List of best-selling albums worldwide

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This is a list of the world's best-selling albums. The criteria are that the figure must have been published by a reliable source and the album must have sold at least 20 million copies worldwide. Most albums have conflicting estimates of sales figures. In this list the highest sales figure reported for an album is added to the list. Groupings are based on different sales benchmarks, the highest being for claims of at least 100 million copies, and the lowest being for claims of 20–25 million copies. Albums are listed in order of number of copies sold and there-after by the artist's first name. This list contains any type of album, including studio, greatest hits, compilation, various artists, soundtrack and remix.

A number of issues make exact figures difficult to calculate, historical data before the 1980s and from developing countries are also incomplete. Additionally fans, record companies and the media are prone to exaggerating sales figures to boost the image of the relevant act.

Thriller is the best selling album of all time, though sales figures for the album vary, the album is cited as selling as many as 109 million copies worldwide.[1]


Contents

Over 100 million copies

Artist Album Released Genre Sales (millions) Source
Michael Jackson Thriller 1982 Pop / R&B 100–109 [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

40–49 million copies

Artist Album Released Genre Sales (millions) Source
AC/DC Back in Black 1980 Rock 45 [9]
Eagles Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) 1976 Rock 42 [10]
Whitney Houston / Various artists The Bodyguard 1992 Pop / R&B 42 [11]
Backstreet Boys Millennium 1999 Pop 40 [12][13]
Bee Gees / Various artists Saturday Night Fever 1977 Disco 40 [14]
Pink Floyd The Dark Side of the Moon 1973 Rock 40 [15]

31–39 million copies

Artist Album Released Genre Sales (millions) Source
Shania Twain Come on Over 1997 Country / Pop 39 [16]
Meat Loaf Bat out of Hell 1977 Rock 37 [14]
The Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band 1967 Rock 32 [14]
Céline Dion Falling into You 1996 Pop 32 [16]
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV 1971 Rock 32 [16]
Mariah Carey Music Box 1993 Pop / R&B 32 [17]
Various artists Dirty Dancing 1987 Dance / Pop 32 [14]
Celine Dion Let's Talk About Love 1997 Pop 31 [16]

26–30 million copies

Artist Album Released Genre Sales (millions) Source
Alanis Morissette Jagged Little Pill 1995 Pop 30 [18]
Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys 1997 Pop 30 [19]
The Beatles 1 2000 Rock 30 [16]
The Beatles Abbey Road 1969 Rock 30 [16]
Bee Gees Spirits Having Flown 1979 Disco / Pop 30 [20]
Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A. 1984 Rock 30 [21]
James Horner Titanic 1997 Pop 30 [22]
Dire Straits Brothers in Arms 1985 Rock 30 [23]
Fleetwood Mac Rumours 1977 Rock 30 [24]
Michael Jackson Bad 1987 Pop / R&B 30 [25]
Michael Jackson Dangerous 1991 Pop / R&B 30 [26]
Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet 1986 Rock 28 [27]
Guns N' Roses Appetite for Destruction 1987 Rock 28 [28]
ABBA ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits 1992 Pop 26 [29]
Hootie & The Blowfish Cracked Rear View 1994 Pop 26 [30]
Nirvana Nevermind 1991 Grunge/Rock 26 [31]

20–25 million copies

Artist Album Released Genre Sales (millions) Source
Iron Butterfly In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida 1968 Rock 25 [32]
Mariah Carey Daydream 1995 Pop / R&B 25 [33]
Queen Greatest Hits 1981 Rock 25 [34]
Santana Supernatural 1999 Rock 25 [35]
U2 The Joshua Tree 1987 Rock 25 [36]
Whitney Houston Whitney Houston 1985 Pop / R&B 25 [11]
Backstreet Boys Black & Blue 2000 Pop 24 [13]
Linkin Park Hybrid Theory 2000 Rock 24 [37]
Madonna True Blue 1986 Pop 24 [38]
Michael Crawford / Sarah Brightman The Phantom of the Opera 1986 Stage musical 24 [39]
Ace of Base Happy Nation/The Sign 1994 Pop 23 [40]
Spice Girls Spice 1996 Pop 23 [41]
Carole King Tapestry 1971 Pop 22 [42][43]
Britney Spears ...Baby One More Time 1999 Pop 22 [44]
Madonna The Immaculate Collection 1990 Pop / Dance 22 [45]
Metallica Metallica 1991 Rock 22 [46]
Dido No Angel 1999 Pop 21 [47]
Madonna Like A Virgin 1984 Pop / Dance 21 [48]
Bob Marley & The Wailers Legend: The Best of Bob Marley & The Wailers 1984 Reggae 20 [49][49]
Blondie Parallel Lines 1978 Rock 20 [50]
Céline Dion The Colour of My Love 1993 Pop 20 [51]
Cher Believe 1999 Pop 20 [52]
Def Leppard Hysteria 1987 Rock 20 [53]
George Michael Faith 1987 Pop / R&B 20 [54]
Lionel Richie Can't Slow Down 1983 Pop/R&B 20 [55]
Michael Jackson Off the Wall 1979 Pop/R&B 20 [56]
Norah Jones Come Away With Me 2002 Jazz 20 [57]
Shakira Laundry Service 2001 Pop Rock 20 [58]
Spice Girls Spiceworld 1997 Pop 20 [59]
Tina Turner Private Dancer 1984 Rock 20 [60]
Usher Confessions 2004 R&B 20 [61]

See also

References

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