List of best-selling albums in the United States
This is a list of best-selling albums in the United States according to the Recording Industry Association of America. Albums marked with a "≈" are double albums or multiple-disc albums, and therefore are counted accordingly for each sale (see below), some exceptions being Pink Floyd's The Wall, the Beatles' eponymous "White Album" and the Soundtrack for Saturday Night Fever which are double albums but are counted as one according to the RIAA because of their total time length (less than 100 minutes):
Platinum album certification in the United States indicates 1,000,000 albums sold.
The List
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- Spice Girls - "Spice" (Virgin, 1996) - 10 times platinum
- Korn - "Follow The Leader" (BMG, 1998) - 10 times platinum
- Eminem - "The Marshall Mathers LP" (Aftermath, Interscope, 2000) - 10 times platinum
- Britney Spears - Oops!... I Did It Again (Jive, 2000) - 10 times platinum
- Green Day - Dookie (Reprise, 1994) - 10 times platinum
- Ace of Base - The Sign (Arista, 1993) - 10 times platinum
- Faith Hill - Breathe (Warner Bros., 1999) - 10 times platinum
- Madonna - Like a Virgin (Sire, 1984) - 10 times Platinum
- Mariah Carey - Music Box (Columbia, 1993) - 10 times platinum
- Mariah Carey - Daydream (Columbia, 1995) - 10 times platinum
- Dixie Chicks - Fly (Monument, 1999) - 10 times platinum
- Celine Dion - Let's Talk About Love (Epic, 1997) - 10 times platinum
- No Doubt - Tragic Kingdom (Interscope, 1995) - 10 times platinum
- Doobie Brothers - Best of the Doobies (Warner Bros., 1976) - 10 times platinum
- Billy Joel - The Stranger - 10 times platinum
- Aerosmith - Aerosmith's Greatest Hits (Columbia, 1980) - 10 times platinum
- Garth Brooks - The Hits (Capitol, 1994) - 10 times platinum
- Eric Clapton - Unplugged (Reprise, 1992) - 10 times platinum
- Carole King - Tapestry (Ode, 1971) - 10 times platinum
- Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory (Warner Bros., 2000) - 10 times platinum
- ≈ Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin (Atlantic, 1990) - 10 times platinum
- Madonna - The Immaculate Collection (Sire, 1990) - 10 times platinum
- ≈The Notorious B.I.G. - Life After Death (Bad Boy Records, 1997) - 10 times platinum
- Bob Marley & the Wailers - Legend (Tuff Gong, 1984) - 10 times platinum
- Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Greatest Hits (MCA, 1993) - 10 times platinum
- Def Leppard - Pyromania (Mercury, 1983) - 10 times platinum
- Nirvana - Nevermind (Geffen, 1991) - 10 times platinum
- Elton John and others - The Lion King (Walt Disney, 1994) - 10 times platinum
- Lionel Richie - Can't Slow Down (Motown, 1983) - 10 times platinum
- MC Hammer - Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em (Capitol, 1990) - 10 times platinum
- Van Halen - Van Halen (Warner Bros., 1978) - 10 times platinum
- ZZ Top - Eliminator (Warner Bros., 1983) - 10 times platinum
- Van Halen - MCMLXXXIV (Warner Bros., 1984) - 10 times platinum
- Norah Jones - Come Away With Me (Blue Note, 2002) - 10 times platinum
- ≈ Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life (Motown, 1976) - 10 times platinum
- The Beatles - 1 (Capitol, 2000) - 10 times platinum
- U2 - The Joshua Tree (Island, 1987) - 10 times platinum
- *NSYNC - *NSYNC (RCA, 1998) - 10 times platinum
- Patsy Cline - 12 Greatest Hits - (Decca, 1967) - 10 times platinum
- ≈ 2Pac - Greatest Hits (Death Row, 1998) - 9 times platinum
- Mariah Carey - Mariah Carey (Columbia, 1990) - 9 times platinum
- Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill (Def Jam, 1986) - 9 times platinum
- Boyz II Men - Cooleyhighharmony (Motown, 1991) - 9 times platinum
- Garth Brooks - Garth Brooks (Capitol, 1989) - 9 times platinum
- Garth Brooks - Sevens (Capitol, 1997) - 9 times platinum
- Billy Ray Cyrus - Some Gave All (Mercury, 1992) - 9 times platinum
- John Denver - Greatest Hits (RCA, 1974) - 9 times platinum
- Journey - Escape (Columbia, 1981) - 9 times platinum
- Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms (Warner Bros., 1985) - 9 times platinum
- The Doors - The Best of the Doors (Elektra, 1985) - 9 times platinum
- Whitney Houston - Whitney (Arista) - 9 times platinum
- REO Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity (Epic, 1980) - 9 times platinum
- ≈ Smashing Pumpkins - Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (Virgin, 1995) - 9 times platinum
- Elvis Presley - Elvis' Christmas Album (1957) - 9 times platinum
- Will Smith - Big Willie Style (Columbia, 1997) - 9 times platinum
- Various Artists - Footloose (Columbia, 1984) - 9 times platinum
- Various Artists - The Great Band Era - 9 times platinum
- Various Artists - Top Gun (Columbia, 1986) - 9 times platinum
- Usher - Confessions (LaFace, 2004) - 9 times platinum
- Nelly - Country Grammar (Universal, 2000) - 9 times platinum
- Eminem - The Eminem Show (Aftermath, 2002) - 9 times platinum
- Backstreet Boys - Black & Blue (Jive, 2000) - 8 times platinum
- Aerosmith - Toys in the Attic (Columbia, 1975) - 8 times platinum
- Christina Aguilera - Christina Aguilera (RCA, 1999) - 8 times platinum
- ≈ The Beatles - The Beatles Anthology Volume 1 (Capitol, 1995) - 8 times platinum
- Michael Bolton - Time, Love and Tenderness (Columbia, 1991) - 8 times platinum
- Toni Braxton - Secrets (LaFace, 1996) - 8 times platinum
- Toni Braxton - Toni Braxton (LaFace, 1993) - 8 times platinum
- Garth Brooks - The Chase (Capitol) - 8 times platinum
- Garth Brooks - In Pieces (Capitol) - 8 times platinum
- Destiny's Child - The Writing's On The Wall (Columbia, 1999) - 8 times platinum
- Eagles - Hell Freezes Over (Geffen, 1994) - 8 times platinum
- Fleetwood Mac - Greatest Hits (Warner Bros., 1988) - 8 times platinum
- Kenny G - Miracles: The Holiday Album - 8 times platinum
- Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (Ruffhouse, 1998) - 8 times platinum
- Michael Jackson - Bad (Epic, 1987) - 8 times platinum
- ≈ R. Kelly - R. (album) - 8 times platinum
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin (Atlantic, 1969)- 8 times platinum
- Live - Throwing Copper (Radioactive, 1994) - 8 times platinum
- Sarah McLachlan - Surfacing (Arista, 1997) - 8 times platinum
- Metallica - ...And Justice for All (Elektra, 1988) - 8 times platinum
- New Kids on the Block - Hangin' Tough (Columbia, 1988) - 8 times platinum
- The Police - Synchronicity (A&M, 1983) - 8 times platinum
- Queen - Greatest Hits (Elektra, 1981) - 8 times platinum
- Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - Greatest Hits (Capitol)- 8 times platinum
- Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water (Columbia, 1970) - 8 times platinum
- Stone Temple Pilots - Core (Atlantic, 1992) - 8 times platinum
- ≈ George Strait - Strait Out of the Box - 8 times platinum
- U2 - Achtung Baby (Island, 1991) - 8 times platinum
- Various Artists - Grease (soundtrack) (RSO) - 8 times platinum
- Whitesnake - Whitesnake (Geffen, 1987) - 8 times platinum
- Madonna - True Blue (Warner Brothers, 1986) - 8 times platinum
- Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication (Warner, 1999) - 8 times Platinum
Best-Selling Albums by Decade
1950s
- Elvis Presley - Elvis' Christmas Album (1957) 9 million copies
- Johnny Mathis - Merry Christmas (1958) 5 million copies
- My Fair Lady -(Original Broadway Cast) (1956) 3 million copies
- Miles Davis - Kind of Blue (1959) 3 million copies
- Motion Picture Soundtrack - Oklahoma! (1955) 2 million copies
1960s
- The Beatles - Abbey Road (1969) 12 million copies
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II (1969) 12 million copies
- The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) 11 million copies
- Patsy Cline - Greatest Hits (1967) 10 million copies
- The Beatles - The Beatles (The White Album) (1968) 9.5 million copies (19 million units)
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin I (1969) 8 million copies
- The Beatles - Rubber Soul (1965) 6 million copies
- The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour (1967) 6 million copies
- The Monkees - The Monkees (1967) 5 million copies
- The Monkees - More of the Monkees (1967) 5 million copies
- The Beatles - Meet the Beatles! (1964) 5 million copies
- The Beatles - Revolver (1966) 5 million copies
1970s
- The Eagles - Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 (1976) 29 million copies
- Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV (1971) 23 million copies
- Pink Floyd- The Wall (1979) 23 million copies
- Fleetwood Mac - Rumours (1977) 19 million copies
- Boston - Boston (1976) 17 million copies
- Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti 16 million copies
- The Eagles - Hotel California (1976) 16 million copies
- Elton John - Greatest Hits (1974) 16 million copies
- Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) 15 million copies
- = The Bee Gees - Saturday Night Fever (Soundtrack) (1977) 15 million copies [15 million units as well]
- Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell (1977) 14 million copies
- = Simon & Garfunkel - Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits (1972) 14 million copies
1980s
- Michael Jackson - Thriller (1982) 27 million copies
- AC/DC - Back in Black (1980) 21 million copies
- Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A. (1984) 15 million copies
- Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction (1987) 15 million copies
- Journey - Greatest Hits (1988) 14 million copies
- Prince - Purple Rain (1984) 13 million copies
- Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston (1985) 13 million copies
- Def Leppard - Hysteria (1987) 12 million copies
- Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet (1986) 12 million copies
- Kenny Rogers - Greatest Hits (1980) 12 million copies
- Phil Collins - No Jacket Required (1985) 12 million copies
- Madonna - Like A Virgin (1984) 10 million copies
- Van Halen - 1984 (1984) 10 million copies
- Notes:
- Billy Joel's Greatest Hits Volume I & II (1985) has sold 10.5 million copies (21 million units)
- Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band's Live/1975-85 (1986) has sold 4.3 million copies (13 million units)
- Def Leppard's Pyromania is certified 10 times platinum in America alone (1983)
- U2's "The Joshua Tree" is certified 10 times platinum (1987)
- Aerosmith's "Greatest Hits" is certified 10 times platinum (1980)
1990s
- Shania Twain - Come On Over (1997) 20 million U.S.
- Whitney Houston - The Bodyguard (1992) 17 million U.S.
- Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill (1996) 16 million U.S.
- Hootie & The Blowfish - Cracked Rear View (1995) 16 million
- Santana - Supernatural (1999) 15 million
- Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time (1999) 14 million
- Metallica - Metallica (1991) 14 million
- Garth Brooks - Ropin' The Wind (1993) 14 million
- Backstreet Boys - Backstreet Boys (1997) 14 million
- Backstreet Boys - Millennium (1999) 13 million
- 2pac - All Eyez On Me (1996) 12 million
- Boyz II Men - II (1992) 12 million
- TLC - CrazySexyCool (1994) 12 million
- Pearl Jam - Ten (1991) 12 million
- Shania Twain - The Woman In Me (1994) 12 million
- Kid Rock - Devil Without A Cause (1998) 22 Million
- blink-182 - "Enema of The State" (1998) 10 million
Nielsen SoundScan Data (Actual retail sales, excludes catalog. Note: Does not include SoundScan data prior to March 1st, 1991.)
- Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill - 13,542,393
- Shania Twain - Come On Over - 12,110,660
- Metallica - Metallica - 11,715,533
- Whitney Houston/Soundtrack - The Bodyguard - 11,605,690
- Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time - 10,501,125
- Celine Dion - Falling Into You - 10,224,282
- Hootie & the Blowfish - Cracked Rear View - 9,817,666
- Soundtrack - Titanic - 9,806,175
- Backstreet Boys - Millennium - 9,445,732
- Garth Brooks - Ropin' The Wind - 9,370,863
- Backstreet Boys - Backstreet Boys - 9,258,265
- does not include sales beyond 30 December 1999. Refer Best-selling albums in the United States since Nielsen SoundScan tracking began
NOTE: These are in order from highest to lowest. Do not change it unless the numbers change.
2000s
- N'Sync - No Strings Attached (2000) 12.6 million. 11.1 million copies Soundscan, 1.54 million BMG [24]
- Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP (2000) 11.5 million. 10 million copies Soundscan, 1.5 million BMG [25]
- Creed - Human Clay (1999) 11.5 million copies (1999 album with most sales occurring after December 1999)
- ≈ Shania Twain - Up! (2002) 11 million units (5.5 million copies)
- The Beatles - 1 (2001) 10.9 million
- Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory (2000) 10 million copies
- Arem Side-L - With 5 We Arrive (2007) 10 million copies
- Britney Spears - Oops!...I Did It Again (2000) 10 million copies
- Norah Jones - Come Away with Me (2002) 10 million copies
- blink-182 - "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket" (2001) 9 million copies
- Usher - Confessions (2004) 9 million copies
- Nelly - Country Grammar (2000) 9 million copies
- Eminem - The Eminem Show (2002) 9 million copies
- Backstreet Boys - Black and Blue (2000) 8 million
- Nickelback - All The Right Reasons (2005) 7 million
- Linkin Park - Meteora (2003) 6 million
- Staind - Break the cycle (2001) 8 million
Records
- Highest selling album by an artist - Michael Jackson - Thriller - 27 times platinum
- Highest selling album by a Pop artist - Michael Jackson - Thriller - 27 times platinum
- Highest selling album by a male Pop artist - Michael Jackson - Thriller - 27 times platinum
- Highest selling album by a group - Eagles - Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) - 29 times platinum
- Highest selling live album - Garth Brooks - "Double Live" - 20 times platinum
- Highest selling album by a duo - Simon and Garfunkel - Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits (Columbia, 1972) - 14 times platinum
- Highest selling album by a female artist - Shania Twain - Come on Over - 20 times platinum
- Highest selling album by a Pop group - Backstreet Boys - Backstreet Boys - 14 times platinum
- Highest selling album by a female Pop artist - Shania Twain - Come on Over - 20 times platinum
- Highest selling Album by a Teenager - Britney Spears - Baby One More Time - 14 times platinum
- Highest selling debut album by a female artist - Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill - 16 times platinum
- Highest selling debut album by a rock group - Boston - Boston - 17 times platinum
- Highest selling album by a Rock group - Eagles - Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) - 29 times platinum
- Highest selling album by a male Rock artist - Billy Joel - Greatest Hits, Vols. 1 & 2 - 21 times platinum
- Highest selling album by a female Rock artist - Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill - 16 times platinum
- Highest selling album by a female Christian music artist - Amy Grant - Heart In Motion - 5 times platinum
- Highest selling album by a punk rock group - Green Day - Dookie - 10 times platinum
- Highest selling album by a hard rock group - AC/DC - Back in Black - 21 times platinum
- Highest selling album by a heavy metal group - Metallica - Metallica - 14 times platinum
- Highest selling album by an R&B act - Boyz II Men - II
- Highest selling album by an Hip Hop act - TLC - CrazySexyCool / Kid Rock Devil Without a Cause / OutKast Speakerboxxx/The Love Below - all three went 11 times platinum. Although, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is a double album.
- Highest selling soundtrack - Various Artists - The Bodyguard (soundtrack) (1992) - 17 times platinum
- Highest debut Country album in history - Garth Brooks - Garth Brooks" - 9.5 times platinum
- Highest selling Country album - Garth Brooks - "Double Live" - 20 times platinum
- Highest selling Female Country debut - Carrie Underwood - Some Hearts - 6 times platinum
- Highest selling independent label album - The Offspring - Smash - 6 times platinum
- Highest selling Female Compilation - Madonna - The Immaculate Collection - 10 times platinum
- Highest selling Female Remix Album - Madonna - You Can Dance - 2 times platinum
- Highest selling Female R&B debut - Mariah Carey - Mariah Carey
Most RIAA Gold Record Awards by an American Group in one year: Grand Funk Railroad: Four in 1970. "On Time" "Grand Funk" "Closer To Home" and "Live Album."
Further research
- For information about what makes a platinum album, see RIAA certification.
- Multi-disc albums released after 1981 whose total length is at least 100 minutes count one for each disc in these figures, which accounts for the many double (or more) albums in the list. For multi-disc albums released before 1982, there is no length requirement.
- Albums from the mid-1960s and before are underrepresented due to the smaller album buying market of that time; albums from the digital music era on may be underrepresented due to the decline in conventional album sales.
See also
- Best selling music artists
- List of best-selling singles
- List of best-selling albums worldwide
- Top ten best-selling albums of the Nielsen SoundScan era (United States)
- Best-selling Albums by Year (USA)
External links
- RIAA Website
- Billboard Magazine - a magazine that publishes weekly music rankings