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One week ago, the CSPC analysis of Oasis has been published. Their cult album (What's the Story) Morning Glory? has posted very strong results in streaming. The list added today in the Data Collector refers to this performance. How does it rank among deep catalog albums?
Please keep in mind some artists with strong results in this format hasn't been studied so far, e.g. the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Journey or Dr. Dre. All figures reflect the value as collected at the time of the artist's respective articles. All figures represent Worldwide streams.
Reminder of the formula
Equivalent Albums Sales (EAS) = 212/132 * Spotify streams / 1500 + YouTube views / 11750
Albums Ranking - Streaming (EAS) - Catalog (before 2000)
1. 1991 - Nirvana - Nevermind - 1,007,000
2. 1982 - Michael Jackson - Thriller - 993,000
3. 1995 - Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory? - 762,000
4. 1977 - Bob Marley - Exodus - 695,000
5. 1987 - Guns N' Roses - Appetite For Destruction - 668,000
6. 1987 - Michael Jackson - Bad - 662,000
7. 1977 - Fleetwood Mac - Rumours - 625,000
8. 1991 - Metallica - Metallica - 570,000
9. 1975 - Queen - A Night at the Opera - 544,000
10. 1979 - Pink Floyd - The Wall - 527,000
11. 1978 - Bob Marley - Kaya - 512,000
12. 1986 - Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet - 485,000
13. 1997 - Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape - 424,000
14. 1987 - U2 - The Joshua Tree - 416,000
15. 1973 - Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon - 392,000
16. 1980 - Bob Marley - Uprising - 370,000
17. 1991 - Michael Jackson - Dangerous - 364,000
18. 1993 - Nirvana - In Utero - 360,000
19. 1978 - Queen - Jazz - 359,000
20. 1984 - Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A. - 348,000
20. 1977 - Queen - News of the World - 348,000
22. 1980 - Queen - The Game - 342,000
23. 1999 - Backstreet Boys - Millennium - 338,000
24. 1999 - Destiny's Child - The Writing's on the Wall - 313,000
25. 1994 - Mariah Carey - Merry Christmas - 312,000
26. 1994 - Green Day - Dookie - 309,000
27. 1992 - Whitney Houston - The Bodyguard - 305,000
28. 1999 - Eminem - The Slim Shady LP - 299,000
29. 1969 - Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed - 294,000
30. 1971 - Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV - 291,000
31. 1995 - Michael Jackson - HIStory: Past, Present and Future - 280,000
32. 1984 - Wham! - Make It Big - 274,000
33. 1972 - David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars - 268,000
34. 1991 - Guns N' Roses - Use Your Illusion I - 267,000
35. 1997 - Backstreet Boys - Backstreet's Back - 265,000
36. 1966 - Rolling Stones - Aftermath - 261,000
37. 1977 - Bee Gees & Various Artists - Saturday Night Fever - 259,000
38. 1975 - Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here - 255,000
38. 1997 - Shania Twain - Come On Over - 255,000
40. 1979 - Michael Jackson - Off the Wall - 241,000
41. 1978 - Various Artists - Grease - 240,000
41. 1969 - Beatles - Abbey Road - 240,000
43. 1982 - Queen - Hot Space - 239,000
44. 1974 - Bob Marley - Natty Dread - 237,000
44. 1984 - Queen - The Works - 237,000
46. 1991 - Guns N' Roses - Use Your Illusion II - 232,000
47. 1969 - Jackson 5 - Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5 - 227,000
48. 1999 - Britney Spears - …Baby One More Time - 225,000
48. 1971 - David Bowie - Hunky Dory - 225,000
50. 1983 - David Bowie - Let's Dance - 217,000
Incredible to see the Beatles with so few albums and a band like Queen just slaying it.
Makes me wonder if 50 years from now, will Beatles still be #1?
Michael Jackson's consistent success remains bloody unbelievable. Even with a peak as high as Thriller's his other works all seem to still do remarkably well.
Hi Nathan!
In all fairness, the Beatles' article is older than the one of Queen and their catalog arrived on Spotify later than the remaining acts, although the impact isn't that big by now since streams got so much bigger lately!
if i haven't messed up my calculations, then Abbey Road is now
up to 360,000
How come the Backstreet Boys have two albums with more streams than Shania's COO ? What happened ? Neither of the two has had hits in 15 years, but Shania's album was much bigger and her songs are more played on the radio than those of the BSB.
There's a Jackson 5 record in there too, so they're pretty well matched. Both incredible back catalogs.
Why is that incredible to you? Queen outsold the Beatles in many territories, especially Europe.
Definitely an interesting list but where does the data come from? Which services? Which country or countries?
Hi Bob!
Relevant question, the formula has been added! It uses Spotify & YouTube to establish comprehensive audio and video streams Worldwide.
Great! This is the kind of list I really like!
I know it's impossible to have all figures updated at all times, but how about adding dates, like in the "ARTISTS RANKING – CSPC – OVERALL SALES" list? It's only fair to point out that figures for Oasis and Bob Marley are recent, while others like U2 and Led Zep are rather old.
Yesterday I actually compiled a list of pre 2000 albums from various different artists that should all be on this list. The reality is that this list should look totally different. At the moment its dominated by Michael Jackson, Queen and Bob Marley but in reality these artists wouldn't dominate the top 50 the way they have here. It is dominated by rock music but there are a few rap artists and a little pop music. To qualify the total streams needed to be over 220 million.
Here is the list I made. I'm sure there are albums that have been left out but I'd be happy for any others you may have to create a top 100. 🙂
1. Red hot chili peppers - Californication - 775,906,197
2. 2Pac - All Eyez on me - 557,921,997
3. Notorious B.I.G - Life after death - 468,778,805
4. AC/DC - Back in black - 436,947,038
5. Red hot chili peppers - Blood, sugar, sex, magik - 436,947,038
6. Journey - Escape- 430,941,277
7. Pearl jam - Ten - 378,884,225
8. Offspring - American - 362,726,117
9. Goo goo dolls - Dizzy up the girl - 338,915,306
10. The Eagles - Hotel California - 323,551,483
11. Radiohead - OK computer - 322,426,770
12. Toto - IV - 317,418,774
13. Rage against the machine - Rage against the machine - 315,773,389
14. Creedence clearwater revival - Willy and the poor boys - 314,653,965
15. Limp Bizkit - Chocolate starfish - 307,648,414
16. N.W.A - Straight outta Compton - 307,191,806
17. Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman - 293,406,989
18. The Verve - Urban Hymns - 287,954,426
19. Black Sabbath - Paranoid - 284,629,794
20. Smashing pumpkins - Mellon collie and the infinite sadness - 284,586,699
21. Dire Straits - Brothers in arms - 226,911,951
22. Spice girls - Spice - 263,350,761
23. Aha - Hunting high and low - 261,961,607
24. Jimi Hendrix experience - Are you experienced? -259,980,500
25. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Second coming - 259,874062
26. R.E.M - Out of time - 255,590,205
27. Notorious B.I.G - Ready to die - 252,237,478
28. Cyndi Lauper - She's so unusual - 250,373,155
29. Fugees - The Score - 245,643,812
30. Simon and Garfunkel - Bridge over troubled water - 243,020,916
31. Lauryn Hill - The miseducation of - 242,499,499
32. Survivor - The eye of the tiger - 236,124,404
33. Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland - 234,650,299
34. Weezer - The blue album - 230,603,628
35. Dire straits - Dire straits - 226,911,951
36. The Police - Synchronicity - 222,298,910
37. AC/DC - Highway to hell - 219,138,917
38. The Cranberries - No need to argue - 217,501,890
Hi, a couple of mistakes. AC/DC - Back in black is at 438,728,247, I've marked it down as the same as RHCP's - BSSM. Also Dire straits - Brothers in arms is at 275,827,416, the total I've put up here is for their 1st album. Apologies. These numbers were all as off yesterday.
Ok, so I've redone the list. Its a total of 40 albums that would fit inside the top 50 already posted. Some surprises here for sure!
1. Red hot chili peppers - Californication - 775,906,197
2. 2Pac - All Eyez on me - 557,921,997
3. Blink 182 - Enema of the state - 520,974,385
4. Notorious B.I.G - Life after death - 468,778,805
5. AC/DC - Back in black - 438,728,247
6. Red hot chili peppers - Blood, sugar, sex, magik - 436,947,038
7. Journey - Escape- 430,941,277
8. Pearl jam - Ten - 378,884,225
9. Offspring - Americana - 362,726,117
10. Goo goo dolls - Dizzy up the girl - 338,915,306
11. The Eagles - Hotel California - 323,551,483
12. Radiohead - OK Computer - 322,426,770
13. Toto - IV - 317,418,774
14. Rage against the machine - Rage against the machine - 315,773,389
15. Creedence clearwater revival - Willy and the poor boys - 314,653,965
16. Limp Bizkit - Chocolate starfish - 307,648,414
17. N.W.A - Straight outta Compton - 307,191,806
18. Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman - 293,406,989
19. The Verve - Urban Hymns - 287,954,426
20. Black Sabbath - Paranoid - 284,629,794
21. Smashing pumpkins - Mellon collie and the infinite sadness - 284,586,699
22. Dire Straits - Brothers in arms - 275,827,416
23. Spice girls - Spice - 263,350,761
24. Aha - Hunting high and low - 261,961,607
25. Jimi Hendrix experience - Are you experienced? -259,980,500
26. Lynyrd Skynyrd - Second coming - 259,874,062
27. R.E.M - Out of time - 255,590,205
28. Notorious B.I.G - Ready to die - 252,237,478
29. Cyndi Lauper - She's so unusual - 250,373,155
30. Fugees - The Score - 245,643,812
31. Simon and Garfunkel - Bridge over troubled water - 243,020,916
32. Lauryn Hill - The miseducation of - 242,499,499
33. Survivor - The eye of the tiger - 236,124,404
34. Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland - 234,650,299
35. Weezer - The blue album - 230,603,628
36. Dire straits - Dire straits - 226,911,951
37. The Police - Synchronicity - 222,298,910
38. AC/DC - Highway to hell - 219,138,917
39. No doubt - Tragic Kingdom - 218,251,290.
40. The Cranberries - No need to argue - 217,501,89
Wow thanks for that^^^
To look at these lists one has to understand that they will never be 100 percent accurate. The more artists that get added to the CSPC list will mean that there are always more and more acts with outdated numbers. Plus there are SO many acts to cover, especially the "one album wonder" acts that might not get covered for quite some time. Either was I found these lists interesting
Hi Nuclear Dolphin!
A small comment on figures from the article: they refer to equivalent album sales rather than Spotify streams. A total of 217,5 million streams is worth 232,880 EAS. Then, the article also includes YouTube.
Thanks for the list! A lot of expected albums here, and albums that would make a very good playlist for sure. I take it you used streams as listed inside the album only, not compiling also the additional versions of each song available? I would expect an album like Talking Book to be there elseway, United too. The list really shows streaming isn't urban music oriented, it is all about who consumes music that way. When we filter on people who stream "classic" music, we can see Rock albums in full force too.
MJD hi, yes those figures are straight forward streams from the albums. Lots of artists with just 1 album, like Blink 182 such a massive total, who would have thought? I guess then the numbers would be even higher then. I just find it interesting what people are listening to these days from decades ago, a lot of massive artists that are not on the list like Elton John, Prince, Madonna, Aerosmith and only 1 Beatles album. It's predominately rock based that seems to be popular but there are no new rock bands pulling in the numbers which I find strange. Anyway, I now see what a major task it is trying to pull all this information together. Thanks Kris also.
Yes it is a massive task, we can all thanks Anthony for this amazing work!
As for new rock bands, the Arctic Monkeys are fairly solid. Five Finger Death Punch, Disturbed, the XX and the Black Keys have some strong records too although they lack big hits. Then of course Imagine Dragons are insanely popular.
Yes, the tracks from Led Zeppelin IV are now on 364,126,969 Spotify streams, which equates to 584,809,981 comprehensive streams and approximately 160m Youtube views, which together give it an EAS total of 403,335 (389,873 + 13,462) . Led Zeppelin II is now on 263,678,040 CS and approx 110m Youtube views and 291,693 EAS.
