The Top 100 Albums of All Time

Are you in a music rut? If you’re looking to brush up on your music history, this list is for you. These are the top 100 albums of all time. Regardless of what genre you listen to, there is something here you’ll want to add to your music library. You’ll also learn some interesting facts about each album and artist. Make sure to check out this list before going to your next pop culture trivia night.

100. Mariah Carey, Daydream
     (10 million)

Mariah Carey released Daydream on October 3, 1995 via Columbia Records. It was her fifth studio album and it was an instant success. Mariah felt that Daydream was the start of her musical and vocal transformation. She switched to an R&B sound, which was something Mariah would continue to explore in follow-up albums.

99. Madonna, Like a Virgin
    (10 million)

Madonna’s released Like a Virgin on November 12, 1984 with Sire Records. It was her second album and it caused quite a bit of controversy. It only helped to make this one of the bestselling records of all time. Conservatives were unhappy with the sexual themes of the album, but many young women were inspired by her confident “do whatever you want” attitude.

98. Madonna, The Immaculate Collection
    (10 million)

The Immaculate Collection was the first greatest hits album for American singer-songwriter, Madonna. Sire and Warner Bros. Records released it in November 1990. It includes remixes of 15 hit signals between 1983 and 1990. It also introduced, Justify My Love, and Rescue Me. Justify My Love was her ninth number one hit on the Billboard 100. Rescue Me was the highest-debuting single on Hot 100 by a female artist at that time. It was also the first record to use QSound, a new type of audio technology. The RIAA certified The Immaculate Collection as diamond for shipping more than 10 million copies in the U.S. They sold 30 million copies globally, making the album one of the bestselling albums of all time.

97. Lionel Richie, Can’t Slow Down
    (10 million)

Motown Records released Lionel Richie’s album Can’t Slow Down on October 11, 1983. It was his second solo album and many fans thought it was an improvement from his first one. The album reached number one on the Billboard album chart. It also spent all of 1984 on the Top 10 and a total of 160 weeks, or over three years on the Billboard 200.

96. Linkin Park, Hybrid Theory
    (10 million)

NRG Recording Studios released Linkin Park’s album Hybrid Theory on October 24, 2000. It was the band’s debut stud album. They also released these four singles:

• Crawling
• In the End
• One Step Closer
• Papercut

These four singles were responsible for launching Linkin Park into mainstream popularity, with In the End being the most successful.

95. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin
    (10 million)

Led Zeppelin II is the second studio album the English rock band produced. Atlantic Records released it in America on October 22, 1969 and in the UK on October 31, 1969. Led Zeppelin II was the band’s first album to reach number one on the charts in both the UK and the US. Also, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the album as 12× Platinum for sales passing 12 million copies.

94. Hammer, Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em
    (10 million)

Please Hammer, Don’t Hurt ‘Em was MC Hammer’s third album and second major-label release. Capitol Records released it on February 12, 1990. The album singles earned rap music some newfound popularity. These singles were successful on the radio, as well as on music videos:

• Have You Seen Her
• Here Comes the Hammer
• U Can’t Touch This
• Pray
• Yo!! Sweetness” (in the UK only)

93. Green Day, Dookie
    (10 million)

Dookie is Green Day’s third studio album they released on February 1, 1994 with Reprise Records. Dookie produced five hit singles for the American punk rock band. The album won a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album in 1995 and ranked number 193 on the Rolling Stone list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

92. George Michael, Faith
    (10 million)

Faith is the debut solo studio album English singer, George Michael, released on 30 October 1987 with Columbia Records and Epic Records. The album has won several awards, including a Grammy Award for Album of the Year (1989). George Michael died at the age of 53 on December 25, 2016 at his home in England.

91. Garth Brooks, Sevens
    (10 million)

Sevens is the seventh studio album by American country music artist Garth Brooks. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and on the Top Country Albums charts in . The album also topped the Country album charts in Britain for several months. Sevens was one of the first country music albums to cross over into the mainstream pop charts.

90. Garth Brooks, The Hits
    (10 million)

Released in 1994, The Hits is the second compilation album and first wide-released greatest hits album from American country music artist Garth Brooks. It contains his first 14 number one single releases and a total of 18 of his biggest hit songs. Although available for only a year, they sold over eight million copies of The Hits.

89. Garth Brooks, Garth Brooks
    (10 million)

Garth Brooks is the debut studio album of American country music artist Garth Brooks. Capitol Nashville released it on April 12, 1989. It was a critic and chart success, peaking at number 13 on the Billboard 200 and at number two on the Top Country Albums chart. The RIAA has diamond-certified Garth Brooks due to shipments of over 10 million copies. This is Garth’s only album to have a neo-traditional country sound before developing a more crossover-friendly country-pop sound.

88. Garth Brooks, The Ultimate Hits
    (10 million)

The Ultimate Hits is the third compilation album from country music artist Garth Brooks. They released it on November 6, 2007. The album contains 34 songs, four of which were new, over two compact discs, as well as a DVD with music videos. They also released this album in a special pink edition on October 15, 2007, with proceeds going to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

87. Eric Clapton, Unplugged
    (10 million)

Unplugged is a 1992 album by Eric Clapton. He recorded it in January 1992 at Bray Studios, England in front of an audience for the MTV Unplugged series. They released it the following August and it includes a version of the hit 1991 single Tears in Heaven. It also has an acoustic version of Layla. Unplugged remains the top-selling live album, winning three Grammy Awards in 1993 and selling 26 million copies worldwide.

86. Eminem, The Eminem Show
    (10 million)

The Eminem Show is the fourth studio album by American rapper Eminem. Aftermath Entertainment, Shady Records, and Interscope Records released it on May 26, 2002. The Eminem Show reached number one in 19 countries. They nominated it Album of the Year for the 2003 Grammy Awards. It also became Eminem’s third album in four years to win an award for Best Rap Album.

85. Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP
    (10 million)

The Marshall Mathers LP is the third studio album by American rapper Eminem. Entertainment, Interscope Records, and Eminem’s newly founded label, Shady Records released it on May 23, 2000. Dr. Dre and Eminem produced the album, along with The 45 King, the Bass Brothers, and Mel-Man. It came out just one year after Eminem’s breakout album, The Slim Shady LP. This record features more introspective lyricism including the rapper’s response to his sudden rise to fame and the controversy surrounding his lyrics.

84. Elvis Presley, Elvis’ Christmas Album
    (10 million)

Elvis’ Christmas Album is the fourth studio album and first Christmas album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley. It was a deluxe limited edition from RCA Victor, LOC -1035, they released in October 1957. They have reissued this album in various formats since its first release. It spent four weeks at number one on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart and was the first of two Christmas-themed albums Presley would record. The second was Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas, which they released in 1971.

83. Doobie Brothers, Best of the Doobies
    (10 million)

Best of The Doobies is the first greatest hits album by The Doobie Brothers. The album has material from Toulouse Street through Takin’ It to the Streets. An RIAA diamond record, Warner Bros. Although they have released it numerous times, Warner Bros. Records first released it in November 1976.

82. Dixie Chicks, Fly
    (10 million)

Fly is the fifth studio album by the American country band, the Dixie Chicks, which they released in 1999. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Fly also earned four Grammy nominations in 2000. The Dixie Chicks also won Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for Ready to Run and Best Country Album.

81. Def Leppard, Pyromania
    (10 million)

Pyromania is the third studio album by English rock band Def Leppard, which they released on January 20, 1983. It was the first album to feature guitarist, Phil Collen, who replaced founding member, Pete Willis. Robert John “Mutt” Lange produced Pyromania. The album was a shift away from the band’s heavy metal roots towards a radio-friendly glam rock-hard rock, finding massive mainstream success.

80. Creedence Clearwater Revival, Chronicle: 20 Greatest Hits
    (10 million)

Chronicle, Vol. 1, also known as Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits, is a greatest hits album by the American swamp rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival. Fantasy Records released it in January 1976, at the same time as the hit single, I Heard It Through the Grapevine, from the same album.

79. Celine Dion, Let’s Talk About Love
    (10 million)

Let’s Talk About Love is the fifth English-language studio album by Canadian singer Celine Dion. Columbia/Epic Records released it in November 1997. The follow-up to her commercially successful album Falling into You, Let’s Talk About Love showed a further progression of Dion’s music. The album won many awards around the world. My Heart Will Go On won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Song of the Year and Best Song Written Specifically for a motion picture or television.

78. Carole King, Tapestry
    (10 million)

Tapestry is the second album by American singer-songwriter Carole King. Ode Records released it in 1971 and Lou Adler produced it. Tapestry is one of the best-selling albums of all time, selling over 25 million copies worldwide.

77. Britney Spears, Oops!…I Did It Again
    (10 million)

Oops!… I Did It Again was the second studio album by American singer Britney Spears. Jive Records released it in 2000. Its music incorporates pop, dance-pop and teen pop styles, much in the vein of her debut studio album Baby One More Time. The album also explores a funkier R&B sound, while Spears also covers the Rolling Stones hit, Satisfaction and the Jets song, You Got It All on the Japanese edition of the album.

76. Billy Joel, The Stranger
    (10 million)

The Stranger is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Billy Joel. Columbia Records released it in September 1977. While his four previous albums were moderately successful, The Stranger became Joel’s critical and commercial breakthrough. It spent six weeks at number two on the U.S. albums chart. Fans considered The Stranger to be his magnum opus. It remained his best-selling non-compilation album to date and was number 70 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

75. Beastie Boys, Licensed to Ill
    (10 million)

Licensed to Ill is the debut studio album by American hip hop group, the Beastie Boys. Def Jam and Columbia Records released it in November 1986. It became the first rap LP to top the Billboard album chart. It is one of Columbia Records’ fastest-selling debut records to date. The RIAA certified it as diamond in 2015 for shipping over 10 million copies in the U.S.

74. Adele, 25
    (10 million)

Adele’s third studio album, 25, came out in November 2015, through XL Recordings. This was nearly five years after the release and international success of her second studio album, 21. She titled it to reflect her life and frame of mind at 25 years old. Most people say 25 is a “make-up record.” According to an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, the album’s lyrical content features themes like “yearning for her old self, her nostalgia,” and “melancholia about the passage of time.”

73. 2 Pac, All Eyez on Me
    (10 million)

All Eyez on Me is the fourth studio album by American rapper 2Pac and the last one he released during his lifetime. Death Row and Interscope records released it in on February 1996. The album featured the Billboard Hot 100 number one singles, How Do U Want It and California Love. It featured five singles in all, the most of any of Shakur’s albums. Moreover, All Eyez on Me made history as the first double-full-length hip-hop solo studio album for mass consumption. It came on two compact discs or four LPs.

72. 2 Pac, Greatest Hits
    (10 million)

NSYNC is the self-titled debut studio album by American boy band, NSYNC. They first released it in Germany in May 1997, before its worldwide release in 1998. On the U.S. version of the album, lead singers, Justin and JC mainly perform the songs.

70. TLC, Crazysexycool
    (11 million)

CrazySexyCool is the second studio album by American girl group TLC. LaFace released it in November 1994. Following the group’s record deal, they released their debut album Ooooooohhh on the TLC Tip in 1992. It was met with positive reviews and commercial success. The following year, the group began working on a follow-up album. However, production was filled with personal struggles. Most notable were those of Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, who was involved in a volatile romantic relationship and struggling with alcoholism.

69. The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
    (11 million)

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is the eighth studio album by English rock band, The Beatles. Released in May 1967 in the United Kingdom and in June 1967 in the United States, it was an immediate commercial and critical success. The album spent 27 weeks at the top of the UK albums chart and 15 weeks at number one in the U.S.

Critics lauded it for innovations in music production, songwriting and graphic design. They also praised the album for bridging the cultural divide between popular music and legitimate art. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was a musical representation of its generation and the contemporary counterculture.

68. The Beatles, 1
    (11 million)

The album, 1 is a compilation album by the English rock band, The Beatles, which they originally released in November 2000. The album features every number-one single the band created in the UK and the U.S., from 1962 to 1970. They issued it on the 30th anniversary of the band’s break-up and it was their first compilation available on only one compact disc. The album, 1 was a commercial success, topping music charts worldwide. It has sold over 31 million copies.

67. Titanic (Soundtrack)
    (11 million)

Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture is the soundtrack to the film of the same name that James Horner composed, orchestrated and conducted. Sony Classical/Sony Music Soundtrax released the soundtrack in November 1997. Riding the wave of the film’s immense success, the soundtrack shot to the top of the charts in nearly two-dozen territories, selling over 30 million copies. This made it one of the top 100 best-selling albums in the United States.

66. Dirty Dancing (Soundtrack)
    (11 million)

Dirty Dancing is the original soundtrack of the 1987 film, Dirty Dancing. The album became a huge commercial success. It went on to sell 32 million copies worldwide and is one of the best-selling albums of all time. In the United States, the album spent 18 weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 album sales charts and went multi-platinum. There was also follow-up album, More Dirty Dancing in 1988.

65. Shania Twain, Up!
    (11 million)

Up! is the fourth studio album by Canadian singer Shania Twain. Mercury Nashville released it in November 2002. They released three versions of the album: a pop version in a red disc, a country version in a green disc, and an international version on a blue disc in the style of Indian film music. All three discs contain the same track listing and feature distinctly identifiable picture labels. For example, Twain sports a cowboy hat on the green country disc. In the U.S., Up! debuted at number one with sales of 874,000 copies.

64. Outkast, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
    (11 million)

Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is the fifth studio album by American hip hop duo Outkast. It came out in September 2003. LaFace Records issued it as a double album. The playtime of more than two hours goes over solo albums from each of the group’s members. Big Boi’s Speakerboxxx is a Southern hip hop album with a P-Funk influence, while André 3000’s The Love Below features psychedelic, pop, funk, electro and jazz styles.

63. Led Zeppelin, Houses of the Holy
    (11 million)

Houses of the Holy is the fifth studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. Atlantic Records released it in March 1973. It is their first album with entirely original material, which represents a turning point in the musical direction for the band. They had begun to record songs with more layering and production techniques. Containing some of the band’s most famous songs, including The Song Remains the Same, The Rain Song and No Quarter, Houses of the Holy became a commercial success. The RIAA later certified it as 11x platinum in 1999.

62. Kid Rock, Devil Without a Cause
    (11 million)

Devil Without a Cause is the fourth studio album by Kid Rock. Kid Rock and John Travis produced the album and AllMusic released it in August 1998. It is Kid Rock’s last album they categorized as hip-hop before crossing over to more traditional rock music. AllMusic labeled the album as a “rap-rock masterpiece.”

61. James Taylor, James Taylor’s Greatest Hits
    (11 million)

Greatest Hits is the first compilation album by American singer-songwriter James Taylor. Released in November 1976, it is the best-selling album of his career. The album came about at the end of Taylor’s recording contract with Warner Brothers. It features redone versions of Carolina in My Mind and Something in the Way She Moves, which were previously included on Taylor’s self-titled debut album in 1968.

60. Eagles, Eagles Greatest Hits Volume II
    (11 million)

Eagles Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 is the second compilation album by the Eagles. It features many of the biggest hits that weren’t on Their Greatest Hits album covering 1971 to 1975). Some songs include Hotel California, which is their signature song. The album came out in 1982 after the band’s breakup. That same year, Don Henley and Glenn Frey both released their debut solo albums.

59. Creed, Human Clay
    (11 million)

Human Clay is the second studio album by American rock band Creed, released in September 1999 through Wind-Up Records. This was the final album to feature Brian Marshall, who left the band in 2000 until 2009’s Full Circle. The album sold over 11.5 million copies in the U.S. alone and over 20 million worldwide. This made it the bestselling album of Creed’s career and one of the best-selling albums in America. At approximately 56 minutes long, it is the longest studio album by Creed.

58. Celine Dion, Falling Into You
    (11 million)

Falling into You is the fourth English-language studio album by Canadian singer Celine Dion. Columbia/Epic Records released it in March 1996. A follow-up to her commercially successful album, The Colour of My Love in 1993 and French-language, D’eux in 1995, Falling into You showed a further progression of Dion’s music.

57. Aerosmith, Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits
    (11 million)

Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits compilation album by American hard rock band Aerosmith, Columbia Records released it in October 1980 and it went multi-platinum. Greatest Hits contained the songs that made the band an icon of the 1970s rock era. They edited some of their tracks from the original versions.

They used the single version of Same Old Song and Dance but edited it down to almost a full minute. It also contained an alternate lyric which wasn’t heard on Get Your Wings. The original lyric was “Gotcha with the cocaine, found with your gun.” The alternate lyric, included on the compilation, was “You shady lookin’ loser, you played with my gun.”

56. ‘N Sync, No Strings Attached
    (11 million)

No Strings Attached is the second studio album by American boy band NSYNC, which Jive Records released in March 2000. Looking to distinguish their music from that of their labelmates, its music incorporates pop and R&B styles. Prior to the release of the album, NSYNC separated from their management, Trans Continental and their label, RCA Records. So the title is a play on the idea of independence from corporate control.

55. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Greatest Hits
    (12 million)

Greatest Hits is a compilation album by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, which they released in 1993. It is Petty’s best-selling album to date. The RIAA certified it at 12× Platinum on April 28, 2015. The single, Mary Jane’s Last Dance became one of Petty’s most popular songs. It reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Another new song on the album is a cover of the thunderclap Newman hit, Something in the Air. The album contains no songs from 1987’s Let Me Up. However, they included three songs from 1989’s Full Moon Fever.

54. The Rolling Stones, Hot Rocks
    (12 million)

Hot Rocks 1964–1971 is the first compilation album of Rolling Stones music their former manager Allen Klein’s released. He was with ABKCO Records and gained control of the band’s Decca/London material in 1970 after the band’s departure from Decca and Klein. It came out in late 1971 and was The Rolling Stones’ biggest-selling release of their career. It was also an enduring and popular retrospective.

53. The Beatles, Abbey Road
    (12 million)

Abbey Road is the eleventh studio album by English rock band the Beatles, which Apple Records released in September 1969. The recording sessions for the album were the last in which all four Beatles participated. Although Let It Be was the final album that the Beatles completed before the band’s dissolution in April 1970, most of the album was recorded before the Abbey Road sessions began.

52. Forrest Gump (Soundtrack)
    (12 million)

Forrest Gump: The Soundtrack is the soundtrack album they based on the Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winning film, Forrest Gump. It contains music from many well-known artists. Alan Silvestri composed the score, which they released separately as Forrest Gump – Original Motion Picture Score on the same day. They reissued the album in 2001 with additional tracks.

51. Shania Twain, The Woman In Me
    (12 million)

The Woman in Me is the second studio album by Canadian country singer Shania Twain. It was also the first album that she co-wrote most of the songs. It came out in February 1995 and it went on to become her biggest-selling recording at the time of its release. They sold four million copies by the end of the year. The RIAA eventually certified The Woman in Me as 12× platinum.

50. Phil Collins, No Jacket Required
    (12 million)

No Jacket Required is the third solo studio album for English singer-songwriter Phil Collins. It came out in January 1985 on Virgin for UK and Ireland, Atlantic for the U.S. and Canada and WEA for the rest of the world. The album also features guest backing vocalists, including Helen Terry, Peter Gabriel and Sting. Some of the songs, like Don’t Lose My Number and Sussudio, focus on improvisation. Other songs, like Long Long Way to Go, had a political message.

49. Matchbox Twenty, Yourself or Someone Like You
    (12 million)

Yourself or Someone Like You is the debut studio album for American rock band Matchbox 20, which they released in 1996. It features a sound similar to traditional rock and post-grunge. The album features themes of adolescence, loneliness, psychological abuse, humiliation, depression, anger and alcoholism. The album sold several million copies in the U.S and the RIAA certified it as Diamond. They certified it multi-platinum in Australia, Canada and New Zealand. To date, the album has sold more than 15 million copies worldwide.

48. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II
    (12 million)

Led Zeppelin II is the eponymous second studio album for English rock band Led Zeppelin. Atlantic records released it in October 1969. Recording sessions for the album took place at several locations in the UK and North America from January to August 1969. Lead guitarist and singer, Jimmy Page handled the production. It was also Led Zeppelin’s first album to utilize the recording techniques of the engineer Eddie Kramer. Incorporating several elements of blues and folk music, Led Zeppelin II exhibited the band’s evolving musical style and their guitar riff-based sound.

47. Kenny Rogers, Kenny Rogers’ Greatest Hits
    (12 million)

Greatest Hits, or Kenny Rogers’ Greatest Hits, is the tenth studio album and the second compilation album by country music superstar Kenny Rogers. Liberty Records released it in September 1980. The album marks Rogers’ first release after United Artists Group merged with Liberty. The album has achieved diamond certification.

46. Kenny G, Breathless
    (12 million)

Breathless is the sixth studio album for American saxophonist Kenny G, which he released in 1992 on Arista Records. It reached number one on the Contemporary Jazz Albums chart and number two on the Billboard 200 and the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts. The track, Forever in Love, won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition at the 1994 ceremony. It also reached number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite negative reviews from critics, the RIAA certified the album as diamond for shipments of over 12 million copies in the U.S.

45. Jewel, Pieces of You
    (12 million)

Pieces of You is the debut album for American singer-songwriter Jewel, which Atlantic Records released in February 1995. Ben Keith, who also produced works for Neil Young and Patsy Cline produced the album. Although it made little impact initially, the single Who Will Save Your Soul eventually received airplay. Pieces of You peaked at number four on Billboard 200 almost exactly two years after its release. Other hits included were Foolish Games and You Were Meant for Me, as well as the UK single, Morning Song.

44. Dixie Chicks, Wide Open Spaces
    (12 million)

Wide Open Spaces is the fourth studio album and the major label debut for American country music band, the Dixie Chicks. It was their first record with new lead vocalist Natalie Maines, becoming a breakthrough commercial success. The RIAA gave it diamond status in February 2003 in the U.S., having shipped 14 million units worldwide. It also spent more than six years on the Australian ARIA music charts Country Top 20.

43. Def Leppard, Hysteria
    (12 million)

Hysteria is the fourth studio album by English hard rock band, Def Leppard. They released it in August 1987 through Mercury Records and reissued it in January 2000. It is Def Leppard’s best-selling album to date, selling over 25 million copies worldwide, including 12 million in the U.S., and spawning seven hit singles. The album charted at number one on both the Billboard 200 and the UK Albums Chart.

Robert John “Mutt” Lange produced it and Rick Allan created the title. It refers to his 1984 auto accident and the worldwide media coverage surrounding it. It is also the last album to feature guitarist Steve Clark before his death, although songs he co-wrote did appear on their next album, Adrenalize.

42. Boyz II Men, II
    (12 million)

The album, II is the second studio album for American R&B quartet, Boyz II Men that Motown Records released in August 1994. It contained two number one singles, I’ll Make Love to You and On Bended Knee, which replaced the former at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. This made the group the third artist to replace themselves at number one in the U.S. after Elvis Presley and The Beatles.

Boyz II Men were also the first to achieve this feat in 30 years. I’ll Make Love to You also spent 14 weeks at the top of the Hot 100, making them the first artists to achieve consecutive double-digit runs at the top. Their prior single, End of the Road, topped the charts for 13 weeks, equaling the record set by Whitney Houston’s, I Will Always Love You, for the longest run at the top.

41. Bon Jovi, Slippery When Wet
    (12 million)

An instant commercial success, Slippery When Wet is the third studio album for American rock band, Bon Jovi. Mercury Records released it in August 1986 in North America and Vertigo Records internationally. Bruce Fairbairn produced the album. Recording sessions took place between January and July 1986 at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

40. Whitney Houston, Whitney Houston
    (13 million)

Whitney Houston was the debut studio album for American contemporary R&B and pop singer, Whitney Houston. Arista Records released it in February 1985. Although the album initially had a slow commercial response, it became popular in the summer of 1985. It eventually topped the Billboard 200 for 14 weeks in 1986, generating three number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This made it the first debut album and the first album by a solo female artist to produce three number-one singles.

39. Steve Miller Band, Greatest Hits 1974-1978
    (13 million)

Greatest Hits 1974–78 is a compilation album by the Steve Miller Band that came out in November 1978. It sold 14 million copies in the U.S. and is ranked 37th on the RIAA list of bestselling albums. It also achieved diamond certification in Canada in 2003. Two singles that reached number one were The Joker, which topped the charts in January 1974 and Rock’n Me in November 1976.

38. Prince & the Revolution, Purple Rain (Soundtrack)
    (13 million)

Purple Rain is the sixth studio album by American recording artist Prince, but it was the first to feature his band, The Revolution. It is also the soundtrack for the 1984 film of the same name. Warner Bros. Records released it in June 1984. Records. To date, it has sold over 25 million copies worldwide, making it the third-best-selling soundtrack album of all time.

37. Pearl Jam, Ten
    (13 million)

Ten is the debut studio album by American rock band Pearl Jam, released in August 1991 through Epic Records. Following the disbanding of bassist Jeff Ament and guitarist Stone Gossard’s previous group, Mother Love Bone, they recruited vocalist Eddie Vedder, guitarist Mike McCready and drummer Dave Krusen to form Pearl Jam in 1990. Most of the songs began as instrumental jams, to which Vedder added lyrics about topics such as depression, homelessness and abuse.

36. Bruce Springsteen, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Live 1975-’85
    (13 million)

Live/1975 to 85 is a live album featuring Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band. It consists of 40 tracks they recorded at various concerts between 1975 and 1985. In November 1985, In the album liner notes, Springsteen wrote, “Jon Landau sent a four-song cassette of Born in the U.S.A., Seeds, The River and War down to my house with a note attached saying he ‘thought we might have something here.’ Over the following months, we listened to 10 years of tapes, the music did the talkin,’ and this album and its story began to emerge. We hope you have as much fun with it as we did. I’d like to thank Jon for his friendship and perseverance and the E Street Band for 1,001 nights of comradeship and good rockin’. They’re all about the best bunch of people you can have at your side when you’re goin’ on a long drive.”

35. Backstreet Boys, Millennium
    (13 million)

Millennium is the third album and the second in the U.S., by American boy band the Backstreet Boys, released in May 1999 through Jive Records. It was a highly anticipated follow-up to their U.S. debut album and their second international album. It was their first album they released in the U.S., as well as internationally in the same format at the same time. In the United States, it holds the record for most shipments in one year, with 11 million in 1999. It received five Grammy Award nominations and spawned four Top 40 singles, including the single, I Want It That Way.

34. Simon & Garfunkel, Simon & Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits
    (14 million)

Simon and Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits is the first compilation album from Simon & Garfunkel, which they released in June 1972, two years after the duo split. The album is currently available on CD under Legacy’s Playlist banner.

33. Meat Loaf, Bat Out of Hell
    (14 million)

Bat Out of Hell is the second studio album and the major-label debut by American rock singer Meat Loaf. It was his first collaboration with composer Jim Steinman and producer Todd Rundgren. It was released in October 1977, through Cleveland International/Epic Records. It is one of the best-selling albums of all time, having sold over 43 million copies worldwide. Rolling Stone Magazine ranked Bat Out of Hell at number 343 on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time in 2003.

32. Garth Brooks, Ropin’ the Wind
    (14 million)

Ropin’ the Wind is the third studio album for American country music artist Garth Brooks. It came out in September 1991. It was his first studio album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and the Top Country Albums chart. It was the first album by a country singer to top both charts since Kenny Rogers just over a decade earlier. It enjoyed four runs at number one between September 1991 and April 1992, spending a combined 18 weeks at the top. The RIAA eventually certified it as 14x platinum in 1998.

31. Britney Spears, …Baby One More Time
    (14 million)

Baby One More Time was the debut studio album for American singer Britney Spears. Jive Records released it in January 1999. In June 1997, Spears was negotiating with her manager Lou Pearlman to join the female pop group Innosense. Meanwhile, her mother asked family friend and entertainment lawyer Larry Rudolph for his opinion, submitting a tape of Spears singing over a Whitney Houston karaoke song.

Rudolph decided to pitch her to record labels, sending them a demo tape with an unused song by Toni Braxton. Jive was interested and appointed the singer to work with producer Eric Foster White. After hearing the recorded material, Jive signed Spears to a multi-album deal.

30. Backstreet Boys, Backstreet Boys
    (14 million)

Backstreet Boys is the self-titled debut U.S. studio album by the vocal-pop group Backstreet Boys. The release of this album coincided with the release of their second international album Backstreet’s Back. Their international debut album in 1996 was also titled Backstreet Boys, but they didn’t release it in the United States. This second self-titled album was the only one they released in the United States in 1997, making it their debut album in the country. It became one of the most successful debut albums of all time.

29. Adele, 21
    (14 million)

21 was the second studio album for British singer Adele. It came out in January 2011 in Europe and February 2011 in North America. They named the album after the age of the singer during its production. 21 shares the folk and Motown soul influences of her 2008 debut album 19.

Adele found inspiration in the American country and Southern blues music she enjoyed during her 2008 to 2009 North American tour, An Evening with Adele. She composed 21 in the aftermath of her separation from her partner, as well. So, the album typifies the tradition of the confessional singer-songwriter in their exploration of heartbreak, self-examination and forgiveness.

28. The Beatles, The Beatles 1962-1966
    (15 million)

The Beatles 1962-1966, or The Red Album is a compilation album by the English rock band the Beatles, spanning the years indicated in the title. They released it with its counterpart 1967-1970 or The Blue Album in 1973. The Red Album reached number three in the UK and number one on the U.S. Cash Box album chart. However, on Billboard, 1962-1966 peaked at number three, while 1967-1970 reached the top spot.

They re-released the album in September 1993 on compact disc and it charted at number three in the UK. Beatles manager Allen Klein compiled the album. Even though the group had success with cover versions of songs, most notably Twist and Shout, which made number two on the Billboard charts, it only included songs by the Beatles composed.

27. Santana, Supernatural
    (15 million)

Supernatural, which Clive Davis conceived, was the seventeenth studio album for the Latin rock band, Santana. They released it in June 1999 and it went platinum 15 times in the U.S. Supernatural also received eight Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and three Latin Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year. The album included Smooth, which featured Matchbox Twenty vocalist, Rob Thomas. It was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 weeks.

Santana and Thomas won three Grammy Awards for Smooth. Another collaboration, this time with Everlast, Put Your Lights On, also won a Grammy. Santana also got a Grammy for Maria Maria, which was number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 weeks. The album was a huge international hit, selling over 30 million copies. Carlos Santana was the first Hispanic to get a Grammy award for Record of the Year, while Clive Davis won Album of the Year.

26. Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon
    (15 million)

Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth album for English rock band Pink Floyd, which Harvest Records released in March 1973. They built the album on ideas they explored in earlier recordings and live shows. However, it lacks the extended instrumental excursions following the departure of founding member and principal contributor, Syd Barrett in 1968 that characterized their earlier work. It thematically explores conflict, greed, the passage of time and mental illness, the latter Barrett’s deteriorating mental state partly inspired.

25. Journey, Greatest Hits
    (15 million)

Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the American rock band Journey, which they originally released in 1988 through Columbia Records. It is the band’s best-selling career disc, spending 452 weeks on the Billboard 200 album chart, which is more than any other compilation album, except for Bob Marley’s Legend. As of late 2014, it logged nearly 1,000 weeks on Billboard’s Catalog albums chart. As of December 2008, Greatest Hits has been the sixth highest certified greatest hits package in the U.S.

24. Bruce Springsteen, Born In the U.S.A.
    (15 million)

Born in the U.S.A. is the seventh studio album by American rock singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen. Columbia Records released it in June 1984. Springsteen wrote the album’s music. He recorded it with his E Street Band and producers Chuck Plotkin and Jon Landau at The Power Station and The Hit Factory in New York City.

23. Bob Marley & the Wailers, Legend
    (15 million)

Legend is a compilation album by Bob Marley and the Wailers. It came out in May 1984 and is essentially a greatest hits collection of singles in its original vinyl format. It is also is the best-selling reggae album of all-time, with over 15 million copies selling in the United States and an estimated 28 million copies selling globally. In 2003, the album was number 46 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.

22. Bee Gees, Saturday Night Fever (Soundtrack)
    (15 million)

Saturday Night Fever: The Original Movie Sound Track is the soundtrack album from the 1977 film, Saturday Night Fever starring John Travolta. In the U.S., the RIAA certified the album as 15× platinum for shipments of at least 15 million units. The album stayed atop the album charts for 24 straight weeks from January to July 1978.

It also stayed on Billboard’s album charts for 120 weeks until March 1980. In the UK, the album spent 18 consecutive weeks at number one. The album epitomized the disco phenomenon on both sides of the Atlantic and was an international sensation.

21. Metallica, Metallica
    (16 million)

Metallica, or The Black Album is the fifth studio album by American heavy metal band Metallica. Elektra Records released it in August 1991. It received widespread critical acclaim and became the band’s best-selling album. The recording of Metallica was troubled, so during production the band frequently entered conflicts with their new producer Bob Rock.

The album debuted at number one in 10 countries. It also spent four consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard 200, making it Metallica’s first album to top album charts. By February 2016, the album spent 363 weeks on the Billboard album chart, making it one of the 10 longest running discs of all time.

20. Led Zeppelin, Physical Graffiti
    (16 million)

Physical Graffiti is the sixth studio album by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. They released it as a double album in February 1975 through their newly founded imprint label Swan Song Records. The band wrote and recorded eight new songs for the album at Headley Grange, which stretched the total time of the record beyond the typical length of a single LP.

So, the band decided to make Physical Graffiti a double album by including unreleased tracks from earlier recording sessions. One was an outtake from Led Zeppelin III, three were from Led Zeppelin IV, and three from Houses of the Holy, including the unused title track from the latter album.

19. Hootie & The Blowfish, Cracked Rear View
    (16 million)

Cracked Rear View is the debut studio album by Hootie & the Blowfish, which Atlantic Records released in July 1994. The album became extremely popular and remains one of the best-selling albums in history. Cracked Rear View is Hootie & the Blowfish’s most successful album. It was the highest-selling album of 1995, with 10.5 million shipments that year alone, eventually shipping 16 million copies to retailers by March 31, 1999. It is the joint 16th-best-selling album of all time in the U.S. Cracked Rear View reached number one on the Billboard 200 five times over the course of 1995.

18. Eagles, Hotel California
    (16 million)

Hotel California is the fifth studio album by American rock band, The Eagles and is one of the best-selling albums of all time. They released three singles from the album, each reaching highs in the Billboard Hot 100. They included New Kid in Town at number one, Hotel California at number one and Life in the Fast Lane at number 11.

The album became the band’s best-selling album after Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975, with over 16 million copies selling in the U.S. alone and over 32 million copies worldwide. The album ranked number 37 on Rolling Stone’s list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

17. Alanis Morissette, Jagged Little Pill
    (16 million)

Jagged Little Pill is the third album for Canadian singer Alanis Morissette, which she released in 1995 through Maverick. It was Morissette’s first album outside Canada. Morissette began work on her next album after moving from her hometown of Ottawa to Toronto. She made little progress until she traveled to Los Angeles, where she met producer, Glen Ballard. Morissette and Ballard had an instant connection and began co-writing and experimenting with sounds.

16. Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard (Soundtrack)
    (17 million)

The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album is from the film of the same name. Arista Records released it in November 1992. The album’s first side, in its original LP configuration, features songs by Whitney Houston. But side two features the work of numerous other artists. Whitney Houston and Clive Davis co-executively produced the album.

It has become one of the best-selling albums of all time. The soundtrack was the first album verified by the Nielsen Sound Scan computerized sales monitoring system to have sold more than a million units within a one-week period. The soundtrack later went on to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and the RIAA certified it at 17× platinum in November 1999.

15. The Beatles, The Beatles 1967-1970
    (17 million)

The Beatles 1967-1970, or The Blue Album is a compilation of songs by the English rock band the Beatles, spanning the years indicated in the title. It was released with 1962-1966 or The Red Album in 1973. 1967-1970 made number one on the American Billboard chart and number two on the British Album Chart. They re-released the album  in September 1993 on CD, charting at number four in the UK.

14. Garth Brooks, No Fences
    (17 million)

No Fences is the second studio album by the American country music artist Garth Brooks. It came out in August 1990, reaching number one on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. The album also reached number three on the Billboard 200, remaining on the top 40 for 126 weeks. No Fences is Brooks’ bestselling studio album to date, selling 17 million copies in the U.S. This is the album that made him an international star.

No Fences was his first album in Europe. The original European release contained the four singles from his U.S. debut as bonus tracks. This was Garth’s first album to have a crossover-friendly country-pop sound, which was a departure from the neo-traditional country sound of his first album.

13. Elton John, Greatest Hits
    (17 million).

Greatest Hits, or Elton John’s Greatest Hits in North America, is the eleventh official album release for Elton John, and the first compilation. They released it in November 1974, and it spans the years 1970 to 1974. They compiled 10 of John’s singles, with one track variation for release in North America and one for Europe and Australia. It topped the album chart in both America and the UK, staying at number one for 10 consecutive weeks in the U.S. and 11 weeks in the UK.

Greatest Hits was the best-selling album of 1975 in the U.S. and is his best-selling album to date. It was also his first to receive RIAA diamond certification for U.S sales of more than 10 million copies. As of April 2016, the album has been certified as selling in excess of 17 million copies in America.

12. Boston, Boston
    (17 million)

Boston is the debut studio album by American rock band Boston. Tom Scholz and John Boylan produced the album which came out in August 1976 through Epic Records. Scholz studied classical piano in his childhood and became involved in the Boston music scene in the late 1960’s. He subsequently started to concentrate on demos he recorded in his apartment basement with singer Brad Delp.

Their previous group, Mother’s Milk received numerous rejection letters from major record labels in the early 1970’s. But by 1975, the demo tape fell into the hands of CBS-owned Epic Records, who signed the band.

11. Guns N’ Roses, Appetite for Destruction
    (18 million)

Appetite for Destruction is the debut studio album by American hard rock band Guns N’ Roses. Geffen Records released it in July 1987 to a massive commercial success. It topped the Billboard 200 and became the best-selling debut album, as well as the 11th best-selling album in America. With about 30 million copies selling worldwide, it is also one of the bestselling records ever. Although critics were ambivalent toward the album at first, Appetite for Destruction has since received retrospective acclaim as one of the greatest albums of all time.

10. The Beatles, The Beatles
    (19 million)

The Beatles, or The White Album, is the ninth studio album by English rock group the Beatles, which came out in November 1968. A double album, its plain white sleeve has no graphics or text other than the band’s name. They intended it to be in direct contrast to the vivid cover artwork of the band’s earlier Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Although they didn’t release any singles from The Beatles in Britain and the United States, the songs, Hey Jude and Revolution originated from the same recording sessions. They issued them on a single in August 1968.

9. Shania Twain, Come On Over
   (20 million)

Come On Over is the third studio album by Canadian singer Shania Twain. They released it in November 1997. It became the best-selling country music album, the best-selling studio album by a female act, and the bestselling album by a Canadian. It is the sixth best-selling album in the United States.

8. Fleetwood Mac, Rumours
   (20 million)

Rumours is the eleventh studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac. They recorded most of it in California during 1976. The band, along with Ken Caillat and Richard Dashut produced it. Warner Bros. Records released it in February 1977. Fleetwood Mac’s most successful release, the record reached the top of both the United States Billboard chart and the United Kingdom Albums Chart. They released these songs as singles:

• Go Your Own Way
• Dreams
• Don’t Stop
• You Make Loving Fun

7. Garth Brooks, Double Live
   (21 million)

Double Live is the first and only live album by American country music artist Garth Brooks. It came out in November 1998 and is a two-disc compilation Brooks recorded during his 1996 to 1998 world tour. The album broke the first-week sales record at the time previously held by Pearl Jam’s Vs. when it sold 1,085,000 copies. It became the best-selling live album in the U.S. since Eric Clapton’s Unplugged in 1992 Later, it became the best-selling live album in United States music history.

6. AC/DC, Back In Black
   (22 million)

Back in Black is the seventh studio album by Australian rock band AC/DC. Produced with Robert John “Mutt” Lange, the album came out in July 1980 through Albert Productions and Atlantic Records. By the late 1970s, AC/DC began to achieve significant popularity outside their native Australia with high-energy live performances and a string of successful albums.

In 1978, they paired with producer Lange to record their international breakthrough, Highway to Hell. Back in Black is the band’s first album with vocalist Brian Johnson. He replaced Bon Scott who died in February of the same year shortly before they started recording the album. Instead of disbanding, the group decided to continue with Johnson.

5. Pink Floyd, The Wall
   (23 million)

The Wall is the eleventh studio album by English rock band Pink Floyd. They released it as a double album in November 1979 through Harvest Records in the UK and through Columbia Records in the U.S. Despite an initially mixed critical reaction, The Wall peaked at number three on the UK Albums Chart, while topping the U.S. Billboard 200 chart for 15 weeks. In 1982, they adapted it into a feature film of the same name. The Wall has since received recognition as one of the most famous concept albums of all time.

Bass guitarist and lyricist Roger Waters conceived the album as a rock opera during Pink Floyd’s 1977 In the Flesh Tour, when his frustration with the audience became so acute, he spat on them. Its story, which follows themes of abandonment and personal isolation, explores Pink, a character whom Waters modeled after himself and the band’s original leader Syd Barrett.

Pink’s life begins with the loss of his father during World War II, and continues with abuse from his schoolteachers, an overprotective mother and the breakdown of his marriage. They all contributed to his eventual self-imposed isolation from society, represented by a metaphorical wall. The band, who were then struggling with personal and financial difficulties, supported the idea.

4. Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin IV
   (23 million)

The untitled fourth studio album by English rock band Led Zeppelin, commonly known as Led Zeppelin IV, came out in November 1971 via Atlantic Records. Guitarist Jimmy Page produced it and they recorded it between November 1970 and January 1971 at several locations. The most prominent was the Victorian house, Headley Grange. After the band’s previous album, Led Zeppelin III, received lukewarm reviews from critics, Page decided their fourth album would officially be untitled.

This, along with the inner sleeve design featuring four symbols that represented each band member, led to new names for the album like Four Symbols logo, Four Symbols, The Fourth Album, Untitled, Runes, The Hermit and ZoSo, which they derived from Page’s symbol. In addition to lacking an album title, the cover featured no band name, as the group wished to be anonymous and to avoid easy pigeonholing by the press.

3. Billy Joel, Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II
   (23 million)

Billy Joel’s Greatest Hits is a collection they released in two sets, 12 years apart. The first set, consisting of two discs, Volume I and Volume II, came out in 1985. The second, single disc, Volume III arrived in 1997. You’re Only Human (Second Wind) and The Night Is Still Young were new songs and, at the time, only available on this compilation.

2. Eagles, Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975
   (29 million).

Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 is the first compilation album by the Eagles in 1976. The album contains a selection of songs from the Eagles’ first four albums in the period from the Eagles’ formation in 1971 up to 1975. The best-selling album in the U.S. for some years, Michael Jackson’s Thriller surpassed it after his death in 2009.

It is the second highest-certified album by the RIAA at 29x platinum, behind Thriller. In 2017, they selected it for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or artistically significant.”

1. Michael Jackson, Thriller
   (33 million certified units)

Thriller is the sixth studio album by American singer Michael Jackson. The release was in November 1982 via Epic Records in America and CBS Records internationally. The follow-up to Jackson’s successful previous studio album, Off the Wall, it explores genres like those of its predecessor, including pop, post-disco, rock and funk. Recording sessions for the album took place from April to November 1982 at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles with a production budget of $750,000.

Quincy Jones produced the album, and Jackson wrote four of its nine songs. In just over a year, Thriller became and currently remains the world’s best-selling album, with estimated sales of 66 million copies. Representatives for Sony and Jackson’s estate say that Thriller has sold 105 million copies globally. It is the best-selling album in the U.S., and the first album the RIAA certified as 33× multi-platinum, having shipped 33 million album-equivalent units.

 

Resources:

• “The 40 Most Groundbreaking Albums of All Time.” 40 Most Groundbreaking Albums of All Time. Accessed October 22, 2017. http://www.rollingstone.com/most-groundbreaking-albums-of-all-time.
• “100 Best Selling Albums of All Time (Updated for 2017).” 2017, February 22. Accessed October 10, 2017. https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2017/02/16/100-best-selling-albums-all-time/
• “Back Street Band.” Discogs – Database and Marketplace for Music on Vinyl, CD, Cassette and More. Accessed October 11, 2017. https://www.discogs.com/.
• Beech, Mark. “Elvis Presley Versus Ed Sheeran In Race For Top Album.” Forbes. August 14, 2017. Accessed October 22, 2017. https://www.forbes.com/sites/markbeech/2017/08/14/elvis-presley-versus-ed-sheeran-in-race-for-top-album/.
• “iTunes.” Apple. Accessed October 12, 2017. https://www.apple.com/itunes/charts/albums/.
• “List of best-selling albums.” Wikipedia. October 12, 2017. Accessed October 10, 2017. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_albums.
• “Top Album Sales” Billboard. Accessed October 22, 2017. http://www.billboard.com/charts/top-album-sales.
• “Top Albums – Music on Google Play.” Google. Accessed October 22, 2017. https://play.google.com/store/music/collection/topselling_paid_album.