The 20 Best Selling Albums of All Time

[Daydream Nation]

6

But I think I bought Appetite 4 times since I either smashed the cassette or had it stolen.

The first album I ever bought was Thriller and my first concert was Metallica. Justice > Black Album First CD I ever bought was Joel's GHs.

I am not surprised about Hootie. That was a HUGE album when it came out. Surprised Bob Seger's Greatest Hits is not on the list.

[Chico Resch]

Not really suprising to see this tally.

More population = more buying public = more sales.

Of course, "good" doesn't necessarily mean sales. Popular, or looks, mean sales.

The more interesting tally would be the best selling non Greatest Hits.

Greatest Hits such as "The Beatles 67-70" has their best from that era...

The White Album (which I've owned) has some great songs, but some absolute crap ones too.

So, you're pitting the best of the best vs the best and some others.

One of my all time fave albums (and coincidentially, Paul McCartney's) is Pet Sounds.

By comparing quality to quality of that versus Cracked Rear View (as an example) - which was a pretty good album as I recall - and it's not even close.

As I read this back, what's my point, in this long drawn out rant?

Quality doesn't always equal sales, and sales doesn't always equal quality. There's umpteen examples of this.

[RizzeeDizzee]

This immediately brings back memories of my college fraternity days, back when Columbia Records would have those deals of 10 CDs for a penny, with the hook being that you then had to pay crazy prices for ten more. One of my fraternity brothers took advantage of the fact that it was a multiple-resident dwelling to basically sign up over and over again, each time under a different name. And when collection notices and all sorts of warnings came, he'd ignore them. His whole approach was to buy billboard magazine and get 5 of these albums and then 5 of whatever was the flavor of the moment, and when they came he'd sell them to a used CD store. I think some months he pull in more than $100. And this went on for the better part of a year before Columbia got wise and just stopped delivering to the address.

Oh yeah - he's a doctor now. And I learned that if you sign up for a CD club under the name Escherichi Coli (i.e., e coli) your mail will be addressed to Ms. Coli.

[Axeman33]

Not really suprising to see this tally.

More population = more buying public = more sales.

Of course, "good" doesn't necessarily mean sales. Popular, or looks, mean sales.

The more interesting tally would be the best selling non Greatest Hits.

Greatest Hits such as "The Beatles 67-70" has their best from that era...

The White Album (which I've owned) has some great songs, but some absolute crap ones too.

So, you're pitting the best of the best vs the best and some others.

One of my all time fave albums (and coincidentially, Paul McCartney's) is Pet Sounds.

By comparing quality to quality of that versus Cracked Rear View (as an example) - which was a pretty good album as I recall - and it's not even close.

As I read this back, what's my point, in this long drawn out rant?

Quality doesn't always equal sales, and sales doesn't always equal quality. There's umpteen examples of this.

Unless Paul McCartney was secretly in the Beach Boys, I think you are a little off on that one.

[Instant Karma]

Unless Paul McCartney was secretly in the Beach Boys, I think you are a little off on that one.

I think he was saying that it's one of Paul McCartney's favorites as well.

(Which isn't surprising, considering the era.)

[ztking]

Pretty sad to think we will never see the album as it was here ever again. Back when you had to buy an entire album to listen to one song you liked. I'm sure many people who owned the Chumbawumba album can attest to this. Nowadays the ability to buy one song or handpick a couple has destroyed it. Which is a real shame because my favourite part about listening to an album is how it progresses from front to back and listening to it as the artist intended. Similar to how when you hear a song off one of your favourite albums being played, you anticipate the next track to start playing.

[kevinsrangers]

What? no wierd Al.

[Chico Resch]

I think he was saying that it's one of Paul McCartney's favorites as well.

(Which isn't surprising, considering the era.)

Correctamundo!

Also, his (McCartney's) fave all time song is God Only Knows....Which is interesting...here's a guy who has seen it all, done it all, heard it all. How do you pin point it to ONE song? for me, my favourite tune could be different on a day by day basis.

[Fast Tony DeNiro]

The Eagles have the highest selling album ever? Gross.

I only have physical copies of The Wall and Boston. I went through a stretch when I was 19 or 20 where I listened to practically nothing except Pink Floyd. And Boston is maybe the best band to air guitar to ever.

[Atomic Wedgy]

The Eagles have the highest selling album ever? Gross.

I only have physical copies of The Wall and Boston. I went through a stretch when I was 19 or 20 where I listened to practically nothing except Pink Floyd. And Boston is maybe the best band to air guitar to ever.

The Eagles were excellent song writers and very good musicians.

Regarding your Pink Floyd phase.... based on my own personal experience, I am guessing that you were quite high for all of it. No offense intended. It takes one to know one. hahahaa.

I think more than one air guitar champion would have sealed the deal on a Boston song.

[Stringer]

I have owned 4:
Thriller by MJ
Boston
Elton John Greatest Hits
Guns and Roses

But I really have to think whether or not I own more. Can't remember if I have the Zepplin albums or not, and I don't believe the Movie version of the wall counts lol.

[hockeymanG23]

Cant say I actually bough any of those though I did copy a few using cassette to cassette on high speed dubbing lol. Seems like ancient technology now.

The double albums are a bit annoying on this list since as a double album they count for two sales despite being one purchase with no option other than buying both at the same time. Its a sneaky way to inflate the numbers.

[Fast Tony DeNiro]

The Eagles were excellent song writers and very good musicians.

Regarding your Pink Floyd phase.... based on my own personal experience, I am guessing that you were quite high for all of it. No offense intended. It takes one to know one. hahahaa.

I think more than one air guitar champion would have sealed the deal on a Boston song.

The Eagles are just so boring though haha. Desperado is an incredible song though.

And actually, I had my Pink Floyd phase without any "assists" haha. I'm a sucker for concept albums... Darkside might be the best album ever written. And on The Wall, I think it's side 1 of the second album from Hey You through Comfortably Numb is my favorite stretch of songs.

[Instant Karma]

The Eagles are just so boring though haha. Desperado is an incredible song though.

And actually, I had my Pink Floyd phase without any "assists" haha. I'm a sucker for concept albums... Darkside might be the best album ever written. And on The Wall, I think it's side 1 of the second album from Hey You through Comfortably Numb is my favorite stretch of songs.

I'll admit to being burnt out on The Eagles back at the height of their popularity in the early '80s, to the point that I'd change the station whenever they came on. But I've since come to recognize their greatness, though.