The Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main St. debuts on several U.K. charts after becoming a bestseller … More
The music of the Rolling Stones is so popular that some classic collections have returned to the charts in the United Kingdom more than once. Typically, re-releases and special editions are grouped together with the original title, so when a group reissues a project or when sales or streaming activity spikes, it benefits the first edition — and that movement can send a title back onto the weekly rankings. In other cases across the Atlantic, special circumstances allow multiple versions of what is essentially the same album to spend time on the same chart.
That’s exactly what’s happened with the Rolling Stones this frame, as Exile on Main St. becomes a bestseller on multiple tallies yet again — and also for the first time.
Exile on Main St. Debuts on Three Charts
Exile on Main St. debuts on three charts in the U.K. this week. It launches highest on the Official Vinyl Albums ranking — the only tally on which it becomes a top 40 bestseller — as it starts at No. 33. The same project enters the Official Physical Albums chart at No. 76 and the Official Albums Sales list at No. 81.
Exile on Main St. Has Reached These Lists Before
Longtime fans of the Stones who keep an eye on where the group lands on the charts will know that Exile on Main St. has appeared on all three of these tallies in the past, though this appearance does still mark a debut.
Exile on Main St. first appeared on any of these lists 15 years ago, when it reached the Official Physical Albums chart, which tracks purchases of CDs, vinyl, and cassettes across the U.K. The Rolling Stones sent the title straight to No. 1 on that ranking.
Another, earlier take of the music arrived on the Official Vinyl Albums ranking in May 2016, spending just three frames on the list and peaking at No. 4. Two years later, it landed on the all-encompassing sales tally, which blends digital downloads with purchases on all physical formats. Somewhat disappointingly, it only held on for one turn at No. 52 before disappearing.
The Album Originally Dropped in 1972
The original Exile on Main St. hit the Official Albums Chart — the main albums ranking in the nation — in the summer of 1972. It quickly gave the band another champion and spent 16 weeks on the list, which at the time was based entirely on sales.
The fact that the Official Charts Company didn’t launch tallies dedicated to standalone purchases — or charts that focus on specific types of sales, like one format over another — also helps explain how some classic releases can debut on rankings decades after their initial heyday.
Vinyl Reissue
The Rolling Stones recently reissued Exile on Main St. on a special red vinyl, as the band does from time to time with some of its most popular projects. Only 2,000 copies were made available globally, and the offering was first sold in the band’s London-based store, before going online as well. That uptick in sales helps the beloved project become a bestseller again in the U.K.
