The highest-selling albums and EPs in the United States are ranked in the Billboard 200, which is published by Billboard magazine. The data are compiled by Nielsen Soundscan based on each album's weekly physical and digital sales. In 1987, a total 9 albums reached the number one position.

The beginning of the year started with the continuation of the end of last year's number one album, Live 1975-85 by Bruce Springsteen, but was quickly overtaken by Bon Jovi, and Slippery When Wet, which returned to the top spot, and became their first number one album. Whitney Houston scored her second #1 with Whitney, which had the longest run among the releases, spending 11 consecutive weeks at the top. The album became the first by a female artist ever to debut at #1 in the Billboard 200,[1] and produced a then-record-equaling four #1 singles from one album; which was broken two months later when Michael Jackson's Bad produced five number ones.[2] Whitney is one of only nine albums in music history to produce at least four #1 Hot 100 hits from the same album.[2] Both U2 and Beastie Boys gained their first number one albums, with The Joshua Tree, and Licensed to Ill.

Chart history

Key
† Indicates best performing album of 1987
Whitney became Whitney Houston's second album to top the Billboard 200 and the first album by a female artist to debut at number 1.
Bad became Michael Jackson's second Billboard 200 number one album.
Issue date Album Artist(s) Label Ref.
January 3 Live/1975–85 Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Columbia [3]
January 10 [4]
January 17 Slippery When Wet Bon Jovi Mercury [5]
January 24 [6]
January 31 [7]
February 7 [8]
February 14 [9]
February 21 [10]
February 28 [11]
March 7 Licensed to Ill Beastie Boys Def Jam [12]
March 14 [13]
March 21 [14]
March 28 [15]
April 4 [16]
April 11 [17]
April 18 [18]
April 25 The Joshua Tree U2 Island [19]
May 2 [20]
May 9 [21]
May 16 [22]
May 23 [23]
May 30 [24]
June 6 [25]
June 13 [26]
June 20 [27]
June 27 Whitney Whitney Houston Arista [28]
July 4 [29]
July 11 [30]
July 18 [31]
July 25 [32]
August 1 [33]
August 8 [34]
August 15 [35]
August 22 [36]
August 29 [37]
September 5 [38]
September 12 La Bamba Los Lobos / Soundtrack Slash [39]
September 19 [40]
September 26 Bad Michael Jackson Epic [41]
October 3 [42]
October 10 [43]
October 17 [44]
October 24 [45]
October 31 [46]
November 7 Tunnel of Love Bruce Springsteen Columbia [47]
November 14 Dirty Dancing Soundtrack RCA Victor [48]
November 21 [49]
November 28 [50]
December 5 [51]
December 12 [52]
December 19 [53]
December 26 [54]

See also

References

  1. ^ Billboard - Google. Billboard. 1987-12-26. Retrieved 2010-03-05.
  2. ^ a b "Backwards Bullets: This Week In Charts 1990". Billboard. 2010-02-09. Retrieved 2010-03-05.
  3. ^ "January 3, 1987". Billboard 200.
  4. ^ "January 10, 1987". Billboard 200.
  5. ^ "January 17, 1987". Billboard 200.
  6. ^ "January 24, 1987". Billboard 200.
  7. ^ "January 31, 1987". Billboard 200.
  8. ^ "February 7, 1987". Billboard 200.
  9. ^ "February 14, 1987". Billboard 200.
  10. ^ "February 21, 1987". Billboard 200.
  11. ^ "February 28, 1987". Billboard 200.
  12. ^ "March 7, 1987". Billboard 200.
  13. ^ "March 14, 1987". Billboard 200.
  14. ^ "March 21, 1987". Billboard 200.
  15. ^ "March 28, 1987". Billboard 200.
  16. ^ "April 4, 1987". Billboard 200.
  17. ^ "April 11, 1987". Billboard 200.
  18. ^ "April 18, 1987". Billboard 200.
  19. ^ "April 25, 1987". Billboard 200.
  20. ^ "May 2, 1987". Billboard 200.
  21. ^ "May 9, 1987". Billboard 200.
  22. ^ "May 16, 1987". Billboard 200.
  23. ^ "May 23, 1987". Billboard 200.
  24. ^ "May 30, 1987". Billboard 200.
  25. ^ "June 6, 1987". Billboard 200.
  26. ^ "June 13, 1987". Billboard 200.
  27. ^ "June 20, 1987". Billboard 200.
  28. ^ "June 6, 1987". Billboard 200.
  29. ^ "July 4, 1987". Billboard 200.
  30. ^ "July 11, 1987". Billboard 200.
  31. ^ "July 18, 1987". Billboard 200.
  32. ^ "July 25, 1987". Billboard 200.
  33. ^ "August 1, 1987". Billboard 200.
  34. ^ "August 8, 1987". Billboard 200.
  35. ^ "August 15, 1987". Billboard 200.
  36. ^ "August 22, 1987". Billboard 200.
  37. ^ "August 29, 1987". Billboard 200.
  38. ^ "September 5, 1987". Billboard 200.
  39. ^ "September 12, 1987". Billboard 200.
  40. ^ "September 19, 1987". Billboard 200.
  41. ^ "September 26, 1987". Billboard 200.
  42. ^ "October 3, 1987". Billboard 200.
  43. ^ "October 10, 1987". Billboard 200.
  44. ^ "October 17, 1987". Billboard 200.
  45. ^ "October 24, 1987". Billboard 200.
  46. ^ "October 31, 1987". Billboard 200.
  47. ^ "November 7, 1987". Billboard 200.
  48. ^ "November 14, 1987". Billboard 200.
  49. ^ "November 21, 1987". Billboard 200.
  50. ^ "November 28, 1987". Billboard 200.
  51. ^ "December 5, 1987". Billboard 200.
  52. ^ "December 12, 1987". Billboard 200.
  53. ^ "December 19, 1987". Billboard 200.
  54. ^ "December 26, 1987". Billboard 200.
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