phanan
Blue Crack Addict
After talking about worldwide album sales in another thread, I thought it would be interesting to post the best selling albums of all-time worldwide. I looked through the forum, and did not see another thread on this (we do have one on best selling albums since 2000, however).
It's cool to think that U2 has not one, but two albums within these rankings, and I think that says something...
ALL TIME BEST SELLING ALBUM WORLDWIDE CHART
(15 million album sold and more)
Last update: January 20, 2005
(Title - Artist - Source)
59 million
THRILLER - JACKSON, MICHAEL - MJJ source + IFPI
42 million
EAGLES/THEIR GREATEST HITS 1971 - 1975 - EAGLES - CNN + IFPI
BACK IN BLACK - AC/DC - Official site + IFPI
40 million
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (BEE GEES) (2LP) - SOUNDTRACK - Polydor site + IFPI
37 million
BAT OUT OF HELL - MEAT LOAF - Jim Steinman source + IFPI
THE BODYGUARD (HOUSTON, WHITNEY) - SOUNDTRACK - Official Site + IFPI
35 million
DARK SIDE OF THE MOON - PINK FLOYD - Official site + IFPI
COME ON OVER - TWAIN, SHANIA - Official Site + IFPI
32 million
SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND - BEATLES, THE - MSAW + IFPI
LED ZEPPELIN IV - LED ZEPPELIN Official Site + IFPI
DIRTY DANCING - SOUNDTRACK Official Site + IFPI
30 million
RUMOURS - FLEETWOOD MAC - Official Site + IFPI
LET'S TALK ABOUT LOVE - DION, CELINE - Sony + IFPI
MILLENNIUM - BACKSTREET BOYS - Official Site + IFPI
29 million
ABBEY ROAD - THE BEATLES - MSAW + IFPI
BAD - JACKSON, MICHAEL - MJJ Source + IFPI
JAGGED LITTLE PILL - MORISSETTE, ALANIS - MSAW + IFPI
FALLING INTO YOU - DION, CELINE - Sony + IFPI
TITANIC - SOUNDTRACK - Official Site + IFPI
28 million
GREASE (2LP) - SOUNDTRACK - Polygram + IFPI
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - SPRINGSTEEN, BRUCE - Official Site + IFPI
DANGEROUS - JACKSON, MICHAEL - MJJ Source + IFPI
1 (ONE) - BEATLES, THE - EMI site + IFPI
27 million
HOTEL CALIFORNIA - EAGLES Official Site + IFPI
MUSIC BOX - CAREY, MARIAH - Official site + IFPI
THE JOSHUA TREE - U2 - Official Site
26 million
BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER - SIMON & GARFUNKEL Official Site + IFPI
BROTHERS IN ARMS - DIRE STRAITS Official Site + IFPI
APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION - GUNS 'N ROSES Official Site + IFPI
SUPERNATURAL - SANTANA - Official Site + IFPI
25 million
SLIPPERY WHEN WET - BON JOVI - Official Site + IFPI
ABBA GOLD - ABBA - Official Site + IFPI
BACKSTREET BOYS (aka BACKSTREET 's BACK) - BACKSTREET BOYS - Official Site + IFPI
...BABY ONE MORE TIME - SPEARS, BRITNEY - Official Site + IFPI
24 million
THE WALL (2CD) - PINK FLOYD - Official site + IFPI
SPICE - SPICE GIRLS - Official Site + IFPI
WHITNEY HOUSTON - HOUSTON, WHITNEY - Official Site + IFPI
THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION - MADONNA - W.B. + IFPI
23 million
TAPESTRY - KING, CAROLE Official Site + IFPI
CAN'T SLOW DOWN - RICHIE, LIONEL Official Site + IFPI
TRUE BLUE - MADONNA Official Site + IFPI
METALLICA - METALLICA Official Site + IFPI
22 million
SOUND OF MUSIC - SOUNDTRACK Official Site + IFPI
GREATEST HITS - SIMON & GARFUNKEL Official Site + IFPI
DAYDREAM - CAREY, MARIAH Official Site + IFPI
21 million
THE BEATLES 1967 - 1970 (2CD) - BEATLES, THE - MSAW + IFPI
BOSTON - BOSTON - Official Site +IFPI
GREATEST HITS - JOHN, ELTON - Official Site +IFPI
SPIRITS HAVING FLOWN - BEE GEES - Polydor + IFPI
LIKE A VIRGIN - MADONNA - W.B. + IFPI
THE SIGN/HAPPY NATION - ACE OF BASE - Official Site + IFPI
20 million
THE BEATLES 1962 - 1966 (2CD) - BEATLES, THE - MSAW + IFPI
PURPLE RAIN (SOUNDTRACK) - PRINCE & THE REVOLUTIONS - Official Site + IFPI
PLEASE HAMMER DON'T HURT 'EM - HAMMER - Official Site +IFPI
RICKY MARTIN - MARTIN, RICKY - Official Site +IFPI
COME AWAY WITH ME - JONES, NORAH - Official Site
19 million
THE BEATLES (WHITE ALBUM) (2CD) - BEATLES, THE - MSAW + IFPI
OFF THE WALL - JACKSON, MICHAEL - MJJ Source + IFPI
WHITNEY - HOUSTON, WHITNEY - Official Site - IFPI
OOPS!... I DID IT AGAIN - SPEARS, BRITNEY - Official Site + IFPI
18 million
BREAKFAST IN AMERICA - SUPERTRAMPS - Official Site + IFPI
HYSTERIA - DEF LEPPARD - Official Site + IFPI
THE WOMAN IN ME - TWAIN, SHANIA - Mercury - IFPI
(WHAT'S THE STORY) MORNING GLORY - OASIS - Official Site + IFPI
THE SCORE - FUGEES - IFPI
ALL THE WAY... - DION, CELINE - Sony + IFPI
HISTORY: PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE BOOK I (2CD) - JACKSON, MICHAEL - MJJ Source + IFPI
NEVERMIND - NIRVANA - Amazon.com
17 million
GREATEST HITS VOLUME I & VOLUME II (2CD) - JOEL, BILLY - Official Site + IFPI
PHYSICAL GRAFFITI (2LP) - LED ZEPPELIN - Official Site + IFPI
FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE (2LP) - FRAMPTON, PETER - Pop Matters + IFPI
NO FENCES - BROOKS, GARTH - IFPI
ACHTUNG BABY - U2 - Official Site
MARIAH CAREY - CAREY, MARIAH - Official Site + IFPI
CRACKED REAR VIEW - HOOTIE & THE BLOWFISH - Official Site + IFPI
UNPLUGGED - CLAPTON, ERIC - Official Site +IFPI
SPICE WORLD - SPICE GIRLS - Official Site + IFPI
ROMANZA - BOCELLI, ANDREA - Official Site +IFPI
THE MARSHALL MATHERS LP - EMINEM - Official Site +IFPI
FALLEN - EVANESCENCE - Official Site
16 million
TUBULAR BELLS - OLDFIELD, MIKE - Official Site +IFPI
LEGEND - MARLEY, BOB & THE WAILERS - Official Site +IFPI
FAITH - MICHAEL, GEORGE - Official Site +IFPI
USE YOUR ILLUSION I - GUNS'N'ROSES - Official Site +IFPI
JANET. - JACKSON, JANET - Official Site +IFPI
MERRY CHRISTMAS - CAREY, MARIAH - Official Site +IFPI
ROPIN' THE WIND - BROOKS, GARTH - Official Site
BUTTERFLY - CAREY, MARIAH - Official Site +IFPI
BEST OF 1980-1990 - U2 - Official Site
NO STRINGS ATTACHED - 'N SYNC - Official Site +IFPI
15 million
II - LED ZEPPELIN - Official Site +IFPI
GREATEST HITS - ROGERS, KENNY - Official Site +IFPI
GREATEST HITS VOL.2 - THE EAGLES - Official Site +IFPI
GUILTY - STREISAND, BARBRA - Polydor
GREATEST HITS - QUEEN - Official Site + IFPI
NO JACKET REQUIRED - COLLINS, PHIL Official Site + IFPI
NEW JERSEY - BON JOVI - Official Site
LIKE A PRAYER - MADONNA - W.B.
TO THE EXTREME - VANILLA ICE - Official Site + IFPI
CROSS ROADS - BON JOVI - Official Site
COLOUR OF MY LOVE - DION, CELINE - Official Site - Official Site + IFPI
USE YOUR ILLUSION II - GUNS'N'ROSES - Official Site + IFPI
THE LION KING - SOUNDTRACK - Official Site + IFPI
TRAGIC KINGDOM - NO DOUBT - Official Site + IFPI
BAT OUT OF HELL 2: BACK INTO HELL - MEAT LOAF - Official Site + IFPI
YOURSELF OR SOMEONE LIKE YOU - MATCHBOX 20 - Official Site + IFPI
BLACK & BLUE - BACKSTREET BOYS - Official Site
RAY OF LIGHT - MADONNA - W.B. - Official Site + IFPI
DOUBLE LIVE (2CD) - BROOKS, GARTH - Official Site
THE MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL - HILL, LAURYN - Official Site + IFPI
MUSIC - MADONNA - W.B.
THE EMINEM SHOW - EMINEM - Official Site + IFPI
BUSINESS AS USUAL - MEN AT WORK - Official Site
It's cool to think that U2 has not one, but two albums within these rankings, and I think that says something...
ALL TIME BEST SELLING ALBUM WORLDWIDE CHART
(15 million album sold and more)
Last update: January 20, 2005
(Title - Artist - Source)
59 million
THRILLER - JACKSON, MICHAEL - MJJ source + IFPI
42 million
EAGLES/THEIR GREATEST HITS 1971 - 1975 - EAGLES - CNN + IFPI
BACK IN BLACK - AC/DC - Official site + IFPI
40 million
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (BEE GEES) (2LP) - SOUNDTRACK - Polydor site + IFPI
37 million
BAT OUT OF HELL - MEAT LOAF - Jim Steinman source + IFPI
THE BODYGUARD (HOUSTON, WHITNEY) - SOUNDTRACK - Official Site + IFPI
35 million
DARK SIDE OF THE MOON - PINK FLOYD - Official site + IFPI
COME ON OVER - TWAIN, SHANIA - Official Site + IFPI
32 million
SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND - BEATLES, THE - MSAW + IFPI
LED ZEPPELIN IV - LED ZEPPELIN Official Site + IFPI
DIRTY DANCING - SOUNDTRACK Official Site + IFPI
30 million
RUMOURS - FLEETWOOD MAC - Official Site + IFPI
LET'S TALK ABOUT LOVE - DION, CELINE - Sony + IFPI
MILLENNIUM - BACKSTREET BOYS - Official Site + IFPI
29 million
ABBEY ROAD - THE BEATLES - MSAW + IFPI
BAD - JACKSON, MICHAEL - MJJ Source + IFPI
JAGGED LITTLE PILL - MORISSETTE, ALANIS - MSAW + IFPI
FALLING INTO YOU - DION, CELINE - Sony + IFPI
TITANIC - SOUNDTRACK - Official Site + IFPI
28 million
GREASE (2LP) - SOUNDTRACK - Polygram + IFPI
BORN IN THE U.S.A. - SPRINGSTEEN, BRUCE - Official Site + IFPI
DANGEROUS - JACKSON, MICHAEL - MJJ Source + IFPI
1 (ONE) - BEATLES, THE - EMI site + IFPI
27 million
HOTEL CALIFORNIA - EAGLES Official Site + IFPI
MUSIC BOX - CAREY, MARIAH - Official site + IFPI
THE JOSHUA TREE - U2 - Official Site
26 million
BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER - SIMON & GARFUNKEL Official Site + IFPI
BROTHERS IN ARMS - DIRE STRAITS Official Site + IFPI
APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION - GUNS 'N ROSES Official Site + IFPI
SUPERNATURAL - SANTANA - Official Site + IFPI
25 million
SLIPPERY WHEN WET - BON JOVI - Official Site + IFPI
ABBA GOLD - ABBA - Official Site + IFPI
BACKSTREET BOYS (aka BACKSTREET 's BACK) - BACKSTREET BOYS - Official Site + IFPI
...BABY ONE MORE TIME - SPEARS, BRITNEY - Official Site + IFPI
24 million
THE WALL (2CD) - PINK FLOYD - Official site + IFPI
SPICE - SPICE GIRLS - Official Site + IFPI
WHITNEY HOUSTON - HOUSTON, WHITNEY - Official Site + IFPI
THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION - MADONNA - W.B. + IFPI
23 million
TAPESTRY - KING, CAROLE Official Site + IFPI
CAN'T SLOW DOWN - RICHIE, LIONEL Official Site + IFPI
TRUE BLUE - MADONNA Official Site + IFPI
METALLICA - METALLICA Official Site + IFPI
22 million
SOUND OF MUSIC - SOUNDTRACK Official Site + IFPI
GREATEST HITS - SIMON & GARFUNKEL Official Site + IFPI
DAYDREAM - CAREY, MARIAH Official Site + IFPI
21 million
THE BEATLES 1967 - 1970 (2CD) - BEATLES, THE - MSAW + IFPI
BOSTON - BOSTON - Official Site +IFPI
GREATEST HITS - JOHN, ELTON - Official Site +IFPI
SPIRITS HAVING FLOWN - BEE GEES - Polydor + IFPI
LIKE A VIRGIN - MADONNA - W.B. + IFPI
THE SIGN/HAPPY NATION - ACE OF BASE - Official Site + IFPI
20 million
THE BEATLES 1962 - 1966 (2CD) - BEATLES, THE - MSAW + IFPI
PURPLE RAIN (SOUNDTRACK) - PRINCE & THE REVOLUTIONS - Official Site + IFPI
PLEASE HAMMER DON'T HURT 'EM - HAMMER - Official Site +IFPI
RICKY MARTIN - MARTIN, RICKY - Official Site +IFPI
COME AWAY WITH ME - JONES, NORAH - Official Site
19 million
THE BEATLES (WHITE ALBUM) (2CD) - BEATLES, THE - MSAW + IFPI
OFF THE WALL - JACKSON, MICHAEL - MJJ Source + IFPI
WHITNEY - HOUSTON, WHITNEY - Official Site - IFPI
OOPS!... I DID IT AGAIN - SPEARS, BRITNEY - Official Site + IFPI
18 million
BREAKFAST IN AMERICA - SUPERTRAMPS - Official Site + IFPI
HYSTERIA - DEF LEPPARD - Official Site + IFPI
THE WOMAN IN ME - TWAIN, SHANIA - Mercury - IFPI
(WHAT'S THE STORY) MORNING GLORY - OASIS - Official Site + IFPI
THE SCORE - FUGEES - IFPI
ALL THE WAY... - DION, CELINE - Sony + IFPI
HISTORY: PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE BOOK I (2CD) - JACKSON, MICHAEL - MJJ Source + IFPI
NEVERMIND - NIRVANA - Amazon.com
17 million
GREATEST HITS VOLUME I & VOLUME II (2CD) - JOEL, BILLY - Official Site + IFPI
PHYSICAL GRAFFITI (2LP) - LED ZEPPELIN - Official Site + IFPI
FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE (2LP) - FRAMPTON, PETER - Pop Matters + IFPI
NO FENCES - BROOKS, GARTH - IFPI
ACHTUNG BABY - U2 - Official Site
MARIAH CAREY - CAREY, MARIAH - Official Site + IFPI
CRACKED REAR VIEW - HOOTIE & THE BLOWFISH - Official Site + IFPI
UNPLUGGED - CLAPTON, ERIC - Official Site +IFPI
SPICE WORLD - SPICE GIRLS - Official Site + IFPI
ROMANZA - BOCELLI, ANDREA - Official Site +IFPI
THE MARSHALL MATHERS LP - EMINEM - Official Site +IFPI
FALLEN - EVANESCENCE - Official Site
16 million
TUBULAR BELLS - OLDFIELD, MIKE - Official Site +IFPI
LEGEND - MARLEY, BOB & THE WAILERS - Official Site +IFPI
FAITH - MICHAEL, GEORGE - Official Site +IFPI
USE YOUR ILLUSION I - GUNS'N'ROSES - Official Site +IFPI
JANET. - JACKSON, JANET - Official Site +IFPI
MERRY CHRISTMAS - CAREY, MARIAH - Official Site +IFPI
ROPIN' THE WIND - BROOKS, GARTH - Official Site
BUTTERFLY - CAREY, MARIAH - Official Site +IFPI
BEST OF 1980-1990 - U2 - Official Site
NO STRINGS ATTACHED - 'N SYNC - Official Site +IFPI
15 million
II - LED ZEPPELIN - Official Site +IFPI
GREATEST HITS - ROGERS, KENNY - Official Site +IFPI
GREATEST HITS VOL.2 - THE EAGLES - Official Site +IFPI
GUILTY - STREISAND, BARBRA - Polydor
GREATEST HITS - QUEEN - Official Site + IFPI
NO JACKET REQUIRED - COLLINS, PHIL Official Site + IFPI
NEW JERSEY - BON JOVI - Official Site
LIKE A PRAYER - MADONNA - W.B.
TO THE EXTREME - VANILLA ICE - Official Site + IFPI
CROSS ROADS - BON JOVI - Official Site
COLOUR OF MY LOVE - DION, CELINE - Official Site - Official Site + IFPI
USE YOUR ILLUSION II - GUNS'N'ROSES - Official Site + IFPI
THE LION KING - SOUNDTRACK - Official Site + IFPI
TRAGIC KINGDOM - NO DOUBT - Official Site + IFPI
BAT OUT OF HELL 2: BACK INTO HELL - MEAT LOAF - Official Site + IFPI
YOURSELF OR SOMEONE LIKE YOU - MATCHBOX 20 - Official Site + IFPI
BLACK & BLUE - BACKSTREET BOYS - Official Site
RAY OF LIGHT - MADONNA - W.B. - Official Site + IFPI
DOUBLE LIVE (2CD) - BROOKS, GARTH - Official Site
THE MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL - HILL, LAURYN - Official Site + IFPI
MUSIC - MADONNA - W.B.
THE EMINEM SHOW - EMINEM - Official Site + IFPI
BUSINESS AS USUAL - MEN AT WORK - Official Site
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