Best selling artists, albums and singles of all-time

Anthony Blanchard Posted on October 19, 2017 Posted in Data Collector, Sales tops 1,694 Comments

Albums Ranking – Raw sales – Studio albums

This list is about studio albums only. Compilations, lives and box sets are not considered here. The figures given here are units sold.

Please keep in mind that some artists are missing, because their analysis has not been done yet. The complete list is available here. All figures reflect the value as collected at the time of the artist’s respective articles.

Album:

Year:

g#	Album	Year	Sales	As Of
1	Thriller Michael Jackson	1982	65,800,000	09/27/17
2	The Dark Side of the Moon Pink Floyd	1973	43,300,000	06/18/17
3	The Bodyguard Whitney Houston	1992	41,100,000	05/04/17
4	Grease Various Artists	1978	38,100,000	09/14/21
5	Led Zeppelin IV Led Zeppelin	1971	36,800,000	09/07/21
6	Back in Black AC/DC	1980	35,810,000	02/20/18
7	Rumours Fleetwood Mac	1977	35,500,000	10/21/21
8	Saturday Night Fever Bee Gees & Various Artists	1977	34,800,000	04/09/17
9	Bad Michael Jackson	1987	33,600,000	09/27/17
10	Jagged Little Pill Alanis Morissette	1995	33,570,000	06/05/18
11	Come On Over Shania Twain	1997	33,500,000	02/25/22
12	The Wall Pink Floyd	1979	31,300,000	06/18/17
13	Brothers in Arms Dire Straits	1985	30,850,000	03/23/18
14	Metallica Metallica	1991	30,790,000	02/13/19
15	Appetite For Destruction Guns N' Roses	1987	30,770,000	03/01/18
16	21 Adele	2011	30,380,000	06/21/22
17	Hotel California Eagles	1976	30,050,000	12/20/17
18	Dirty Dancing Dirty Dancing	1987	29,970,000	01/13/18
19	Let's Talk About Love Céline Dion	1997	29,800,000	09/28/21
20	Dangerous Michael Jackson	1991	29,550,000	09/27/17
21	Born in the U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen	1984	29,300,000	07/07/17
22	Titanic James Horner	1997	28,510,000	06/18/18
23	Falling Into You Céline Dion	1996	28,100,000	09/28/21
24	Nevermind Nirvana	1991	27,750,000	07/09/17
25	Bat Out of Hell Meat Loaf	1977	27,410,000	06/16/18
26	The Joshua Tree U2	1987	26,800,000	09/18/21
27	Abbey Road The Beatles	1969	26,700,000	04/17/22
28	Music Box Mariah Carey	1993	26,100,000	04/28/17
29	Supernatural Santana	1999	25,990,000	08/05/20
30	Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band The Beatles	1967	24,800,000	04/17/22
31	...Baby One More Time Britney Spears	1999	24,195,000	04/28/19
32	Come Away With Me Norah Jones	2002	23,900,000	01/16/22
33	Millennium Backstreet Boys	1999	23,800,000	04/02/22
34	Slippery When Wet Bon Jovi	1986	23,600,000	01/28/22
35	The Marshall Mathers LP Eminem	2000	23,340,000	06/22/21
36	No Jacket Required Phil Collins	1985	23,310,000	04/11/18
37	Purple Rain Prince and the Revolutions	1984	23,030,000	10/04/18
38	The Eminem Show Eminem	2002	23,020,000	06/22/21
39	True Blue Madonna	1986	22,550,000	08/20/17
40	Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman	1988	22,470,000	06/25/19
41	Boston Boston	1976	22,430,000	06/01/19
42	Wish You Were Here Pink Floyd	1975	22,300,000	06/18/17
43	Led Zeppelin II Led Zeppelin	1969	21,900,000	09/07/21
44	Spice Spice Girls	1996	21,900,000	03/23/17
45	Whitney Houston Whitney Houston	1985	21,900,000	05/04/17
46	Like A Virgin Madonna	1984	21,250,000	08/20/17
47	25 Adele	2015	20,935,000	06/21/22
48	...But Seriously Phil Collins	1989	20,810,000	04/11/18
49	Hybrid Theory Linkin Park	2000	20,800,000	06/04/17
50	Daydream Mariah Carey	1995	19,900,000	04/28/17
51	Whitney Whitney Houston	1987	19,800,000	05/04/17
52	Dookie Green Day	1994	19,750,000	03/11/17
53	Bridge over Troubled Water Simon & Garfunkel	1970	19,580,000	05/11/18
54	Off the Wall Michael Jackson	1979	19,425,000	09/27/17
55	Oops!... I Did It Again Britney Spears	2000	19,305,000	04/28/19
56	The Beatles (White Album) The Beatles	1968	19,000,000	04/17/22
57	Faith George Michael	1987	18,850,000	05/06/17
58	Use Your Illusion II Guns N' Roses	1991	18,800,000	03/01/18
59	HIStory: Past, Present and Future Michael Jackson	1995	18,625,000	09/27/17
60	Use Your Illusion I Guns N' Roses	1991	18,010,000	03/01/18
61	Tragic Kingdom No Doubt	1995	18,000,000	03/29/20
62	No Need to Argue Cranberries	1994	17,840,000	01/25/18
63	Houses Of The Holy Led Zeppelin	1973	17,700,000	09/07/21
64	(What's the Story) Morning Glory? Oasis	1995	17,660,000	12/06/17
65	Achtung Baby U2	1991	17,500,000	09/18/21
66	Breakfast in America Supertramp	1979	16,760,000	08/13/19
67	Fallen Evanescence	2003	16,730,000	06/30/19
68	No Fences Garth Brooks	1990	16,640,000	01/05/19
69	The Colour Of My Love Céline Dion	1993	16,600,000	09/28/21
70	The Score Fugees	1996	16,525,000	02/18/21
71	Californication Red Hot Chili Peppers	1999	16,270,000	03/29/18
72	Let Go Avril Lavigne	2002	16,220,000	02/10/18
73	Out of Time R.E.M.	1991	16,005,000	09/24/21
74	Ray Of Light Madonna	1998	16,000,000	08/20/17
75	The Woman in Me Shania Twain	1995	16,000,000	02/25/22
76	Back To Black Amy Winehouse	2006	15,940,000	07/19/19
77	CrazySexyCool TLC	1994	15,900,000	04/07/19
78	...And Justice For All Metallica	1988	15,840,000	02/13/19
79	Led Zeppelin I Led Zeppelin	1969	15,800,000	09/07/21
80	The Fame / The Fame Monster Lady Gaga	2008	15,745,000	12/22/20
81	Face Value Phil Collins	1981	15,640,000	04/11/18
82	The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill Ms. Lauryn Hill	1998	15,610,000	02/21/21
83	Flashdance Various Artists	1983	15,590,000	12/05/18
84	Van Halen Van Halen	1978	15,575,000	08/14/20
85	Confessions Usher	2004	15,500,000	09/04/17
86	1984 Van Halen	1984	15,440,000	08/14/20
87	Harvest Neil Young	1972	15,325,000	05/16/21
88	The Stranger Billy Joel	1977	15,300,000	11/03/21
89	No Strings Attached NSYNC	2000	15,300,000	02/09/18
90	American Idiot Green Day	2004	15,250,000	03/11/17
91	Highway to Hell AC/DC	1979	15,150,000	02/20/18
92	Synchronicity The Police	1983	15,050,000	06/06/20
93	Déjà Vu [CSNY] Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young	1970	14,600,000	05/16/21
94	Graceland Paul Simon	1986	14,570,000	05/10/18
95	No Angel Dido	1999	14,460,000	02/18/19
96	A Day Without Rain Enya	2000	14,430,000	02/25/18
97	Blood Sugar Sex Magik Red Hot Chili Peppers	1991	14,430,000	03/29/18
98	Rubber Soul The Beatles	1965	14,400,000	04/17/22
99	Like A Prayer Madonna	1989	14,275,000	08/20/17
100	Mariah Carey Mariah Carey	1990	14,050,000	04/28/17
	Album	Year

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Mikko

5 days ago

Looks like Elvis has passed Michael Jackson on UK All Time List 1956-2022 (albums).
3. Elvis Presley 26.8 million
4. Michael Jackson 26.6 million.

Analord

Reply to Mikko

5 days ago

Adding other formats (singles…etc.), Elvis might be about 2m EAS above MJ, so I guess he was always above him.

Clockingbell

Reply to Mikko

5 days ago

It’s 26.6 vs 26.3 on here. How did you get your numbers?

Mikko

Reply to Clockingbell

5 days ago

UK best selling album artists 7/ 1956-12/2022 1. Beatles 35.7 m 2. Queen 28.7 m 3. Elvis Presley 26.8 m 4. Michael Jackson 26.6 m 5. Madonna 22.9 m 6. Abba 21.8 m 7. Rod Stewart 21.7 m 8. Robbie Williams 20.8 m 9. U2 20.7 m 10. Elton John 20 m 11. David Bowie 19.9 m 12. Oasis 18.7 m 13. Pink Floyd 17.9 m 14. Rolling Stones 17.6 m 15. Fleetwood Mac 16.3 m 16. Take That 15.9 m 17. Bob Dylan 15.3 m 18. Coldplay 14.8 m 19. Dire Straits 14.6 m 20. Phil Collins 14.4 m… Read more »

AlanWill

Reply to Mikko

4 days ago

Only top 30？

Martin

Reply to Clockingbell

4 days ago

The numbers are from the Haven forum, where a poster Shireblogger had a shot at detailing the top selling album artists in the UK. It’s not anything official, as nothing is, with all time sales.

Mikko

Reply to Martin

4 days ago

Is someone say it’s official?

-1

Martin

Reply to Mikko

4 days ago

No, someone say nothing, just post random list with no link, no explanation etc

Mikko

Reply to Martin

4 days ago

Did i step on toes? But anyway the trend is that Elvis is on the rise. David Bowie sold almost 5 million albums (EAS) period 01/2016-12/2022.

-1

Clockingbell

Reply to Mikko

4 days ago

Thanks! I’d like to see the trends this website will post to see how much artists are increasing as of now

Mikko

Reply to Clockingbell

4 days ago

There is list from 1956 to 12/2015. ie. Uk album sales. I can tap it tomorrow.

MJD

Admin

Reply to Mikko

4 days ago

Hi Mikko!

These are not “trends”, this is a completely different set of estimates, that I don’t agree with at all. The work put on by Shireblogger is respectable, but very poorly done, based loosely on charts only. He doesn’t even consider certifications, doesn’t use discogs, doesn’t check existing releases that failed to chart, is rarely aware of music series, clubs, budget versions, etc. Just to take an example, his “estimates” on Sinatra are 10m including streams, while he sold 25m pure.

Mikko

Reply to MJD

3 days ago

Uhh! Very negative tone from a colleague. Collegiality! Were it Elvis again who had passed by MJ? I knew. But i’m about to tap Uk album list from 1956-12/2015 .

-1

Mikko

Reply to Mikko

3 days ago

Here it is. Uk album artists from 1956-12/2015. Old list and unofficial. Top 40 1. Beatles 31.5 m 2. Queen 23.8 m 3. Michael Jackson 23.5 m 4. Elvis Presley 22 m 5. Madonna 19.8 m 6. Robbie Williams 19.4 m 7. Rod Stewart 19.3 m 8. Abba 18.4 m 9. U2 17.8 m 10. Elton John 16.5 m 11. Oasis 16.3 m 12. David Bowie 15.7 m 13. Pink Floyd 15.4 m 14. Take That 15.1 m 15. Rolling Stones 15 m 16. Simply Red 13.3 m 17. Phil Collins 13 m 18. Dire Straits 12.850 m 19. Fleetwood… Read more »

MJD

Admin

Reply to Mikko

3 days ago

Well Mikko, let’s just say that I understand and know figures well enough to spot when people disregard accuracy and instead prefer to manipulate people for their personal interests, and I don’t rate very high people behaving this way nor do I see them as colleagues of mine.

Mikko

Reply to MJD

3 days ago

These guys are completely unknown to me. I just saw this list or lists. Yes, i know you are pro, otherwise i wouldn’t be on this site year after year. You have been in this case so-called game-changer.

Dtew

5 days ago

1989 just did 13k today.. I remember when it was doing 3k in 2021, her longevity is unreal

Lag

6 days ago

Hello. We cannot log in in the website anymore ?

MJD

Admin

Reply to Lag

6 days ago

Hello Lag & everyone who got/reported the issue,

It should be fixed now. Somewhat the automatic update of wordpress went wrong and half of our plugins got deactivated, including those used for login, pagination, mailing, etc.

It’s all activated back, I can’t be sure that settings got retrieved 100% correctly so let me know if anything weird happens. Sorry for the inconvenience!

Jonasl91

Reply to MJD

5 days ago

Hey. On Billie Eilish’s streams page would it be possible to remove the Prime Day version of All the good girls go to hell that’s on there? On Spotify it’s part of a random Various artists album, and even though it links to Billie’s page it’s not on there. I just feel like it shouldn’t be counted for her streams

fred

6 days ago

You forgot Just Dance (14M according to you) and Poker Face (20M) by Lady Gaga.

matt

6 days ago

Please add Morgan Wallen’s ‘One Thing At A Time’ to the 2023 top albums list, only Karol G’s album is there. Morgan’s has topped 1.7M units in the US, as per HDD.

Trya

10 days ago

Please create an article on Melanie Martinez! Her album called ‘Crybaby’ sold more than 2 million copies in the US. The album will soon cross 4 BILLION streams. Crybaby has 4,617,000 CSPC without counting the physical sales which is amazing and deserves to be on the list, since Zara Larsson also made it here…

skkywill

15 days ago

page3, Celine actually had SM article

Tim Gutekunst

17 days ago

You’ve done a great thing here. i don’t know if very many peopleunderstand how cool this is.

césar

20 days ago

abba is missing from the lists by country

-1

Editor

Reply to césar

20 days ago

Hi césar!

The oldest studies aren’t added yet.

Antonio

Reply to Al

6 days ago

during these new updates, I noticed that the various CSPC articles are not in order of release of the various albums of an artist, then I noticed that there is also discrepancy between physical singles of that page and physical singles which are in the CSPC article of an artist for example U2 and Metallica; for example on one side it brings The Joshua Tree (1987) – 1,215,000 equivalent albums and instead in the article CSPC reports 1,470,000 EAS.
The same happens for physical singles of Metallica.
I hope you will answer me.

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