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List of best-selling albums in the United States


This is a list of best-selling albums in the United States according to the Recording Industry Association of America.

  1. Eagles - Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) - 28 times platinum
  2. Michael Jackson - Thriller - 26 times platinum
  3. Pink Floyd - The Wall - 23 times platinum
  4. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV - 22 times platinum
  5. Billy Joel - Greatest Hits Volume I & II - 21 times platinum
  6. AC/DC - Back in Black - 20 times platinum
  7. Fleetwood Mac - Rumours - 19 times platinum
  8. The Beatles - The Beatles ("the White Album") - 19 times platinum
  9. Shania Twain - Come on Over - 19 times platinum
  10. Boston - Boston - 17 times platinum
  11. Whitney Houston - The Bodyguard (soundtrack) - 17 times platinum
  12. Hootie and the Blowfish - Cracked Rear View - 16 times platinum
  13. Elton John - Greatest Hits - 16 times platinum
  14. Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill - 16 times platinum
  15. The Beatles - 1967 - 1970 - 16 times platinum
  16. Garth Brooks - No Fences - 16 times platinum
  17. Eagles - Hotel California - 16 times platinum
  18. Garth Brooks - Double Live - 15 times platinum
  19. The Beatles - 1962 - 1966 - 15 times platinum
  20. Bee Gees - Saturday Night Fever (soundtrack) - 15 times platinum
  21. Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon - 15 times platinum
  22. Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti - 15 times platinum
  23. Guns N' Roses - Appetite for Destruction - 15 times platinum
  24. Santana - Supernatural - 15 times platinum
  25. Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A. - 15 times platinum
  26. Simon and Garfunkel - Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits - 14 times platinum
  27. Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell - 14 times platinum
  28. Metallica - Metallica - 14 times platinum
  29. Garth Brooks - Ropin' the Wind - 14 times platinum
  30. Backstreet Boys - Backstreet Boys - 14 times platinum
  31. Backstreet Boys - Millennium - 13 times platinum
  32. Steve Miller Band - Greatest Hits 1974-1978 - 13 times platinum
  33. Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston - 13 times platinum
  34. Prince and the Revolution - Purple Rain (soundtrack) - 13 times platinum
  35. Bruce Springsteen - Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Live/1975-85 - 13 times platinum
  36. Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time - 13 times platinum
  37. Forrest Gump (soundtrack) - 12 times platinum
  38. Kenny Rogers - Kenny Rogers' Greatest Hits - 12 times platinum
  39. The Rolling Stones - Hot Rocks, 1964-1971 - 12 times platinum
  40. Shania Twain - The Woman in Me - 12 times platinum
  41. Kenny G - Breathless - 12 times platinum
  42. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II - 12 times platinum
  43. Pearl Jam - Ten - 12 times platinum
  44. Matchbox Twenty - Yourself or Someone Like You - 12 times platinum
  45. The Beatles - Abbey Road - 12 times platinum
  46. Boyz II Men - II - 12 times platinum
  47. Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet - 12 times platinum
  48. Dixie Chicks - Wide Open Spaces - 12 times platinum
  49. Phil Collins - No Jacket Required - 12 times platinum
  50. Def Leppard - Hysteria - 12 times platinum

Further research

  • For information about what makes a platinum album, see RIAA certification.
  • Multi-disc albums count one for each disc in these figures, which accounts for the many double (or more) albums in the list. However, this does not apply to multi-disc albums whose total length is under 100 minutes.
  • Albums from the mid-1960s and before are underrepresented due to the smaller album buying market of that time; albums from the Napster era on are underrepresented due to the decline in conventional album sales.
  • See also: List of best-selling singles

External links

Last updated: 06-04-2005 03:15:52
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