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The Beatles lose UK album chart record to Robbie Williams

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Archival photo of The Beatles (ABC)

The Beatles have lost one of their long-standing U.K chart records.

The legendary band’s record as the artist with the most U.K. #1 albums, has just been snatched by pop star Robbie Williams, whose recent album Britpop has topped the U.K. Official Chart this week, making it his 16th U.K. #1.

The two artists have been tied for the record since Williams’ Better Man soundtrack went to #1 last January.

According to Billboard, The Beatles had held the record for the most #1s since the 1967 release Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band topped the chart. At the time it was their eighth #1 album, which pushed them past Elvis Presley, the previous record holder.

Overall, The Beatles have had 15 #1s on the U.K. chart, their first being their 1963 debut Please Please Me and their last being the compilation album 1, which was released in 2000. In the U.S., The Beatles hold the record for the most #1 albums with 19.

But while they may have lost one U.K. record to Williams, they have far surpassed him when it comes to another U.K. chart record. They currently hold the record for the act with the most weeks at #1 on the U.K. chart, with 176. Williams has only spent a total of 38 weeks at the top.

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