Rollingbob. You posted this 2 lists at UKMIX.
TOP SELLING ALBUMS 1959-2009 (MW Sept 19th '09-50th anniversary issue-cut off point is 'a couple of weeks back' but actually 3 weeks back so Sat Aug 22th '09)
1 QUEEN Greatest Hits Parlophone 1981 : *5,780,000 but seems it should be ~5.685m (& ~5.059m excl. 626k from 1/3 Plat Coll = 560k & 1/2 GH's I & II = 66k) they say it's gone up by ~90k in the last 11 wks, but that can't be right as it hasn't charted in the top 200 at all. I think it should be +~7k from 5.678m to ~5.685m
2 THE BEATLES Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Parlophone 1967 : *4,910,000 +~2k
3 ABBA Gold – Greatest Hits Polydor 1992 : *4,648,000 +38k
4 OASIS What's The Story Morning Glory Creation 1995 : *4,435,000 +14k
5 MICHAEL JACKSON Thriller Epic 1982 : *4,096,000 +226k since end of '08
6 DIRE STRAITS Brothers In Arms Vertigo 1985 : ~4,075,000 +6k
7 PINK FLOYD The Dark Side Of The Moon Harvest 1973 : ~3,968,000 +~12k
8 QUEEN Greatest Hits II Parlophone 1991 :* 3,840,000 but seems it should be ~3.750m (& 16th with ~3.124m excl. 626k from 1/3 Plat Coll = 560k & 1/2 GH's I & II = 66k) they say it's gone up by ~90k in the last 11 wks, but that can't be right as it hasn't charted in the top 200 at all. I think it should be +~4k from 3.746m to ~5.750m.
9 MICHAEL JACKSON Bad Epic 1987 : *3,771,000 +201k since end of '08
10 MADONNA The Immaculate Collection Sire 1990 : ~3,570,000 +~20k since end of '08
11 SIMPLY RED Stars East West 1991 : ~3,405,000 +4k
12 SHANIA TWAIN Come On Over Mercury 1998 : ~3,360,000 +~1k
13 FLEETWOOD MAC Rumours Warner Brothers 1977 : ~3,259,000 +~5k
14 JAMES BLUNT Back To Bedlam Atlantic 2005 : *3,181,000 +9k
15 THE VERVE Urban Hymns Hut 1997 : ~3,170,000 +~3k
16 DIDO No Angel Cheeky 2000 : *3,050,000 +~2k
17 SIMON & GARFUNKEL Bridge Over Troubled Water CBS 1970 : ~3,049,000 +~2k
18 AMY WINEHOUSE Back To Black Island 2006 : ~3,000,000 +~15k
19 MEAT LOAF Bat Out Of Hell Epic 1978 : ~2,950,000 +~7k
20 THE CORRS Talk On Corners Atlantic 1997 : ~2,949,000 +~2k
21 SPICE GIRLS Spice Virgin 1996 : ~2,930,000 +~1k
22 ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK Dirty Dancing RCA 1987 : ~2,912,000 +~20k
23 DAVID GRAY White Ladder IHT/East West 2000 : ~2,910,000 +~3k
24 BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS Legend Island/Tuff Gong 1984 : ~2,855,000 +~30k
25 DIDO Life For Rent Cheeky 2003 : ~2,850,000 +~2k
26 THE BEATLES 1 Apple 2000 : ~2,843,000 +~17k
27 LEONA LEWIS Spirit Syco 2007 : 2,819,000 +~6k
28 U2 The Joshua Tree Island 1987 : ~2,762,000 +~10k
29 PHIL COLLINS ...But Seriously Virgin 1989 : ~2,741,000 +~1k
30 COLDPLAY A Rush Of Blood To The Head Parlophone 2002 - *2,715,000 +~7k
31 KEANE Hopes And Fears Island 2004 : ~2,713,000 +~5k
32 SCISSOR SISTERS Scissor Sisters Polydor 2004 : ~2,700,000 +~3k
33 TRAVIS The Man Who Independiente 1999 : ~2,677,000 +~1k
34 TAKE THAT Beautiful World Polydor 2006 : ~2,636,000 +~20k
35 MIKE OLDFIELD Tubular Bells Virgin 1973 : *2,630,000 +0k
36 JEFF WAYNE’S MUSICAL VERSION War Of The Worlds CBS 1978 : ~2,610,000 +~50k (~25k re-issue + ~25k other issues?)
37 ABBA Greatest Hits Epic 1976 : ~2,607,000 +~2k
38 ALANIS MORISSETTE Jagged Little Pill Maverick 1995 : ~2,605,000 +~5k
39 COLDPLAY X&Y Parlophone 2005 : *2,572,000 +11k
40 ROBBIE WILLIAMS I’ve Been Expecting You Chrysalis 1998 : ~2,565,000 +~2k
41 ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK Grease RSO 1978 : ~2,495,000 +~10k since end of '08
42 ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK The Sound Of Music RCA Victor 1965 : ~2,490,000 +~10k since end of '08
43 COLDPLAY Parachutes Parlophone 2000 : *2,461,000 +26k since end of '08
44 NORAH JONES Come Away With Me Parlophone 2002 : ~2,455,000 +~15k since end of '08
45 TRACY CHAPMAN Tracy Chapman Elektra 1988 : ~2,450,000 +~15k since end of '08
46 GEORGE MICHAEL Ladies & Gentlemen – The Best Of Epic 1998 : ~2,417,000 +~2k since end of '08
47 FLEETWOOD MAC Tango In The Night Warner Brothers 1987 : ~2,365,000 +~5k since end of '08
48 ROBSON & JEROME Robson & Jerome RCA 1995 : ~2,335,000 +~0k since end of '08
49 REM Automatic For The People Warner Brothers 1992 : ~2,307,000 +~7k since end of '08
50 SNOW PATROL Eyes Open Fiction/Polydor 2006 : *2,276,000 +~66k since end of '08
*exact figures given
all other figures are estimates based on the 2 recent all-time up dates (Virgin book to end '08 & BPI website to Jun 14th '09) & recent chart runs (in top 200).
So the 2.762.000 figure for the joshua tree was just an estimation?
And 2 months ago you came with this list
Thanks to the new OCC/BPI/Virgin all-time album list's we have the Top 133 all-time best selling albums in the UK. Figures are to the end of 2008 & rounded to the nearest 5,000
1. QUEEN - GREATEST HITS : 5,650,000 No Change (in position since Nov '06 list) +242k (sales change since Nov '06 list)
2. THE BEATLES - SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND : 4,900,000 No Change +88k
3. ABBA - GOLD - GREATEST HITS : 4,475,000 +2 +531k
4. OASIS - WHAT'S THE STORY MORNING GLORY : 4,400,000 -1 +85k
5. DIRE STRAITS - BROTHERS IN ARMS : 4,050,000 -1 +93k
6. PINK FLOYD - THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON : 3,940,000 No Change +158k
7. MICHAEL JACKSON - THRILLER : 3,870,000 +1 +292k
8. QUEEN - GREATEST HITS II : 3,740,000 -2 +95k
9. ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK - DIRTY DANCING : 3,600,000 (incl. ~750k for 2004’s Utimate Dirty Dancing) +30 +1.165m Highest Climber (although only the Virgin book includes Ultimate Dirty Dancing)
10. MICHAEL JACKSON - BAD : 3,570,000 -2 +16k
11. MADONNA - THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION : 3,550,000 +2 +148k
12. SIMPLY RED - STARS : 3,400,000 -1 +39k
13. SHANIA TWAIN - COME ON OVER : 3,360,000 -1 +16k
14. FLEETWOOD MAC - RUMOURS : 3,240,000 +1 +114k
15. JAMES BLUNT - BACK TO BEDLAM : 3,170,000 +4 +274k
16. THE VERVE - URBAN HYMNS : 3,160,000 -2 +106k
17. SIMON & GARFUNKEL - BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER : 3,050,000 -1 +49k
18. DIDO - NO ANGEL : 3,040,000 -3 +38k
19. THE CORRS - TALK ON CORNERS : 2,950,000 -2 +5k
20. MEAT LOAF - BAT OUT OF HELL : 2,940,000 -2 +103k
21. SPICE GIRLS - SPICE : 2,930,000 -2 +9k
22. AMY WINEHOUSE - BACK TO BLACK : 2,910,000 Highest New Entry
23. DAVID GRAY - WHITE LADDER : 2,900,000 -2 +49k
24. DIDO - LIFE FOR RENT : 2,850,000 -2 +60k
25. THE BEATLES - 1 : 2,800,000 -1 +110k
26. BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS - LEGEND : 2,775,000 +9 +255k
27. PHIL COLLINS - BUT SERIOUSLY : 2,740,000 -4 +2k
28. U2 - THE JOSHUA TREE : ~2,730,000 -2 +~65k (Virgin book excludes ~30/50k of 2007 re-issue)
29. SCISSOR SISTERS - SCISSOR SISTERS : 2,700,000 +4 +164k
30. COLDPLAY - A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD : 2,690,000 No Change +116k
31. KEANE - HOPES AND FEARS : 2,685,000 +4 +186k
32. TRAVIS - THE MAN WHO : 2,670,000 -7 +0.2k
33. LEONA LEWIS – SPIRIT : 2,660,000 New Entry
34. MIKE OLDFIELD - TUBULAR BELLS : 2,630,000 -6 +55k
35. ABBA - GREATEST HITS : 2,600,000 -8 +1k
36. ALANIS MORISSETTE - JAGGED LITTLE PILL : 2,600,000 -5 +49k
37. ROBBIE WILLIAMS - I'VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU : 2,560,000 -7 +4k
38. COLDPLAY - X&Y : 2,540,000 +3 +195k
39. JEFF WAYNE'S MUSICAL VERSION - WAR OF THE WORLDS : 2,540,000 -4 +88k
40. TAKE THAT - BEAUTIFUL WORLD : 2,535,000 New Entry
41. ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK - THE SOUND OF MUSIC : 2,485,000 -4 +46k
42. ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK - GREASE : 2,480,000 -3 +45k
43. NORAH JONES - COME AWAY WITH ME : 2,440,000 -3 +70k
44. TRACY CHAPMAN - TRACY CHAPMAN : 2,435,000 -2 +92k
45. COLDPLAY - PARACHUTES : 2,435,000 No Change +110k
46. GEORGE MICHAEL - LADIES & GENTLEMEN - THE BEST OF : 2,415,000 -8 +6k
47. FLEETWOOD MAC - TANGO IN THE NIGHT : 2,360,000 -3 +26k
48. ROBSON & JEROME - ROBSON & JEROME : 2,335,000 -5 -1k
49. REM - AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE : 2,300,000 -3 +30k
50. EMINEM - THE MARSHALL MATHERS LP : 2,250,000 -2 +17k
51. WHITNEY HOUSTON - WHITNEY : 2,240,000 -3 +2k
52. PAUL SIMON - GRACELAND : 2,240,000 -1 +37k
53. ROBBIE WILLIAMS - SWING WHEN YOU'RE WINNING : 2,235,000 -3 +30k
54. ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK - THE BODYGUARD : 2,220,000 -1 +82k
55. SNOW PATROL - EYES OPEN - 2,210,000 New Entry
56. ROBBIE WILLIAMS - SING WHEN YOU'RE WINNING : 2,190,000 -5 +8k
57. ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK - SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER : 2,170,000 -5 +19k
58. ELTON JOHN - THE VERY BEST OF : 2,135,000 -5 +0.5k
59. TINA TURNER - SIMPLY THE BEST : 2,130,000 -5 +9k
60. CELINE DION - FALLING INTO YOU : 2,115,000 -4 +22k
61. ROBBIE WILLIAMS - GREATEST HITS : 2,110,000 -1 +111k
62. KYLIE MINOGUE - KYLIE - THE ALBUM : 2,100,000 -6 -6k
63. ROBBIE WILLIAMS - LIFE THRU A LENS : 2,080,000 -6 +5k
64. BON JOVI - CROSS ROAD - THE BEST OF : 2,080,000 +7 +213k
65. GUNS N' ROSES - APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION : 2,070,000 -1 +125k
66. EURYTHMICS - GREATEST HITS : 2,060,000 -8 +4k
67. ROBBIE WILLIAMS - ESCAPOLOGY : 2,050,000 -8 +13k
68. CELINE DION - LET'S TALK ABOUT LOVE : 1,995,000 -7 +11k
69. MICHAEL JACKSON - DANGEROUS : ~1,995,000 -6 + ~11k (unless there's another version to add or something the Virgin book total of 2.163m is wrong - the Nov '06 total was 1,983,954 & it clearly hasn't sold that many since, & just a few weeks back MW gave 2,010,069)
70. KAISER CHIEFS - EMPLOYMENT : 1,990,000 +18 +217k
71. MADONNA - TRUE BLUE : 1,970,000 -7 +9k
72. THE BEATLES - ABBEY ROAD : 1,965,000 -5 +39k
73. SIMON & GARFUNKEL - GREATEST HITS : 1,960,000 +1 +120k
74. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS - BY THE WAY : 1,950,000 -5 +35k
75. PHIL COLLINS - NO JACKET REQUIRED : 1,940,000 -9 +5k
76. CHRISTINA AGUILERA - STRIPPED : 1,935,000 -3 +84k
77. GREEN DAY - AMERICAN IDIOT : 1,930,000 +6 +130k
78. MAROON 5 - SONGS ABOUT JANE : 1,930,000 -7 +61k
79. SIMPLY RED - A NEW FLAME : 1,925,000 -11 +2k
80. LIONEL RICHIE - BACK TO FRONT : 1,925,000 +5 +131k
81. NIRVANA - NEVERMIND : 1,910,000 -1 +103k
82. JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE - JUSTIFIED : 1,900,000 No Change +98k
83. LIONEL RICHIE - CAN'T SLOW DOWN : 1,895,000 -13 +3k
84. TEXAS - THE GREATEST HITS : 1,880,000 -4 +71k
85. KATIE MELUA - CALL OFF THE SEARCH : 1,860,000 +2 +79k
86. THE KILLERS - HOT FUSS : 1,850,000 New Entry
87. CELINE DION - THE COLOUR OF MY LOVE : 1,850,000 -10 +33k
88. MOBY - PLAY : 1,845,000 -12 +25k
89. THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH - CARRY ON UP THE CHARTS - THE BEST OF : 1,835,000 -14 +6k
*90. ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK - SOUTH PACIFIC : ~1,833,000 *Don’t have the new total for this so I’ve just given it a fair estimate of 30k from it’s Nov 2006 total of 1,803,681 - down about 9 spots on it’s 81st position.
91. CRAIG DAVID - BORN TO DO IT : 1,825,000 -13 +8k
92. OASIS - BE HERE NOW : 1,820,000 -8 +20k
93. OASIS - DEFINITELY MAYBE : 1,820,000 -2 +80k
94. REM - OUT OF TIME : 1,810,000 -8 +23k
95. BOYZONE - BY REQUEST : 1,800,000 -6 +29k
96. MEAT LOAF - BAT OUT OF HELL II : 1,780,000 -6 +34k
97 PINK - MISSUNDAZTOOD : 1,770,000 -3 +58k
98. STEREOPHONICS - JUST ENOUGH EDUCATION TO PERFORM : 1,760,000 -6 +28k
99. FRANK SINATRA MY WAY - THE BEST OF : 1,760,000 +7 +121k
100. AVRIL LAVIGNE - LET GO : 1,750,000 -5 +39k
101. BLONDIE - PARALLEL LINES : 1,740,000 -3 +46k
102. STEREOPHONICS - PERFORMANCE AND COCKTAILS : 1,735,000 -6 +24k
103. TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY - INTRODUCING THE HARDLINE ACCORDING TO… : 1,730,000 -10 +8k
104. LED ZEPPELIN - FOUR SYMBOLS : 1,720,000 New Entry
105. EVA CASSIDY - SONGBIRD : 1,715,000 New Entry
106. GEORGE MICHAEL - OLDER : 1,715,000 -6 +6k
107. TAKE THAT - NEVER FORGET : THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION : 1,710,000 New Entry
108. MADONNA - RAY OF LIGHT : 1,700,000 -7 +22k
109. WILL YOUNG - FRIDAY'S CHILD : 1,695,000 -4 +55K
110. CARRERAS/DOMINGO/PAVAROTTI - IN CONCERT : 1,690,000 -7 +21k
111. KYLIE MINOGUE - FEVER : 1,690,000 -12 +8k
112. GORILLAZ - DEMON DAYS : 1,685,000
113. DUFFY - ROCKFERRY : 1,685,000
114. JASON DONOVAN - 10 GOOD REASONS : 1,680,000 -14 -1k
115. ROD STEWART - THE BEST OF : 1,680,000
116. WESTLIFE - COAST TO COAST : 1,680,000 -14 +4k
117. QUEEN : GREATEST HITS I, II & III : 1,675,000
118. SNOW PATROL - FINAL STRAW : 1,660,000
119. ABBA - ARRIVAL : 1,655,000 -15 +2k
120. WHITNEY HOUSTON - GREATESTHITS : 1,650,000
121. TEXAS - WHITE ON BLONDE : 1,645,000 -13 +6k
122. WESTLIFE - UNBREAKABLE - THE GEATEST HITS VOL 1 : 1,645,000
123. LIGHTHOUSE FAMILY - OCEAN DRIVE : 1,635,000 -15 +1k
124. MADONNA - LIKE A VIRGIN : 1,630,000 -15 +4k
125. KT TURNSTALL - EYE TO THE TELESCOPE : 1,625,000
126. DANIEL BEDINGFIELD - GOTTA GET THRU THIS : 1,625,000 -16 +10K
127. MADONNA - MUSIC : 1,615,000
128. SIMPLY RED - GREATEST HITS : 1,615,000
129. REM - IN TIME THE BEST OF - 1988-2003 : 1,600,000 (excludes probably about 40k of the limited edtion version)
130. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - BORN IN THE USA : 1,595,000
131. MICHAEL JACKSON - NUMBER ONES : 1,595,000
132. THE EAGLES - HOTEL CALIFORNIA : 1,590,000
133. PHIL COLLINS - HITS : 1,590,000
+ Top artist compilation’s #’s 29 to 40
29. THE CARPENTERS – THE SINGLES 1969-1990 : 1,560,000
30. ELVIS – 30 NUMBER 1 HITS : 1,520,000
31. MICHAEL JACKSON – HISTORY – PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE BOOK 1 :
1,510,000
32. U2 – THE BEST OF 1980-1990 : 1,470,000 (excludes about 500k of the b-sides limited edition version)
33. DIRE STRAITS – MONEY FOR NOTHING : 1,465,000
34. ELTON JOHN – GREATEST HITS 1970-2002 : 1,440,000
35. ROD STEWART – THE STORY SO FAR – THE VERY BEST OF : 1,390,000
36. BARRY WHITE – THE COLLECTION : 1,380,000
37. GABRIELLE – DREAMS CAN COME TRUE – GREATEST HITS : 1,370,000
38. BARBRA STREISAND – LOVE SONGS : 1,365,000
39. CROWDED HOUSE – RECURRING DREAM – THE VERBEST OF : 1,335,000
40. CELINE DION – ALL THE WAY – A DECADE OF SONG : 1,300,000
+
The Beatles – Let It Be : 900,000
Boyzone - Where We Belong : 1,570,000 + Said & Done : 730,000
Mariah Carey Top 3 - Music Box : 1,500,000 + Greatest Hits : 750,000 + No.1’s : 690,000
The Corrs - In Blue : 1,030,000 + Forgiven Not Forgotten : 990,000
Dr Dre – 2001 : 985,000
Eminem - The Eminem Show : 1,495,000 + Curtain Call – The Hits : 1,215,000
Foo Fighters - Foo Fighters : 240,000
Green Day - Dookie : 890,000 + Warning : 260,000
Bill Haly : Rock Around The Clock : 260,000
Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston : 1,250,000
George Michael - Listen Without Prejudice Vol 1 : 1,325,000
Pink - I’m Not Dead : 1,245,000 & Funhouse : 590,000
Prince - Purple Rain : 620,000 + The Black Album : 40,000
Radiohead – OK Computer : 1,400,000
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Greatest Hits : 1,190,000 + Californication : 1,140,000
Otis Redding - Otis Blue - Otis Redding Sings Soul : 325,000
Steps - Step One : 1,400,000 & Steptacular : 1,290,000 & Gold – The Greatest Hits : 1,100,000
Take That - The Circus : 1,450,000
Travis - The Invisible Band : 1,220,000 + Singles : 520,000
U2 - Rattle & Hum : 1,430,000
The Who - Who’s Next : 325,000
Stevie Wonder – Hotter Than July : 820,000
Neil Young – Harvest : 900,000
Here it says that the totals for JT excludes the figures of the 2007 issue.
There are now 3 different figures for joshua tree. The 3rd one is the 2.753.000 figure at the BPI site. Wich one is the most plausible one?
And I mis Achtung baby (certified for 1.2m) and HTDAAB with sales of 1.238.000 according to the March 7 2009 edition of MW.
But overall great lists!!!