Well, the world has certainly seen better days: Post Malone’s blockbuster debut album, 2016’s Stoney, has surpassed Michael Jackson’s Thriller with the most weeks in the top 10 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, according to Billboard.
Yes, at 77 weeks, the self-proclaimed White Iverson has managed to eek by Jackson’s 76 weeks, which previously held the record, keeping an arm’s length from Whitney Houston’s self-titled debut (64) and The Black Eyed Peas’ The E.N.D. (63).
Though, as Billboard notes, things have changed for the charts: Beginning February 11th 2017, the list went from “a strictly sales-based formula to one calculating multi-metric consumption, which includes traditional album sales, track equivalent albums and streaming equivalent albums.”
They also point out that Thriller still holds the record for most weeks spent at No. 1 with a whopping 37, which dwarfs Stoney‘s three.
What they don’t point out, however, is that Thriller managed to top the charts at a time that also saw the release of U2’s War, David Bowie’s Let’s Dance, The Police’s Synchronicity, Madonna’s self-titled debut, Huey Lewis and the News’ Sports, Genesis’ eponymous smash, and the list of pop juggernauts goes on.
But hey, congratulations to Post Malone — truly the artist of our era.