When it comes to heavy music, few things spark more debate than the numbers behind it. This article provides a listing of the 50 best-selling metal albums of all time, based strictly on pure sales. No streams, no equivalents, just albums that listeners around the world bought, whether on vinyl, cassette, CD, or digital download.

This ranking is built entirely on global pure sales, not just US certifications or regional data. The ranking focuses on studio albums. Unlike in pop or rock, the vast majority of entries are studio albums, reflecting metal fans' deep connection to original, front-to-back releases. That consistency sets metal apart from many other genres. A top 10 of the best-selling metal live and compilation albums is available at the end of the article.

Expectedly, this ranking has its share of giants, all with multiple entries, like Metallica, Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne, and Black Sabbath. Meanwhile, acts like Megadeth, Pantera, Slayer, Judas Priest, and Rammstein don't always place several albums, but their top sellers still highlight their success. As some household names like Motörhead and Deftones are absent from the top 50, we will add commentary to their respective peak albums, too.

To be clear, this is a ranking of metal albums, not of metal artists. That distinction matters. Albums from otherwise metal bands that step outside the genre, such as Minutes to Midnight by Linkin Park, are excluded. Conversely, a few metal records by artists who otherwise straddle hard rock, like Kiss's mid-80s output, are included when the album itself leans into full-on metal. Grunge and post-grunge will get their dedicated article, so the absence of Alice in Chains, Creed, Godsmack, and similar acts is by design.

All figures presented here are ChartMasters' estimates, based on a proprietary methodology that combines official data, market analysis, and tailored algorithms. Just as Forbes calculates net worths, we apply expert modeling to update global sales figures for each release, ensuring the most accurate and current overview possible.

Let's dive into the albums that defined metal's commercial legacy, ranked from the genre's top-selling behemoth to the bottom of this elite list.

Metallica and Nu Metal Crush the Field

Master of Sales: Inside Metallica's Chart-Crushing Streak

Across the complete list of the 50 best-selling metal albums, Metallica is everywhere. The Black Album leads the way at #1, with an incredible 32.5 million pure sales, over 10 million ahead of the next album. ...And Justice for All comes in at #4 with 16.3 million, followed by Master of Puppets at #5 (14.6 million), Ride the Lightning at #7 (12.3 million), and Load at #9 (11.7 million). Even deeper in the ranking, Reload shows up at #13, Kill' Em All at #14, and both Death Magnetic and St. Anger place within the Top 40.

Looking strictly at albums that fit traditional metal criteria—no hybrids, no rap, no genre crossovers—Metallica takes up the entire Top 5. The streak finally breaks at #6, with Black Sabbath's Paranoid, which stands just below the 10 million mark. Few artists in any genre have managed that kind of sweep. In metal, where most bands push one or two classics into the global conversation, Metallica's presence across decades and styles gives them a commercial weight unmatched by anyone else.

Nu Metal's Commercial Peak, Certified

Often written off by genre traditionalists, nu metal claims a significant share of the top-selling metal albums. Linkin Park's back-to-back albums, Hybrid Theory (#2), with 22 million pure sales, and Meteora (#6), with 14.3 million, were global blockbusters.

Albeit on a slightly lower scale, Limp Bizkit places two albums in the Top 10 too: Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water at #8 with 11.75 million, and Significant Other at #10 with 11.25 million. Pioneers of the genre, Korn charts at #16 with Follow the Leader (8.5 million), and at #24 with Issues (6.1 million). Just behind, at #25, The Sickness by Disturbed, but also Infest by Papa Roach (#32), Slipknot's eponymous effort (#36), and P.O.D.'s Satellite (#38) add millions to the subgenre's tally, too.

These numbers reflect a period when nu metal was at its most visible, both on television and in record stores. Its combination of accessible hooks, dense guitar work, and broad crossover appeal aligned well with the peak of CD-era consumption. With ten albums in the Top 50, released over five years, the genre reached an incredible level of commercial impact. It was also pretty diverse in itself, as shown by the presence of Christian band P.O.D., or heavier band Disturbed. Whether or not it earned the approval of metal fans, its success on the charts is firmly recorded.

Subgenre Strength Beyond the Obvious

Thrash Still Hits with Long-Term Firepower

Apart from Metallica, thrash never delivered the chart volume of classic metal or nu metal, but it still left a strong footprint. Among the big 4 of the genre, only Megadeth reaches the top 50, landing Countdown to Extinction at #31 on the heels of 5.5 million pure sales. Reign in Blood by Slayer sits at 97, with 2.5 million sold. It remains one of the genre's most iconic records, even with its short runtime (29 minutes) and lack of commercial hooks. Persistence of Time by Anthrax, which sold 1.8 million, is their top seller, but is left outside of the top 100.

This corner of metal peaked just as CDs were becoming the default format and major retailers expanded shelf space for harder music. MTV gave brief but meaningful support, and bands like these stayed visible through constant touring. Thrash didn't flood the charts, but the top names from the scene still carved out long-term results.

Heavy Metal's Enduring Catalog Muscle

Black Sabbath, with Paranoid at #12 and two more albums in the Top 50, laid the foundation for all that followed. They are the reason this list exists in the first place. More than 50 years after their debut, and a couple of weeks after Ozzy Osbourne's passing, their catalog sales remain extraordinary. Speaking about Ozzy, he appears three times on his own, with his solo debut, Blizzard of Ozz, coming in at #18 with 7.4 million sales.

Iron Maiden stands apart for consistency. They place six albums in the Top 40, led by The Number of the Beast at 17 with 8.3 million. Piece of Mind comes next at 20 with 6.6 million. Four more—Powerslave, Somewhere in Time, Killers, and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son—all land in the 28 to 40 range, averaging over 5 million copies sold. That spread shows not just one era of success, but an impressive body of work, especially as this is just the emerging part of the iceberg: they claim a total of 20 million-selling albums (16 studio releases, 2 compilations, 2 live albums).

Elsewhere, Screaming for Vengeance by Judas Priest comes in at 58 with 3.9 million, while Holy Diver by Dio hits 74 with 3.4 million. Lower down stands Motörhead's Ace of Spades with 2.06 million. These albums didn't explode at release but gained ground over time. Touring cycles, anniversary editions, and catalog reputation kept them selling. Their place in the genre's foundation makes them permanent fixtures, even in an era driven by newer metrics.

Alternative and Industrial Kept Their Edge

The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails lands in the Top 20, with 7.1 million copies sold. Pretty Hate Machine would have made the list based on its sales, too, but it isn't regarded as a metal album. Antichrist Superstar by Marilyn Manson reached 4.5 million, and charts at 45. Outside of the main ranking, at 85, Mer de Noms by A Perfect Circle adds another 3 million to this category's total. These are albums that weren't built for radio rotation but still pushed units steadily for years.

They moved through visuals, mythology, and word of mouth. They proved that even the stranger corners of the genre could turn into reliable catalog sellers. Also part of the broader metal ecosystem and the alternative family are Rage Against the Machine. Precursors of nu metal with their rap/rock hybrid sound, they were one of the biggest bands of the 1990s. Their debut is just outside the top 10 with 11.2 million pure sales, while Evil Empire (#23, 6.2 million) and The Battle of Los Angeles (#28, 5.6 million) were also smashes.

A last mention goes to Rob Zombie. Recording two multi-million selling albums with his band White Zombie, including a 4.05 million seller, Astro-Creep: 2000 (#55), he makes the list with his solo debut, Hellbilly Deluxe, at #46.

Progressive, Extreme, and the Cult Deep Cuts

The more technical and aggressive end of metal sees fewer entries, but several albums still posted strong totals. Tool place three: Ænima is at 33 with 5.5 million, Undertow at 43 with 4.8 million, and Lateralus at 48 with 4.3 million. All three benefited from the band's strong live following and loyal fan base, despite limited media coverage. Then, System of a Down does wonders. The Armenian-American band, with its fast-paced, strong energy and sharp songwriting, places Toxicity in the 15th place. They merely miss out on charting two records, as Mezmerize is listed at #51.

A trio of early 1990s bands also shows up. Queensrÿche charts at #30 with Empire. With 5.6 million sales, the album enjoyed a more melodic sound that made it accessible to a larger audience. Pantera's Vulgar Display of Power showed brutality and power instead, but that was commercially viable too, as it sits at 47 with 4.4 million. The Real Thing by Faith No More rounds out the group at 49, with just over 4.3 million sold.

Goth, Symphonic, and Variants

This final group includes albums that sit outside the genre's dominant structures but still connect with large audiences. Fallen by Evanescence ranks as high as 3, with 16.7 million in sales. The Amy Lee band enjoyed one of the biggest hits of the decade with their first single, Bring Me to Life. The Open Door, their follow-up, appears at 44 with 4.6 million. Sehnsucht by Rammstein closes the Top 50 with 4.2 million, boosted by strong visual branding and consistent international touring. Sang in Japanese, Jealousy by X Japan has sold 1.5 million copies with mainstream success in their homeland and a cult following globally.

While these albums don't represent a single style, they highlight how flexible metal has become in connecting with diverse audiences around the world. An extreme example of this flexibility is Trans-Siberian Orchestra, which sold 3.85 million copies (#59) with Christmas Eve and Other Stories, an album of symphonic metal renditions of Christmas classics.

Metal's Global Reach and Lasting Power

From Every Continent to Every Chart

Rammstein pushed over four million units of Sehnsucht without leaving their native German language. That alone sums up metal's international power base. Over the years, Germany has been a real launchpad for metal bands. Many decades ago, Scorpions straddled hard rock and metal but consistently delivered sales. Germans also had their variant of thrash metal, Teutonic, and their own big 4, with Destruction, Kreator, Sodom, and Tankard. Helloween helped define European power metal in the late 1980s, becoming a staple across Central Europe and Japan.

Over in the Nordics, things splinter into subgenres. In Flames and Sabaton brought Sweden melodic punch and arena-level bombast. Opeth built prestige in the progressive lane. Nightwish from Finland made symphonic metal mainstream in various European markets, while Children of Bodom reached global festival stages with both their aggression and their neoclassical flair. Black metal originated in Norway: Mayhem, Darkthrone, Dimmu Borgir, cult names all over the world. Denmark's Volbeat has been topping charts across the globe.

Gojira, from France, moved through underground circles to global tours and the 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony without diluting their sound. Lacuna Coil reached outside Italy's local scene and into American active rock airwaves. Behemoth cracked Poland's mainstream and went well beyond it. Within Temptation put the Netherlands on the metal map, building a core audience through consistent output and a visually heavy live show.

The Americas stretch far past US radio, too. Sepultura laid the groundwork for Brazilian metal to be taken seriously. They sold the vast majority of their albums abroad, hitting top 10s on every continent. Kraken, in Colombia, remains a national fixture.

X Japan pushed over 1.5 million units of Jealousy, among many other successes, setting a domestic benchmark for Japanese metal. Babymetal brought choreography, J-pop structures, and double-kick drums to Western late-night TV and the Billboard 200. Parkway Drive, out of Australia, did the roadwork and built fan bases from club scenes up. India's Bloodywood used memes, social commentary, and native instrumentation to leapfrog into global conversation.

Japan and Germany remain good physical-media markets. That's where albums still move in serious quantities. But metal's digital map now spreads wider. From Eastern Europe to Southeast Asia, any act with a distinct aesthetic and touring game can break through.

The Incredible Depth of Metal

While this article also presents a large variety of metal artists who sold over a million copies with a single album, its depth is such that there are plenty more. It's almost impossible to be comprehensive, but let's add some worthy names to the equation.

Helloween's Keepers of the Seven Keys Part II cleared one million. That's the level we're dealing with, just below the surface. Sepultura hit twice, with Chaos A.D. and Roots, both key catalog entries worldwide. Images and Words by Dream Theater has sold consistently since 1992, feeding off long tours and format reissues. Nightwish pushed Dark Passion Play past a million, boosted by strong European sales and DVD-heavy deluxe editions.

The 2000s nu metal wave didn't just spawn the most prominent names, it left behind million-selling albums that still get skipped in surface-level overviews. Wisconsin Death Trip by Static-X, Candyass by Orgy, Sinner by Drowning Pool, Every Six Seconds by Saliva, and The Gift of Game by Crazy Town all moved fast when CD buyers were peaking and heavy rock filled radio playlists. Hoobastank, who started as nu metal, built a wide enough footprint with their debut to cross the seven-figure line.

Some moved slowly but got there. Bloody Kisses by Type O Negative didn't chart high, but became a durable seller. White Pony by Deftones gained traction as an album-first experience; it still enjoys frequent vinyl, deluxe, and anniversary editions. Avenged Sevenfold's City of Evil earned it with touring and a fanbase that buys, not just streams, just like Skillet's Awake. Lick It Up and Animalize by Kiss are both two-million sellers, showing that while their metal moment wasn't their peak, it was still very successful. War Is the Answer by Five Finger Death Punch, from the mid-2000s tail end of the CD era, still managed to hit the mark.

The genre continues to be successful too as shown by Sleep Token, whose 2025 album, Even in Arcadia, has gone to #1 in the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, and many other countries.

The Top 50 Best-Selling Metal Albums – Full List

Best-Selling Studio Albums

1. Metallica - Metallica (1991) - 32,515,000
2. Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory (2000) - 22,050,000
3. Evanescence - Fallen (2003) - 16,730,000
4. Metallica - ...And Justice For All (1988) - 16,340,000
5. Metallica - Master Of Puppets (1986) - 14,610,000
6. Linkin Park - Meteora (2003) - 14,255,000
7. Metallica - Ride The Lightning (1984) - 12,320,000
8. Limp Bizkit - Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water (2000) - 11,750,000
9. Metallica - Load (1996) - 11,690,000
10. Limp Bizkit - Significant Other (1999) - 11,250,000
11. Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against The Machine (1992) - 11,220,000
12. Black Sabbath - Paranoid (1970) - 9,920,000
13. Metallica - Reload (1997) - 9,090,000
14. Metallica - Kill 'Em All (1983) - 8,905,000
15. System of a Down - Toxicity (2001) - 8,897,500
16. Korn - Follow The Leader (1998) - 8,530,000
17. Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast (1982) - 8,330,000
18. Ozzy Osbourne - Blizzard of Ozz (1980) - 7,370,000
19. Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral (1994) - 7,085,000
20. Iron Maiden - Piece of Mind (1983) - 6,615,000
21. Metallica - Garage Inc. (1998) - 6,605,000
22. Ozzy Osbourne - No More Tears (1991) - 6,200,000
23. Rage Against the Machine - Evil Empire (1996) - 6,180,000
24. Korn - Issues (1999) - 6,155,000
25. Disturbed - The Sickness (2000) - 6,125,000
26. Ozzy Osbourne - Diary of a Madman (1981) - 5,650,000
27. Rage Against the Machine - The Battle Of Los Angeles (1999) - 5,610,000
28. Iron Maiden - Powerslave (1984) - 5,610,000
29. Queensrÿche - Empire (1990) - 5,555,000
30. Metallica - Death Magnetic (2008) - 5,545,000
31. Megadeth - Countdown To Extinction (1992) - 5,525,000
32. Papa Roach - Infest (2000) - 5,500,000
33. Tool - Ænima (1996) - 5,450,000
34. Iron Maiden - Somewhere in Time (1986) - 5,290,000
35. Metallica - St. Anger (2003) - 5,200,000
36. Slipknot - Slipknot (1999) - 5,125,000
37. Black Sabbath - Black Sabbath (1970) - 4,910,000
38. P.O.D. - Satellite (2001) - 4,865,000
39. Iron Maiden - Killers (1981) - 4,855,000
40. Iron Maiden - Seventh Son of a Seventh Son (1988) - 4,815,000
41. Black Sabbath - Master of Reality (1971) - 4,810,000
42. Ozzy Osbourne - Bark at the Moon (1983) - 4,780,000
43. Tool - Undertow (1993) - 4,765,000
44. Evanescence - The Open Door (2006) - 4,560,000
45. Marilyn Manson - Antichrist Superstar (1996) - 4,500,000
46. Rob Zombie - Hellbilly Deluxe (1998) - 4,500,000
47. Pantera - Vulgar Display Of Power (1992) - 4,395,000
48. Tool - Lateralus (2001) - 4,340,000
49. Faith No More - The Real Thing (1989) - 4,320,000
50. Rammstein - Sehnsucht (2004) - 4,235,000

Top-selling albums from additional acts
55. White Zombie - Astro-Creep: 2000 (1995) - 4,050,000
58. Judas Priest - Screaming For Vengeance (1982) - 3,880,000
59. Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Eve and Other Stories (1996) - 3,850,000
74. Dio - Holy Diver (1983) - 3,405,000
85. A Perfect Circle - Mer de Noms (2000) - 2,950,000
97. Slayer - Reign In Blood (1986) - 2,540,000
99. Kiss - Animalize (1984) - 2,450,000

NA. Avenged Sevenfold - City Of Evil (2005) - 2,375,000
NA. Deftones - White Pony (2000) - 2,205,000
NA. Motörhead - Ace Of Spades (1981) - 2,055,000
NA. Anthrax - Persistence Of Time (1990) - 1,840,000
NA. X Japan - Jealousy (1991) - 1,540,000
NA. Five Finger Death Punch - War Is The Answer (2009) - 1,440,000

The Best-Selling Metal Live and Compilation Albums

1. Metallica - S&M (1999) - 7,320,000
2. Iron Maiden - Live After Death (1985) - 5,955,000
3. Ozzy Osbourne - Tribute (1987) - 4,380,000
4. Black Sabbath - We Sold Our Soul For Rock 'N' Roll (1975) - 4,090,000
5. Linkin Park - Reanimation (2002) - 4,000,000
6. Ozzy Osbourne - The Ozzman Cometh (1997) - 3,720,000
7. Korn - Greatest Hits Vol. 1 (2004) - 3,685,000
8. Judas Priest - Unleashed In The East (Live In Japan) (1979) - 3,625,000
9. Linkin Park - Live in Texas (2003) - 3,400,000
10. Marilyn Manson - Lest We Forget - The Best Of (2004) - 3,105,000

Once again, Metallica reigns supreme when we look at the best-selling live and compilation albums. This time, they top the list thanks to the 1999 live set S&M, which sold 7.32 million copies. Not too far away is Iron Maiden's classic Live After Death. Tracks like Paranoid, Iron Man, and later Crazy Train, have been fueling compilations from Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne for a long time; they claim three albums in the top six, with We Sold Our Soul For Rock 'N' Roll being the top-selling compilation.

Linkin Park's Reanimation takes the trophy by a wide margin among remix albums. Korn, Judas Priest, and Marilyn Manson also make this list thanks to strong hits.

As for EPs, it gets trickier as it depends on which records are eligible. For example, Marilyn Manson's Smells Like Children is a 2.75 million seller that was primarily marketed as an EP. With 16 tracks and 55 minutes, we can hardly consider this tag valid. At 2.71 million comes Nine Inch Nails' Broken, also touted as an EP, which has eight tracks and is 32 minutes long, while limits for this format are usually set at six songs and 30 minutes. The same happens for Alice in Chains' Jar of Flies if we consider it a metal release.

We are left once again with Metallica leading the show. 1987's The $5.98 E.P. - Garage Days Re-Revisited sold 1.99 million copies. Just behind is Tool's Opiate at 1.86 million.

Best-Selling Metal Bands of All Time

If you made it so far, chances are that you are interested in more content related to metal music. Good news! We recently published the best-selling artists in the genre!