Some artist’s albums have become iconic classics, selling in enormous amounts for many years throughout musical history, with some still selling at a very high rate today. The following is a list of the 10 highest selling albums of all time. In order to be included in this list, all albums have had available claimed figures supported by at least 30% in certified copies, sourced from available online databases of local music industry associations.
This list contains a variety of album types from diverse genres and artists. The following 10 highest selling albums of all time include some of the most emblematic artists and songs ever created. You will know some of these albums, but likely not all of them. Read on to see which albums made the list, the year they were created, the certified number sold, and the record labels that had enough vision to publish them.
The List of the 10 Highest Selling Albums of All Time
10. Come On Over
Total Copies Sold: 40 Million
Artist: Shania Twain
Year Released: 1997
Record Label: Mercury Records
Genre: Country, Pop
Total Certified Copies Sold: 29.9 million
Come On Over is the tenth highest selling album of all time, selling 40 million units. The album was released on November 4, 1997 and is a mix of country, pop, and rock music. It was produced by her then husband, Robert John “Mutt” Langet. A total of twelve singles were released from the album, with it debuting and staying on top of the Billboard Top Country Albums chart for 50 weeks. It currently holds Guinness World Records for the most weeks at No.1 on the chart, the biggest-selling studio album by a solo female artist, and the best-selling album in the USA by a solo female artist.
After releasing her first album The Woman in Me, Come On Over would be entirely produced with Robert John “Mutt” Lange. This enabled much more creative freedom, with Twain and Lange seeking to break the conventional country music formula on the album and explore the country pop genre. Come On Over was nominated for a number of Grammy awards at the 41st and 42nd Annual Grammy Awards. The songs “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” and “Come On Over” won awards for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and Best Country Song, respectively.
9. Rumours
Total Copies Sold: 40 Million
Artist: Fleetwood Mac
Year Released: 1977
Record Label: Warner Records
Genre: Soft Rock
Total Certified Copies Sold: 29.3 million
Rumours is the ninth highest selling album of all time, selling 40 million units. The album is a mix of pop, soft, and folk rock music. It was released on February 4, 1977, produced by Fleetwood Mac, Ken Caillat, and Richard Dashut. Four singles were released from the album, driving this record to the top of the Billboard 200, as-well-as the UK Albums Chart.
Unfortunately, during this time the McVies divorced, but agreed to continue working together. This created a lot of tension and drug abuse in the studio. Irrespective of this turmoil, Rumours was an immediate success, selling over 10 million records in the first month of its release. It was also a critical success, being praised for the performances, production, and even winning the 1977 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. In 2018 it was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry and is considered one of the greatest albums of all time by many music publications.
8. Saturday Night Fever
Total Copies Sold: 40 Million
Artist: Bee Gees / Various Artists
Year Released: 1977
Record Label: RSO Records
Genre: Disco
Total Certified Copies Sold: 22.6 million
Saturday Night Fever is the eighth highest selling album of all time, selling 40 million units. The disco soundtrack album was created for the 1977 film of the same name, released on November 15, 1977. It was performed by the Bee Gees and produced by Bill Oakes. Six singles were released from the album and it stayed on the Billboard charts for 120 weeks.
The Bee Gees were initially not involved in the film until the producer Robert Stigwood reached out and commissioned the project. After hearing the demo, Mr. Stigwood loved it, but asked the group to make the songs more “discoey.” The album went on to become a big success, and is currently the second best selling soundtrack of all time. Saturday Night Fever is said to be the epitome of the disco explosion in popular culture, and even added to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for its cultural significance.
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7. Hotel California
Total Copies Sold: 42 Million
Artist: The Eagles
Year Released: 1976
Record Label: Asylum Records
Genre: Soft Rock
Total Certified Copies Sold: 31.8 million
Hotel California is the seventh highest selling album of all time, selling 42 million units. The rock album was released on December 8, 1976 and was the first album recorded with guitarist Joe Walsh. It was produced by Bill Szymczyk, featuring three singles released from the album. The album topped the US Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart and won record of the year for the song “Hotel California” at the 20th Grammy Awards.
Bernie Leadon, a founding member of the Eagles and the groups country influence, left prior to the creation of Hotel California. It was then that the group decided to move away from the country sound and focus more on rock. During the recording of the album, Black Sabbath was concurrently recording an album in the adjacent studio, leading to many of the Eagles’ sessions being interrupted by the loud noise next door. Hotel California was praised critically upon its release. Throughout music history, it has been named in a number of publications as one of the best albums ever made.
6. The Dark Side of the Moon
Total Copies Sold: 44 Million
Artist: Pink Floyd
Year Released: 1973
Record Label: Capitol Records & Harvest Records
Genre: Progressive Rock
Total Certified Copies Sold: 24.8 million
The Dark Side of the Moon is the sixth highest selling album of all time, selling 44 million units. It was the progressive rock band’s eight studio album, developed primarily during live performances. It would eventually release on March 1, 1973, after months of premiering the new music at live shows. The album was produced by Pink Floyd and featured two singles. The concept album topped the US Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart, where it has remained for a total of 962 weeks.
It was during this time that Syd Barrett, a founding member of the group, left Pink Floyd. The songs on the album reflect Mr. Barrett’s declining mental health state, as-well-as the pressure the group was facing living their intense, but arduous lives as musicians. Themes of the songs included topics such as greed, time, death, conflict, and mental illness. The Dark Side of the Moon is featured on many major “greatest album” publication lists, and is one of the most critically acclaimed albums of all time. It was selected for the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for its aesthetic, historical, and cultural significance.
5. Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975)
Total Copies Sold: 44 Million
Artist: Eagles
Year Released: 1976
Record Label: Asylum Records
Genre: Country Rock, Soft Rock, Folk Rock
Total Certified Copies Sold: 41.2 million
Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) is currently the fifth highest selling album of all time, selling 44 million units. It is the Eagles first compilation album, featuring songs from the first four of the band’s albums, releasing on Februrary 17, 1976. The record would reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart and has spent a total of 239 weeks on the chart. It also has the distinction of being the first album to receive the RIAA’s platinum certification, selling one million copies in 1976.
The album has one exclusive album track and is made up of nine singles released by the Eagles from 1972 to 1975. Initially, the band was not pleased with the release of the record, explaining that this was just the record company squeezing extra revenue from previously released music with very little financial investment; ultimately, they would reason that this allowed them to focus on their iconic album Hotel California, which was a massive success. Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) was selected for the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress for its historical, cultural and aesthetic significance.
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4. Bat Out of Hell
Total Copies Sold: 44 Million
Artist: Meat Loaf
Year Released: 1977
Record Label: Epic Records & Cleveland International Records
Genre: Hard Rock, Glam Rock, Progressive Rock
Total Certified Copies Sold: 21.9 million
Bat Out of Hell is the fourth highest selling album of all time, selling 44 million units. The 1977 album was Meat Loaf’s debut, based on the musical Neverland. It is a mixture of hard rock, pop, and progressive rock. Five singles were released from the album, although initially, the album was barely a modest success, only selling 140,000 units. It was released on October 11, 1977 and produced by Todd Rundgren.
The composer of the album Jim Steinman, also wrote the musical Neverland. Meat Loaf and Steinman felt some of the songs from the score were exceptional, so Steinman developed them into a seven song set for an album. Initially, the duo had difficulty finding a record label willing to distribute their music, taking over two years to find a label that would sign them. Eventually they would sign with Cleveland International Records, however at the parent company Epic Records the album was generally hated. The head of Cleveland International Records, Steve Popovich, was persistent in getting support from Epic Records and CBS Records, as he felt, the album was under promoted. Eventually, the record would find success in the UK, the US, and Canada over time.
3. The Bodyguard
Total Copies Sold: 45 Million
Artist: Whitney Houston / Various Artists
Year Released: 1992
Record Label: Arista Records & BMG
Genre: R&B, Soul, Pop, Soundtrack
Total Certified Copies Sold: 32.4 million
The Bodyguard is currently the third highest selling album of all time, selling 45 million units. The 1992 soundtrack album was created for the film of the same name. It was released on November 17, 1992, produced by Whitney Houston, along with a number of prominent producers including L.A. Reid, Babyface, Daryl Simmons, and BeBe Winans. The album held the 19 year distinction for most weeks on the Billboard 200 by a female artist until 2011. It was also the first album to be verified platinum by the Nielsen SoundScan in one week.
Initially, Houston planned to record “What Becomes of the Broken Hearted” as the movie’s theme song, but upon learning this song would be used for another film, the film’s costar Kevin Costner came up with the idea of recording “I Will Always Love You” (written by Dolly Parton). The Bodyguard had five more singles and is currently the best-selling soundtrack album of all-time, the best selling album by a woman in music history, and best selling album of the decade. It would also win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
2. Back in Black
Total Copies Sold: 50 Million
Artist: AC/DC
Year Released: 1980
Record Label: Atlantic Records & Albert Records
Genre: Hard Rock
Total Certified Copies Sold: 30.1 million
Back in Black is the second highest selling album of all time, selling 50 million units. It was the hard rock band’s seventh studio album, released on July 25, 1980. The album was produced by Robert John “Mutt” Lange and featured four singles. The concept album topped the US Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart, where it remained for a total of 962 weeks.
Back in Black was the first album with Brian Johnson on lead vocals. The previous lead singer Bon Scott, had passed away from alcohol poisoning, but the band decided to continue on. The black cover was designed to represent a mourning sign in memory of the recently deceased vocalist. The album was an instant commercial success, reaching number four on the American chart and debuting at number one on the British albums chart. After the album’s release, the Band’s previous records would all re-enter the British Charts. Back in Black has been included on many prominent top album lists and has been lauded by many critics as some of their best work, and a staple album of rock sound.
1. Thriller
Total Copies Sold: 70 Million
Artist: Michael Jackson
Year Released: 1982
Record Label: Epic Records
Genre: Pop, Post-disco, Funk, Rock
Total Certified Copies Sold: 50.2 million
Thriller is currently the highest selling album of all time, selling 70 million units. The work is a mix of pop, R&B, rock, and funk. Produced by Quincy Jones, the album was released on November 30, 1982 and featured seven singles. Jackson wanted a flawless album, with hits for every track. The record was his first number one on the US Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart, remaining there for 37 weeks.
It was during this time that Michael appeared on the Motown 25, where he debuted his moonwalk dance. This would not only become his signature dance move, but it would propel the album to sell one million copies per week moving forward. Thriller was the first to be the best selling album in the US two years in a row, setting a music industry standard never seen before. It would win a record setting number of awards at the American Music Awards and the Grammys, with eight apiece. The album was also the first Michael Jackson album to feature a guest appearance (Paul McCartney) and in 2008, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame as-well-as preserved to the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. Thriller is arguably the most culturally impactful album ever made.
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