# Top Gospel Albums

Top Gospel Albums is a music chart published weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States, ranking the popularity of gospel albums. As of Tuesday, January 31, 2017 (with the charts dated February 11, 2017), it uses the same multi-metric methodology developed for the Billboard 200, which incorporates traditional album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA).
The first number-one album was Rough Side of the Mountain by Rev. F.C. Barnes & Rev. Janice Brown on the chart dated November 26, 1983. The current number-one album on the chart is Donda by Kanye West.

## Album milestones
### Most cumulative weeks at number one

List of albums with ten or more weeks at number one, showing year released.
| Album | Wks. | Year(s) | Artist |
| Donda | 137 | 2021 | Kanye West |
| Jesus Is King | 67 | 2019 | Kanye West |
| The Nu Nation Project | 49 | 1998 | Kirk Franklin |
| God's Property from Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation | 43 | 1997 | Kirk Franklin |
| Thirsty | 39 | 2007 | Marvin Sapp |
| Live in London and More... | 37 | 2001 | Donnie McClurkin |
| Kirk Franklin and the Family | 36 | 1993 | Kirk Franklin |
| Hero | 34 | 2005 | Kirk Franklin |
| Mountain High...Valley Low | 32 | 1999 | Yolanda Adams |
| The Sound | 32 | 2008 | Mary Mary |
| Whatcha Lookin' 4 | 30 | 1996 | Kirk Franklin |
| Best Days | 30 | 2012 | Tamela Mann |
| The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin | 29 | 2002 | Kirk Franklin |
| The Preacher's Wife | 26 | 1996 | Whitney Houston |
| Heart. Passion. Pursuit. | 24 | 2017 | Tasha Cobbs Leonard |
| Here I Am | 23 | 2010 | Marvin Sapp |
| One Way | 20 | 2016 | Tamela Mann |
| Hello Fear | 19 | 2011 | Kirk Franklin |
| Old Church Basement | 17 | 2021 | Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music |
| Losing My Religion | 16 | 2015 | Kirk Franklin |
| Pages of Life - Chapters I & II | 15 | 1998 | Fred Hammond |
| WOW Gospel 2004 | 15 | 2004 | Various Artists |
| Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs | 15 | 2005 | Donnie McClurkin |
| Incredible | 13 | 2002 | Mary Mary |
| Rehab | 13 | 2010 | Lecrae |
| Long Live Love | 13 | 2019 | Kirk Franklin |
| Somethin' 'Bout Love | 12 | 2004 | Fred Hammond |
| Kirk Franklin & the Family Christmas | 11 | 1995 | Kirk Franklin |
| Gravity | 11 | 2012 | Lecrae |
| Love Alive IV | 10 | 1990 | Walter Hawkins |
| Alabaster Box | 10 | 1999 | CeCe Winans |
| Donnie McClurkin... Again | 10 | 2003 | Donnie McClurkin |
| WOW Gospel 2016 | 10 | 2016 | Various Artists |
| Hiding Place | 10 | 2018 | Tori Kelly |

### Most cumulative weeks on chart

List of albums with 100 or more total weeks on the chart.
| Album | Wks. | Artist |
| Best Days | 484 | Tamela Mann |
| Grace | 470 | Tasha Cobbs Leonard |
| Playlist: The Very Best Of Marvin Sapp | 462 | Marvin Sapp |
| Hello Fear | 407 | Kirk Franklin |
| One Place Live | 374 | Tasha Cobbs Leonard |
| Heart. Passion. Pursuit. | 355 | Tasha Cobbs Leonard |
| The Essential Kirk Franklin | 323 | Kirk Franklin |
| The Nu Nation Project | 321 | Kirk Franklin |
| Unstoppable | 297 | Koryn Hawthorne |
| Go Get It | 257 | Mary Mary |
| Jesus Is King | 242 | Kanye West |
| The Best of Me | 217 | Yolanda Adams |
| Jesus Is Born | 212 | Sunday Service |
| The Rebirth of Kirk Franklin | 203 | Kirk Franklin |
| One Way | 200 | Tamela Mann |
| Maverick City Vol. 3 Part 1 | 196 | Maverick City Music |
| God's Property from Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation | 188 | Kirk Franklin |
| Losing My Religion | 183 | Kirk Franklin |
| Kirk Franklin and the Family | 182 | Kirk Franklin |
| Move Your Heart | 176 | Maverick City Music & UPPERROOM |
| Believe for It | 170 | CeCe Winans |
| Old Church Basement | 163 | Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music |
| Long Live Love | 162 | Kirk Franklin |
| The Preacher's Wife | 161 | Whitney Houston |
| Make Room | 155 | Jonathan McReynolds |
| Donda | 146 | Kanye West |
| Thirsty | 136 | Marvin Sapp |
| The Best Of Fred Hammond | 129 | Fred Hammond |
| Everyday Jesus | 122 | Anthony Brown & group therAPy |
| As We Worship: Live | 121 | William McDowell |
| Mary Mary | 117 | Mary Mary |
| The Essential Donnie Mcclurkin | 116 | Donnie McClurkin |
| The Journey (Live) | 114 | Donnie McClurkin |
| Thankful | 113 | Mary Mary |
| Save the World | 112 | Yolanda Adams |
| Pages of Life - Chapters I & II | 112 | Fred Hammond |
| Live in Chicago | 110 | Shirley Caesar |
| Live in London and More... | 108 | Donnie McClurkin |
| Hero | 108 | Kirk Franklin |
| Purpose By Design | 106 | Fred Hammond & Radical For Christ |
| Greatest Hits | 105 | BeBe & CeCe Winans |
| Alabaster Box | 105 | CeCe Winans |
| Whatcha Lookin' 4 | 105 | Kirk Franklin |
| The Fight of My Life | 105 | Kirk Franklin |
| Jubilee: Juneteenth Edition | 105 | Maverick City Music |
| Adoration: Live in Atlanta | 104 | Richard Smallwood with Vision |
| A Miracle in Harlem | 104 | Shirley Caesar |
| WOW Gospel 1998 | 104 | Various Artists |
| Donnie McClurkin | 104 | Donnie McClurkin |
| Donnie McClurkin... Again | 104 | Donnie McClurkin |
| Mountain High...Valley Low | 104 | Yolanda Adams |
| The Spirit of David | 104 | Fred Hammond & Radical For Christ |
| Live in Detroit | 104 | Vickie Winans |
| Throne Room | 104 | CeCe Winans |
| I Need You Now | 104 | Smokie Norful |
| Nothing Without You | 104 | Smokie Norful |
| Somethin' 'Bout Love | 104 | Fred Hammond |
| Alive in South Africa | 104 | Israel & New Breed |
| Maverick City, Vol. 3 Part 2 | 104 | Maverick City Music |
| Awesome Wonder | 103 | Kurt Carr & the Kurt Carr Singers |
| Bringing It All Together | 103 | Vickie Winans |
| Live from Another Level | 103 | Israel & New Breed |
| Psalms, Hymns & Spiritual Songs | 103 | Donnie McClurkin |
| 20/85 The Experience | 103 | Hezekiah Walker & LFC |
| Yolanda... Live in Washington | 102 | Yolanda Adams |
| Believe | 102 | Yolanda Adams |
| Gospel Greats | 101 | Aretha Franklin |
| The Inner Court | 101 | Fred Hammond & Radical For Christ |
| Nothing But the Hits | 101 | Fred Hammond |
| Alone in His Presence | 101 | CeCe Winans |
| WOW Gospel 2004 | 101 | Various Artists |
| Show Up! | 101 | The New Life Community Choir featuring John P. Kee |
| Kingdom Book One | 104 | Maverick City Music X Kirk Franklin |
| The Best of Yolanda Adams | 100 | Yolanda Adams |
| Day By Day | 100 | Yolanda Adams |
| After the Music Stops | 100 | Lecrae |

### Number-one debuts

List of albums which have debuted at number-one.

#### 1990s

| Song | Debut date | Artist |
| Kirk Franklin & the Family Christmas | November 25, 1995 | Kirk Franklin |
| The Nu Nation Project | October 17, 1998 | Kirk Franklin |
| The Preacher's Wife | December 14, 1996 | Whitney Houston |
| Everlasting Love | April 11, 1998 | CeCe Winans |
| Mountain High...Valley Low | October 9, 1999 | Yolanda Adams |

#### 2000s

| Song | Debut date | Artist |
| Love and Freedom | September 16, 2000 | BeBe |
| Christmas with Yolanda Adams | December 16, 2000 | Yolanda Adams |
| Believe | December 22, 2001 | Yolanda Adams |
| Donnie McClurkin... Again | March 22, 2003 | Donnie McClurkin |
| Incredible | August 3, 2002 | Mary Mary |
| Speak Those Things: POL Chapter 3 | September 28, 2002 | Fred Hammond |
| Bringing It All Together | May 24, 2003 | Vickie Winans |
| Throne Room | September 27, 2003 | CeCe Winans |
| Smokie Norful: Limited Edition (EP) | November 8, 2003 | Smokie Norful |
| Live from Another Level | May 29, 2004 | Israel & New Breed |
| Somethin' 'Bout Love | June 26, 2004 | Fred Hammond |
| Crossroads | September 11, 2004 | Deitrick Haddon |
| I Owe You | September 25, 2004 | Kierra Sheard |
| Nothing Without You | October 23, 2004 | Smokie Norful |
| Mary Mary | August 6, 2005 | Mary Mary |
| Day By Day | September 17, 2005 | Yolanda Adams |
| Purified | October 1, 2005 | CeCe Winans |
| Victory Live! | June 10, 2006 | Tye Tribbett & G.A. |
| This Is Me | July 15, 2006 | Kierra Sheard |
| Free to Worship | October 21, 2006 | Fred Hammond |
| This Is Who I Am | November 11, 2006 | Kelly Price |
| Kirk Franklin Presents: Songs for the Storm Vol. 1 | November 25, 2006 | Kirk Franklin |
| The Best of Me | May 26, 2007 | Yolanda Adams |
| Live – One Last Time | April 28, 2007 | The Clark Sisters |
| Journey: Live in New York | June 23, 2007 | Richard Smallwood with Vision |
| Thirsty | July 21, 2007 | Marvin Sapp |
| A Deeper Level: Live | September 22, 2007 | Israel & New Breed |
| Alone But Not Alone | October 13, 2007 | Marvin Winans |
| Thy Kingdom Come | April 19, 2008 | CeCe Winans |
| Stand Out | May 24, 2008 | Tye Tribbett & G.A. |
| Rebel | October 18, 2008 | Lecrae |
| The Sound | November 8, 2008 | Mary Mary |
| Smokie Norful Live | April 25, 2009 | Smokie Norful |

#### 2010s

| Song | Debut date | Artist |
| Here I Am | April 3, 2010 | Marvin Sapp |
| Refreshed by Fire | October 2, 2010 | Shekinah Glory Ministry |
| Rehab | October 16, 2010 | Lecrae |
| Fresh | November 6, 2010 | Tye Tribbett |
| Church on the Moon | February 12, 2011 | Deitrick Haddon |
| Hello Fear | April 9, 2011 | Kirk Franklin |
| Angel & Chanelle | June 18, 2011 | Trin-i-tee 5:7 |
| Promises | August 6, 2011 | Richard Smallwood with Vision |
| YRM (Your Righteous Mind) | August 27, 2011 | Donald Lawrence & Co. |
| Uncommon Me | September 10, 2011 | Isaac Carree |
| The Awakening of Le'Andria Johnson | September 24, 2011 | Le'Andria Johnson |
| Free | November 5, 2011 | Kierra Sheard |
| Identity | February 4, 2012 | James Fortune & FIYA |
| God, Love & Romance | February 18, 2012 | Fred Hammond |
| I Win | April 21, 2012 | Marvin Sapp |
| Go Get It | May 26, 2012 | Mary Mary |
| Gravity | September 22, 2012 | Lecrae |
| United Tenors: Hammond, Hollister, Roberson, Wilson | April 13, 2013 | Fred Hammond |
| Reset | July 13, 2013 | Isaac Carree |
| Greater Than | August 24, 2013 | Tye Tribbett |
| R.E.D. (Restoring Everything Damaged) | September 21, 2013 | Deitrick Haddon |
| 20 Year Celebration - Vol. 1: Best For Last | October 12, 2013 | Donald Lawrence & Co. |
| Church Clothes, Vol. 2 | November 23, 2013 | Lecrae |
| Dear Future Me | March 15, 2014 | James Fortune & FIYA |
| Deitrick Haddon's LXW | May 10, 2014 | Deitrick Haddon |
| Graceland | August 14, 2014 | Kierra Sheard |
| I Will Trust | December 6, 2014 | Fred Hammond |
| Help 2.0 | April 18, 2015 | Erica Campbell |
| It's Personal | June 6, 2015 | Tina Campbell |
| You Shall Live | June 20, 2015 | Marvin Sapp |
| Anthology: Live | July 18, 2015 | Richard Smallwood with Vision |
| Covered: Alive in Asia | August 15, 2015 | Israel & New Breed |
| One Place Live | September 12, 2015 | Tasha Cobbs Leonard |
| Everyday Jesus | August 8, 2015 | Anthony Brown & group therAPy |
| Life Music: Stage Two | October 10, 2015 | Jonathan McReynolds |
| Masterpiece | November 28, 2015 | Deitrick Haddon |
| The Journey (Live) | September 10, 2016 | Donnie McClurkin |
| One Way | October 1, 2016 | Tamela Mann |
| Worship Journal: Live | October 22, 2016 | Fred Hammond |
| Secret Place: Live In South Africa | November 26, 2016 | VaShawn Mitchell |
| Let Them Fall in Love | February 25, 2017 | CeCe Winans |
| Dear Future Me | July 15, 2017 | James Fortune |
| Love and Freedom | August 5, 2017 | Anita Wilson accompanied by the Company |
| A Long Way from Sunday | August 19, 2017 | Anthony Brown & group therAPy |
| The Maranda Curtis Experience (EP) | August 26, 2017 | Maranda Curtis |
| Heart. Passion. Pursuit. | September 16, 2017 | Tasha Cobbs Leonard |
| Close | October 21, 2017 | Marvin Sapp |
| The Bloody Win | November 4, 2017 | Tye Tribbett |
| Make Room | March 24, 2018 | Jonathan McReynolds |
| Open Heaven: The Maranda Experience | May 12, 2018 | Maranda Curtis |
| Unstoppable | July 28, 2018 | Koryn Hawthorne |
| Amazing Grace: The Complete Recordings | August 25, 2018 | Aretha Franklin |
| Heart. Passion. Pursuit.: Live at Passion City Church | November 17, 2018 | Tasha Cobbs Leonard |
| Long Live Love | June 15, 2019 | Kirk Franklin |
| Dream Again | September 7, 2019 | James Fortune |
| I Made It Out | September 28, 2019 | John P. Kee |
| 2econd Wind: Ready | November 2, 2019 | Anthony Brown & group therAPy |
| Jesus Is King | November 9, 2019 | Kanye West |

#### 2020s

| Song | Debut date | Artist |
| Kierra | May 2, 2020 | Kierra Sheard |
| Royalty: Live at the Ryman | October 10, 2020 | Tasha Cobbs Leonard |
| Move Your Heart | February 13, 2021 | Maverick City Music |
| Old Church Basement | May 15, 2021 | Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music |
| Feels Like Home, Vol. 1 | March 13, 2021 | Israel & New Breed |
| Believe for It | March 27, 2021 | CeCe Winans |
| Donda | September 11, 2021 | Kanye West |
| The Mav Way: EP Vol. 1, The Maverick Way | September 30, 2023 | Maverick City Music, Chandler Moore & Naomi Raine |
| Father's Day | October 21, 2023 | Kirk Franklin |
| The Maverick Way Complete: Complete Vol 02 | November 11, 2023 | Maverick City Music, Chandler Moore & Naomi Raine |
| More Than This | May 11, 2024 | CeCe Winans |
| Overflow: The Album | June 1, 2024 | Transformation Worship |

## Artist achievements
### Most number-one albums

Artists with five or more number-one albums.
| Artist | No. |
| Kirk Franklin | 14 |
| CeCe Winans | 10 |
| Fred Hammond | 10 |
| Lecrae | 6 |
| Yolanda Adams | 5 |
| Donnie McClurkin | 5 |
| Mary Mary | 5 |
| Marvin Sapp | 5 |
| Deitrick Haddon | 5 |
| Tye Tribbett | 5 |
| Smokie Norful | 5 |
| Tasha Cobbs Leonard | 5 |

## Other achievements

* Whitney Houston's The Preacher's Wife has the highest one week sales of any charting release on Top Gospel Albums, selling 330,000 units in the chart week dated January 4, 1997.
* Marvin Sapp's Here I Am (2010) was the highest-charting gospel album in the history of the all-genre Billboard 200 chart, where it debuted at number 2, before the release of Jesus Is King (2019) by Kanye West. Prior to this, God’s Property From Kirk Franklin’s Nu Nation debuted and peaked at number 3 on June 14, 1997.
* Kanye West made Billboard history with the release of Jesus Is King (2019), which topped Top Gospel Albums, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, Top Rap Albums charts, Top Christian Albums and the all-genre Billboard 200 simultaneously.
* Kanye West has the highest one week sales — 309,000 (Donda) and 264,000 (Jesus Is King) — for a charting release on both Top Gospel Albums and Top Christian Albums, since both charts adopted a multi-metric methodology in February 2017.
* Kierra Sheard's Kierra (2020) ended Kanye's 6-month run at number-one with his album Jesus Is King.
* CeCe Winans has topped the Top Gospel Albums chart in five consecutive decades, earning her 10th number-one with More Than This (2024).