List of best-selling albums worldwide

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).^[a] 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 70-100 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, Celine Dion has four, while 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]

Legend

Colors
Studio albums
Greatest hits and compilations
Soundtracks
Live albums

40 million copies or more

*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 US: 34 million^[9] JPN: 100,000^[10] UK: 4.5 million^[11] GER: 1.5 million^[12] FRA: 1 million^[13] CAN: 3 million^[14] AUS: 1.19 million^[15] MEX: 2.6 million^[16] NLD: 800,000^[17] ITA: 50,000^[18] SWE: 400,000^[19] ARG: 500,000^[20] SWI: 300,000^[21] AUT: 400,000^[22] FIN: 119,061^[23] NZ: 180,000^[24]^[25] HKG: 15,000^[26] DEN: 480,000^[27] DEN: 60,000^[28] HUN: 6,000^[29] POR: 40,000^[30]	70-100	^[5]^[6]^[31]^[32]
AC/DC	Back in Black	1980	Hard rock	30.1 US: 25 million^[9] UK: 1 million^[11] GER: 1 million^[12] FRA: 600,000^[13] CAN: 1 million^[14] AUS: 840,000^[15] ITA: 150,000^[18] SPA: 150,000^[33]^[34]^[35] DEN: 40,000^[36] ARG: 160,000^[37] SWI: 100,000^[21] AUT: 50,000^[22] POL: 10,000^[38] NZ: 15,000^[24]	50	^[39]
Whitney Houston / various artists	The Bodyguard	1992	R&B, soul, pop, soundtrack	28.7 US: 18 million^[9] JPN: 2 million^[40]^[41] UK: 2.1 million^[11] GER: 1.5 million^[12] FRA: 1 million^[13] CAN: 1 million^[14] AUS: 350,000^[15] BRA: 750,000^[42] NLD: 100,000^[17] ITA: 25,000^[18] SWE: 100,000^[19] SPA: 600,000^[33]^[43] ARG: 240,000^[37] BEL: 200,000^[44] POL: 50,000^[38] SWI: 250,000^[21] AUT: 200,000^[22] NOR: 200,000^[45] FIN: 56,486^[23] NZ: 15,000^[24]	50	^[46]
Pink Floyd	The Dark Side of the Moon	1973	Progressive rock	24.8 US: 15 million^[9] UK: 4.5 million^[11] GER: 1 million^[12] FRA: 400,000^[13] CAN: 2 million^[14] AUS: 980,000^[15] ITA: 300,000^[18] ARG: 240,000^[37] BEL: 25,000^[44] POL: 100,000^[38] AUT: 100,000^[22] NZ: 240,000^[47]	45	^[48]
Michael Jackson	Bad	1987	Pop, R&B, funk, rock	21.2 US: 11 million^[9] JPN: 100,000^[49] UK: 4.2 million^[11] GER: 2 million^[12] FRA: 1 million^[13] CAN: 700,000^[14] AUS: 420,000^[15] NLD: 100,000^[17] SPA: 300,000^[33] SWE: 200,000^[19] DEN: 80,000^[50] NOR: 100,000^[51] MEX: 350,000^[16] SWI: 100,000^[51] AUT: 200,000^[22] FIN: 51,287^[23] NZ: 135,000^[52] HKG: 15,000^[26] POR: 40,000^[53] ITA: 100,000^[18]	45	^[54]^[55]^[56]
Eagles	Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975)	1976	Country rock, soft rock, folk rock	41.2 US: 38 million^[9] UK: 600,000^[11] CAN: 2 million^[14] AUS: 560,000^[15] HKG: 15,000^[26]	44	^[57]
Meat Loaf	Bat Out of Hell	1977	Hard rock, glam rock, progressive rock	22 US: 14 million^[9] UK: 3.3 million^[11] GER: 500,000^[12] CAN: 2 million^[14] AUS: 1.820 million^[15] NLD: 100,000^[17] DEN: 40,000^[58] SWI: 25,000^[21] NOR: 25,000^[45] NZ: 255,000^[47]	43	^[59]
Eagles	Hotel California	1976	Soft rock	31.8 US: 26 million^[9] UK: 1.8 million^[11] GER: 500,000^[12] FRA: 1 million^[13] CAN: 1 million^[14] AUS: 630,000^[15] NLD: 100,000^[17] ITA: 25,000^[18] SPA: 400,000^[33] DEN: 10,000^[60] SWI: 200,000^[21] AUT: 25,000^[22] FIN: 30,933^[23] NZ: 135,000^[24] HKG: 15,000^[26]	42	^[61]
Shania Twain	Come On Over	1997	Country, pop	30.4 US: 20 million^[9] JPN: 100,000 ^[10] UK: 3.3 million^[11] GER: 750,000^[12] FRA: 300,000^[62] CAN: 2 million^[14] AUS: 1.750 million^[15] BRA: 100,000^[42] MEX: 100,000^[16] NLD: 500,000^[17] SWE: 240,000^[19] SPA: 100,000^[33] DEN: 140,000^[63] ARG: 120,000^[37] BEL: 150,000^[44] SWI: 150,000^[21] AUT: 25,000^[22] NOR: 300,000^[45] FIN: 38,958^[23] NZ: 315,000^[25]	40	^[64]^[65]
Fleetwood Mac	Rumours	1977	Soft rock	30.3 US: 21 million^[9] UK: 4.5 million^[11] GER: 1.25 million^[12] FRA: 300,000^[62] CAN: 2 million^[14] AUS: 910,000^[15] NLD: 100,000^[17] ITA: 25,000^[18] SPA: 50,000^[66] DEN: 40,000^[67] NZ: 195,000^[68] HKG: 15,000^[26]	40	^[69]^[70]
Bee Gees / Various artists	Saturday Night Fever	1977	Disco	22.1 US: 16 million^[9] UK: 2.1 million^[11] GER: 1.5 million^[12] FRA: 200,000^[13] CAN: 1.4 million^[14] AUS: 770,000^[71] NLD: 100,000^[17] ITA: 25,000^[18] HKG: 15,000^[26]	40	^[72]^[73]

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)
Led Zeppelin	Led Zeppelin IV	1971	Hard rock, heavy metal, folk rock	30.4 US: 24 million^[9] UK: 1.8 million^[11] GER: 750,000^[12] FRA: 600,000^[62] CAN: 2 million^[14] AUS: 630,000^[15] BRA: 250,000^[42] NLD: 100,000^[17] ITA: 50,000^[18] SPA: 100,000^[35] NOR: 40,000^[74] ARG: 60,000^[37] SWI: 50,000^[21]	37	^[75]
Michael Jackson	Dangerous	1991	New jack swing, R&B, pop	17.0 US: 8 million^[9] JPN: 400,000^[10] UK: 1.8 million^[11] GER: 2 million^[12] FRA: 1 million^[62] CAN: 600,000^[14] AUS: 700,000^[15] BRA: 100,000^[42] MEX: 600,000^[16] NLD: 300,000^[17] SWE: 300,000^[19] SPA: 600,000^[33] SWI: 250,000^[21] AUT: 200,000^[22] DEN: 60,000^[76] FIN: 61,896^[23] NZ: 90,000^[25] ITA: 60,000^[18]	35	^[77]^[78]^[79]
Alanis Morissette	Jagged Little Pill	1995	Alternative rock	26.4 US: 17 million^[9] UK: 3 million^[11] GER: 1 million^[12] FRA: 300,000^[62] CAN: 2 million^[14] AUS: 980,000^[15] BRA: 500,000^[42] NLD: 400,000^[17] SPA: 300,000^[33] SWE: 200,000^[19] DEN: 180,000^[80] ARG: 60,000^[37] BEL: 100,000^[44] POL: 50,000^[38] SWI: 50,000^[21] NOR: 50,000^[45] AUT: 100,000^[22] FIN: 65,860^[23] NZ: 15,000^[81] POR: 80,000^[82]	33	^[83]^[84]
Various artists	Dirty Dancing	1987	Pop, rock, R&B	24.1 US: 14 million^[9] UK: 3 million^[11] GER: 3.250 million^[12] FRA: 1 million^[13] CAN: 1 million^[14] AUS: 770,000^[15] BRA: 100,000^[42] NLD: 100,000^[17] ITA: 25,000^[18] SPA: 400,000^[43] SWE: 100,000^[19] DEN: 60,000^[85] POL: 50,000^[38] SWI: 250,000^[21] NZ: 15,000^[25] HKG: 7,500^[26]	32	^[86]
Celine Dion	Falling into You	1996	Pop, soft rock	21.1 US: 12 million^[9] JPN: 800,000^[10] UK: 2.1 million^[11] GER: 1.25 million^[12] FRA: 1 million^[62] CAN: 1 million^[14] AUS: 910,000^[15] BRA: 100,000^[42] NLD: 600,000^[17] SPA: 200,000^[33] SWE: 200,000^[19] DEN: 160,000^[87] ARG: 60,000^[37] BEL: 200,000^[44] POL: 100,000^[38] SWI: 150,000^[21] NOR: 150,000^[45] AUT: 100,000^[22] FIN: 51,952^[23] NZ: 15,000^[24]	32	^[88]
Adele	21	2011	Pop, soul	27.4 US: 14 million^[9] JPN: 100,000^[89] UK: 5.4 million^[11] GER: 1.6 million^[12] CAN: 1.6 million^[14] AUS: 1.19 million^[15] BRA: 480,000^[42] NLD: 200,000^[17] ITA: 480,000^[18] SWE: 120,000^[19] SPA: 300,000^[33] ARG: 80,000^[90] DEN: 180,000^[91] BEL: 180,000^[44] POL: 200,000^[38] SWI: 210,000^[21] MEX: 480,000^[16] NOR: 30,000^[92] AUT: 20,000^[22] RUS: 10,000^[93] FIN: 83,234^[23] HUN: 6,000^[94] IRE: 270,000^[95] NZ: 195,000^[96] POR: 30,000^[97] GRE: 3,000^[98]	31	^[99]
The Beatles	1	2000	Rock	23.2 US: 11 million^[9] JPN: 2 million^[10] UK: 3.6 million^[11] GER: 1.65 million^[12] FRA: 600,000^[62] CAN: 1 million^[14] AUS: 700,000^[15] BRA: 250,000^[42] NLD: 160,000^[17] ITA: 100,000^[18] SWE: 160,000^[19] SPA: 500,000^[33] ARG: 120,000^[37] BEL: 250,000^[44] SWI: 150,000^[21] NOR: 150,000^[45] AUT: 150,000^[22] DEN: 200,000^[100] POL: 100,000^[38] FIN: 77,466^[23] NZ: 225,000^[24] POR: 120,000^[82]	31	^[101]
Metallica	Metallica	1991	Heavy metal	22.7 US: 16 million^[9] JPN: 200,000^[10] UK: 600,000^[11] GER: 2 million^[12] FRA: 300,000^[13] CAN: 1 million^[14] AUS: 910,000^[15] NLD: 200,000^[17] ITA: 50,000^[18] SWE: 100,000^[19] MEX: 75,000^[16] ARG: 300,000^[37] BEL: 100,000^[44] POL: 70,000^[38] NOR: 150,000^[45] DEN: 140,000^[102] SWI: 200,000^[21] AUT: 100,000^[22] FIN: 112,856^[23] NZ: 150,000^[25]	31	^[103]
Celine Dion	Let's Talk About Love	1997	Pop, soft rock	20.5 US: 11 million^[9] JPN: 1 million^[10] UK: 1.8 million^[11] GER: 1.5 million^[12] FRA: 1 million^[62] CAN: 1 million^[14] AUS: 490,000^[15] NLD: 500,000^[17] SWE: 240,000^[19] SPA: 400,000^[33] DEN: 220,000^[104] ARG: 120,000^[37] BEL: 200,000^[44] POL: 200,000^[38] SWI 300,000^[21] NOR: 200,000^[45] AUT: 100,000^[22] FIN: 97,744^[23] NZ: 135,000^[105] HKG: 40,000^[26] URY: 3,000^[106]	31	^[107]
Bob Marley and the Wailers	Legend: The Best of Bob Marley & The Wailers	1984	Reggae	22.9 US: 15 million^[9] UK: 4.260 million^[11] GER: 500,000^[12] FRA: 1 million^[62] CAN: 200,000^[14] AUS: 420,000^[15] NLD: 100,000^[17] ITA: 100,000^[18] SWE: 50,000^[19] SPA: 100,000^[66] ARG: 240,000^[37] BEL: 200,000^[44] NOR: 25,000^[45] SWI: 300,000^[21] AUT: 100,000^[22] FIN: 36,703^[23] NZ: 300,000^[24]	30	^[108]
Guns N' Roses	Appetite for Destruction	1987	Hard rock	22.8 US: 18 million^[9] JPN: 200,000^[10] UK: 1,200,000^[11] GER: 500,000^[12] FRA: 200,000^[62] CAN: 1 million^[14] AUS: 490,000^[15] BRA: 350,000^[42] NLD: 100,000^[17] ITA: 100,000^[18] SPA: 50,000^[34] SWE: 80,000^[19] DEN: 80,000^[109] MEX: 100,000^[16] ARG: 180,000^[37] SWI: 50,000^[21] AUT: 100,000^[22] FIN: 25,000^[23] NZ: 75,000^[24]	30 Zdroj:https://en.wikipedia.org?pojem=List_of_best-selling_albums_worldwide Text je dostupný za podmienok Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License 3.0 Unported; prípadne za ďalších podmienok. Podrobnejšie informácie nájdete na stránke Podmienky použitia. Navigácia: Veda > Analytika Antropológia Aplikované vedy Bibliometria Dejiny vedy Encyklopédie Filozofia vedy Forenzné vedy Humanitné vedy Knižničná veda Kryogenika Kryptológia Kulturológia Literárna veda Medzidisciplinárne oblasti Metódy kvantitatívnej analýzy Metavedy Metodika Metodológia vedy Náboženstvo a veda Náučná literatúra Podvody vo vede Popularizácia vedy Potravinárstvo Prírodné vedy Pseudoveda Scientometria Spoločenské vedy Teórie Teatrológia Technické vedy Technika Terminológia Umenie Výskum Veda Veda a technika podľa štátu Veda a technika podľa kontinentu Veda a technika podľa roka Veda v kozme Vedci Vedecká literatúra Vedecké databázy Vedecké experimenty Vedecké konferencie Vedecké metódy Vedecké ocenenia Vedecké organizácie Vedecké parky Vedeckí spisovatelia Vzdelávanie Záhady Príbuzné výrazy: Text je dostupný za podmienok Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License 3.0 Unported; prípadne za ďalších podmienok. Podrobnejšie informácie nájdete na stránke Podmienky použitia. www.astronomia.sk \| www.biologia.sk \| www.botanika.sk \| www.dejiny.sk \| www.economy.sk \| www.elektrotechnika.sk \| www.estetika.sk \| www.farmakologia.sk \| www.filozofia.sk \| Fyzika \| www.futurologia.sk \| www.genetika.sk \| www.chemia.sk \| www.lingvistika.sk \| www.politologia.sk \| www.psychologia.sk \| www.sexuologia.sk \| www.sociologia.sk \| www.veda.sk I www.zoologia.sk

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