Billboard Digital Albums Chart

The Billboard Digital Albums Chart ranks the best-selling digital albums on a global scale. This ranking is published weekly by Billboard on their website and within Billboard Magazine. The data from the Digital Albums Chart is a component of the Billboard Top Albums Chart.

The weekly tracking period was initially Saturday-to-Saturday but was later changed to Sunday-to-Sunday in 2021. Global releases are currently expected to be released on Fridays. The Billboard Digital Albums Chart is published on Sunday evening.

The first number one album of the Billboard Digital Albums Chart was *Unknown Pleasures* by Rihanna.

## History

In 2014, the Digital Albums Chart was created as the sole component for the newly renamed Top Albums Chart. From 2018, it would no longer be the sole component for the Top Albums Chart, but would remain an important one. Throughout the years, the formula and rules for the Digital Albums Chart would be adjusted to be more representative of the music industry.

## Compilation

### Current Methodology

`(Sales / Max Sales) * 100%`

The sales of each release is determined by private purchases at the weekly digital store. However, additional aspects may also affect the sales value of individual releases. These aspects are:

* Depreciation; after release, all albums will cumulatively lose 25% of their sales per week. This drop does not apply on the week a reissue is released.
* Format; promotional albums will automatically lose 50% of their sales for the lifespan of their release, as to distinguish between official and promotional albums.
* Sales Adjustment; all albums released will have their sales adjusted by the same amount so that the sales value of the lowest selling album each week is exactly 1. This is known as the "random flop" mechanic, to ensure the charts stay competitive.

### Former Methodologies

#### Seasons 2-8 (2014-2019)

Prior to Season 9, the sales of each release would be determined by a public digital store. The change to the private store was trialled in the final week of Season 8.

During Seasons 2 to 4, the Billboard Charts were calculated using a chart position-based formula, rather than a points-based formula. In 2016, these were re-calculated using the points-based formula introduced in Season 5. At this time, a Season 1 chart was also created retroactively.

## Policy Changes

The methods and policies by which this data is obtained and compiled have changed many times throughout the chart's history.

### Reissues

In 2015, the ability to track reissued albums was officially added to the Digital Albums Chart. These reissues would chart for one extra chart week, and would allow albums to keep the same level of interest and popularity as the week before. Since their inception, album reissues have become an industry standard for any artist truly successful eras.

### Rolling Charts

In 2017, a new feature was added to all Billboard Charts. This new feature was rolling charts. Rolling charts would allow any album that had not yet finished its full chart run, to chart in a future season until its chart run was finished. In addition, artists could no longer get eliminated from #PopIndustry, therefore meaning their releases would not be removed from the charts ahead of time.

### Promotional Albums

In 2021, Billboard allowed a new release type to chart. A promotional album could be released alongside an official album, and would count as its own standalone album with half of the chart points it would normally attain. Promotional albums could be released once weekly, and could not be remixed. This change was instantly adopted by many of the industry's most successful artists, albeit to a lesser extent than promotional singles.