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HBO Series Have Dominated Apple TV Charts

Seven of the top ten shows on the Apple TV Store are productions from HBO.

Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Television

Graphic illustration of vintage magnetic tape reels in deep blue and gold, representing digital media chart dominance.
HBO currently holds seven of the top ten positions on the Apple TV Store, with The Sopranos leading digital sales charts. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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HBO currently holds seven of the top ten positions on the Apple TV Store, with 11 of the network's programs appearing in the top 20. The Sopranos, which premiered in 1999, currently leads the digital chart.

Why it matters

This dominance highlights the enduring popularity of HBO's library catalog, which was recently bolstered by strong representation on critical rankings. The network secured 28 spots on the New York Times 100 Best TV Shows of the 21st Century list, compared to 12 for Netflix.

HBO secured 28 entries on the New York Times 100 Best TV Shows of the 21st Century list, far outpacing the 12 entries credited to Netflix. The ranking was determined by votes from over 500 industry professionals.

The players

HBO

This premium cable and streaming network is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery and is known for producing high-budget drama series.

Apple TV Store

This digital storefront allows users to purchase and view television series and movies on Apple hardware.

The New York Times

This American daily newspaper produces cultural lists and reporting on television and film industry trends.

Netflix

This subscription-based streaming service produces and distributes global film and television content.

The details

The rankings provided by FlixPatrol show The Sopranos at number one and Rome at number two, followed by Six Feet Under, The Wire, True Detective, Barry, and True Blood in the top ten. While these legacy titles lead the store, newer series like the 2019 premiere The Righteous Gemstones continue to contribute to the network's overall presence.

Timeline

  1. 1999: The Sopranos premiered.

  2. 2019: The Righteous Gemstones premiered.

  3. September 2026: The New York Times published its 100 Best TV Shows list.

  4. October 13, 2026: The current Apple TV chart rankings were documented.

Industry Dynamics

The success of these titles illustrates a shift where library content remains highly competitive against newer streaming-first releases. By maintaining high rankings, HBO validates its strategy of focusing on long-term prestige assets over high-volume output.

Viewers can currently purchase these high-ranking series individually through the Apple TV Store. This allows consumers to own permanent digital copies of prestige dramas regardless of which subscription services they currently use.

The takeaway

Legacy television series often retain significant consumer value long after their initial broadcast concludes. Audiences looking for quality programming can use curated critical lists to identify enduring shows that are worth a permanent spot in their digital library.

Further reading

For more on industry shifts, visit the Television section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by CBR.

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Do you prefer watching classic television series over newly released shows?