List of best-selling albums in the United States

The following is a list of the best-selling albums in the United States based on RIAA certification and Nielsen SoundScan sales tracking. The criteria are that the album must have been published (including self-publishing by the artist), and the album must have achieved at least a diamond certification from the RIAA. The albums released prior to March 1991 should be included with their certified units only, as their Nielsen SoundScan sales are not complete.

Since February 2016, album certifications include "on-demand audio and video streams and a track sale equivalent" units.

Groupings are based on different benchmarks; the highest being for at least 20 million units, and the lowest being for multi-disc albums certified at least 10 times platinum and single-disc albums that have been certified at least 10 times platinum but with sales figures lower than 10,000,000. Albums are listed in order of units certified, or sales figures when available, by greatest to least.

As a result of the RIAA's methodology of counting each disc in a multi-disc set as one unit toward certification, most double albums on the list—such as Pink Floyd's The Wall and Outkast's Speakerboxxx/The Love Below—have been certified with a number double the number of copies sold. Such albums have the shipments of copies, not discs, indicated. Conversely, the certification level for double albums that fit onto one compact disc such as the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack reflect the actual number of copies sold.

The albums in this list are ordered first by number of units, then by platinum awards received, and finally by artist name and album title.

Albums with two references for their estimated actual sales include sales through BMG Music Club. Albums with three references for their estimated actual sales include sales through BMG Music Club and Columbia House.

The best-selling album in the United States is Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) by the Eagles.

20 million or more copies

YearArtistAlbumLabelShipments (Sales)Certification1976EaglesTheir Greatest Hits (1971–1975)Asylum40,000,00040× Platinum1982ThrillerEpic 34,000,00034× Platinum1976EaglesHotel CaliforniaAsylum28,000,00028× Platinum1980AC/DCBack in BlackAtlantic27,000,00027× Platinum1971Led ZeppelinUntitled ("Led Zeppelin IV")Atlantic24,000,00024× Platinum1977Fleetwood MacRumoursWarner Bros.21,000,00021× Platinum

15–19 million copies YearArtistAlbumLabelShipments (Sales)Certification1984LegendIsland18,000,00018× Platinum1987Guns N' RosesAppetite for DestructionGeffen18,000,00018× Platinum1988JourneyGreatest HitsColumbia18,000,00018× Platinum1990Garth BrooksNo FencesCapitol Nashville18,000,00018× Platinum1991MetallicaMetallicaElektra(17,810,000)20× Platinum1997Come On OverMercury Nashville(17,720,000)20× Platinum1974Greatest HitsPolydor17,000,00017× Platinum1976BostonBostonEpic17,000,00017× Platinum1984Born in the U.S.A.Columbia17,000,00017× Platinum1977Soundtrack / Bee GeesSaturday Night FeverRSO16,000,00016× Platinum1978Steve Miller BandGreatest Hits 1974–78Capitol16,000,00016× Platinum1995Jagged Little PillMaverick(15,550,000)17× Platinum1973Pink FloydThe Dark Side of the MoonHarvest/Capitol15,000,00015× Platinum1986Bon JoviSlippery When WetMercury15,000,00015× Platinum

10–14 million copies YearArtistAlbumLabelShipments (Sales)Certification1994Hootie & the BlowfishCracked Rear ViewAtlantic(14,580,000)22× Platinum1971TapestryOde14,000,00014× Platinum1972Simon & GarfunkelSimon and Garfunkel's Greatest HitsColumbia14,000,00014× Platinum1977Meat LoafBat Out of HellEpic14,000,00014× Platinum1985Whitney HoustonArista14,000,00014× Platinum1987SoundtrackDirty DancingRCA14,000,00014× Platinum1999Backstreet BoysMillenniumJive(13,890,000)13× Platinum1992Soundtrack / Whitney HoustonThe BodyguardArista(13,450,000)19× Platinum1999SantanaSupernaturalArista(13,110,000)15× Platinum20001Apple/EMI/Capitol(13,000,000)11× Platinum(as of 2010)1978SoundtrackGreaseRSO13,000,00013× Platinum1984Prince and the RevolutionPurple RainWarner13,000,00013× Platinum2000EminemThe Marshall Mathers LPAftermath(12,940,000)11× Platinum(as of 2022)2000NSYNCNo Strings AttachedJive(12,680,000)12× Platinum1999Britney Spears...Baby One More TimeJive(12,300,000)14× Platinum2011Adele21Columbia/XL(12,100,000)17× Platinum1968The BeatlesThe Beatles ("The White Album")Apple12,000,00024× Platinum(2-disc album)1969Abbey RoadApple12,000,00012× Platinum1969Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin IIAtlantic12,000,00012× Platinum1976Creedence Clearwater RevivalChronicle, Vol. 1Fantasy12,000,00012× Platinum1977The StrangerColumbia12,000,00012× Platinum1980AerosmithGreatest HitsColumbia12,000,00012× Platinum1980Greatest HitsLiberty12,000,00012× Platinum1985No Jacket RequiredAtlantic12,000,00012× Platinum1987Def LeppardHysteriaMercury12,000,00012× Platinum1992Kenny GBreathlessArista12,000,00012× Platinum2000Linkin ParkHybrid TheoryWarner Bros.(11,956,000)12× Platinum1997Backstreet BoysBackstreet BoysJive(11,920,000)14× Platinum1996Falling into YouEpic(11,887,000)12× Platinum1999CreedHuman ClayWind-up(11,700,000)11× Platinum1991NirvanaNevermindDGC(11,640,000)13× Platinum1979Pink FloydThe WallColumbia/Harvest11,500,00023× Platinum(2-disc album)1985Billy JoelGreatest Hits – Volume I & Volume IIColumbia11,500,00023× Platinum(2-disc album)1997SoundtrackTitanicSony Classical(11,146,000)11× Platinum2002Come Away with MeBlue Note(11,100,000)12× Platinum1967Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandCapitol11,000,00011× Platinum1973Led ZeppelinHouses of the HolyAtlantic11,000,00011× Platinum1976Greatest HitsWarner Bros.11,000,00011× Platinum1982EaglesEagles Greatest Hits, Vol. 2Asylum11,000,00011× Platinum1987BadEpic 11,000,00011× Platinum1990MadonnaThe Immaculate CollectionSire11,000,00011× Platinum1991Pearl JamTenEpic(10,790,000)13× Platinum1997Let's Talk About LoveEpic(10,711,000)11× Platinum2002EminemThe Eminem ShowAftermath(10,700,000)12× Platinum1998Kid RockDevil Without a CauseAtlantic(10,610,000)11× Platinum2000Oops!... I Did It AgainJive(10,411,000)10× Platinum1998NSYNC*NSYNCRCA(10,300,000)10× Platinum2004UsherConfessionsArista(10,300,000)14× Platinum1998Dixie ChicksWide Open SpacesMonument(10,121,000)13× Platinum1994Green DayDookieReprise(10,005,000)20× Platinum1967Patsy Cline's Greatest HitsDecca10,000,00010× Platinum1970Elvis PresleyElvis' Christmas Album(budget reissue of 1957 LP with altered track listing)RCA Camden/Pickwick10,000,00010× Platinum1976The Doobie BrothersBest of The DoobiesWarner Bros.10,000,00010× Platinum1978Van HalenVan HalenWarner Bros.10,000,00010× Platinum1979Off the WallEpic10,000,00010× Platinum1980REO SpeedwagonHi InfidelityEpic 10,000,00010× Platinum1981JourneyEscapeColumbia10,000,00010× Platinum1983Def LeppardPyromaniaMercury10,000,00010× Platinum1983Can't Slow DownMotown10,000,00010× Platinum1983ZZ TopEliminatorWarner Bros.10,000,00010× Platinum1984SoundtrackFootlooseColumbia10,000,00010× Platinum1984MadonnaLike a VirginSire10,000,00010× Platinum1984Van Halen1984 (MCMLXXXIV)Warner Bros.10,000,00010× Platinum1986Beastie BoysLicensed to IllDef Jam10,000,00010× Platinum1987Whitney HoustonWhitneyArista10,000,00010× Platinum1987FaithColumbia10,000,00010× Platinum1987U2The Joshua TreeIsland10,000,00010× Platinum1989Garth BrooksCapitol10,000,00010× Platinum1990MC HammerPlease Hammer Don't Hurt 'EmCapitol10,000,00010× Platinum1993Garth BrooksIn PiecesCapitol10,000,00010× Platinum2003Linkin ParkMeteoraWarner Bros.10,000,00010× Platinum

Fewer than 10 million copies YearArtistAlbumLabelShipments (Sales)Certification1994Boyz II MenIIMotown(9,890,000)12× Platinum1991Ropin' the WindCapitol Nashville(9,600,000)14× Platinum2015Adele25Columbia/XL(9,600,000)12× Platinum1995No DoubtTragic KingdomTrauma/Interscope(9,520,000)10× Platinum1996Matchbox TwentyYourself or Someone Like YouAtlantic(9,358,000)12× Platinum1994Bob SegerGreatest HitsCapitol(9,062,000)10× Platinum1994TLCCrazySexyCoolLaFace(8,970,000)12× Platinum1995The Woman in MeMercury Nashville(8,894,000)12× Platinum1995JewelPieces of YouAtlantic(8,800,000)12× Platinum2000NellyCountry GrammarUniversal(8,581,000)10× Platinum1995DaydreamColumbia(8,505,000)11× Platinum1973The Beatles1967–1970Apple8,500,00017× Platinum(2-disc album)1999Dixie ChicksFlyMonument(8,396,000)11× Platinum 1993Tom Petty and the HeartbreakersGreatest HitsMCA(8,200,000)12× Platinum1998The Miseducation of Lauryn HillColumbia(8,078,477)10× Platinum1993Music BoxColumbia(8,012,000)10× Platinum2003EvanescenceFallenWind-up(8,000,000)10× Platinum1975Led ZeppelinPhysical GraffitiSwan Song8,000,00016× Platinum(2-disc album)2005NickelbackAll the Right ReasonsRoadrunner(7,960,000)10× Platinum1994SoundtrackThe Lion KingWalt Disney(7,879,000)10× Platinum1994The HitsLiberty(7,821,000)10× Platinum1992UnpluggedReprise(7,617,000)10× Platinum1973The Beatles1962–1966Apple7,500,00015× Platinum(2-disc album)2008Taylor SwiftFearlessBig Machine(7,286,000)11× Platinum1996SublimeSublimeMCA(7,000,000)10× Platinum1997The Notorious B.I.G.Life After DeathBad Boy/Arista(6,480,000)11× Platinum(2-disc album, as of 2018)20141989Big Machine(6,472,000)14× Platinum1998Double LiveCapitol Nashville(6,017,000)25× Platinum(2-disc album)1971The Rolling StonesHot Rocks 1964–1971London6,000,00012× Platinum(2-disc album)2003OutkastSpeakerboxxx/The Love BelowLaFace, Arista(5,702,000)13× Platinum(2-disc album)1994Merry ChristmasColumbia(5,700,000)10× Platinum1997SevensCapitol(5,700,000)10× Platinum2002Up!Mercury Nashville(5,409,000)11× Platinum(2-disc album)1992Garth BrooksThe ChaseLiberty(5,100,000)10× Platinum19982PacGreatest HitsInterscope(5,100,000)10× Platinum(2-disc album)1976Songs in the Key of LifeMotown5,000,00010× Platinum(2-disc album)1985The Best of The DoorsElektra5,000,00010× Platinum(2-disc album)19962PacAll Eyez On MeDeath Row5,000,00010× Platinum(2-disc album)2007The Ultimate HitsPearl5,000,00010× Platinum(2-disc album)1995The Smashing PumpkinsMellon Collie and the Infinite SadnessVirgin(4,900,000)10× Platinum(2-disc album)1994SoundtrackForrest GumpEpic(4,400,000)12× Platinum(2-disc album)1986Live/1975–85Columbia4,333,33313× Platinum(3-disc album)2019Garth BrooksTriple LivePearl4,333,33313× Platinum(3-disc album)2013SoundtrackFrozenWalt Disney(4,002,000)10× Platinum2005EminemCurtain Call: The HitsAftermath(3,782,000)10× Platinum2010Katy PerryTeenage DreamCapitol(3,100,000)10× Platinum1990Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin Boxed SetAtlantic2,500,00010× Platinum(4-disc album)2011DrakeTake CareYoung Money/Cash Money/Republic(2,338,000)10× Platinum2015Cast RecordingHamiltonAtlantic(1,970,000)10× Platinum(2-disc album)

Notes

See also

List of best-selling singles in the United States List of highest-certified digital singles in the United States List of best-selling music artists List of highest-certified music artists in the United States List of best-selling albums List of best-selling albums in the United States of the Nielsen SoundScan era List of best-selling albums by year in the United States List of best-selling Latin albums in the United States List of best-selling albums of the 21st century Lists of best-selling albums by country List of best-selling films in the United States

References

External links RIAA Website RIAA "Top 100" Albums Billboard Magazine,– a magazine that publishes weekly music rankings