The Best-Selling Albums of All Time: The Top 10 Countdown

Some albums sell well. A rare few sell so many copies that it feels like every household on the planet owns one. These are the records that defined decades, filled dorm rooms and car stereos, and still turn up in nearly every used record bin. Here's a countdown of the best-selling albums of all time, based on widely cited worldwide sales estimates.

A quick note: worldwide sales figures for older albums are estimates, since many countries didn't track sales carefully for decades. The rankings below use commonly cited claimed totals, and sources can differ by a few million copies.

The Countdown

7 (tie). The 40 Million Club: Four albums sit at roughly 40 million copies each. Shania Twain's Come On Over (1997) is widely cited as the best-selling country album of all time. Fleetwood Mac's Rumours (1977) turned the band's breakups into flawless pop. Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell (1977) proved that over-the-top rock opera could sell for decades. And the Bee Gees-led Saturday Night Fever soundtrack (1977) made disco a worldwide phenomenon.

6. Eagles, Hotel California (1976): About 42 million. The title track's dark, mysterious story and its famous dual guitar solo helped make this one of the defining records of the 1970s.

5. Eagles, Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) (1976): About 44 million worldwide. In the United States, it's the biggest of them all, certified 38 times platinum by the RIAA.

3 (tie). Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon (1973): About 45 million. This seamless concept album famously spent more than 900 weeks on the Billboard 200.

3 (tie). Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard soundtrack (1992): About 45 million, powered by Houston's towering version of "I Will Always Love You," which made it the best-selling soundtrack of all time.

2. AC/DC, Back in Black (1980): About 50 million. Recorded after the death of singer Bon Scott and released with new frontman Brian Johnson, it became the best-selling hard rock album ever.

1. Michael Jackson, Thriller (1982): About 70 million. With seven top 10 singles, groundbreaking music videos and a record eight Grammys in one night, Thriller remains the undisputed champion.

Just Missing the Cut

Led Zeppelin's untitled fourth album, home of "Stairway to Heaven," sits just outside the top 10 at around 37 million, followed by Michael Jackson's Bad.

Why These Records Still Matter

Most of these albums came out in the 1970s and '80s, when music fans bought full albums on vinyl, cassette and later CD. They're also why these titles are so easy to find secondhand today, and why first pressings in great condition remain prized by collectors.

How many of these albums are in your collection? Tell us your count, and your favorite, in the comments below.