Andy Williams discography

Andy Williams discography
Andy Williams in 1969
Studio albums43
Live albums2
Compilation albums28
Singles79

Andy Williams recorded 43 studio albums, 17 of which (along with the 1970 compilation Andy Williams' Greatest Hits) received Gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America for selling 500,000 units. Andy Williams has sold over 11 million records in the US alone.[1] Three of those recipients went on to reach one million in sales, for which they were awarded Platinum certification.[1] Between studio, Christmas, and compilation albums he had 37 entries on the pop albums chart in Billboard magazine with 12 of those making the top 10.[2] One of those 12, his 1963 album Days of Wine and Roses and Other TV Requests, spent 16 weeks at number one[3] and comes in at number five on the list of the top albums released in the 1960s in terms of Billboard chart performance.[4] During the 1960s and early 1970s two of his Platinum LPs, The Andy Williams Christmas Album and Merry Christmas, made annual appearances on the magazine's Christmas Albums chart, where they each reached the number one position in multiple holiday seasons.[5] In a ranking of the top album artists of the 1960s in terms of Billboard chart performance, he comes in at number eight.[6]

Williams also recorded 47 songs that reached Billboard magazine's Hot 100 chart in the United States and another eight that "bubbled under" the Hot 100.[7] Nine of these 54 recordings made the top 10 (including 1957's "Butterfly", which spent three weeks at number one),[8] and 32 of them are also on the list of 44 entries that Williams had on the magazine's Easy Listening chart,[9] which was started in 1961.[10] 19 of those 44 songs made the top 10 on that list, and four of them ("Can't Get Used to Losing You", "In the Arms of Love", "Happy Heart", and "(Where Do I Begin) Love Story") went on to number one.[11] In a ranking of Billboard's top Adult Contemporary chart performers from 1961 to 1969, he comes in at number five.[12]

In 1963 the Williams recording of "White Christmas" was released to promote The Andy Williams Christmas Album and spent the last five weeks of the year at number one on Billboard's Christmas Singles chart.[13] The album also included "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year", which was written for The Andy Williams Show and became a staple of his annual Christmas specials.[14] Although covers of the song he originated by artists such as Garth Brooks[15] and Harry Connick, Jr.[16] had single chart runs in Billboard upon initial release, the recording by Williams enjoyed widespread popularity several decades after it debuted. Its first appearance on a weekly singles chart was in the UK in 2007,[17] and his recording returned to the UK chart each holiday season for many years to follow, reaching a peak position at number 17 in 2017.[17] When Billboard started its Holiday 100 chart in 2011, the Williams classic began annual appearances there and had its best showing in 2018 when it got as high as number two,[18] and in 2016, after the magazine changed its Hot 100 rules regarding older songs,[19] "Most" began returning there each December as well and also hit a high point during the 2020 holiday season when it reached number 5.[20]

Since the British Phonographic Industry began its awards in 1973 Williams had 12 albums receive Silver certification for selling 60,000 units in the UK, and Six of those albums eventually sold the 100,000 units necessary for receiving Gold certification.[21] On the UK album chart he had 30 entries with 11 of those making the top 10.[22] He also had 24 recordings that reached the UK singles chart with nine of those reaching the top 10, including "Butterfly", which spent two weeks at number one.[22]

  1. ^ a b RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for titles by Andy Williams
  2. ^ Whitburn 2010, pp. 844–845.
  3. ^ Whitburn 2010, p. 844.
  4. ^ Whitburn 2010, p. 966.
  5. ^ Whitburn 2004a, pp. 203–204.
  6. ^ Whitburn 2010, p. 959.
  7. ^ Whitburn 2009, pp. 1059–1060.
  8. ^ Whitburn 2009, pp. 1059.
  9. ^ Whitburn 2007, pp. 295–296.
  10. ^ Whitburn 2007, p. vi.
  11. ^ Whitburn 2007, pp. 295.
  12. ^ Whitburn 2007, p. 372.
  13. ^ Whitburn 2004a, p. 65.
  14. ^ Williams, Andy. Interviewed by Karen Herman. Archive of American Television, A Program of the Television Academy Foundation. emmytvlegends.org, September 19, 2005. Retrieved October 12, 2011.
  15. ^ Whitburn 2002, p. 47.
  16. ^ Whitburn 2007, p. 58.
  17. ^ a b "it's the most wonderful time of the year – full Official Chart History – Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 21, 2019.
  18. ^ "Holiday 100: The week of December 8, 2018". billboard.com. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  19. ^ "Wham's 1984 Classic 'Last Christmas' Makes First Hot 100 Appearance". billboard.com. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  20. ^ "The Hot 100: The week of January 2, 2021". billboard.com. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  21. ^ "British certifications – Andy Williams". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 10, 2022. Type Andy Williams in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  22. ^ a b "Andy Williams". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 18, 2020.