The UK Jazz & Blues Albums Chart is a record chart which ranks the best-selling jazz and blues albums in the United Kingdom. Compiled and published by the Official Charts Company, the data is based on each album's weekly physical sales, digital downloads and streams. In 1996, 52 charts were published with 13 albums at number one. The first number-one album of the year was That's Jazz, a compilation of songs by various artists released by EMI, which spent the first three weeks of the year atop the chart. The last number-one of the year was Kenny G's tenth studio album The Moment, which topped the chart from 13 October until the end of the year – a period of 12 consecutive weeks.

The most successful album on the UK Jazz & Blues Albums Chart in 1996 was The Moment, which spent the last 12 weeks of the year at number one. American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, who died on 15 June 1996, was the most successful artist of the year on the UK Jazz & Blues Albums Chart, spending 13 combined weeks at number one with three different compilations: The Best of Ella Fitzgerald (one week), Forever Ella (seven weeks) and Essential Ella (five weeks). Jan Garbarek spent four consecutive weeks at number one with Visible World, while Courtney Pine and Sade were number one for three weeks each with Modern Day Jazz Stories and Diamond Life, respectively.

Chart history

Issue dateAlbumArtist(s)Record label(s)Ref.7 JanuaryThat's Jazzvarious artistsEMI14 January21 January28 JanuaryThe Best of Ella FitzgeraldElla FitzgeraldMCA4 FebruaryModern Day Jazz StoriesCourtney PineTalkin' Loud11 February18 February25 FebruaryDiamond LifeSadeEpic3 March10 March17 MarchForever EllaElla FitzgeraldVerve/PolyGram24 March31 March7 April14 April21 April28 April5 MayVisible WorldJan GarbarekECM12 May19 May26 May2 JuneBlues AliveGary MooreVirgin9 JuneStill Got the Blues16 JunePure Jazz Moodsvarious artistsDino23 June30 June7 JulyEssential EllaElla FitzgeraldVerve14 July21 July28 July4 August11 AugustThe Best Jazz... Ever!various artistsVirgin18 August25 August1 September8 September15 September22 September29 SeptemberThe Very Best of Miles DavisMiles DavisColumbia6 October13 OctoberThe MomentKenny GArista20 October27 October3 November10 November17 November24 November1 December8 December15 December22 December29 December

See also 1996 in British music

References

External links Official Jazz & Blues Albums Chart at the Official Charts Company