What Are the Top 5 Best Selling Albums?
The top 5 best selling albums are determined by worldwide certified sales and long-term consumption data. These records often span decades and include multiple formats such as physical CDs, vinyl, cassettes, and digital streams.
Key Albums and Sales Highlights
Michael Jackson's Thriller is widely cited as the best selling album globally, with certified sales exceeding 70 million copies. Other frequent entries include Eagles' Their Greatest Hits, Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon, Whitney Houston's soundtrack, and Fleetwood Mac's Rumours.
Sales figures are compiled by organizations such as the RIAA and IFPI, which certify units shipped or consumed. Streaming equivalents are increasingly included in modern tallies.
Why These Albums Remain Best Sellers
These albums stayed on charts for years, received heavy radio play, and were supported by major tours and media exposure. Their broad appeal and frequent reissues help them maintain high lifetime sales.
For more details on global music sales, see the IFPI Global Music Report at https://www.ifpi.org/resources/2023-ifpi-global-music-report/.
