50 Best Selling Albums Ever

11. “Appetite for Destruction” by Guns N’ Roses

Album year: 1987

“Appetite for Destruction” by Guns N’ Roses is another incredibly popular album that was released in 1987. The album is known for its hard rock and punk styles, including iconic songs and topping the charts. It included “Sweet Child of Mine,” which became one of the band’s best-selling songs (and one that is often cited as the best of their career).

The album propelled Guns N’ Roses into international stardom and helped establish the image of the lead singer, Axl Rose, during their live performances.

10. “The Beatles” (“The White Album”) by The Beatles

Album year: 1968

Among The Beatle's many albums, “The White Album” is one of their best and most influential. Released in 1968, this album is known for its raw, stripped-down approach and its use of unique musical elements. It exemplified the band’s willingness to experiment and engage with a wide range of musical genres and styles.

Some of the standout tracks from the album include “Back in the U.S.S.R.,” “Helter Skelter,” “Blackbird,” “Hey Jude,” and “Helter Skelter.” It was a huge commercial success, topping charts around the world.

Many listeners noted that the album seemed to be a departure from the band’s normal pop sound, experimenting with various styles like blues, folk, and avant-garde.

9. “Come On Over” by Shania Twain

Album year: 1997

Twain’s “Come On Over” was released in 1997 and showcased the singer’s blend of pop and country. It includes a combination of ballad-style songs and even catchier lyrics and melodies. Some of these include “Come On Over,” “You’re Still the One,” and “From This Moment On.”

The song “You’re Still the One” became one of the singer’s signature songs and helped the album sell as many copies as it did. In total, it sold over 40 million copies around the world. In part, this is due to the singer’s cross-over style, including elements that appealed to pop and country music fans.

8. “Rumours” by Fleetwood Mac

Album year: 1977

The well-known album “Rumours” ranks at number 8 among the best selling albums ever. It was released by the band Fleetwood Mac in 1977. It is known for its emotional lyrics, memorable melodies, intricate harmonies, and personal style. Some of the best-known songs from the album include “Go Your Own Way,” “Dreams,” “Don’t Stop,” and “The Chain.”

This album topped charts around the world, selling tens of millions of copies and receiving a great deal of critical acclaim. It also won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 1978. With this album, the band, and Stevie Nicks, gained the widespread fame they enjoy to this day.

7. “Double Live” by Garth Brooks

Album year: 1998

Garth Brooks’ “Double Live” is a huge live album that was released in 1998. It features songs from the singer’s live shows from 1996 to 1998. The songs are known for Brooks’ enthusiastic performances and interactions with the crowd.

Some of the songs on this album are “Friends in Low Places,” “The Dance,” “Thunder Rolls,” and “Papa Loved Mama.” The songs showcase Brooks's incredible vocals and strong connection with the audience. It was an immediate commercial success, selling millions of copies in the United States and abroad.

Listeners love Brooks’ musical style, infused with classic country music elements and more pop-like songs. It helped establish Brooks as one of the most important country artists.

6. “Back In Black” by AC/DC

Album year: 1980

“Back In Black” by AC/DC is a high-energy album that was released in 1980. It was the band’s first album with Brian Johnson as the lead singer and is known for its anthems and choruses. The songs on this album include “You Shook Me All Night Long,” “Hells Bells,” and “Rock and Roll Aint’ Noise Pollution.”

This album sold an incredible number of copies around the world and was certified Platinum. It helped establish AC/DC as one o the most important rock bands of the decade.

5. “The Wall” by Pink Floyd

Album year: 1979

“The Wall” by Pink Floyd is another incredibly famous album. It was released in 1979 and featured more of Pink Floyd’s best songs, exploring themes of abandonment and isolation. The album features songs like “Another Brick in the Wall,” “Comfortably Numb,” and “Run Like Hell.”

It was an incredibly experimental album that included a wide range of new and unique features and effects. It established the band as one of the most interesting on the scene and as having a truly innovative approach to music-making.

To this day, the album is regarded as one of the most important albums of the 1970s and an incredibly influential and iconic work in music history.

4. “Led Zeppelin IV” by Led Zepplin

Album year: 1971

“Led Zeppelin IV” by Led Zepplin was the fourth album by the band, released in 1971. It is known for its great diversity, including blues, folk, rock, and international influences. The songs on the album included “Black Dog,” “Rock and Roll,” “Stairway to Heaven,” and “When the Levee Breaks.”

Of these, “Stairway to Heaven” became one of the band’s biggest hits and received a great deal of critical acclaim for its complexity and innovative production. The songs on this album became classic rock hits, being played on the radio to this day.

3. “Greatest Hits Volume 1 & Volume 2” by Billy Joel

Album year: 1985

“Greatest Hits Volume 1 & Volume 2” by Billy Joel is a compilation album that was released in 1985. The album included two collections of songs, volume 1 and volume 2, including some of Joel’s biggest hits and most important songs.

These include “Piano Man,” “Just the Way You Are,” “Uptown Girl,” “The Longest Time,” and more. The album was also a great commercial success, reaching high on the billboard chart due to the singer’s emotional vocals and lyrics. It helped establish the singer as one of the most important in the United States and around the world.

2. “Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)” by Eagles

Album year: 1976

Including songs from 1971 to 1975, this album by the Eagles is a fantastic collection of songs by the band. Some of these popular songs include “Take It Easy,” “One of These Nights,” “Hotel California,” and more. It sold very well after it was released and can still be found on the shelves of many record lovers and music collectors.

The compilation received great reviews for its collection of amazingly crafted and timeless songs, “Hotel California,” specifically, was one of the band’s greatest successes. Today, the band is considered one of the most important of the period.

1. “Thriller” by Michael Jackson

Album year: 1982

“Thriller” by Michael Jackson was released in 1982. The album is regarded as highly influential and outrageously successful, outranking every other album on this list. It had a huge cultural impact and established Jackson as the “King of Pop.” The album featured songs like “Thriller,” “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” and “The Girl Is Mine.”

The album sold 10s of millions of copies in the U.S. alone and was bolstered by several groundbreaking music videos released around the same time. For example, the “Thriller” video was a very long, unique video and something that music lovers had never seen before.

Top Selling Albums Of All Time, Final Thoughts

The 50 best selling albums of all time touch on a wide range of musical genres, artists, and eras. These albums are incredibly influential, breaking records and inspiring new generations of musicians.

From rock albums like “Back In Black” by AC/DC to country music albums like “Double Live” by Garth Brooks, these albums are a testament to the world’s love for music and musicians’ ability to continually advance music’s potential and the effectiveness of their songwriting.

No matter what genre you’re a fan of, you are sure to find something to love when listening to each of the albums on this list.