The UK Albums Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling albums of the week in the United Kingdom. Since 2004 the chart has been based on the sales of both physical albums and digital downloads. This list shows albums that peaked in the Top 10 of the UK Albums Chart during 2006, as well as albums which peaked in 2005 and 2007 but were in the top 10 in 2006. The entry date is when the album appeared in the top 10 for the first time (week ending, as published by the Official Charts Company, which is six days after the chart is announced).

One-hundred and thirty-two albums were in the top ten this year. Fourteen albums from 2005 remained in the top 10 for several weeks at the beginning of the year, while Back to Black by Amy Winehouse and Loose by Nelly Furtado were both released in 2006 but did not reach their peak until 2007. Breakaway by Kelly Clarkson, Employment by Kaiser Chiefs, In Between Dreams by Jack Johnson, PCD by The Pussycat Dolls and Stars of CCTV by Hard-Fi were the albums from 2005 to reach their peak in 2006. Two artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 2006. Arctic Monkeys, Editors, The Kooks, Rihanna and Shayne Ward were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 album in 2006.

The 2005 Christmas number-one album, Curtain Call: The Hits by Eminem, remained at the top spot for the first week of 2006. The first new number-one album of the year was First Impressions of Earth by The Strokes. Overall, thirty-three different albums peaked at number-one in 2006, with thirty-three unique artists hitting that position.

Background Multiple entries One-hundred and thirty-two albums charted in the top 10 in 2006, with one-hundred and twenty-one albums reaching their peak this year (including Snap!, which charted in previous years but reached a peak on its latest chart run).

Two artist scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 2006. Robbie Williams had three top 10 albums this year, while Daniel O'Donnell had two entries. Daniel O'Donnell's two entries were both released this year.

Chart debuts Thirty-six artists achieved their first top 10 album in 2006 as a lead artist.

The following table (collapsed on desktop site) does not include acts who had previously charted as part of a group and secured their first top 10 solo album, or featured appearances on compilations or other artists recordings.

Artist Number of top 10s First entry Chart position Other entriesEditors1The Back Room2—José González1Veneer7—Arctic Monkeys1Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not1—1Inside In / Inside Out2—Corinne Bailey Rae1Corinne Bailey Rae1—Vittorio Grigolo1In the Hands of Love6—Journey South1Journey South1—Andy Abraham1The Impossible Dream2—Yeah Yeah Yeahs1Show Your Bones7—1At War with the Mystics6—Shayne Ward1Shayne Ward1—Peter Grant1New Vintage8—Gnarls Barkley1St. Elsewhere1—Rihanna1A Girl like Me5—Emmylou Harris1All the Roadrunning8—Jamie Foxx1Unpredictable9—Tool110,000 Days4—Dirty Pretty Things1Waterloo to Anywhere3—1Broken Boy Soldiers2—Angels & Airwaves1We Don't Need to Whisper6—Orson1Bright Idea1—Sandi Thom1Smile... It Confuses People1—1Twelve Stops and Home2—1Not Accepted Anywhere3—Dixie Chicks1Taking the Long Way10 —Ray LaMontagne1Trouble5—Lily Allen1Alright, Still2—Paolo Nutini1These Streets3—James Morrison1Undiscovered1—1Costello Music2—Trivium1The Crusade7—John Legend1Once Again10 —Angelis1Angelis2—All Angels1All Angels9—Tenacious D1The Pick of Destiny10—Fron Male Voice Choir1Voices of the Valley9—

Notes Simon Webbe released his debut album in 2006 during his group Blue's hiatus - he had recorded 3 number-one albums and a number 6 peaking compilation album with his bandmates by that point. David Gilmour was part of the highly successful Pink Floyd but he secured his first solo top 10 album this year with On an Island going straight to the top of the chart. His previous two efforts - 1978's self-titled album (17) and 1984's About Face (21) - both fell short of the top ten.

Like fellow Libertines member Pete Doherty with Babyshambles the previous year, Carl Barat hit the chart with his new band Dirty Pretty Things with their debut album Waterloo to Anywhere, peaking at number three. Similarly another new rock band The Raconteurs included The White Stripes frontman Jack White among its line-up.

Thom Yorke stepped into the spotlight away from Radiohead with his debut album, The Eraser reaching third position in the chart. Pharrell Williams also reached the top 10 with his first solo effort, In My Mind. With his group N.E.R.D., Fly or Die had previously made the chart.

Best-selling albums Snow Patrol had the best-selling album of the year with Eyes Open. The album spent 35 weeks in the top 10 (including three weeks at number one), sold 1.504 million copies and was certified 5× platinum by the BPI. Beautiful World by Take That came in second place. Scissor Sisters' Ta-Dah, Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not from Arctic Monkeys and Inside In / Inside Out by The Kooks made up the top five. Albums by Razorlight, Oasis, Westlife, Pink and James Morrison were also in the top ten best-selling albums of the year.

Top-ten albums Key SymbolMeaning‡Album peaked in 2005 but still in chart in 2006.♦Album released in 2006 but peaked in 2007.(#)Year-end top-ten album position and rankEnteredThe date that the album first appeared in the chart.PeakHighest position that the album reached in the UK Albums Chart.

Entered (week ending)Weeksintop10 Album ArtistPeak Peakreached (week ending)WeeksatpeakAlbums in 2005 35Employment Kaiser Chiefs 2 1 19Eye to the Telescope ‡KT Tunstall 3 2 22Demon Days ‡Gorillaz 1 1 40Back to Bedlam ‡ James Blunt 1 10 18X & Y ‡Coldplay 1 4 7Stars of CCTV Hard-Fi 1 1 23Breakaway Kelly Clarkson 3 1 17In Between Dreams Jack Johnson 1 1 5PCD 7 1 10Piece by Piece ‡ Katie Melua 1 1 10Intensive Care ‡Robbie Williams 1 1 7Confessions on a Dance Floor ‡Madonna 1 2 10Keep On ‡Will Young 2 1 8Curtain Call: The Hits ‡Eminem 1 5Albums in 2006 2Greatest HitsRobbie Williams 5 1 3First Impressions of Earth 1 1 3The Back Room Editors 2 1 4Veneer José González 7 2 8Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (#4)Arctic Monkeys 1 4 3Keys to the World Richard Ashcroft 2 2 3From Daniel with Love: A Collection of 20 Great Love Songs Daniel O'Donnell 5 1 25Inside In / Inside Out (#5) 2 2 1The Very Best of Johnny Mathis Johnny Mathis 6 1 1The Life Pursuit Belle and Sebastian 8 1 3Snap! 8 2 312 Songs Neil Diamond 5 1 10Corinne Bailey Rae Corinne Bailey Rae 1 2 2Sanctuary Simon Webbe 7 1 2On an Island David Gilmour 1 1 4Amore Andrea Bocelli 4 1 1Pay the Devil Van Morrison 8 1 3The Voice: The Ultimate Collection Russell Watson 2 1 2In the Hands of Love Vittorio Grigolo 6 1 1Meds Placebo 7 1 2Greatest Hits David Essex 7 1 3Journey South Journey South 1 1 3The Impossible Dream Andy Abraham 2 1 13121 Prince 9 1 3Voice – The Best of Beverley Knight Beverley Knight 9 2 3This New Day Embrace 1 1 7Collected Massive Attack 2 3 1Show Your Bones Yeah Yeah Yeahs 7 1 2Ringleader of the Tormentors Morrissey 1 1 7I'm Not Dead (#9)Pink 3 1 1At War with the Mystics 6 1 2The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living 1 1 5Shayne Ward Shayne Ward 1 1 7Tired of Hanging Around 2 1 1New Vintage Peter Grant 8 1 1Simpatico 10 1 7St. Elsewhere Gnarls Barkley 1 1 1We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions Bruce Springsteen 3 1 9A Girl Like Me Rihanna 5 1 1All the Roadrunning Mark Knopfler & Emmylou Harris 8 1 1Unpredictable Jamie Foxx 9 1 35Eyes Open (#1)Snow Patrol 1 3 110,000 Days Tool 4 1 1Pearl Jam Pearl Jam 5 1 6Stadium Arcadium Red Hot Chili Peppers 1 3 2Waterloo to Anywhere Dirty Pretty Things 3 1 2Broken Boy Soldiers 2 1 4The Singles Feeder 2 1 1Superbi 6 1 2The Garden Zero 7 4 1 1Fundamental Pet Shop Boys 5 1 1We Don't Need to Whisper Angels & Airwaves 6 1 5Bright Idea Orson 1 1 13The Very Best of Nina Simone Nina Simone 6 1 4Smile... It Confuses People Sandi Thom 1 1 9Twelve Stops and Home 2 1 1Bring You Home Ronan Keating 3 1 2Surprise Paul Simon 4 2 1Riot City Blues Primal Scream 5 1 9Under the Iron Sea Keane 1 2 18Loose ♦Nelly Furtado 4 1 1The Complete Greatest Hits Eagles 9 1 4The Greatest Hits – Why Try Harder Fatboy Slim 2 1 2Not Accepted Anywhere 3 1 1Taking the Long Way Dixie Chicks 10 1 2Liberation Transmission Lostprophets 1 1 6Black Holes and Revelations Muse 1 2 1American V: A Hundred Highways Johnny Cash 9 1 1The Eraser Thom Yorke 3 1 5Trouble Ray LaMontagne 5 1 23Razorlight (#6)Razorlight 1 2 12Alright, Still Lily Allen 2 1 15These Streets Paolo Nutini 3 1 1In My Mind Pharrell Williams 7 1 17Undiscovered (#10)James Morrison 1 2 3Back to Basics Christina Aguilera 1 1 4Empire Kasabian 1 1 5Modern Times Bob Dylan 3 1 1A Matter of Life and Death Iron Maiden 4 1 2B'Day Beyoncé 3 1 1Lover of Life, Singer of Songs: The Very Best of Freddie Mercury Solo Freddie Mercury 6 1 1Respect M.E. Missy Elliott 7 1 9FutureSex/LoveSounds Justin Timberlake 1 1 11Costello Music 2 3 3The Truth About Love Lemar 3 1 8Ta-Dah (#3)Scissor Sisters 1 2 1The Captain & the Kid Elton John 6 1 8Sam's Town 1 3 3The Open Door Evanescence 2 1 1Until the Next Time Daniel O'Donnell 10 1 1The Crusade Trivium 7 1 1The Ultimate Luther Vandross 10 1 3Rudebox Robbie Williams 1 1 2The Black Parade My Chemical Romance 2 1 2Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose Meat Loaf 3 1 2Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time Rod Stewart 4 1 1Once Again John Legend 10 1 7The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits Girls Aloud 1 1 54Back to Black ♦Amy Winehouse 1 3 1Endless Wire 9 1 6High Times: Singles 1992–2006 Jamiroquai 1 1 3Angelis Angelis 2 1 19 Damien Rice 4 1 2Serenade Katherine Jenkins 5 1 1Motion in the Ocean McFly 6 1 2Hit Parade Paul Weller 7 1 1Two's Company: The Duets Cliff Richard 8 1 7Twenty Five George Michael 1 1 2Overloaded: The Singles Collection Sugababes 3 1 1All Angels All Angels 9 1 1The Pick of Destiny Tenacious D 10 1 6The Love Album (#8)Westlife 1 1 8Stop the Clocks (#7)Oasis 2 4 9Love 3 1 6U218 Singles U2 4 1 28Beautiful World (#2)Take That 1 8 4Siempre Il Divo 2 1 2Voices of the Valley Fron Male Voice Choir 9 2

Entries by artist The following table shows artists who achieved two or more top 10 entries in 2006, including albums that reached their peak in 2005. The figures only include main artists, with featured artists and appearances on compilation albums not counted individually for each artist. The total number of weeks an artist spent in the top ten in 2006 is also shown.

Entries Artist Weeks Albums3Robbie Williams6Greatest Hits, Intensive Care, Rudebox2Daniel O'Donnell4From Daniel with Love: A Collection of 20 Great Love Songs, Until the Next Time

Notes

Employment re-entered the top 10 at number 7 on 7 January 2006 (week ending) for 10 weeks. Eye to the Telescope re-entered the top 10 at number 6 on 14 January 2006 (week ending) for 2 weeks and at number 4 on 25 February 2006 (week ending) for 5 weeks. Demon Days re-entered the top 10 at number 7 on 25 February 2006 (week ending) for 3 weeks. Monkey Business re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 22 April 2006 (week ending). X & Y re-entered the top 10 at number 8 on 25 February 2006 (week ending). Stars of CCTV re-entered the top 10 at number 4 on 7 January 2006 (week ending) for 6 weeks. Breakaway re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 28 January 2006 (week ending) and at number 10 on 11 February 2006 (week ending) for 4 weeks. In Between Dreams re-entered the top 10 at number 9 on 28 January 2006 (week ending), at number 6 on 25 February 2006 (week ending) for 10 weeks and at number 10 on 13 May 2006 (week ending) for 4 weeks. PCD re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 7 January 2006 (week ending) and at number 7 on 8 July 2006 (week ending) for 2 weeks. Piece by Piece re-entered the top 10 at number 9 on 14 January 2006 (week ending) for 2 weeks.