prior to Before This World, her logged 11 top 10 sets, coming closest to the top with Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon in 1971, which spent four weeks at No. 2. That album boasts Taylor’s sole No. 1 on the Hot 100, his version of the Carole King-penned “You’ve Got a Friend.” Notably, the LP that blocked it from No. 1 in all four of its weeks at No. 2 was King’s Tapestry, which includes her version of the ballad.
Meanwhile, when Before This World debuted at No. 1, Taylor Swift, whose name James Taylor inspired, was at No. 2 with 1989.
David Bowie
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First No. 1 Billboard 200 album:Blackstar Date album hit No. 1: Jan. 30, 2016
David Bowie’s first No. 1 album, Blackstar, was not only released on his 69th birthday (Jan. 8, 2016), but also two days before he died of cancer. His passing shocked fans and musicians, as the superstar had kept his battle private and had lived a mostly under-the-radar life for several years. Blackstar debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 more than 43 years after he made his debut on the chart with Hunky Dory (April 15, 1972). Blackstar marked his 20th top 40 set and was led by the single “Lazarus,” which proved to be his final top 40 hit on the Hot 100 (No. 40 peak), and his first since 1987.
