I got my information at wikipedia. Who knows if they're accurate, but I'd check the latest sources if I were you. And you make it sound like going #1 in *just* 10 countries is something to be ashamed about. Keep in mind that No Line is not at the top of the best selling albums of the year list, either.
TOP SELLING ALBUMS WORLDWIDE IN 2004
1. Usher - Confessions
Arista - 11.867.000 copies
2. Norah Jones - Feels Like Home
Blue Note - 9.020.000 copies
3. Avril Lavigne - Under My Skin
Arista - 6.390.000 copies
4. Eminem - Encore
Shady / Interscope - 6.013.000 copies
5. Maroon 5 - Songs About Jane
Octone / J Records - 5.795.000 copies
6. Evanescence - Fallen
Wind-Up - 5.531.000 copies
7. Black Eyed Peas - Elephunk
A&M / Interscope - 5.294.000 copies
8. U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
Island - 5.289.000 copies
9. Guns N'Roses - Greatest Hits
Geffen - 4.661.000 copies
10. Anastacia - Anastacia
Epic - 4.442.000 copies
Index
TOP SELLING ALBUMS WORLDWIDE IN 2005
1. Green Day - American Idiot
Reprise - 7.986.000 copies
2. Coldplay - X&Y
Parlophone - 7.766.000 copies
3. 50 Cent - The Massacre
Shady / Interscope - 7.120.000 copies
4. Mariah Carey - The Emancipation Of Mimi
Island - 6.972.000 copies
5. Black Eyed Peas - Monkey Business
A&M / Interscope - 6.090.000 copies
6. Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway
RCA - 5.493.000 copies
7. Gwen Stefani - Love, Angel, Music, Baby
Interscope - 4.685.000 copies
8. James Blunt - Back To Bedlam
Atlantic - 4.462.000 copies
9. Gorillaz - Demon Days
Parlophone - 4.079.000 copies
10. Madonna - Confessions On A Dance Floor
Warner Bros. - 4.031.000 copies
11. The Killers - Hot Fuss
Lizard King / Island - 3.487.000 copies
12. Robbie Williams - Intensive Care
Chrysalis - 3.386.000 copies
13. Michael Bublé - It's Time
Warner Bros. - 3.050.000 copies
14. Eminem - Curtain Call (The Hits)
Shady / Interscope - 2.967.000 copies
15. Kanye West - Late Registration
Roc-A-Fella / Def Jam - 2.933.000 copies
16. U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb
Island - 2.899.000 copies
17. Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams
Jack Johnson / Brushfire - 2.821.000 copies
18. The Game - The Documentary
Aftermath / Interscope - 2.725.000 copies
19. System Of A Down - Mezmerize
Columbia - 2.618.000 copies
20. Il Divo - Il Divo
Syco Music - 2.515.000 copies
21. Nickelback - All The Right Reasons
Roadrunner - 2.479.000 copies
22. Eminem - Encore
Shady / Interscope - 2.459.000 copies
23. Shakira - Fijación Oral Volume 1
Epic - 2.293.000 copies
24. Maroon 5 - Songs About Jane
Octone / J Records - 2.274.000 copies
25. Backstreet Boys - Never Gone
Jive - 2.198.000 copies
26. Foo Fighters - In Your Honor
RCA - 2.187.000 copies
27. Enya - Amarantine
Reprise - 2.123.000 copies
28. Ray Charles - Genius Loves Company
Hear / Liberty / Capitol - 1.922.000 copies
29. Kenny Chesney - The Road And The Radio
BNA - 1.779.000 copies
30. Il Divo - Ancora
Syco Music / Columbia - 1.775.000 copies
31. Ketsumeishi - Ketsunopolice 4
Toy's Factory Japan - 1.728.000 copies
32. Usher - Confessions
Arista - 1.705.000 copies
33. Jennifer Lopez - Rebirth
Epic - 1.639.000 copies
34. Pussycat Dolls - PCD
A&M - 1.632.000
35. Destiny's Child - Number Ones
Columbia - 1.615.000 copies
36. Bon Jovi - Have A Nice Day
Island - 1.600.000 copies
37. Keane - Hopes And Fears
Island - 1.597.000 copies
38. Carrie Underwood - Some Hearts
Arista Nashville - 1.538.000
39. Ken Hirai - Utabaka (10th Anniversary Single Collection '95-'05)
Def Star Records Japan - 1.509.000 copies
40. Katie Melua - Piece By Piece
Dramatico - 1.488.000
Index
As you can see from the list of top selling albums worldwide in 2005, A Bigger Bang failed to make even the top 40. By the end of 2005 it had sold less than 1.5 million copies. Although HTDAAB by U2 was released in 2004 and sold most of its copies in 2004, it still made the top 40 list in 2005 coming in at #16.
TOP SELLING ALBUMS IN 2009 WORLDWIDE AS OF WEEK 48
1. Lady Gaga The Fame 4,075,000
2. U2 No Line On The Horizon 3,529,500
3. Michael Jackson Thriller 3,342,000
4. Black Eyed Peas The E.N.D. 3,293,000
5. Kings Of Leon Only By The Night 3,226,000
6. Taylor Swift Fearless 3,203,500
7. Michael Jackson Number Ones 3,150,000
8. Eminem Relapse 2,858,500
9. Beyoncé I Am... Sasha Fierce 2,814,500
10. Soundtrack Hannah Montana: The Movie 2,713,000
When was the last time the Rolling Stones had the 2nd biggest selling album of the year worldwide?