'21' = 13: As "21" logs a lucky 13th week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, Adele claims one of the five longest reigns by a woman in the chart's 55-year history.

Here is a look at the albums by women to command the survey the longest:

20 weeks, "The Bodyguard" soundtrack, Whitney Houston, 1992-93
15 weeks, "Tapestry," Carole King, 1971
14 weeks, "Whitney Houston," Whitney Houston, 1986
13 weeks, "21," Adele, 2011
13 weeks, "Judy at Carnegie Hall," Judy Garland, 1961

Rebounding 2-1, "21" passes the next-longest rule by a solo female, Alanis Morissette's 12-week domination with "Jagged Little Pill" in 1995-96. Taylor Swift's "Fearless" (2008-09), Mariah Carey's self-titled debut (1991) and Houston's "Whitney" (1987) follow with 11 weeks each at the summit.

(The "West Side Story" movie soundtrack leads all albums with 54 weeks spent atop the Billboard 200 beginning in 1962. Michael Jackson's "Thriller" ranks second overall with a 37-week reign in 1983-84).

With Houston having set the bar for women at 20 weeks with "The Bodyguard", "21" will, fittingly, have to lead for that many frames to rewrite the record for longest stay atop the Billboard 200 by a female artist.

Can she set the mark?

The first single from "21," "Rolling in the Deep," led the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks and appeared on a record 12 Nielsen BDS-based Billboard airplay charts. It has sold 5.4 million downloads since its release, according to Nielsen SoundScan, the year's top digital sum.

"Someone Like You" has followed with a five-week residence in the Hot 100's penthouse, moving 2.4 million downloads.

Columbia will release "Rumour Has It" as the next single from "21" to adult pop (Nov. 22), pop and adult contemporary radio. The uptempo song topped the adult alternative Triple A chart in August.

If "Rumour" can help sustain the sales momentum of "21," and with the singer/songwriter seemingly a strong bet to score multiple Grammy Award nominations for her achievements this year, Adele could make it past "The Bodyguard" and into unprecedented VIP chart territory.

That "21" will likely serve as a popular holiday stocking-stuffer and that the early part of a new year generally brings a lack of superstar releases could also favor Adele in her quest to tally more weeks at No. 1 with the set.

(Before the end of the year, Adele will face competition from potential new chart-topping albums from Coldplay and Justin Bieber, as well as ... Adele. Her concert CD/DVD "Live at the Royal Albert Hall," featuring live versions of 10 of the 12 songs on "21," arrives Nov. 29).


'21' = 19: Like we ever run out of Adele chart feats.

On Billboard's Adult Contemporary ranking, "Rolling in the Deep" remains at No. for a 19th week, becoming just the 10th song in the survey's 50-year history to notch at least that many frames at the summit.

Here is a recap of the titles with the most weeks at No. 1 on Adult Contemporary:

Weeks at No. 1, Title, Artist, year Reached No. 1
28, "Drift Away," Uncle Kracker featuring Dobie Gray, 2003
22, "Hey, Soul Sister," Train, 2010
21, "Breakaway," Kelly Clarkson, 2005
21, "A New Day Has Come," Celine Dion, 2002
20, "Just the Way You Are," Bruno Mars, 2010
19, "Rolling in the Deep," Adele, 2011
19, "Bubbly," Colbie Caillat, 2008

19, "Bad Day," Daniel Powter, 2006
19, "You'll Be in My Heart," Phil Collins, 1999
19, "Because You Loved Me," Celine Dion, 1996

(Prior to the Adult Contemporary chart's adoption of Nielsen BDS data in 1993, Paul Mauriat's "Love Is Blue" ruled the longest: 11 weeks in 1968).

As "Deep" dominates for a 19th week, Adele's "Someone Like You" pushes 7-6. The latter song concurrently tops Adult Pop Songs for a third frame.


NEXT: Justin Bieber Ushers in the Holiday Season