These are the Billboard Magazine number one albums of 1972, per the Billboard 200.
| Issue Date | Album | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | Music | Carole King |
| January 8 | ||
| January 15 | ||
| January 22 | American Pie | Don McLean |
| January 29 | ||
| February 5 | ||
| February 12 | ||
| February 19 | ||
| February 26 | ||
| March 4 | ||
| March 11 | Harvest | Neil Young |
| March 18 | ||
| March 25 | America | America |
| April 1 | ||
| April 8 | ||
| April 15 | ||
| April 22 | ||
| April 29 | First Take | Roberta Flack |
| May 6 | ||
| May 13 | ||
| May 20 | ||
| May 27 | ||
| June 3 | Thick as a Brick | Jethro Tull |
| June 10 | ||
| June 17 | Exile on Main St. | The Rolling Stones |
| June 24 | ||
| July 1 | ||
| July 8 | ||
| July 15 | Honky Château | Elton John |
| July 22 | ||
| July 29 | ||
| August 5 | ||
| August 12 | ||
| August 19 | Chicago V | Chicago |
| August 26 | ||
| September 2 | ||
| September 9 | ||
| September 16 | ||
| September 23 | ||
| September 30 | ||
| October 7 | ||
| October 14 | ||
| October 21 | Super Fly | Curtis Mayfield / Soundtrack |
| October 28 | ||
| November 4 | ||
| November 11 | ||
| November 18 | Catch Bull at Four | Cat Stevens |
| November 25 | ||
| December 2 | ||
| December 9 | Seventh Sojourn | The Moody Blues |
| December 16 | ||
| December 23 | ||
| December 30 |
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