From the 1950s through the late ‘60s, pop music was synonymous with rock ‘n’ roll. After Billboard began listing the 200 top-selling albums in 1967, rock bands like The Beatles and Led Zeppelin had some of the earliest record-breakers. (Here’s a list of the most popular album every year since 1960.)
In the ‘70s and ‘80s, soul, disco, R&B, and funk began to influence the charts, with multiple hit albums from Michael Jackson, as well as chart-toppers from Prince, the Bee Gees, and Lionel Richie. The ‘90s brought both rap and country into the mainstream, including four top albums from pop country star Garth Brooks — well-represented among the 40 most popular country music albums of all time.
24/7 Tempo has compiled the 50 best-selling pop albums since Billboard started keeping track. Of the top 100, a quarter are by female musicians (counting bands with a female lead singer). Country crossover stars Shania Twain and Taylor Swift each boast three on the list. The sub-genres of pop represented in the list span the spectrum from country to rock to rap to R&B. An outlier on the list is the 1994 soundtrack to Disney’s “The Lion King,” featuring multiple songs written and performed by Elton John.
Click here to see the best-selling pop albums of all time
To determine the 50 best pop albums of all time, 24/7 Tempo developed an index based on three metrics: the number of weeks an album spent on the Billboard 200; its positions on the chart (one week at No. 1, for instance, being worth 200 times more than a week spent at No. 200); and total certified U.S. album sales according to the Recording Industry Association of America. All metrics were evenly weighted.
50. CrazySexyCool (1994)
> Artist: TLC
> Certification: 12X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 119
[in-text-ad]
49. 25 (2015)
> Artist: Adele
> Certification: 11X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 183
48. The Woman In Me (1995)
> Artist: Shania Twain
> Certification: 12X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 107
47. Come Away With Me (2002)
> Artist: Norah Jones
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 164
24/7 Wall St.
46. Pieces Of You (1996)
> Artist: Jewel
> Certification: 12X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 114
45. No Jacket Required (1985)
> Artist: Phil Collins
> Certification: 12X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 123
44. Yourself Or Someone Like You (1997)
> Artist: matchbox 20
> Certification: 12X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 121
[in-text-ad-2]
43. Millennium (1999)
> Artist: Backstreet Boys
> Certification: 13X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 93
42. Falling Into You (1996)
> Artist: Celine Dion
> Certification: 12X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 113
41. Purple Rain (Soundtrack) (1984)
> Artist: Prince and the Revolution
> Certification: 13X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 143
40. Fearless (2008)
> Artist: Taylor Swift
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 261
[in-text-ad]
39. All The Right Reasons (2005)
> Artist: Nickelback
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 206
38. Doo-Wops & Hooligans (2010)
> Artist: Bruno Mars
> Certification: 6X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 519
37. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
> Artist: The Beatles
> Certification: 11X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 232
24/7 Wall St.
36. Hysteria (1987)
> Artist: Def Leppard
> Certification: 12X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 136
35. Physical Graffiti (1975)
> Artist: Led Zeppelin
> Certification: 16X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 48
34. Wide Open Spaces (1998)
> Artist: Dixie Chicks
> Certification: 4X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 134
[in-text-ad-2]
33. Breathless (1992)
> Artist: Kenny G
> Certification: 12X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 214
32. …Baby One More Time (1999)
> Artist: Britney Spears
> Certification: 14X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 103
31. Take Care (2011)
> Artist: Drake
> Certification: 6X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 427
30. 1989 (2014)
> Artist: Taylor Swift
> Certification: 9X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 334
[in-text-ad]
29. [Hybrid Theory] (2000)
> Artist: Linkin Park
> Certification: 12X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 256
28. Ropin’ The Wind (1991)
> Artist: Garth Brooks
> Certification: 14X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 132
27. Nevermind (1991)
> Artist: Nirvana
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 523
26. Supernatural (1999)
> Artist: Santana
> Certification: 15X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 103
25. Whitney Houston (1985)
> Artist: Whitney Houston
> Certification: 13X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 176
24. Backstreet Boys (1997)
> Artist: Backstreet Boys
> Certification: 14X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 133
[in-text-ad-2]
23. Tapestry (1971)
> Artist: Carole King
> Certification: 13X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 318
22. The Eminem Show (2002)
> Artist: Eminem
> Certification: 10X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 396
21. Saturday Night Fever (1976)
> Artist: Bee Gees
> Certification: 16X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 137
20. Abbey Road (1969)
> Artist: The Beatles
> Certification: 12X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 409
[in-text-ad]
19. Ten (1992)
> Artist: Pearl Jam
> Certification: 13X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 264
18. Born In The U.S.A. (1984)
> Artist: Bruce Springsteen
> Certification: 15X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 143
17. Boston (1976)
> Artist: Boston
> Certification: 17X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 138
16. Jagged Little Pill (1995)
> Artist: Alanis Morissette
> Certification: 16X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 127
15. Double Live (1998)
> Artist: Garth Brooks
> Certification: 21X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 56
14. Appetite For Destruction (1987)
> Artist: Guns N’ Roses
> Certification: 18X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 249
[in-text-ad-2]
13. No Fences (1990)
> Artist: Garth Brooks
> Certification: 18X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 224
12. Cracked Rear View (1994)
> Artist: Hootie & The Blowfish
> Certification: 21X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 129
11. The Wall (1979)
> Artist: Pink Floyd
> Certification: 23X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 157
10. Come On Over (1997)
> Artist: Shania Twain
> Certification: 20X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 151
[in-text-ad]
9. 21 (2011)
> Artist: Adele
> Certification: 14X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 507
8. The Beatles [White Album] (1968)
> Artist: The Beatles
> Certification: 24X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 215
7. The Dark Side Of The Moon (1973)
> Artist: Pink Floyd
> Certification: 15X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 957
6. Hotel California (1976)
> Artist: Eagles
> Certification: 26X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 132
5. Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
> Artist: Led Zeppelin
> Certification: 23X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 283
4. Metallica (1991)
> Artist: Metallica
> Certification: 16X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 606
[in-text-ad-2]
3. Rumours (1977)
> Artist: Fleetwood Mac
> Certification: 20X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 423
2. Back In Black (1980)
> Artist: AC/DC
> Certification: 25X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 462
1. Thriller (1982)
> Artist: Michael Jackson
> Certification: 33X multi-platinum
> Weeks on Billboard 200 chart: 469
Find a Qualified Financial Advisor (Sponsor)
Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to 3 fiduciary financial advisors in your area in 5 minutes. Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests. If you’re ready to be matched with local advisors that can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
