# List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 2016

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, as well as on-demand streaming and digital sales of its individual tracks. In 2016, a total of 33 albums claimed the top position of the chart. One of which, English singer Adele's 25 started its peak issue dated December 12, 2015.
Canadian rapper Drake's fourth studio album, Views, became the second best-selling overall album with 1.04 million equivalent album units, selling 852,000 copies in its first week of release, and achieving over 245 million streams, more than previous record 115.2 million by Beyoncé's Lemonade. Lemonade is the third overall best-seller, incurring 485,000 copies in its first week (653,000 with additional album-equivalent units).

## Chart history

Key :
| † | Indicates best performing album of 2016 |
| Issue date | Album | Artist(s) | Album- equivalent units |
| January 2 | 25 † | Adele | 825,000 |
| January 9 | 25 † | Adele | 1,160,000 |
| January 16 | 25 † | Adele | 363,000 |
| January 23 | 25 † | Adele | 194,000 |
| January 30 | Blackstar | David Bowie | 181,000 |
| February 6 | Death of a Bachelor | Panic! at the Disco | 190,000 |
| February 13 | 25 † | Adele | 116,000 |
| February 20 | Anti | Rihanna | 166,000 |
| February 27 | Evol | Future | 134,000 |
| March 5 | 25 † | Adele | 151,000 |
| March 12 | 25 † | Adele | 100,000 |
| March 19 | I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It | The 1975 | 108,000 |
| March 26 | Untitled Unmastered. | Kendrick Lamar | 178,000 |
| April 2 | Anti | Rihanna | 54,000 |
| April 9 | This Is What the Truth Feels Like | Gwen Stefani | 84,000 |
| April 16 | Mind of Mine | Zayn | 157,000 |
| April 23 | The Life of Pablo | Kanye West | 94,000 |
| April 30 | Cleopatra | The Lumineers | 125,000 |
| May 7 | The Very Best of Prince | Prince | 179,000 |
| May 14 | Lemonade | Beyoncé | 653,000 |
| May 21 | Views | Drake | 1,040,000 |
| May 28 | Views | Drake | 313,000 |
| June 4 | Views | Drake | 239,000 |
| June 11 | Views | Drake | 189,000 |
| June 18 | Views | Drake | 152,000 |
| June 25 | Views | Drake | 135,000 |
| July 2 | Views | Drake | 121,000 |
| July 9 | Views | Drake | 124,000 |
| July 16 | Views | Drake | 111,000 |
| July 23 | California | Blink-182 | 186,000 |
| July 30 | Views | Drake | 92,000 |
| August 6 | Views | Drake | 89,000 |
| August 13 | Views | Drake | 85,000 |
| August 20 | Major Key | DJ Khaled | 95,000 |
| August 27 | Suicide Squad: The Album | Soundtrack | 182,000 |
| September 3 | Suicide Squad: The Album | Soundtrack | 93,000 |
| September 10 | Blonde | Frank Ocean | 276,000 |
| September 17 | Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway | Barbra Streisand | 149,000 |
| September 24 | Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight | Travis Scott | 88,000 |
| October 1 | They Don't Know | Jason Aldean | 138,000 |
| October 8 | Views | Drake | 53,000 |
| October 15 | Illuminate | Shawn Mendes | 145,000 |
| October 22 | A Seat at the Table | Solange | 72,000 |
| October 29 | Revolution Radio | Green Day | 95,000 |
| November 5 | Walls | Kings of Leon | 77,000 |
| November 12 | Joanne | Lady Gaga | 201,000 |
| November 19 | Trap or Die 3 | Jeezy | 89,000 |
| November 26 | This House Is Not for Sale | Bon Jovi | 129,000 |
| December 3 | We Got It from Here... Thank You 4 Your Service | A Tribe Called Quest | 135,000 |
| December 10 | Hardwired... to Self-Destruct | Metallica | 291,000 |
| December 17 | Starboy | The Weeknd | 348,000 |
| December 24 | The Hamilton Mixtape | Various artists | 187,000 |
| December 31 | 4 Your Eyez Only | J. Cole | 492,000 |

## Number-one artists

List of number-one artists by total weeks at number one :
* Weeks at No. 1
* 4
* 3
* 2
* 1