The 50 best-selling albums of all time

Travis ClarkSep 17, 2020, 20:43 IST

The EaglesREUTERS/Jim Urquhart

Linkin Park's debut studio album "Hybrid Theory" landed in the Record Industry Association of America's top 50 best-selling albums of all time ahead of its 20th anniversary in October.
In 2018, The Eagles surpassed Michael Jackson for the top spot on the list.
Business Insider broke down the top 50 best-selling albums in US history based on the RIAA's data (measured in "certified units" sold).

Ahead of the 20th anniversary of Linkin Park's debut studio album, "Hybrid Theory," in October, the album has moved into the Record Industry Association of America's top 50 best-selling albums of all time. It bumped Phil Collins' "No Jacket Required" out of the top 50 in the US.

In 2018, The Eagles' greatest hits album, released in 1976, surpassed Michael Jackson's 1982 album "Thriller" to take the top spot on the RIAA's list.

The Eagles have the first and third best-selling albums of all time, with the band's "Hotel California" following "Thriller."

Other notable artists on the list include The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, which are both featured three times in the top 50, and Garth Brooks, who also has three albums on the list.

Below is the list based on RIAA's data for the best-selling albums in US history (measured in "certified units" sold).

John Lynch contributed to a previous version of this post.

Check out the 50 best-selling albums of all time:

50. Matchbox Twenty — "Yourself or Someone Like You"

Atlantic

49. Linkin Park — "Hybrid Theory"

Warner Bros. Records

48. Led Zeppelin — "Led Zeppelin II"

Atlantic

47. Kenny Rogers — "Kenny Rogers' Greatest Hits"

Liberty

46. Kenny G — "Breathless"

Arista

45. Jewel — "Pieces of You"

Atlantic

44. Def Leppard — "Hysteria"

Mercury

43. Boyz II Men — "II"

Motown

42. Bon Jovi — "Slippery When Wet"

Mercury

41. Whitney Houston — "Whitney Houston"

Arista

40. The Chicks — "Wide Open Spaces"

Monument

39. Prince & The Revolution — "Purple Rain"

Warner Bros.

38. Pearl Jam — "Ten"

Epic

37. Bruce Springsteen — "Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band Live 1975-'85"

Columbia

36. Backstreet Boys — "Millennium"

Jive

35. Steve Miller Band — "Greatest Hits 1974-1978"

Capitol

34. Simon & Garfunkel — "Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits"

Sony

33. Meat Loaf — "Bat Out of Hell"

Cleveland International

32. Garth Brooks — "Ropin' The Wind"

Capitol

31. Britney Spears — "...Baby One More Time"

Jive

30. Backstreet Boys — "Backstreet Boys"

Jive

29. Adele — "21"

Columbia Records

28. The Beatles — "The Beatles 1962-1966"

Apple

27. Santana — "Supernatural"

Arista

26. Pink Floyd — "Dark Side of the Moon"

Harvest

25. Journey — "Greatest Hits"

Columbia

24. Bruce Springsteen — "Born In The U.S.A."

Columbia

23. Bob Marley & The Wailers — "Legend"

Island

22. Metallica — "Metallica"

Atlantic/Elektra

21. Led Zeppelin — "Physical Graffiti"

Swan Song

20. Bee Gees — "Saturday Night Fever" (Soundtrack)

RSO Records

19. Alanis Morisette — "Jagged Little Pill"

Maverick

18. The Beatles — "The Beatles 1967-1970"

EMI

17. Elton John — "Greatest Hits"

Island

16. Boston — "Boston"

Epic

15. Whitney Houston – "The Bodyguard" (Soundtrack)

Arista

14. Guns N' Roses — "Appetite for Destruction"

Geffen

13. Garth Brooks — "No Fences"

Capitol

12. Shania Twain — "Come On Over"

Mercury Nashville

11. Fleetwood Mac — "Rumours"

Warner Bros.

10. Hootie & The Blowfish — "Cracked Rear View"

Atlantic

9. Garth Brooks — "Double Live"

Capitol Nashville

8. Pink Floyd — "The Wall"

Columbia

7. Led Zeppelin — "Led Zeppelin IV"

Atlantic

6. Billy Joel — "Greatest Hits Volume 1 & Volume 2"

Columbia

5. The Beatles — "The Beatles" ("The White Album")

Apple

4. AC/DC — "Back In Black"

Epic

3. Eagles — "Hotel California"

Asylum

2. Michael Jackson — "Thriller"

Epic

1. Eagles — "Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)"

Elektra

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The 50 best-selling albums of all time

50. Matchbox Twenty — "Yourself or Someone Like You"

49. Linkin Park — "Hybrid Theory"

48. Led Zeppelin — "Led Zeppelin II"

47. Kenny Rogers — "Kenny Rogers' Greatest Hits"

46. Kenny G — "Breathless"

45. Jewel — "Pieces of You"

44. Def Leppard — "Hysteria"

43. Boyz II Men — "II"

42. Bon Jovi — "Slippery When Wet"

41. Whitney Houston — "Whitney Houston"

40. The Chicks — "Wide Open Spaces"

39. Prince & The Revolution — "Purple Rain"

38. Pearl Jam — "Ten"

37. Bruce Springsteen — "Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band Live 1975-'85"

36. Backstreet Boys — "Millennium"

35. Steve Miller Band — "Greatest Hits 1974-1978"

34. Simon & Garfunkel — "Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits"

33. Meat Loaf — "Bat Out of Hell"

32. Garth Brooks — "Ropin' The Wind"

31. Britney Spears — "...Baby One More Time"

30. Backstreet Boys — "Backstreet Boys"

29. Adele — "21"

28. The Beatles — "The Beatles 1962-1966"

27. Santana — "Supernatural"

26. Pink Floyd — "Dark Side of the Moon"

25. Journey — "Greatest Hits"

24. Bruce Springsteen — "Born In The U.S.A."

23. Bob Marley & The Wailers — "Legend"

22. Metallica — "Metallica"

21. Led Zeppelin — "Physical Graffiti"

20. Bee Gees — "Saturday Night Fever" (Soundtrack)

19. Alanis Morisette — "Jagged Little Pill"

18. The Beatles — "The Beatles 1967-1970"

17. Elton John — "Greatest Hits"

16. Boston — "Boston"

15. Whitney Houston – "The Bodyguard" (Soundtrack)

14. Guns N' Roses — "Appetite for Destruction"

13. Garth Brooks — "No Fences"

12. Shania Twain — "Come On Over"

11. Fleetwood Mac — "Rumours"

10. Hootie & The Blowfish — "Cracked Rear View"

9. Garth Brooks — "Double Live"

8. Pink Floyd — "The Wall"

7. Led Zeppelin — "Led Zeppelin IV"

6. Billy Joel — "Greatest Hits Volume 1 & Volume 2"

5. The Beatles — "The Beatles" ("The White Album")

4. AC/DC — "Back In Black"

3. Eagles — "Hotel California"

2. Michael Jackson — "Thriller"

1. Eagles — "Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)"