Top Selling Albums of All Time
I have in the recent past done posts about the richest men in the world and the top grossing films of all time and the urge to do another greatest hits ‘top’ post is upon me again!
I actually remember when I was in school and Michael Jackson won a record number of Grammys for his album Thriller, which was a top selling album and recently when I was listening to the unbeatable pop song Beat It! I was quite swamped with nostalgia! And I know that Thriller is the best selling album of all time, so I was curious to find out which were the top five selling albums of all time.
Say what you will about MJ, but he is the King of pop and he remains enthroned to this day, with his chart buster Thriller far and away the highest selling album of all time! The album has sold a whopping 108 million copies according to some estimates! No other album has sold even half as many! Great album IMHO.
Next is AC/DC’s Back In Black which has sold 42 million copies. I never listen to AC/DC so I won’t comment.
I was surprised to see that Whitney Houston’s (and other’s) OST The Bodyguard has sold as many albums, also 42 million; surprised but pleased! Whitney was at her sublime best in that album, with songs like And I will always love you and Don’t make me close one more door showcasing her tremendous range and vocal power.
Next with 41 million albums is Greatest Hits of the iconic Eagles. Their songs are all that is wonderful about rock music: great rhythms, great melodies, and just fabulous songs. Songs like Tequila Sunrise and Take it Easy are the stuff of legend!
Saturday Night Fever was an album we scorned when we were growing up because it was Disco, but as an adult I simply love those songs, Stayin Alive and How Deep Is Your Love are like all time fave Karaoke tracks!
I know this was supposed to be a top five list, but when No 6 is another one of my all time favorites, I had to include it: Pink Floyds’ iconic, revolutionary album The Dark Side of the Moon has also sold 40 million albums. What songs! Words fail me!
Now my source for the above numbers is Wiki, but I found a couple of other lists which I wanted to mention here: Rolling Stone’s definitive top 500 list, I was relieved to see a lot of my beloved Beatles albums mentioned and Ask Men has an interesting top 200 list with genre based top albums. Feel free to express your views about your fave albums too.
Thriller is probably the best album of all time - nice list.
Surprised Appetite for Destruction by Guns N Roses wasn’t on this list - that was HUGE back in the day and still is
I too am surprised to see Whitney Houston on the list but I suppose it was out when the film Bodyguard was out which was such a bit film, not sure about the Eagles though not to my taste, but each to their own!
I agree that thriller is the best all time album. Michael Jackson has been the sensation in the world of music. It is simple as that!
Oh dear. I had no idea MJ sold 108 million copies of ONE album. Too bad he is about to rot in debtors prison now.
Nicole Price reply on July 14th, 2008 11:57 am:
That is a pity. A life badly managed is all I would say.
Ah yes, Dark Side. I checked this to make sure that was there. You cannot ever say top 10 without it being there.
I was a little surprised to see Whitney and Saturday Night Fever on there
That is an interesting list, there are some other albums that I am surprised are not on the list. I’m also surprised that some of those albums are on the top 5!
Dude, I love AC/DC! It’s just so….high school…. to me!
And do you remember the premiere of the Thriller video? I had a bunch of friends over to watch Friday Night Videos, we had the lights off, even my mom was there, we sat around the TV all quiet and excited, it was such a HUGE deal…..good times!
Nicole Price reply on July 23rd, 2008 1:40 pm:
I don’t remember it. But sure sounds like something highly awaited - and for good reason.