100 Best Pop Albums of All Time

Pop music is deeply embedded in the fabric of American society. Whether it’s playing on the radio, television, or at the local shopping center, today’s top hits seem to be constantly blasting from speakers everywhere.

While pop originally grew out of rock and roll, it began to develop its own characteristics in the 1960s. Comprised primarily of short, catchy, melodic songs, pop’s greatest strength is its wide audience appeal. While some pop groups – such as NSYNC – appeal primarily to teenagers, more major players – such as the King of Pop, Michael Jackson – offer something for just about everyone.

By creating an index of album sales and Billboard performance, 24/7 Wall St. has determined the 100 best pop albums of all time.

Pop music has come to mean more than mere popularity. Generally, pop albums consist of singles-based music engineered for wide appeal on pop radio and pop television. Pop music often incorporates elements of dance, as well as heavily produced electronic components. Based on 24/7 Wall St.’s discretion, albums that did not meet these loose criteria were excluded from our analysis. As a result, a number of highly popular artists including Bob Marley, Pink Floyd, and Fleetwood Mac were culled from the final list.

Click here to see the 100 best pop albums of all time.
Click here to see our detailed findings and methodology.

100. Business As Usual (1982)
> Artist: Men At Work
> Copies sold: 6 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 90

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99. Greatest Hits (2000)
> Artist: Tim McGraw
> Copies sold: 6 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 105

98. Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ (2003)
> Artist: 50 Cent
> Copies sold: 6 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 104

97. Some Nights (2012)
> Artist: fun.
> Copies sold: 6 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 92

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96. Blurryface (2015)
> Artist: twenty one pilots
> Copies sold: 3 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 150

95. Christopher Cross (1979)
> Artist: Christopher Cross
> Copies sold: 5 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 116

94. Wilson Phillips (1990)
> Artist: Wilson Phillips
> Copies sold: 5 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 125

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93. Songs About Jane (2002)
> Artist: Maroon 5
> Copies sold: 4 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 157

92. Good Girl Gone Bad (2007)
> Artist: Rihanna
> Copies sold: 6 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 99

91. janet. (1993)
> Artist: Janet Jackson
> Copies sold: 6 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 106

90. True Blue (1986)
> Artist: Madonna
> Copies sold: 7 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 82

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89. In The Lonely Hour (2014)
> Artist: Sam Smith
> Copies sold: 2 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 198

88. The Essential Michael Jackson (2005)
> Artist: Michael Jackson
> Copies sold: 3 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 220

87. Breakaway (2004)
> Artist: Kelly Clarkson
> Copies sold: 6 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 104

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86. Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989)
> Artist: Janet Jackson
> Copies sold: 6 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 108

85. Not A Moment Too Soon (1994)
> Artist: Tim McGraw
> Copies sold: 6 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 115

84. 1999 (1982)
> Artist: Prince
> Copies sold: 4 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 162

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83. The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (2013)
> Artist: Eminem
> Copies sold: 4 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 187

82. Let Go (2002)
> Artist: Avril Lavigne
> Copies sold: 7 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 97

81. Montevallo (2014)
> Artist: Sam Hunt
> Copies sold: 3 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 179

80. My Kinda Party (2010)
> Artist: Jason Aldean
> Copies sold: 4 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 171

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79. + (2012)
> Artist: Ed Sheeran
> Copies sold: 2 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 243

78. The Cars (1978)
> Artist: The Cars
> Copies sold: 6 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 139

77. Savage Garden (1997)
> Artist: Savage Garden
> Copies sold: 7 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 104

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76. Madonna (1983)
> Artist: Madonna
> Copies sold: 5 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 168

75. The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill (1998)
> Artist: Lauryn Hill
> Copies sold: 8 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 91

74. Rapture (1986)
> Artist: Anita Baker
> Copies sold: 5 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 157

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73. Need You Now (2010)
> Artist: Lady Antebellum
> Copies sold: 6 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 129

72. Speak Now (2010)
> Artist: Taylor Swift
> Copies sold: 6 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 137

71. Spice (1997)
> Artist: Spice Girls
> Copies sold: 7 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 105

70. Secrets (1996)
> Artist: Toni Braxton
> Copies sold: 8 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 92

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69. Red (2012)
> Artist: Taylor Swift
> Copies sold: 6 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 148

68. Dangerous (1991)
> Artist: Michael Jackson
> Copies sold: 7 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 119

67. Number Ones (2003)
> Artist: Michael Jackson
> Copies sold: 4 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 220

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66. The Fame (2008)
> Artist: Lady Gaga
> Copies sold: 3 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 208

65. Unorthodox Jukebox (2012)
> Artist: Bruno Mars
> Copies sold: 4 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 203

64. Dr. Dre — 2001 (1999)
> Artist: Dr. Dre
> Copies sold: 6 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 164

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63. Here’s To The Good Times (2012)
> Artist: Florida Georgia Line
> Copies sold: 2 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 241

62. Toni Braxton (1993)
> Artist: Toni Braxton
> Copies sold: 8 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 96

61. Christina Aguilera (1999)
> Artist: Christina Aguilera
> Copies sold: 8 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 97

60. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
> Artist: Elton John
> Copies sold: 8 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 111

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59. 19 (2008)
> Artist: Adele
> Copies sold: 3 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 218

58. The Writing’s On The Wall (1999)
> Artist: Destiny’s Child
> Copies sold: 8 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 99

57. Breathe (1999)
> Artist: Faith Hill
> Copies sold: 8 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 103

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56. Whitney (1987)
> Artist: Whitney Houston
> Copies sold: 9 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 88

55. Crash My Party (2013)
> Artist: Luke Bryan
> Copies sold: 4 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 216

54. Tailgates & Tanlines (2011)
> Artist: Luke Bryan
> Copies sold: 4 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 214

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53. good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012)
> Artist: Kendrick Lamar
> Copies sold: 1 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 283

52. x (2014)
> Artist: Ed Sheeran
> Copies sold: 4 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 197

51. Some Gave All (1992)
> Artist: Billy Ray Cyrus
> Copies sold: 9 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 97

50. Oops!…I Did It Again (2000)
> Artist: Britney Spears
> Copies sold: 10 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 84

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49. Born To Die (2012)
> Artist: Lana Del Rey
> Copies sold: 1 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 311

48. Big Willie Style (1997)
> Artist: Will Smith
> Copies sold: 9 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 99

47. Nothing Was The Same (2013)
> Artist: Drake
> Copies sold: 4 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 230

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46. The Sign (1993)
> Artist: Ace Of Base
> Copies sold: 9 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 102

45. Daydream (1995)
> Artist: Mariah Carey
> Copies sold: 10 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 81

44. Hangin’ Tough (1988)
> Artist: New Kids On The Block
> Copies sold: 8 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 132

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43. Mariah Carey (1990)
> Artist: Mariah Carey
> Copies sold: 9 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 113

42. Recovery (2010)
> Artist: Eminem
> Copies sold: 3 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 309

41. Forever Your Girl (1988)
> Artist: Paula Abdul
> Copies sold: 7 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 175

40. Faith (1987)
> Artist: George Michael
> Copies sold: 10 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 96

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39. Night Visions (2012)
> Artist: Imagine Dragons
> Copies sold: 2 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 287

38. No Strings Attached (2000)
> Artist: ‘N Sync
> Copies sold: 11 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 82

37. Country Grammar (2000)
> Artist: Nelly
> Copies sold: 10 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 104

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36. Like A Virgin (1984)
> Artist: Madonna
> Copies sold: 10 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 109

35. Cooleyhighharmony (1991)
> Artist: Boyz II Men
> Copies sold: 9 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 133

34. Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em (1990)
> Artist: M.C. Hammer
> Copies sold: 10 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 108

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33. Confessions (2004)
> Artist: Usher
> Copies sold: 10 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 124

32. Up! (2002)
> Artist: Shania Twain
> Copies sold: 11 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 93

31. ‘N Sync (1998)
> Artist: ‘N Sync
> Copies sold: 10 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 109

30. Take Care (2011)
> Artist: Drake
> Copies sold: 4 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 265

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29. Music Box (1993)
> Artist: Mariah Carey
> Copies sold: 10 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 128

28. Some Hearts (2005)
> Artist: Carrie Underwood
> Copies sold: 8 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 157

27. Off The Wall (1979)
> Artist: Michael Jackson
> Copies sold: 8 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 193

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26. Licensed To Ill (1986)
> Artist: Beastie Boys
> Copies sold: 10 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 152

25. The Immaculate Collection (1990)
> Artist: Madonna
> Copies sold: 10 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 148

24. CrazySexyCool (1994)
> Artist: TLC
> Copies sold: 11 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 119

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23. The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)
> Artist: Eminem
> Copies sold: 10 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 171

22. II (1994)
> Artist: Boyz II Men
> Copies sold: 12 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 99

21. 25 (2015)
> Artist: Adele
> Copies sold: 11 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 123

20. Teenage Dream (2010)
> Artist: Katy Perry
> Copies sold: 7 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 236

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19. 1989 (2014)
> Artist: Taylor Swift
> Copies sold: 9 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 172

18. Can’t Slow Down (1983)
> Artist: Lionel Richie
> Copies sold: 10 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 160

17. Bad (1987)
> Artist: Michael Jackson
> Copies sold: 10 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 171

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16. The Woman In Me (1995)
> Artist: Shania Twain
> Copies sold: 12 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 107

15. Millennium (1999)
> Artist: Backstreet Boys
> Copies sold: 13 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 93

14. Purple Rain (Soundtrack) (1984)
> Artist: Prince And The Revolution
> Copies sold: 13 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 124

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13. …Baby One More Time (1999)
> Artist: Britney Spears
> Copies sold: 14 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 103

12. Taylor Swift (2006)
> Artist: Taylor Swift
> Copies sold: 7 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 275

11. Doo-Wops & Hooligans (2010)
> Artist: Bruno Mars
> Copies sold: 5 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 368

10. Fearless (2008)
> Artist: Taylor Swift
> Copies sold: 10 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 254

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9. Backstreet Boys (1997)
> Artist: Backstreet Boys
> Copies sold: 14 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 133

8. Whitney Houston (1985)
> Artist: Whitney Houston
> Copies sold: 13 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 176

7. Greatest Hits (1973)
> Artist: Elton John
> Copies sold: 17 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 106

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6. Curtain Call: The Hits (2005)
> Artist: Eminem
> Copies sold: 7 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 386

5. The Eminem Show (2002)
> Artist: Eminem
> Copies sold: 10 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 350

4. The Bodyguard (1992)
> Artist: Whitney Houston
> Copies sold: 18 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 155

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3. Come On Over (1997)
> Artist: Shania Twain
> Copies sold: 20 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 151

2. 21 (2011)
> Artist: Adele
> Copies sold: 14 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 370

1. Thriller (1982)
> Artist: Michael Jackson
> Copies sold: 33 million
> Appearances on Billboard 200: 327

While pop music almost always enjoys commercial success, not all popular music is necessarily “pop.” The term originally was used to describe all forms of popular music, including rock and roll, but it has evolved into a more specific genre of music. As a result, even popular rock groups are frequently not considered pop music.

There are several notable artists who straddle the two genres, however, including Prince, whose 4x Multi-Platinum album “1999” and 13x Multi-Platinum “Purple Rain” soundtrack both made the cut.

As pop music has enjoyed increasing commercial success over the last 50 years, it has become interwoven with other styles of music, taking on characteristics of and influencing genres such as rap and country. Artists who may have originally worked in one genre have become more pop as they have become more successful. Today, artists such as Taylor Swift, who began playing pop country, and Drake, who is more associated with rap, are often played on top hits radio stations. Not only could both musicians be considered pop artists, but also their fan bases overlap greatly.

There are a number of artists who have more than one album on the list. Michael Jackson leads the pack with six albums featured, followed by Taylor Swift and Eminem, who both have five. Madonna is next with four albums featured.

To determine the best pop albums of all time, 24/7 Wall St. generated an index based on rankings on the Billboard 200 chart and lifetime album sales. Both components of the index were given equal weight.

A band’s total certified U.S. album sales came from the Recording Industry Association of America. The RIAA tracks album sales released in the American market with a threshold of 500,000 units sold. To be considered, an album must have at least 1,000,000 certified sales. How well an album performed on the Billboard 200 was determined by awarding points based on the number of weeks it was on the list and its rank for each week.