Food rationing had just finished, Queen Elizabeth II had recently ascended to the throne and then, in 1956, came the launch of the Official Albums Chart. To mark seven decades of disc spinning glory, the Official Charts has exclusively unveiled the biggest albums of all time - based on combined UK sales and streaming data.

Top of the hit parade is Queen’s 1981 Greatest Hits. Second is Abba Gold - Greatest Hits, released in 1992. And third is the Oasis classic What’s The Story Morning Glory from 1995. DJ Mark Goodier says: “It’s no surprise to see Queen at number one on this incredible chart.”

With two spells presenting the Top 40 singles chart on BBC Radio 1, from September 1990 to March 1992 and then from April 1995 until November 2002, Mark now hosts Radio 2’s Pick of the Pops, featuring historic chart countdowns from past decades.

He says: “Queen’s enduring appeal across every generation never seems to waver, and with songs like Bohemian Rhapsody, Don’t Stop Me Now, We Will Rock You and We Are The Champions, you’d be hard pressed to find a better Greatest Hits album. It also explains why more than six million copies have been sold in the UK alone.”

Radio 2’s Shaun Keaveny, who hosts Sounds of the 70s, adds: “Since I was allowed access to my Uncle Paul’s hallowed pile of 70s rock albums, I have been obsessed with the gatefold majesty of the album. Elsewhere on the list, from Bob Marley and Abba, from Dark Side of the Moon to Rumours - it’s wall-to-wall smashers!”

Radio 2 Sounds of Soul presenter, Tony Blackburn, is dismayed not to see his favourite album on the list. He says: “The best decade for music was the 60s. It was an era that I'm really glad I grew up in, because it was exciting. I mean there was a lot of rubbish that came out of the Sixties, don't get me wrong - we play the best of it. But they are very memorable songs, that's the thing about it. The Beatles, the Stones, everybody. It was a special time.

“Now I love Jill Scott, Alicia Keys, and Bruno Mars, but nothing beats the Sixties for me. Though, that said, the best album ever for me is Marvin Gaye’s What's Going On from 1971.”

The first-ever UK Albums Chart was launched on July 22, 1956. This was eight years before Tony began his professional radio career on July 28, 1964 - first broadcasting for famous offshore pirate radio station, Radio Caroline South. Now 83, he jokes: “I’ve got a contract with Radio 2 for a couple of years, so you know it's a lifetime contract for me.”

Every Friday afternoon on Radio 1, the UK holds its breath for the Official Albums Chart, which started four years after the Official Singles Chart launch in 1952. The very first charts were compiled through Percy Dickins, who started the Official Charts company.

Chris Austin, Co-Managing Director of Official Charts, says: “He was there phoning around record shops to find out what was most popular on a weekly basis. It was as simple as that to begin with. Asking shops, ‘what are you selling?’ Then, later, he installed diaries into shops and record stores and they would actually write down by hand everything that they were selling in a week.”

Things got slightly more high tech in the 1970s and 80s, with the invention of EPOS scanners and barcodes. The first album Chris ever bought was Bad by Michael Jackson, released in 1987 and at number 12 on the top 70 albums of all time. He says: “That’s when we started collecting data digitally, which takes us all the way through to the modern modern era.”

From 1956 to 2004, album numbers came from physical sales - tapes, records, CDs. Chris continues: “Then downloads came around, iTunes launched, and suddenly every record in history was available to everyone all the time. Before that, it was only what could be held within a record store, or what racking space there was in a supermarket.

“Roll on another 10 years to 2015 and streaming changed the game once again. Now the vast majority of music consumption, thus Chart positions, comes from streaming.”

But the Charts remain a cultural institution in the UK. Chris says: “The Charts has lived on the BBC since the 80s, and from then on into the 90s and 00s, families would listen together and record the tracks direct from radio. Although that obviously wasn’t allowed, we all did it.

“The Chart would also be on Top of the Pops, which was watched by millions. Now it’s on Radio 1, broadcast every Friday afternoon on Jack Saunders’ show. And it remains something that connects with everyone, young and old.”

Listeners still tune in excitedly to find out who will take the coveted number one spot. Chris says: “The artists are passionate about it too. An album is an artist's most complete artistic statement. They want to see fans enjoy it, they want to hear feedback. And we’ve seen that happen on a weekly basis now for 70 years. Ed Sheeran, Sir Elton John, Stormzy and Dave are all massive chart fans.”

And there’s nothing more nail-biting than the race for the Christmas number one. Something, Chris says, is unique to the UK. He says: “It’s not something you see in Ireland, France or the US. And it’s another reason the UK charts are such a cultural phenomenon.

“The reason for Christmas being so big is because it's when all gifting happens. So it’s traditionally when the big artists released their big albums, ready to be wrapped up and put under the tree. So you got these big names all competing for their fans’ hearts. It remains the most exciting time of year.”

In the Charts top 10 albums of all time, there is only one album from the 2010s - 21 by Adele, released in 2011, which sits in fourth place. It’s followed by 1967’s Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band by The Beatles, 1977’s Rumours by Fleetwood Mac and 1973’s The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd, in fifth, sixth and seventh place respectively.

The top 10 is then completed by Michael Jackson’s Thriller (1982), Bob Marley & The Wailers’ Legend (1984) and Dire Straits’ Brothers In Arms (1985).

Nostalgia is king, explains Chris, and the Charts tell the story of albums made to last. He says: “The reason we have such good interaction with catalogue artists and heritage artists is that it’s not the same old people listening to what they grew up on. These are new generations discovering moments in time, brilliant music that's been created across that 70-year span.

“Looking back across those 70 years shows how much music has changed. But also how much those albums still matter 70 years later.”

What are the Official biggest albums of all time in the UK?

1. Greatest Hits by Queen (1981)
2. Gold - Greatest Hits by ABBA (1992)
3. What’s the Story Morning Glory by Oasis (1995)
4. 21 by Adele (2011)
5. Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967)
6. Rumours by Fleetwood Mac (1977)
7. The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd (1973)
8. Thriller by Michael Jackson (1982)
9. Legend by Bob Marley & The Wailers (1984)
10. Brothers In Arms by Dire Straits (1985)