This article ranks the best albums of all time based on certified sales data maintained by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
The top ten album rankings are variously shared by twenty-six separate albums with collective sales of more than 480 million units. Units include key formats such as records, cassettes, CDs, and MP3s.
Seventeen of these albums were recorded by twelve rock bands, eight by seven solo artists, and one by various artists. Nineteen of these albums are original recordings, five are greatest hits, and two are movie soundtracks. These albums comprise seven music genres–from rock to disco–and nine sub-genres.
Each album ranking that follows includes the recording artist, record label, release date, primary genre or sub-genre, popular songs, and certified sales figures.
After reading “Best Albums of All Time (Certified Sales),” return to these links to read “Best Rock Albums of All Time (Certified Sales) ” and “Best Soundtracks of All Time (Certified Sales).”
1. (tie) Best Albums of All Time – Thriller
Recording artist: Michael Jackson
Record label: Epic/Legacy
Release Date: 12/4/1982
Primary genre: R&B;
Popular songs: “Billie Jean”; “Beat It”; “Thriller”
Certified sales: 29x Platinum
Best Albums of All Time – Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)
Recording artist: Eagles
Record label: Elektra
Release Date: 2/1/1976
Primary genre: Rock
Popular songs: “Best of My Love”; “Lyin’ Eyes”; “One of These Nights”; “Take It to the Limit”; “Take It Easy”
Certified Sales: 29x Platinum
2. (tie) Best Albums of All Time – Led Zeppelin IV
Recording artist: Led Zeppelin
Record label: Atlantic
Release Date: 11/8/1971
Primary genre: Hard rock
Popular songs: “Black Dog”; “Going to California”; “Rock and Roll”; “Stairway to Heaven”
Certified Sales: 23x Platinum
Best Albums of All Time – The Wall
Recording artist: Pink Floyd
Record label: Columbia
Release Date: 11/28/1979
Primary genre: Progressive rock
Popular songs: “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2”; “Comfortably Numb”; “Hey You”
Certified Sales: 23x Platinum
3. Best Albums of All Time – Back in Black
Recording artist: AC/DC
Record label: Epic
Release Date: 7/21/1980
Primary genre: Hard rock
Popular songs: “Back in Black”; “Hells Bells”; “You Shook Me All Night Long”
Certified Sales: 22x Platinum
4. (tie) Best Albums of All Time – Double Live
Recording artist: Garth Brooks
Record label: Capitol Nashville
Release Date: 11/17/1998
Primary genre: Country
Popular songs: “Friends in Low Places”; “If Tomorrow Never Comes”; “The Dance”; “The Thunder Rolls”
Certified Sales: 21x Platinum
Best Albums of All Time – Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II
Recording artist: Billy Joel
Record label: Columbia
Release Date: 6/28/1985
Primary genre: Pop rock
Popular songs: “Don’t Ask Me Why”; “Just the Way You Are”; “Piano Man”; “Tell Her About It”; “Uptown Girl”
Certified Sales: 21x Platinum
5. Best Albums of All Time – Come On Over
Recording artist: Shania Twain
Record label: Mercury Nashville
Release Date: 11/4/1997
Primary genre: Country
Popular songs: “Come On Over”; “Man! I Feel Like a Woman”; “You’re Still The One”
Certified Sales: 20x Platinum
6. (tie) Best Albums of All Time – The Beatles (The White Album)
Recording artist: The Beatles
Record label: Apple
Release Date: 11/25/1968
Primary genre: Rock
Popular songs: “Back in the U.S.S.R.”; “Helter Skelter”; “Revolution 1”
Certified Sales: 19x Platinum
Best Albums of All Time – Rumours
Recording artist: Fleetwood Mac
Record label: Warner Bros.
Release Date: 2/4/1977
Primary genre: Rock
Popular songs: “Don’t Stop”; “Dreams”; “Go Your Own Way”
Certified Sales: 19x Platinum
7. Best Albums of All Time – Appetite for Destruction
Recording artist: Guns ‘N Roses
Record label: Geffen
Release Date: 7/21/1987
Primary genre: Hard rock
Popular songs: “Paradise City”; “Sweet Child o’ Mine”; “Welcome to the Jungle”
Certified Sales: 18x Platinum
8. (tie) Best Albums of All Time – No Fences
Recording artist: Garth Brooks
Record label: Capitol
Release Date: 8/27/1990
Primary genre: Country
Popular songs: “Friends in Low Places”; “The Thunder Rolls”; “Unanswered Prayers”
Certified Sales: 17x Platinum
Best Albums of All Time – Boston
Recording artist: Boston
Record label: Epic
Release Date: 8/25/1976
Primary genre: Rock
Popular songs: “More Than a Feeling”; “Rock and Roll Band”
Certified Sales: 17x Platinum
Best Albums of All Time – The Bodyguard (soundtrack)
Recording artist: Whitney Houston
Record label: Arista
Release Date: 11/17/1992
Primary genre: R&B;
Popular songs: “I Will Always Love You”
Certified Sales: 17x Platinum
Best Albums of All Time – 1967-1970 (The Blue Album)
Recording artist: The Beatles
Record label: EMI
Release Date: 4/2/1973
Primary genre: Hard rock
Popular songs: “Come Together”; “Get Back”; “Hey Jude”; “Revolution”
Certified Sales: 17x Platinum
9. (tie) Best Albums of All Time – Elton John’s Greatest Hits
Recording artist: Elton John
Record label: MCA
Release Date: 11/4/1974
Primary genre: Rock
Popular songs: “Bennie and the Jets (US)”; “Candle in the Wind (UK)”; “Goodbye Yellowbrick Road”
Certified Sales: 16x Platinum
Best Albums of All Time – Hotel California
Recording artist: Eagles
Record label: Asylum
Release Date: 11/8/1976
Primary genre: Rock
Popular songs: “Hotel California”; “Life in the Fast Lane”; “New Kid in Town”
Certified Sales: 16x Platinum
Best Albums of All Time – Jagged Little Pill
Recording artist: Alanis Morissette
Record label: Maverick
Release Date: 6/13/1995
Primary genre: Alternative rock
Popular songs: “Hand in My Pocket”; “Head Over Feet”; “Ironic”; “You Learn”; “You Outta Know”
Certified Sales: 16x Platinum
Best Albums of All Time – Physical Graffiti
Recording artist: Led Zeppelin
Record label: Swan Song
Release Date: 3/3/1975
Primary genre: Hard rock
Popular songs: “Houses of the Holy”; “Kashmir”
Certified Sales: 16x Platinum
10. (tie) Best Albums of All Time – 1962-1966 (The Red Album)
Recording artist: The Beatles
Record label: Apple
Release Date: 4/2/1973
Primary genre: Rock
Popular songs: “A Hard Day’s Night”; “Can’t Buy Me Love”; “I Want to Hold Your Hand”; “Michelle”; “Yesterday”
Certified Sales: 15x Platinum
Best Albums of All Time – Dark Side of the Moon
Recording artist: Pink Floyd
Record label: Harvest
Release Date: 4/17/1973
Primary genre: Progressive rock
Popular songs: “Money”; “Time”
Certified Sales: 15x Platinum
Best Albums of All Time – Greatest Hits
Recording artist: Journey
Record label: Columbia
Release Date: 11/11/1988
Primary genre: Rock
Popular songs: “Don’t Stop Believin”; “Faithfully”; “Open Arms”
Certified Sales: 15x Platinum
Best Albums of All Time – Metallica (The Black Album)
Recording artist: Metallica
Record label: Warner Bros.
Release Date: 8/2/1991
Primary genre: Heavy metal
Popular songs: “Enter Sandman”; “Nothing Else Matters”
Certified Sales: 15x Platinum
Best Albums of All Time – Saturday Night Fever (Soundtrack)
Recording artist: Bee Gees et als.
Record label: RSO
Release Date: 1/7/1977
Primary genre: Disco
Popular songs: “How Deep is Your Love”; “Stayin’ Alive”
Certified Sales: 15x Platinum
Best Albums of All Time – Supernatural
Recording artist: Santana
Record label: Arista
Release Date: 6/15/1999
Primary genre: Rock
Popular songs: “Maria, Maria”; “Smooth”
Certified Sales: 15x Platinum
Best Albums of All Time – Born in the U.S.A.
Recording artist: Bruce Springsteen
Record label: Columbia
Release Date: 6/1/1984
Primary genre: Rock
Popular songs: “Born in the U.S.A.”; “Dancing in the Dark”; “Glory Days”
Certified Sales: 15x Platinum
Source(s):
“Diamond Awards,” Recording Industry Association of America
