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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.

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