back to top
Music

How Many Of The Best-Selling Albums Of All Time Do You Actually Like?

Some of these are the greatest records you've ever heard. Others, not so much.

Posted on
Matthew Perpetua
Matthew Perpetua
BuzzFeed Staff

These sales numbers are based on the platinum certifications awarded by the Record Industry Association of America. A platinum certification is given when a record sells a million copies, so the current certification is rounded down from the actual sales figures. These numbers only include sales in the United States, which is historically the largest market for music in the world. Also, please note that the RIAA counts sales of double CD sets as a sale of two CDs, so all double albums have inflated platinum certifications. To adjust for this, the sales of double albums have been halved for this list. So, for example, Pink Floyd's The Wall places at 43 instead of 4 on the list, and Outkast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below is bumped off the list entirely.

  1. Check off all the albums that you think are good.

    Check
    Michael Jackson - Thriller [29 million]
    Michael Jackson - Thriller [29 million]
    Check
    Eagles - Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) [29 million]
    Eagles - Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) [29 million]
    Check
    Led Zeppelin - IV [23 million]
    Led Zeppelin - IV [23 million]
    Check
    AC/DC - Back in Black [22 million]
    AC/DC - Back in Black [22 million]
    Check
    Shania Twain - Come On Over [20 million]
    Shania Twain - Come On Over [20 million]
    Check
    Fleetwood Mac - Rumours [19 million]
    Fleetwood Mac - Rumours [19 million]
    Check
    Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction [18 million]
    Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction [18 million]
    Check
    Boston - Boston [17 million]
    Boston - Boston [17 million]
    Check
    The Bodyguard [17 million]
    The Bodyguard [17 million]
    Check
    Garth Brooks - No Fences [17 million]
    Garth Brooks - No Fences [17 million]
    Check
    Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill [16 million]
    Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill [16 million]
    Check
    Hootie and the Blowfish - Cracked Rear View [16 million]
    Hootie and the Blowfish - Cracked Rear View [16 million]
    Check
    Elton John - Greatest Hits [16 million]
    Elton John - Greatest Hits [16 million]
    Check
    Metallica - Metallica [16 million]
    Metallica - Metallica [16 million]
    Check
    Eagles - Hotel California [16 million]
    Eagles - Hotel California [16 million]
    Check
    Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon [15 million]
    Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon [15 million]
    Check
    Santana - Supernatural [15 million]
    Santana - Supernatural [15 million]
    Check
    Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A. [15 million]
    Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A. [15 million]
    Check
    Journey - Greatest Hits [15 million]
    Journey - Greatest Hits [15 million]
    Check
    Saturday Night Fever [15 million]
    Saturday Night Fever [15 million]
    Check
    Backstreet Boys - Backstreet Boys [14 million]
    Backstreet Boys - Backstreet Boys [14 million]
    Check
    Garth Brooks - Ropin' the Wind [14 million]
    Garth Brooks - Ropin' the Wind [14 million]
    Check
    Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time [14 million]
    Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time [14 million]
    Check
    Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell [14 million]
    Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell [14 million]
    Check
    Simon & Garfunkel - Greatest Hits [14 million]
    Simon & Garfunkel - Greatest Hits [14 million]
    Check
    Pearl Jam - Ten [13 million]
    Pearl Jam - Ten [13 million]
    Check
    Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston [13 million]
    Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston [13 million]
    Check
    Steve Miller Band - Greatest Hits 1974-78 [13 million]
    Steve Miller Band - Greatest Hits 1974-78 [13 million]
    Check
    Backstreet Boys - Millennium [13 million]
    Backstreet Boys - Millennium [13 million]
    Check
    Prince and The Revolution - Purple Rain [13 million]
    Prince and The Revolution - Purple Rain [13 million]
    Check
    Kenny G - Breathless [12 million]
    Kenny G - Breathless [12 million]
    Check
    Def Leppard - Hysteria [12 million]
    Def Leppard - Hysteria [12 million]
    Check
    Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet [12 million]
    Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet [12 million]
    Check
    Phil Collins - No Jacket Required [12 million]
    Phil Collins - No Jacket Required [12 million]
    Check
    Dixie Chicks - Wide Open Spaces [12 million]
    Dixie Chicks - Wide Open Spaces [12 million]
    Check
    Boyz II Men - II [12 million]
    Boyz II Men - II [12 million]
    Check
    Led Zeppelin - II [12 million]
    Led Zeppelin - II [12 million]
    Check
    Shania Twain - The Woman In Me [12 million]
    Shania Twain - The Woman In Me [12 million]
    Check
    Matchbox 20 - Yourself or Someone Like You [12 million]
    Matchbox 20 - Yourself or Someone Like You [12 million]
    Check
    Jewel - Pieces of You [12 million]
    Jewel - Pieces of You [12 million]
    Check
    The Beatles - Abbey Road [12 million]
    The Beatles - Abbey Road [12 million]
    Check
    Billy Joel - Greatest Hits: Vol. 1 & 2 [11.5 million]
    Billy Joel - Greatest Hits: Vol. 1 & 2 [11.5 million]
    Check
    Pink Floyd - The Wall [11.5 million]
    Pink Floyd - The Wall [11.5 million]
    Check
    Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy [11 million]
    Led Zeppelin - Houses of the Holy [11 million]
    Check
    Shania Twain - Up! [11 million]
    Shania Twain - Up! [11 million]
    Check
    TLC - CrazySexyCool [11 million]
    TLC - CrazySexyCool [11 million]
    Check
    James Taylor - Greatest Hits [11 million]
    James Taylor - Greatest Hits [11 million]
    Check
    NSYNC - No Strings Attached [11 million]
    NSYNC - No Strings Attached [11 million]
    Check
    Dirty Dancing [11 million]
    Dirty Dancing [11 million]
    Check
    Titanic [11 million]
    Titanic [11 million]
    Check
    Celine Dion - Falling Into You [11 million]
    Celine Dion - Falling Into You [11 million]
    Check
    Aerosmith - Greatest Hits [11 million]
    Aerosmith - Greatest Hits [11 million]
    Check
    Eagles - Greatest Hits Volume 2 [11 million]
    Eagles - Greatest Hits Volume 2 [11 million]
    Check
    The Beatles - 1 [11 million]
    The Beatles - 1 [11 million]
    Check
    The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band [11 million]
    The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band [11 million]
    Check
    Creed - Human Clay [11 million]
    Creed - Human Clay [11 million]
    Check
    Kid Rock - Devil Without A Cause [11 million]
    Kid Rock - Devil Without A Cause [11 million]
    Check
    Garth Brooks - Double Live [10.5 million]
    Garth Brooks - Double Live [10.5 million]
    Check
    Carole King - Tapestry [10 million]
    Carole King - Tapestry [10 million]
    Check
    Patsy Cline - Greatest Hits [10 million]
    Patsy Cline - Greatest Hits [10 million]
    Check
    Bob Marley and The Wailers - Legend [10 million]
    Bob Marley and The Wailers - Legend [10 million]
    Check
    Norah Jones - Come Away with Me [10 million]
    Norah Jones - Come Away with Me [10 million]
    Check
    Billy Joel - The Stranger [10 million]
    Billy Joel - The Stranger [10 million]
    Check
    Celine Dion - Let's Talk About Love [10 million]
    Celine Dion - Let's Talk About Love [10 million]
    Check
    Eric Clapton - Unplugged [10 million]
    Eric Clapton - Unplugged [10 million]
    Check
    Green Day - Dookie [10 million]
    Green Day - Dookie [10 million]
    Check
    MC Hammer - Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em [10 million]
    MC Hammer - Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em [10 million]
    Check
    Britney Spears - Oops!...I Did It Again [10 million]
    Britney Spears - Oops!...I Did It Again [10 million]
    Check
    Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP [10 million]
    Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP [10 million]
    Check
    Led Zeppelin - I [10 million]
    Led Zeppelin - I [10 million]
    Check
    Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory [10 million]
    Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory [10 million]
    Check
    The Doobie Brothers - Best of the Doobies [10 million]
    The Doobie Brothers - Best of the Doobies [10 million]
    Check
    Madonna - The Immaculate Collection [10 million]
    Madonna - The Immaculate Collection [10 million]
    Check
    Madonna - Like A Virgin [10 million]
    Madonna - Like A Virgin [10 million]
    Check
    The Lion King [10 million]
    The Lion King [10 million]
    Check
    Def Leppard - Pyromania [10 million]
    Def Leppard - Pyromania [10 million]
    Check
    Dixie Chicks - Fly [10 million]
    Dixie Chicks - Fly [10 million]
    Check
    Eminem - The Eminem Show [10 million]
    Eminem - The Eminem Show [10 million]
    Check
    Van Halen - 1984 [10 million]
    Van Halen - 1984 [10 million]
    Check
    Garth Brooks - Garth Brooks [10 million]
    Garth Brooks - Garth Brooks [10 million]
    Check
    Adele - 21 [10 million]
    Adele - 21 [10 million]
    Check
    Usher - Confessions [10 million]
    Usher - Confessions [10 million]
    Check
    Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - Greatest Hits [10 million]
    Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers - Greatest Hits [10 million]
    Check
    Van Halen - Van Halen [10 million]
    Van Halen - Van Halen [10 million]
    Check
    Garth Brooks - Sevens [10 million]
    Garth Brooks - Sevens [10 million]
    Check
    Garth Brooks - The Hits [10 million]
    Garth Brooks - The Hits [10 million]
    Check
    No Doubt - Tragic Kingdom [10 million]
    No Doubt - Tragic Kingdom [10 million]
    Check
    Nirvana - Nevermind [10 million]
    Nirvana - Nevermind [10 million]
    Check
    Lionel Richie - Can't Slow Down [10 million]
    Lionel Richie - Can't Slow Down [10 million]
    Check
    Elvis Presley - Elvis' Christmas Album [10 million]
    Elvis Presley - Elvis' Christmas Album [10 million]
    Check
    ZZ Top - Eliminator [10 million]
    ZZ Top - Eliminator [10 million]
    Check
    George Michael - Faith [10 million]
    George Michael - Faith [10 million]
    Check
    Mariah Carey - Music Box [10 million]
    Mariah Carey - Music Box [10 million]
    Check
    Mariah Carey - Daydream [10 million]
    Mariah Carey - Daydream [10 million]
    Check
    NSYNC - NSYNC [10 million]
    NSYNC - NSYNC [10 million]
    Check
    U2 - The Joshua Tree [10 million]
    U2 - The Joshua Tree [10 million]
    Check
    The Beatles - The Beatles [9.5 million]
    The Beatles - The Beatles [9.5 million]
    Check
    Boyz II Men - Cooleyhighharmony [9 million]
    Boyz II Men - Cooleyhighharmony [9 million]
    Check
    Whitney Houston - Whitney [9 million]
    Whitney Houston - Whitney [9 million]
Advertisement

Connect With Music

Follow Us On Pinterest
Advertisement
Get the BuzzFeed App Get the BuzzFeed App
Take quizzes and chill with the BuzzFeed app.