This morning it was announced that The 1975 had scored themselves a number one record in the UK and the US with ‘I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It’. They join 15 other British artists who’ve simultaneous had Number Ones with the same album both here and in the States. The list reads like a who’s-who of British popular music, and now The 1975 will insert themselves onto the esteemed list. Guess they got what they were after then…
The Beatles
The Beatles, of course, were the first British band to achieve the feat in 1964 with ‘A Hard Day’s Night’. They would go on to do the same six more times throughout the 1960s for several of their following albums, including ‘Revolver’, ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ and ‘Abbey Road’.
Led Zeppelin
In the ’70s, Led Zeppelin achieved chart dominance both here and in the US with three of their albums, ‘Led Zeppelin II’ in 1970, ‘Led Zeppelin III’ later that year and then nine years on with ‘In Through The Out Door’ in 1979.
George Harrison
George Harrison was the first Beatle to score a Number One album in both charts following their split in 1970, with triple-album ‘All Things Must Pass’ a year later in 1971.
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones’ first album without Brian Jones, ‘Sticky Fingers’ lasted two weeks atop both charts in May 1971, but it would be the only time the rock’n’rollers would conquer them at the same time.
Rod Stewart
Spurred by the success of single ‘Maggie May’, Rod Stewart’s ‘Every Picture Tells A Story’ lasted four weeks at the top of both charts in October 1971, before being bumped off by our next artist…
John Lennon
John Lennon‘s second studio album ‘Imagine’ booted Stewart off the top of the charts both here and in the States for a week in October 1971. He would later reach the summit of both charts with his final album ‘Double Fantasy’ in 1981, two months following his death.
Elton John
Elton John had considerable success in the ’70s with four of his albums conquering both charts with ‘Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only The Piano Player’ (1973), ‘Goodbye Yellow Brick Road’ (1973), ‘Caribou’ (1974) and ‘Greatest Hits’ all helping the Rocket Man on his way to chart history.
Wings
Paul McCartney’s band Wings peaked at Number One on both sides of The Atlantic in July 1975 with their fourth album ‘Venus and Mars’. It makes Ringo the only Beatle to not achieve the feat after their breakup.
Pink Floyd
A month after its release Pink Floyd’s ‘Wish You Were Here’ managed a week at the top of both charts, going on to be classified six times platinum in the United States. Their fourteenth album ‘The Division Bell’ also made the top for two weeks in 1994.
Phil Collins
Genesis drummer Phil Collins’ third and fourth solo albums ‘No Jacket Required’ (1985) and ‘…But Seriously’ (1990) both reigned supreme in the UK and US for a combined four weeks in two different decades.
Radiohead
Radiohead were the first British band to attain the achievement in the 21st century with 2000’s ‘Kid A’. It only lasted a week, but it was the first British album to do so in over five years.
Coldplay
It was another five year gap however for the next British artist to make it, but it was indeed Coldplay who broke the streak with ‘X&Y’ in 2005, and then again three years later with ‘Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends‘ in 2008.
Susan Boyle
Britain’s Got Talent runner-up Susan Boyle wasted no time in dominating both charts, with her debut album ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ reaching the top a mere seven months after she burst onto television screens in April 2009.
Adele
Adele joined the club with her second album ‘19’ reigning supreme for an impressive six week stretch in both the UK and the US in 2011. She repeated that success last year in 2015 with the multi-million selling follow-up ‘25’.
Ed Sheeran
Three weeks after its release in June 2014, Ed Sheeran’s ‘X’ topped both charts, bolstered by a well-received set at Glastonbury Festival and Number One single ‘Thinking Out Loud’.
The 1975
And now The 1975 joins this illustrious group after ‘I Like It When You Sleep, For You Are So Beautiful, Yet So Unaware Of It’ raced the to the top following several late-night talk show appearances in the US and the start of a huge UK tour.
