Joni Mitchell Reaches A Chart For The First Time, More Than Half A Century Into Her Career

by Hugh McIntyre
Forbes
October 18, 2024

Joni Mitchell hasn't released a new album of original material in more than 17 years, and she may never do so again. The singer-songwriter is still active, though, as she performs from time to time, and regularly shares compilations, live collections, and other retrospective projects that shine a light on her incredible talent and the many amazing compositions she's worked on throughout the decades.

One of those efforts, Archives - Vol. 4, debuts on three charts in the United Kingdom this week. Fans of the musician bought the title in large numbers, ensuring it became an immediate win on a number of tallies.

Archives - Vol. 4 brings Mitchell back to a handful of tallies in the country she's landed on before, adding to her growing list of commercial wins in the U.K. The archival release also helps her land on another ranking - one which she's never managed to reach before.

The throwback gathering of songs from Mitchell's past debuts highest on the Official Americana chart, where it launches at No. 6. That list tracks the most successful projects in the nation that can be classified as Americana when it comes to genre. Archives - Vol. 4 marks the Grammy winner's first placement on the tally.

Archives - Vol. 4 is also a top 40 smash on the other two rankings it debuts on this week. Mitchell's latest blasts in at No. 35 on the Official Physical Albums list and No. 38 on the Official Albums Sales chart.

Mitchell has spent the past several years releasing and re-releasing older material in a number of new configurations, which always seem to interest her huge fan base. Her archives series - which continues with Archives - Vol. 4 - started in the summer of 2021 and has progressed fairly steadily.