List of best-selling albums
This is a list of the world's best-selling albums of recorded music. To appear on the list, the figure must have been published by a reliable source and the album must have sold at least 20 million copies. This list can contain any types of album, including studio albums, extended plays, greatest hits, compilations, various artists, soundtracks and remixes. The figures given do not take into account the resale of used albums.[lower-alpha 1]
All albums included on this list have their available claimed figures supported by at least 30% in certified copies. The percentage amount of certified sales needed increases the newer the album is, so albums released before 1975 are only expected to have their claimed figures supported by at least 30% in certified copies. However, newer albums, such as 21 and Come Away with Me, are expected to have their claimed figures supported by at least 70% in certified copies. Certified copies are sourced from available online databases of local music industry associations. This is the reason why albums that would otherwise make the list, such as The Sound of Music, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, Parallel Lines, Spirits Having Flown, Private Dancer, Janet, Believe, Bolo Ta Ra Ra.., Human Clay, Laundry Service and Back to Black, have not been included.
As a result of the methodology that the American and Canadian certification-awarding bodies (the RIAA and Music Canada respectively) use, each disc in a multi-disc set is counted as one unit toward certification, leading to many double albums on the list—such as Pink Floyd's The Wall and the Beatles' The Beatles—being certified with a number double the number of copies sold there. Such albums have the certifications for the number of copies (not discs) shipped indicated. Conversely, the American certification level for double albums that fit onto one compact disc, such as the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack reflect the actual number of copies sold. In 2016, RIAA included streaming in addition to track sales and album sales based on the concept of album-equivalent unit for certification purposes, and certification therefore no longer reflects shipment alone.[1][2] For example, in the update of the certification for Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) by the Eagles in August 2018, the album was certified 38× Platinum (increasing from the previous 29× Platinum certification in 2006) based on the new criteria, making it then the album with the highest certification in the United States.[3]
Michael Jackson's Thriller, estimated to have sold 66 million copies worldwide, is the best-selling album.[4] Although sales estimates for Thriller have been as high as 120 million copies, these sales figures are unreliable.[5] Jackson also currently has the highest number of albums on the list with five, Celine Dion has four, while Whitney Houston, The Beatles and Madonna each have three.
Groupings are based on different sales benchmarks, the highest being for claims of at least 40 million copies, and the lowest being for claims of 20–29 million copies. Albums are listed in order of number of copies sold and thereafter by the artist's first name. Markets' order within the table is based on the number of compact discs sold in each market, largest market at the top and smallest at the bottom.[6]
Legend
Colors | |
---|---|
Studio albums | |
Greatest hits and compilations | |
Soundtracks | |
Live albums |
40 million copies or more
*All sales figures are shown in millions
30–39 million copies
*All sales figures are shown in millions
Artist | Album | Released | Genre | Total certified copies (from available markets)* |
Claimed sales* | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Various artists | Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture | 1978 | Rock and roll | 38 | [49] | |
Led Zeppelin | Led Zeppelin IV | 1971 | Hard rock, heavy metal, folk rock | 35 | ||
Michael Jackson | Bad | 1987 | Pop, rhythm and blues, funk and rock | 35 | [51][52][53] | |
Alanis Morissette | Jagged Little Pill | 1995 | Alternative rock | 33 | [54][55] | |
Michael Jackson | Dangerous | 1991 | New jack swing, R&B and pop | 32 | [56] | |
Celine Dion | Falling into You | 1996 | Pop, soft rock |
20.2
|
32 | [58] |
Eagles | Hotel California | 1976 | Soft rock | 32 | [59] | |
The Beatles | Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band | 1967 | Rock | 32 | [60] | |
Various artists | Dirty Dancing | 1987 | Pop, rock, R&B | 32 | [61] | |
Adele | 21 | 2011 | Pop, soul |
25.3
|
31 | [74] |
Madonna | The Immaculate Collection | 1990 | Pop, dance | 31 | [77] | |
Celine Dion | Let's Talk About Love | 1997 | Pop, soft rock |
19.3
|
31 | [80] |
Metallica | Metallica | 1991 | Heavy metal | 31 | [81] | |
The Beatles | 1 | 2000 | Rock |
23.4
|
31 | [84] |
ABBA | Gold: Greatest Hits | 1992 | Pop, disco |
23.0
|
30 | [88] |
The Beatles | Abbey Road | 1969 | Rock | 30 | [89] | |
Bruce Springsteen | Born in the U.S.A. | 1984 | Heartland rock | 30 | [90] | |
Dire Straits | Brothers in Arms | 1985 | Roots rock, blues rock, soft rock | 30 | [91][92] | |
James Horner | Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture | 1997 | Film score |
18.1
|
30 | [95] |
Nirvana | Nevermind | 1991 | Grunge, alternative rock |
16.7
|
30 | [96] |
Pink Floyd | The Wall | 1979 | Progressive rock | 30 | [98] | |
Santana | Supernatural | 1999 | Latin rock |
20.5
|
30 | [99] |
Guns N' Roses | Appetite for Destruction | 1987 | Hard rock | 30 | [100][101] |
20–29 million copies
*All sales figures are shown in millions
Timeline of the best-selling albums
Year record set | Artist | Album | Record setting sales (millions) | Total sales (millions) | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1945 | Various Artists | Oklahoma! (78 rpm album) | 0.5 | 1.0 | [154][155] |
1956 | Various Artists | Oklahoma! (LP album) | 1.75 | 2.5 | [156] |
1956/1957 | Various Artists | My Fair Lady | 2 | 5 | [157][158][159] |
1960 | Various Artists | South Pacific | 2.25 | 3 | [160] |
1963 | Vaughn Meader | The First Family | 4 | 7.5 | [161][162] |
1968 | Various Artists | The Sound of Music | 8WW | [163] | |
1973 | Carole King | Tapestry | 10+ | [164] | |
1975/1976 | Various Artists | The Sound of Music | 10–15SM-T | [165][166] | |
1976 | Carole King | Tapestry | 13.5SM-T | 25 | [167] |
1979 | Bee Gees/Various Artists | Saturday Night Fever | 25–27 | 40 | [168][169] |
1984 | Michael Jackson | Thriller | 35 | 66 | [4][170] |
- Notes
- WWIt is unclear whether this sales figure refers to worldwide sales or US sales.
- SM-TThe exact year in which Tapestry regained the title of "best-selling album of all-time", if it ever regained it at all, is unclear. The album's 1976 sales claim is therefore only listed to be inclusive, as it is plausible that Tapestry had overtaken The Sound of Music in sales during this time period.
Best-selling album by year worldwide
The charts of the best-selling albums by year in the world are compiled by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry annually since 2001. These charts are published in their two annual reports, the Digital Music Report and the Recording Industry in Numbers. Both the Digital Music Report and the Recording Industry in Numbers were replaced in 2016 by the Global Music Report.[171]
Units sold include physical copies and digital downloads.
Year | Album | Artist(s) | Sales (millions) |
Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
2001 | Hybrid Theory | Linkin Park | 8.5 | [172] |
2002 | The Eminem Show | Eminem | 13.9 | [173] |
2003 | Come Away with Me | Norah Jones | 18.0 | [174][175] |
2004 | Confessions | Usher | 12.0 | [176] |
2005 | X&Y | Coldplay | 8.3 | [177] |
2006 | High School Musical | Various Artists | 7.0 | [178] |
2007 | High School Musical 2 | 6.0 | [179] | |
2008 | Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends | Coldplay | 6.8 | [180] |
2009 | I Dreamed a Dream | Susan Boyle | 8.3 | [181] |
2010 | Recovery | Eminem | 5.7 | [182] |
2011 | 21 | Adele | 18.1 | [173] |
2012 | 8.3 | [183] | ||
2013 | Midnight Memories | One Direction | 4.0 | [184] |
2014 | Frozen | Various Artists | 9.0 | [185] |
2015 | 25 | Adele | 17.4 | [186] |
2016 | Lemonade | Beyoncé | 2.5 | [187] |
2017 | ÷ | Ed Sheeran | 6.1 | [188] |
2018 | The Greatest Showman | Hugh Jackman & Various Artists | 3.5 | [189] |
2019 | 5x20 All the Best!! 1999–2019 | Arashi | 3.3 | [190] |
See also
Notes
- To be on this list, albums released:
- before 1975 are required to have their claimed sales figures supported by 30% in certified units.
- between 1975 and 1990 are required to have their claimed figures supported by 30–50% in certified units. (That is 1.33% for each additional year after 1975.)
- between 1990 and 2000 are required to have their claimed figures supported by 50–60% in certified units. (That is 1% for each additional year after 1990.)
- in 2000 and onwards are required to have their claimed figures supported by 60–80% in certified units. (That is 1.33% for each additional year after 2000.)
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- The Bodyguard Soundtrack worldwide sales:
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