This is a list of the world's best-selling albums of recorded music in physical mediums, such as vinyl, audio cassettes or compact discs. 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 and certified at least 10 million units (the equivalent of a diamond certification by the RIAA). [lower-alpha 1] 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. Certified copies are sourced either from available online databases of local music industry associations or a country with an established certifying authority (see List of music recording certifications).
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 (White Album) — 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 between 70 and 100 million copies worldwide, [4] is the best-selling album ever. [5] [6] [7] Jackson also currently has the highest number of albums on the list with five, while Celine Dion has four and the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Madonna and Whitney Houston 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. If two or more artists have the same claimed sales, they are then ranked by certified units and thereafter by the artist's last 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. [8]
Colors |
---|
Studio albums |
Greatest hits and compilations |
Soundtracks |
Live albums |
*All sales figures are shown in millions
Artist | Album | Released | Genre | Total certified copies (from available markets)* | Reported sales* | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Michael Jackson | Thriller | 1982 | Pop, post-disco, funk, rock | 51.2
| 70-100 | [5] [6] [31] [32] |
AC/DC | Back in Black | 1980 | Hard rock | 50 | [40] | |
Whitney Houston / various artists | The Bodyguard | 1992 | R&B, soul, pop, soundtrack | 28.7
| 50 | [46] |
Pink Floyd | The Dark Side of the Moon | 1973 | Progressive rock | 45 | [48] | |
Michael Jackson | Bad | 1987 | Pop, R&B, funk, rock | 21.2
| 45 | [54] [55] [56] |
Eagles | Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) | 1976 | Country rock, soft rock, folk rock | 44 | [57] | |
Meat Loaf | Bat Out of Hell | 1977 | Hard rock, glam rock, progressive rock | 43 | [59] | |
Eagles | Hotel California | 1976 | Soft rock | 42 | [61] | |
Shania Twain | Come On Over | 1997 | Country, pop | 30.4
| 40 | [64] [65] |
Fleetwood Mac | Rumours | 1977 | Soft rock | 40 | [69] [70] | |
Bee Gees / Various artists | Saturday Night Fever | 1977 | Disco | 40 | [72] [73] |
*All sales figures are shown in millions
Artist | Album | Released | Genre | Total certified copies (from available markets)* | Claimed sales* | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Led Zeppelin | Led Zeppelin IV | 1971 | Hard rock, heavy metal, folk rock | 37 | [75] | |
Michael Jackson | Dangerous | 1991 | New jack swing, R&B, pop | 17.0
| 35 | [77] [78] [79] |
Alanis Morissette | Jagged Little Pill | 1995 | Alternative rock | 26.4
| 33 | [83] [84] |
Various artists | Dirty Dancing | 1987 | Pop, rock, R&B | 32 | [86] | |
Celine Dion | Falling into You | 1996 | Pop, soft rock | 21.1
| 32 | [88] |
Adele | 21 | 2011 | Pop, soul | 27.4
| 31 | [99] |
The Beatles | 1 | 2000 | Rock | 23.2
| 31 | [101] |
Metallica | Metallica | 1991 | Heavy metal | 22.7
| 31 | [103] |
Celine Dion | Let's Talk About Love | 1997 | Pop, soft rock | 20.5
| 31 | [107] |
Bob Marley and the Wailers | Legend: The Best of Bob Marley & The Wailers | 1984 | Reggae | 22.9
| 30 | [108] |
Guns N' Roses | Appetite for Destruction | 1987 | Hard rock | 22.8
| 30 | [110] [111] |
Bruce Springsteen | Born in the U.S.A. | 1984 | Heartland rock | 30 | [114] | |
ABBA | Gold: Greatest Hits | 1992 | Pop, disco | 21.6
| 30 | [119] |
Dire Straits | Brothers in Arms | 1985 | Roots rock, blues rock, soft rock | 21.1
| 30 | [121] [122] |
Madonna | The Immaculate Collection | 1990 | Pop, dance | 20.8
| 30 | [125] |
Santana | Supernatural | 1999 | Latin rock | 20.8
| 30 | [126] |
Pink Floyd | The Wall | 1979 | Progressive rock | 30 | [128] | |
The Beatles | Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band | 1967 | Rock | 30 | [129] | |
Whitney Houston | Whitney Houston | 1985 | Pop, R&B | 30 | [132] | |
The Beatles | Abbey Road | 1969 | Rock | 30 | [134] |
*All sales figures are shown in millions
Artist | Album | Released | Genre | Total certified copies (from available markets)* | Claimed sales* | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Norah Jones | Come Away with Me | 2002 | Jazz | 19.9
| 28 | [136] |
Mariah Carey | Music Box | 1993 | Pop, R&B | 17.8
| 28 | [137] |
Various artists | Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture | 1978 | Rock and roll | 28 | [139] | |
Eminem | The Eminem Show | 2002 | Hip hop | 19.1
| 27 | [141] [142] |
James Horner | Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture | 1997 | Film score | 18.1
| 27 | [145] |
Nirvana | Nevermind | 1991 | Grunge, alternative rock | 17.8
| 26 | [147] |
Eric Clapton | Unplugged | 1992 | Acoustic rock, acoustic blues | 17
| 26 | [149] |
Queen | Greatest Hits | 1981 | Rock | 20.6
| 25 | [150] |
Britney Spears | ...Baby One More Time | 1999 | Pop | 20.1
| 25 | [152] |
Journey | Greatest Hits | 1988 | Rock, hard rock, pop rock | 25 | [154] | |
Phil Collins | No Jacket Required | 1985 | Pop rock | 25 | [155] | |
Eminem | The Marshall Mathers LP | 2000 | Hip hop | 17.5
| 25 | [157] |
Linkin Park | Hybrid Theory | 2000 | Nu metal, rap metal, alternative metal | 17.2
| 25 | [159] |
U2 | The Joshua Tree | 1987 | Rock | 25 | [160] | |
Prince and The Revolution | Purple Rain | 1984 | Pop rock, new wave, R&B | 25 | [162] | |
Bon Jovi | Slippery When Wet | 1986 | Hard rock, glam metal | 25 | [164] | |
Carole King | Tapestry | 1971 | Pop | 25 | [165] | |
Madonna | True Blue | 1986 | Pop, dance | 14.5
| 25 | [166] |
Simon & Garfunkel | Bridge over Troubled Water | 1970 | Folk rock | 25 | [167] | |
George Michael | Faith | 1987 | Pop, R&B, funk, soul | 25 | [169] | |
Elton John | Greatest Hits | 1974 | Pop | 24 | [170] | |
Backstreet Boys | Millennium | 1999 | Pop | 18.4
| 24 | [171] |
Adele | 25 | 2015 | Soul, pop, R&B | 19
| 23 | [173] |
Spice Girls | Spice | 1996 | Pop | 16.4
| 23 | [175] [176] |
Ace of Base | Happy Nation/The Sign | 1993 | Pop | 23 | [177] | |
Michael Jackson | HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I | 1995 | R&B, pop, hip hop | 15.2
| 22 | [179] |
Celine Dion | All the Way... A Decade of Song | 1999 | Pop | 14.4
| 22 | [180] |
Madonna | Like a Virgin | 1984 | Pop, dance | 21 | [181] | |
Bon Jovi | Cross Road | 1994 | Hard rock, glam metal | 11.6
| 21 | [182] |
Hootie & the Blowfish | Cracked Rear View | 1994 | Roots rock, heartland rock | 20 | [183] | |
Elvis Presley | Elvis' Christmas Album | 1957 | Christmas, pop, gospel, rock and roll | 20 | [185] [186] [187] | |
Boston | Boston | 1976 | Arena rock, hard rock | 20 | [188] | |
Mariah Carey | Daydream | 1995 | Pop, R&B | 20 | [189] | |
Green Day | Dookie | 1994 | Pop punk, punk rock, alternative rock | 14.6
| 20 | [192] |
Whitney Houston | Whitney | 1987 | Pop, R&B | 20 | [194] | |
Shania Twain | The Woman in Me | 1995 | Country, pop | 20 | [195] | |
Britney Spears | Oops!... I Did It Again | 2000 | Pop | 14.4
| 20 | [196] |
Def Leppard | Hysteria | 1987 | Hard rock, glam metal | 20 | [198] | |
Lauryn Hill | The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill | 1998 | Neo Soul, R&B, Hip Hop | 20 | [199] [200] [201] | |
Tracy Chapman | Tracy Chapman | 1988 | Folk rock | 13.3
| 20 | [204] |
Lionel Richie | Can't Slow Down | 1983 | Pop, R&B, soul | 20 | [205] | |
Michael Jackson | Off the Wall | 1979 | Disco, pop, funk, R&B | 20 | [207] | |
Fugees | The Score | 1996 | Alternative hip hop | 11.6
| 20[ disputed ] | [209] |
Oasis | (What's the Story) Morning Glory? | 1995 | Britpop, rock | 11.6
| 22 | [211] [212] |
Celine Dion | The Colour of My Love | 1993 | Pop | 20 | [213] |
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 | [214] [215] |
After 1946 | Al Jolson | The Jolson Story | 1 | [216] | |
1956 | Various Artists | Oklahoma! (LP album) | 1.75 | 2.5 | [217] |
1956/1957 | Various Artists | My Fair Lady | 2 | 5 | [218] [219] [220] |
1960 | Various Artists | South Pacific | 2.25 | 3 | [221] |
1963 | Vaughn Meader | The First Family | 4 | 7.5 | [222] [223] |
1968 | Various Artists | The Sound of Music | 8 WW | [224] | |
1973 | Carole King | Tapestry | 10+ | [225] | |
1975/1976 | Various Artists | The Sound of Music | 10–15 SM-T | [226] [227] | |
1976 | Carole King | Tapestry | 13.5 SM-T | 25 | [228] |
1979 | Bee Gees/Various Artists | Saturday Night Fever | 25–27 | 40 | [229] [230] |
1984 | Michael Jackson | Thriller | 35 | 70 | [7] [231] |
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. [232]
In 2022, for sales of albums in 2021, IFPI reported three formats of sales chart, the Global all-format chart which includes all physical sales, digital downloads and streaming numbers, newly created Global vinyl album chart counting vinyl physical sales, combination of physical sales and digital downloads as Global album sales chart.
Year | Album | Artist(s) | Sales (millions) | Ref(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
2001 | Hybrid Theory | Linkin Park | 9.0 | [233] |
2002 | The Eminem Show | Eminem | 13.9 | [234] |
2003 | Come Away with Me | Norah Jones | 11.0 | [235] |
2004 | Confessions | Usher | 12.0 | [236] |
2005 | X&Y | Coldplay | 8.3 | [237] |
2006 | High School Musical | Various Artists | 7.0 | [238] |
2007 | High School Musical 2 | 6.0 | [239] | |
2008 | Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends | Coldplay | 6.8 | [240] |
2009 | I Dreamed a Dream | Susan Boyle | 8.3 | [241] |
2010 | Recovery | Eminem | 5.7 | [242] |
2011 | 21 | Adele | 18.1 | [234] |
2012 | 8.3 | [243] | ||
2013 | Midnight Memories | One Direction | 4.0 | [244] |
2014 | Frozen | Various Artists | 10.0 | [245] |
2015 | 25 | Adele | 17.4 | [246] |
2016 | Lemonade | Beyoncé | 2.5 | [247] |
2017 | ÷ | Ed Sheeran | 6.1 | [248] |
2018 | The Greatest Showman | Hugh Jackman & Various Artists | 3.5 | [249] |
2019 | 5x20 All the Best!! 1999–2019 | Arashi | 3.3 | [250] |
2020 | Map of the Soul: 7 | BTS | 4.8 | [251] |
2021 | 30 | Adele | 4.68 | [252] |
2022 | Greatest Works of Art | Jay Chou | 7.2 | [253] |
2023 | FML | Seventeen | 6.2 | [254] [255] |
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory.
Aquarium is the debut studio album by Danish band Aqua, released on 26 March 1997. The album is best known for including the globally successful single "Barbie Girl", which went on to become a widely recognizable hit around the world, as well as the popular track “Lollipop (Candyman)”. The album also featured the songs "Doctor Jones" and "Turn Back Time". In early 1997, the release of Aquarium was initially preceded by the singles "Roses Are Red" and "My Oh My", which was released a second time in 1998.
American rock musician Bruce Springsteen has released 21 studio albums, 23 live albums, 77 singles, and 66 music videos. Widely referred to as "The Boss" by the media, Springsteen has sold over 150 million records worldwide, listing him among the best-selling music artists in history. Billboard ranked him as the 24th Greatest Artist of all time. According to Recording Industry Association of America, he has sold 65.5 million albums in the United States, making him the 7th best-selling male soloist of all time. Born in the U.S.A. remains the best-selling album of his career, selling more than 30 million copies around the world.
Nellyville is the second studio album by American rapper Nelly. It was released on June 25, 2002, by Universal Records and Fo' Reel Entertainment. The album's production was handled by Waiel Yaghnam, the Neptunes, Jay E, Trackboyz, Ryan Bowser, and Just Blaze. Two singles from Nellyville, "Hot in Herre" and "Dilemma", both topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for respectively seven and ten weeks. The album received generally favorable reviews from music critics, who praised the production.
American singer Britney Spears has released nine studio albums, eight compilation albums, nine box sets, three extended plays (EPs), 50 singles, 11 promotional singles, two charity singles, and has made three guest appearances. In 1997, Spears signed a recording contract with American record label Jive Records in order to launch her career.
A remix album is an album consisting of remixes or rerecorded versions of an artist's earlier released material. The first act who employed the format was American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson. As of 2007, the best-selling remix album of all time is Michael Jackson's Blood on the Dance Floor: HIStory in the Mix (1997).
The discography of American pop vocal group Backstreet Boys consists of ten studio albums, 31 singles, one live album, three compilation albums and 33 music videos. As of 2019, they have sold more than 130 million records worldwide, becoming the best-selling boy band of all time. Formed in Orlando, Florida in 1993, the group consists of Nick Carter, Brian Littrell, Kevin Richardson, AJ McLean and Howie Dorough. Richardson left the group in 2006 to pursue other interests, but rejoined in 2012. The Backstreet Boys released their debut single "We've Got It Goin' On" in 1995, which peaked at number sixty-nine on the Billboard Hot 100. The single, however, entered the top ten in many European countries. Their debut album, Backstreet Boys, was released internationally in 1996, and was certified three times platinum in Europe, and diamond in Canada. In 1997, they released their second international album, Backstreet's Back, which continued their international success. At the same time, they released their second self-titled album in the United States. It peaked at number four and eventually became the tenth best-selling album of the 1990s.
American rapper Eminem has released 11 studio albums, two compilation albums, and one extended play. His music has been released on record labels Interscope Records and Aftermath Entertainment, along with subsidiaries Web Entertainment and his own Shady Records. Eminem is the best-selling rapper of all time and the best-selling artist of the 2000s with US album sales at over 32.25 million during the decade. With sales of over 220 million records worldwide, he is among of the best-selling music artists of all time. According to the RIAA, Eminem has sold 227.5 million certified albums and singles in the United States. In his home country, he has earned 50 platinum albums and 10 number one albums.[A]
American entertainer Cher has released 27 studio albums, 10 compilation albums, two soundtrack albums, and three live albums. Widely recognized as the Goddess of Pop, Cher has sold over 100 million records worldwide and a further 40 million as part of Sonny & Cher, making her one of the best-selling female recording artists in history. Billboard ranked her as the 109th Greatest Artist of all time and the 49th Greatest Hot 100 Artist of all time. According to RIAA, she has sold 12.5 million albums in the United States. Her signature hit "Believe" has sold more than 11 million copies worldwide, and it is the UK's best-selling single by a female artist in history, and one of the best-selling physical singles of all time.
American singer and songwriter Pink has released nine studio albums, one live album, five video albums, six compilation albums, 59 singles, six promotional singles, and 51 music videos. Throughout her career, Pink has sold 60 million albums, 75 million singles and 2.4 million DVDs worldwide. According to RIAA, she has sold 18 million albums and 13.5 million digital singles. She is also UK's second best-selling female artist of the 21st century. Billboard ranked her as the fifth top female artist of the 2000s, eighth top female artist of the 2010s and the 59th greatest artist of all time. Official Charts Company hailed her as UK's most played female artist of the 21st century.
Coast to Coast is the second studio album by Irish boy band Westlife. It was released on 6 November 2000 by RCA Records. Five hit singles were released from the album: "Against All Odds", "My Love", "What Makes a Man", "I Lay My Love on You" and "When You're Looking Like That". The album was a commercial success in both Ireland and the United Kingdom, selling 1.8 million copies in Britain alone. The album was the third-best selling of 2000 in Britain. As of October 2001, it sold seven million copies worldwide.
The American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift has released 11 original studio albums, 4 re-recorded albums, 5 extended plays (EPs), and 4 live albums. Her albums discography has accumulated 114 million album-equivalent units worldwide, 51 million of which are certified in the United States. In terms of pure sales, she has tallied 46.6 million albums in the United States and 7 million albums in the United Kingdom. On the US Billboard 200, as of May 2024, she has accumulated 14 number-one albums—seven of which sold one million first-week copies—and spent 74 weeks at number one, more than any other solo act.
The discography of American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake consists of six studio albums, two compilation albums, three extended plays, and 51 singles. Timberlake started his music career in 1995, as a member of boy band NSYNC. Following the group's hiatus in 2002, he released his solo debut studio album, Justified, in November that same year. The album was a commercial success and peaked at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart and additionally topped the charts in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Justified earned multiple multi-platinum certifications, including a triple platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and a sextuple platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). It produced four singles: "Like I Love You", "Cry Me a River", "Rock Your Body" and "Señorita"; all performed well commercially, with two of them becoming top 5 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and top two hits on the UK Singles Chart. "Rock Your Body" also reached number one in Australia.
"'Till I Collapse" is a song by American rapper Eminem featuring American singer Nate Dogg, released from his fourth studio album The Eminem Show (2002). Despite never being released as a single, the song has managed to chart numerous times worldwide and is the most streamed non-single of all time on Spotify as of June 2022.
The discography of Canadian singer Justin Bieber consists of six studio albums, three remix albums, three compilation albums, two extended plays, 76 singles, and 10 promotional singles. Bieber has attained eight number-one hits on the US Billboard Hot 100 and eight number-one albums on the US Billboard 200 charts. As of June 2019, Bieber has sold an estimated 150 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), he has sold 24 million albums and 121 million digital singles units as a lead artist, in the United States. Bieber was named the "Greatest Pop Star of 2016" by Billboard. He was also named the Billboard Year-End Top Male Artist for 2016 and placed number seven on the magazine's Decade-End Top Artists Chart for the 2010s.
American singer-songwriter Bruno Mars has released three studio albums, one collaborative studio album, one EP, 32 singles and four promotional singles. With estimated sales of over 26 million albums and 200 million singles worldwide, Mars is one of the best-selling artists of all time. Six of his singles are among the best-selling singles of all time: in order of release date, "Just the Way You Are", "Grenade", "The Lazy Song", "When I Was Your Man", "Uptown Funk" and "That's What I Like". According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), he has sold 91.5 million copies in the United States. His first two albums have sold 5.04 million copies in the US market alone. In 2012, Mars was named 2011's best selling music artist worldwide. In 2022, he became the first artist to receive six diamond certified songs in the United States.
The discography of English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran consists of seven studio albums, seventeen extended plays, one video album, sixty-five singles, eight promotional singles, one box set, and seventy-one music videos. As of October 2021, Sheeran has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists in history. According to RIAA, Sheeran is the 13th best-selling digital singles artist in the United States with certified sales of 80.5 million.
The discography of Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd consists of five studio albums, nine extended plays, three mixtapes, three compilation albums, one soundtrack album, one live album, 75 single releases, and 13 promotional singles. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), the Weeknd has accumulated 18.5 million certified album units and 113 million certified digital single units in the US, based on sales and on-demand streaming, as of January 2024.
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ignored (help)Her 1995 album Jagged Little Pill is a pop-rock classic that sold more than 33 million copies worldwide.
The next two BSB albums ("Backstreet's Back" and "Millennium") enjoyed worldwide sales of 24 million copies each.
first time that a complete score of a Broadway musical was put on wax, by 1945 sales were at half a million
1 million copies were sold by 1958, 2.25 million by 1960, almost 3 million by 1963
...25 million copies sold worldwide by May 1, 1979