50 Best Selling Albums Ever

24. “Born In The U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen

Album year: 1984

“Born In The U.S.A.” is a famous Bruce Springsteen album incorporating pop, rock, and folk sounds into a highly successful, best selling album. It featured songs like “Dancing in the Dark,” “Glory Days,” and “My Hometown.” The album’s tracks were about everything from relationships and self-discovery to social issues, like American identity and working-class struggles.

Born In The U.S.A album was released to serious critical acclaim and is still regarded as one of the best-selling and overall best albums in American history.

23. “Legend” by Bob Marley & The Wailers

Album year: 1984

“Legend” by Bob Marley & The Wailers is a well-known album that comes in 23rd on our list of the best-selling albums of all time. It was released in 1984 and included a few of Marley’s best-known songs, like “No Woman, No Cry,” “Jamming,” and “One Love/People Get Ready.”

The Legend album showcases Marley’s distinctive sound, featuring a reggae and rock music blend that touches on social and political issues. To this day, it is regarded as the best selling reggae album of all time, and it remains widely popular among music listeners of all ages.

22. “Saturday Night Fever” (Soundtrack) by Bee Gees

Album year: 1977

“Saturday Night Fever,” the soundtrack, was released in 1977 and was performed by the Bee Gees. It features some of the band’s best-known songs, including “Stayin’ Alive” and “More Than a Woman.” This album became one of the best selling collections of songs in the world, spending more than 20 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart.

Saturday Night Fever album is widely regarded as a landmark piece of music in the genre and is still loved by people around the world.

21. “Metallica” by Metallica

Album year: 1991

“Metallica,” also known as “The Black Album,” was the band’s most successful musical release in 1991. It features some of their best-known songs, including “Enter Sandman,” “Sad But True,” “Nothing Else Matters,” and “Wherever I May Roam.”

The album’s songs are noted for their increased accessibility compared to the band’s earlier music, which likely added to the album’s success. Many of these songs are regarded as anthems of the period. The album sold 10’s millions of copies around the world and became one of the best selling albums in history.

20. “Physical Graffiti” by Led Zeppelin

Album year: 1975

“Physical Graffiti” by Led Zeppelin was released in 1975 and included a mix of old and new songs, including the standout tracks “In My Time of Dying” and “Ten Years Gone.” Listeners can also enjoy “Trampled Under Foot,” “Kashmir,” and “Houses of the Holy.”

The album clearly demonstrates Zeppelin’s best-sounding music and is still, to this day, regarded as one of the best rock albums ever. Even the album cover is iconic, featuring a brownstone in New York City.

19. “Cracked Rear View” by Hootie & The Blowfish

Album year: 1994

“Cracked Rear View” by Hootie & The Blowfish was released in 1994 and is one of the band’s best-loved albums, and certainly their best-selling. The album sold millions of copies in the U.S. alone and topped the Billboard charts. It received massive critical and commercial acclaim for its combination of rock and pop rocks.

The album’s listener-friendly songs added to its popularity and its widespread appeal. To this day, you can still hear songs from this album played on the radio.

18. “Hotel California” by Eagles

Album year: 1976

 “Hotel California” by the Eagles is a very well-known album by Eagles that is generally regarded as one of the most important albums of the 1970s. It features the band’s number 1 hit, “Hotel California,” as well as other fantastic songs like “Wasted Time,” “Life in the Fast Lane,” as well as “Victim of Love.”

The album is known for its blend of rock and folk sounds, receiving a great deal of critical acclaim upon its release and becoming the band’s most successful album.

17. “Jagged Little Pill” by Alanis Morissette

Album year: 1995

Morissette’s 1995 album “Jagged Little Pill” is another best-selling album. It was released to great excitement, with songs like “You Oughta Know” and “Ironic” getting great attention. Morissette’s vocals set the tone of the album and are complemented by her rock/pop style of music.

The album sold millions of copies in the U.S. and around the world and is generally regarded as her best release. It also won several Grammy Awards.

16. “The Bodyguard” by Whitney Houston

Album year: 1992

This album was created as a soundtrack for the film “The Bodyguard” in 1992. The song showcases the singer’s powerful vocals, including in songs like “I Will Always Love You,” “I Have Nothing,” “Run to You,” “Queen of the Night,” and more.

The Bodyguard album was a massive success, becoming one of the best-selling albums of all time, charting in multiple countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. It sold more than 40 million copies around the world.

This album also won three Grammys and included Houston’s biggest hit of her career, “I Will Always Love You.”

15. “The Beatles 1967-1970” by The Beatles

Album year: 1973

“The Beatles 1967-1970” by The Beatles, also known as the “Blue Album,” was the second of two compilation albums The Beatles released. It came out in 1973 and featured songs from 1967-1970. The album included songs like “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “Penny Lane,” “Let it Be,” and “Come Together.”

For listeners who love The Beatles music, this album offers a great overview of the band’s style, range, and incredibly memorable lyrics and melodies. The album was a great commercial success, reaching number 1 in multiple countries and selling millions of copies.

It was also well-reviewed for its collection of iconic and influential rock songs that still define the 60s musical landscape.

14. “No Fences” by Garth Brooks

Album year: 1990

This is yet another fantastically-selling album by Garth Brooks. “No Fences” was released in 1990 and contains a mix of country music songs in traditional and contemporary styles. Some of these include “Friends in Low Places,” “The Thunder Rolls,” “Two of a Kind, Workin’ on a Full House,” and more.

The album reached number 1 on multiple charts and spent weeks outranking other artists' new albums.

Today, this album is considered to be one of, if not the best-selling country music albums of all time. The release received a great deal of critical acclaim.

13. “Greatest Hits” by Elton John

Album year: 1974

This “Greatest Hits” album by Elton John is the musician’s best-selling album of all time and the 13th best-selling album of all time. The album features Elton John’s best-known songs, including “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” “Daniel,” “Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time),” and “Your Song.”

These incredibly well-known songs come from only a few years in his career, from 1970 to 1974. The album was certified platinum over 10x and helped establish Elton John as one of the most important musicians in American history and one of the most popular around the world.

12. “Boston” by Boston

Album year: 1976

Boston’s self-titled album, “Boston,” is the 12th best-selling album of all time. It was released in 1976 and featured a combination of rock, pop, and progressive styles. It is characterized by its guitar harmonies and its extremely memorable hooks.

This album includes several of the band’s best-known songs, including “Peace of Mind,” “Smokin’,” “More Than a Feeling,” and more. The album is also one of the best-selling debut albums of all time. It helped launch the band into international stardom.