The Billboard 200, published in Billboard magazine, is a weekly chart that ranks the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States. This data is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan from a universe of merchants that represents more than 90% of the U.S. music retail market. The sample includes music stores and the music departments at electronics and department stores, as well as direct-to-consumer transactions and internet sales.[1]
| † | Indicates best performing album of 1998 |
| Issue date | Album | Artist(s) | Label | Sales | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 3 | Sevens | Garth Brooks | Capitol | 678,000 | [2][3] |
| January 10 | 684,000 | [4][5] | |||
| January 17 | Let's Talk About Love | Celine Dion | 550 Music | 284,000 | [6][7] |
| January 24 | Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture † | James Horner / Soundtrack | Sony Classical | 243,000 | [8][9] |
| January 31 | 419,000 | [10][11] | |||
| February 7 | 664,500 | [12][13] | |||
| February 14 | 582,500 | [14][15] | |||
| February 21 | 588,000 | [16][17] | |||
| February 28 | 847,500 | [18][19] | |||
| March 7 | 562,000 | [20][21] | |||
| March 14 | 505,000 | [22][23] | |||
| March 21 | 477,511 | [24][25] | |||
| March 28 | 448,000 | [26][27] | |||
| April 4 | 454,000 | [28][29] | |||
| April 11 | 476,000 | [30][31] | |||
| April 18 | 390,000 | [32][33] | |||
| April 25 | 410,000 | [34][35] | |||
| May 2 | 268,000 | [36][37] | |||
| May 9 | 184,000 | [38][39] | |||
| May 16 | Before These Crowded Streets | Dave Matthews Band | RCA | 421,000 | [40][41] |
| May 23 | The Limited Series | Garth Brooks | Capitol | 372,410 | [42][43] |
| May 30 | 190,000 | [44][45] | |||
| June 6 | It's Dark and Hell Is Hot | DMX | Ruff Ryders | 251,391 | [46][47] |
| June 13 | City of Angels | Soundtrack | Warner Sunset | 165,000 | [48][49] |
| June 20 | MP Da Last Don | Master P | No Limit | 495,000 | [50][51] |
| June 27 | 217,000 | [52][53] | |||
| July 4 | City of Angels | Soundtrack | Warner Sunset | 169,000 | [54][55] |
| July 11 | 145,000 | [56][57] | |||
| July 18 | Armageddon: The Album | Soundtrack | Columbia | 184,000 | [58][59] |
| July 25 | 236,000 | [60][61] | |||
| August 1 | Hello Nasty | Beastie Boys | Grand Royal | 681,572 | [62][63] |
| August 8 | 315,000 | [64][65] | |||
| August 15 | 244,000 | [66][67] | |||
| August 22 | Da Game Is to Be Sold Not to Be Told | Snoop Dogg | No Limit | 519,000 | [68][69] |
| August 29 | 246,000 | [70][71] | |||
| September 5 | Follow the Leader | Korn | Immortal | 268,000 | [72][73] |
| September 12 | The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill | Lauryn Hill | Ruffhouse | 422,624 | [74][75] |
| September 19 | 265,000 | [76][77] | |||
| September 26 | 214,000 | [78][79] | |||
| October 3 | Mechanical Animals | Marilyn Manson | Nothing | 223,000 | [80][81] |
| October 10 | The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill | Lauryn Hill | Ruffhouse | 168,000 | [82][83] |
| October 17 | Vol. 2... Hard Knock Life | Jay-Z | Roc-A-Fella | 352,000 | [84][85] |
| October 24 | 208,000 | [86][87] | |||
| October 31 | 186,000 | [88][89] | |||
| November 7 | 189,000 | [90][91] | |||
| November 14 | 174,000 | [92][93] | |||
| November 21 | Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie | Alanis Morissette | Maverick | 469,054 | [94][95] |
| November 28 | 268,000 | [96][97] | |||
| December 5 | Double Live | Garth Brooks | Capitol | 1,085,000 | [98][99] |
| December 12 | 649,496 | [100][101] | |||
| December 19 | 423,332 | [102][103] | |||
| December 26 | 450,906 | [104][105] |
