New research by the team behind the popular music annual "The Book of British Hit Singles & Albums" has reportedly revealed that Queen has overtaken the Beatles as Official UK Album Chart champions, having spent more weeks on chart than the fab four.

According to British Hit Singles & Albums' unique database of official UK chart statistics, Queen has spent an incredible 1,322 weeks on the UK albums chart (29 weeks more than the Beatles). With sales figures notoriously unreliable in the 50s, 60s and 70s, the "weeks on chart" figure represents the fairest, most accurate method of ranking acts, according to David Roberts, editor of the book published by Guinness World Records Ltd.

Thirty years since their first UK #1 album "A Night at The Opera," Queen apparently has overtaken the Beatles in this Top 10 for the first time.

Top 10 Most Successful Acts of All Time on the UK Albums Chart:

1. Queen (1,322 weeks)
2. The Beatles (1,293 weeks)
3. Elvis Presley (1,280 weeks)
4. U2 (1,150 weeks)
5. Dire Straits (1,136 weeks)
6. Simon and Garfunkel (1,114 weeks)
7. Madonna (1,032 weeks)
8. David Bowie (1,005 weeks)
9. Elton John (989 weeks)
10. Michael Jackson (966 weeks)

Roberts commented: "Given that Queen's chart career has been much shorter than those of The Beatles and Elvis, this is an incredible achievement. They've long been written about with reverence in the pages of British Hit Singles and Albums' and this just serves to cement their legendary status."

Queen winds up their current 32-date European tour with Free/Bad Company singer and musician Paul Rodgers this week, performing in London's Hyde Park Friday, July 8. The band will be joined by Razorlight, Peter Kay and special guests Justin and Dan Hawkins of The Darkness. Queen performed a free concert in Hyde Park almost 29 years ago (September 18, 1976), attracting moee than 150,000 people. No word on wether today's terror attacks in London will cause the show to be pushed back.

Queen holds a number of records officially recognized by Guinness World Records. The band are lauded for having the biggest selling Greatest Hits album in the UK with "Greatest Hits 1" (now over four million) and Queen is also the only act to top the chart with the same single twice "Bohemian Rhapsody" selling a million copies both times. The single, which celebrates its 30th anniversary later this year, was also voted the favorite single of all time in a poll conducted by readers of "British Hit Singles & Albums."

Labels: Beatles