France best selling albums ever:
Summary 1980-1989

PER ALBUM TYPE

Debut Albums

01 Patricia Kaas – Mademoiselle Chante… (1988) : 1 490 000
02 Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman (1988) : 1 330 000

Interestingly, while male artists need several albums to confirm their status, females often impact the main audience much faster. Despite only five female albums sold a million and only two debut albums, they are both from females, and both from 1988!

Best Of Albums

01 Bob Marley – Legend (1984) : 1 895 000
02 Francis Cabrel – Cabrel 77-87 (1987) : 1 520 000
03 Jacques Brel – 15 Ans D’Amour (1988) : 1 460 000
04 Charles Aznavour – 20 Chansons D’Or (1987) : 1 440 000
05 Dire Straits – Money For Nothing (1988) : 1 220 000

This category is led by one of the biggest selling albums ever worldwide and in France too. As no best of since 1990 sold more than Bob Marley iconic Legend stay tuned to see if it really is the highest selling compilation ever or not. Three French top rated artists are a bit lower but close between each other, Francis Cabrel, Jacques Brel and Charles Aznavour.

Live Albums

01 Simon & Garfunkel – The Concert In Central Park (1982) : 1 240 000

The only Live album from the 80s that attained the impressive tally of 1 million copies sold which also enables Simon & Garfunkel to be one of the very few acts with million sellers three decades in a row.