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TheIndependent Albums chart (previously titledTop Independent Albums) ranks the highest-sellingindependent musicalbums andextended plays (EPs) in the United States, as compiled byNielsen SoundScan and published weekly byBillboard magazine.[1] It is used to list artists who are not signed tomajor labels. Rankings are compiled by point-of-purchase sales obtained by Nielsen, and from legalmusic downloads from a variety ofonline music stores. The chart began in the week of February 5, 2000.[2][3]
The top 25 positions are published through theBillboard website, with further chart positions available through apaid subscription to Billboard.biz.[1] As with allBillboard charts, albums appearing on the Independent chart may also concurrently appear on theBillboard 200, the main chart published based solely on sales, as well as any of the otherBillboard charts. In addition, exclusive album titles which are only sold through individual retail sites may also be included in the chart, following a revised chart policy announced on November 7, 2007.[4]
The chart's first number one wasWho Let the Dogs Out byBaha Men,[3] which went on to top the year-end chart for 2001.[5]
Since 2002, Billboard.biz has annually published an end-of-year list of the top 50 best selling independent albums.Billboard also independently announced the highest selling album for 2001.Jason Aldean has topped this chart five times since its inception, twice with his 2009 albumWide Open.