Showing posts with label saturday night fever. Show all posts

Sunday, September 1, 2024

Pop: Top 100 Albums

Pop:

The Top 100 Albums

There are no inarguable terms to define rock music – or R&B, or country, or dance, or any other genre. Perhaps the most baffling, though, is pop music. Why? Because it’s an amalgam of all other genres. Just take a glance at the top ten on this list. Michael Jackson shows up with a couple of R&B/dance-oriented albums. Fleetwood Mac makes an appearance with classic rock. The Bee Gees and others give us their spin on disco. Carole King shows why she reigned supreme at the forefront of the singer/songwriter movement of the ‘70s. Alanis Morissette serves up a slice the kind of alternative rock which became mainstream in the ‘90s while Adele gives us a dose of blue-eyed British soul.

A strong effort was made to focus on albums that generated multiple pop hits, did well on the album chart, and were big sellers. While albums like the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, and Led Zeppelin’s Led Zeppelin IV are monster sellers, they only generated a mere three top-40 hits between them.

Welcome to the world of pop music. All the different ingredients described above have been factored in – as well as an aggregate of a handful of lists focused on the best pop albums of all time (see sources at bottom of page) – to create the list you have before you. Hopefully there’s something here to fit your tastes. After all, pop is the great equalizer. It can bring disparate groups together because of a shared love of a particular album. Without further ado, here’s the top 100 pop albums of all time, as determined by Dave’s Music Database.

Check out other best-of-genre/category lists here.

1. Michael Jackson Thriller (1982)
2. Various artists (Bee Gees et al) Saturday Night Fever (soundtrack, 1977)
3. George Michael Faith (1987)
4. Fleetwood Mac Rumours (1977)
5. Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
6. Michael Jackson Bad (1987)
7. Whitney Houston Whitney Houston (1985)
8. Janet Jackson Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989)
9. Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A. (1984)
10. Prince & the Revolution Purple Rain (1984)

11. Adele 21 (2011)
12. Justin Timberlake FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006)
13. Shania Twain Come on Over (1997)
14. Taylor Swift 1989 (2014)
15. Alanis Morissette Jagged Little Pill (1995)
16. Various artists (Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta et al) Grease (1978)
17. Michael Jackson Dangerous (1991)
18. Madonna Like a Virgin (1984)
19. Michael Jackson Off the Wall (1979)
20. Def Leppard Hysteria (1987)

21. Phil Collins No Jacket Required (1985)
22. Janet Jackson Control (1986)
23. Taylor Swift Fearless (2008)
24. Lady Gaga The Fame (2008)
25. Various artists (Whitney Houston et al) The Bodyguard (soundtrack, 1992)
26. Madonna Like a Prayer (1989)
27. Usher Confessions (2004)
28. Janet Jackson janet. (1993)
29. Mariah Carey Daydream (1995)
30. Katy Perry Teenage Dream (2010)

31. Mariah Carey Mariah Carey (1990)
32. Boyz II Men II (1994)
33. Whitney Houston Whitney (1987)
34. Wham! Make It Big (1984)
35. Various artists Dirty Dancing (soundtrack, 1987)
36. Madonna True Blue (1986)
37. Black Eyed Peas The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies) (2009)
38. Carole King Tapestry (1971)
39. Lionel Richie Can’t Slow Down (1983)
40. The Police Synchronicity (1983)

41. Paula Abdul Forever Your Girl (1988)
42. Bruno Mars Unorthodox Jukebox (2012)
43. TLC Crazy Sexy Cool (1994)
44. The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
45. Beyoncé Dangerously in Love (2003)
46. New Kids on the Block Hangin’ Tough (1988)
47. Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970)
48. Taylor Swift Red (2012)
49. Destiny’s Child Survivor (2001)
50. Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet (1986)

51. Ace of Base Happy Nation/The Sign (1993)
52. Bon Jovi New Jersey (1988)
53. Mariah Carey Music Box (1993)
54. Tina Turner Private Dancer (1984)
55. INXS Kick (1987)
56. Christina Aguilera Christina Aguilera (1999)
57. Phil Collins …But Seriously (1989)
58. Journey Escape (1981)
59. Kelly Clarkson Breakaway (2004)
60. Lady Gaga Born This Way (2011)
61. Spice Girls Spice (1996)
62. Bobby Brown Don’t Be Cruel (1988)
63. Celine Dion Falling into You (1996)
64. Rihanna Loud (2010)
65. Milli Vanilli Girl You Know It’s True (aka All or Nothing) (1989)
66. Billy Joel The Stranger (1977)
67. Tears for Fears Songs from the Big Chair (1985)
68. Huey Lewis & the News Sports (1983)
69. U2 The Joshua Tree (1987)
70. Fergie The Dutchess (2006)

71. Post Malone Hollywood’s Bleeding (2019)
72. Britney Spears …Baby One More Time (1999)
73. Cyndi Lauper She’s So Unusual (1983)
74. Backstreet Boys Millennium (1999)
75. Lionel Richie Dancing on the Ceiling (1986)
76. Lady Gaga The Fame Monster (2009)
77. Drake Scorpion (2018)
78. Ed Sheeran ÷ (Divide) (2017)
79. Genesis Invisible Touch (1986)
80. Hootie & the Blowfish Cracked Rear View (1994)

81. Wilson Phillips Wilson Phillips (1990)
82. Guns N’ Roses Appetite for Destruction (1987)
83. The Beatles Please Please Me (1963)
84. Huey Lewis & the News Fore! (1986)
85. Nickelback All the Right Reasons (2005)
86. T.I. Paper Trail (2008)
87. Bee Gees Spirits Having Flown (1979)
88. Rihanna Good Girl Gone Bad (2007)
89. The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night (1964) 90. Taylor Swift Midnights (2022)

91. Bruno Mars Doo Wops & Hooligans (2010)
92. Justin Bieber Purpose (2015)
93. Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life (1976)
94. The Weeknd Starboy (2016)
95. The Weeknd After Hours (2020)
96. Various Artists (Whitney Houston et al) Waiting to Exhale (soundtrack, 1995)
97. Billy Joel An Innocent Man (1983)
98. Foreigner 4 (1981)
99. The Beatles Help! (1965)
100. Ariana Grande Thank U, Next (2019)

Resources and Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: other best-of-genre lists
Dave’s Music Database: other best-of-genre lists
Amazon.com: “Essential CDs by Style: Pop Rock”
Now dead link.
Amazon.com: “Essential CDs by Style: Pop Vocal”
Now dead link.
AskMen.com (7/4/2004). “Top 200 Albums of All Time: Pop”
This was actually 20 top-ten lists, each focused on 10 albums in a specific genre.
AskMen.com (7/4/2004). “Top 200 Albums of All Time: Soft Rock”
This was actually 20 top-ten lists, each focused on 10 albums in a specific genre.
Barnes & Noble: “Fundamentals: Classic Pop”
Now dead link.
Barnes & Noble: “Fundamentals: Contemporary Pop”
Now dead link.
Barnes & Noble: “Fundamentals: Soft Rock”
Now dead link.
Barnes & Noble: “Fundamentals: Vocal Pop”
Now dead link.
Billboard.com: “Greatest of All Time Billboard 200 Albums”
Blender (April 2003): “500 CDs You Must Own Before You Die!: Pop”
List is broken down into different genres.
Buzzfeed.com (3/26/2014). “How Many of the Greatest Pop Albums of All Time Have You Heard?”
Your guess is as good as mine as to why they created a list with the strange number of 147 albums.
DavesMusicDatabase.com (8/3/2020). “The Biggest #1 Albums in U.S. Chart History”
DavesMusicDatabase.com (8/3/2020). “The Longest-Charting Albums in U.S. Chart History”
DavesMusicDatabase.com (9/11/2020). “World’s Best-Selling Albums: The Top 100+ Albums”
MadeMan.com: “10 Best Pop Albums of All Time”
Now dead link.
Mojo (2001). “Mojo 1000: The Ulitmate CD Buyers Guide”
The list had sections on various genres such as blues, country, jazz, soul, rock, reggae, and, of course, pop.
NWItimes.com (4/27/2017). “The Best Pop Albums of All Time”
Q magazine (April 2005). “The Ultimate Music Collection: Pop”
RateYourMusic.com: “Chock Full O’ Hits: The Albums That Spawned the Most Top 10 Singles (US)”
Record Collector (Jan. 2000). “Classic Albums from 21 Genres for the 21st Century: Pop”
BBC listeners were polled to determine the top 100 albums of all time.
Tower.com: “Essentials: Pop/Rock”
Now dead link.
Udiscover.com (11/15/2019). “Best Pop Albums of All Time: 20 Essential Listens for Any Music Fan”
Wikipedia.org: “List of Best-Selling Albums Worldwide”
BBC listeners were polled to determine the top 100 albums of all time.

First posted 11/22/2020; last updated 9/1/2024.

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Dave’s Music Database book: Music of the 1970s

Dave’s Music Database book:

Music of the 1970s

Abba, the Beatles, the Bee Gees, Black Sabbath, Blondie, David Bowie, Carpenters, Eagles, Al Green, Billy Joel, Led Zeppelin, Dolly Parton, Pink Floyd, Queen, Kenny Rogers, the Sex Pistols, Simon & Garfunkel, Bruce Springsteen, Rod Stewart, Barbra Streisand, Donna Summer, Village People, Stevie Wonder, Neil Young. All of them and more are in this handy guide to the decade which:

Explores disco, glam, punk, folk rock, heavy metal, pop, country, R&B, and more
Highlights songs and albums which won awards each year from 1970 to 1979
Lists the decade’s biggest songs, albums, and acts, overall and in different genres
Spotlights 50+ songs and 30+ albums

Songs Featured in the Book:

Abba “Dancing Queen” (1976)
AC/DC “Highway to Hell” (1979)
The Beatles “Let It Be” (1970)
Bee Gees “Stayin’ Alive” (1977)
Black Sabbath “Paranoid” (1970)
Blondie “Heart of Glass” (1978)
Debby Boone “You Light Up My Life” (1977)
Glen Campbell “Rhinestone Cowboy” (1975)
The Carpenters “They Long to Be Close to You” (1970)
Chic “Le Freak” (1978)
Charlie Daniels Band “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” (1979)
Deep Purple “Smoke on the Water” (1973)
John Denver “Take Me Home, Country Roads” (1971)
Derek and the Dominos “Layla” (1971)
Eagles “Hotel California” (1976)
Gloria Gaynor “I Will Survive” (1978)
Al Green “Let’s Stay Together” (1971)
The Jackson 5 “ABC” (1970)
Waylon Jennings & Willie Nelson “Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys” (1978)
Billy Joel “Just the Way You Are” (1977)
Elton John “Your Song” (1970)
Carole King “It’s Too Late” (1971)
The Knack “My Sharona” (1979)
Gladys Knight & the Pips “Midnight Train to Georgia” (1973)
Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven” (1971)
John Lennon “Imagine” (1971)
Loretta Lynn “Coal Miner’s Daughter” (1970)
Lynyrd Skynyrd “Free Bird” (1973)
Paul McCartney & Wings “Silly Love Songs” (1976)
Don McLean “American Pie” (1971)
Mott the Hoople “All the Young Dudes” (1972)
Dolly Parton “Jolene” (1973)
Pink Floyd “Another Brick in the Wall Part II” (1979)
Queen “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1975)
Lou Reed “Walk on the Wild Side” (1972)
Kenny Rogers “The Gambler” (1978)
Sex Pistols “God Save the Queen” (1977)
Simon & Garfunkel “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970)
Carly Simon “You’re So Vain” (1972)
Sister Sledge “We Are Family” (1979)
The Staple Singers “I’ll Take You There” (1972)
Rod Stewart “Maggie May” (1971)
Barbra Streisand “The Way We Were” (1973)
Donna Summer “Hot Stuff” (1979)
Three Dog Night “Joy to the World” (1970)
T-Rex “Get It On (Bang a Gong)” (1971)
Village People “Y.M.C.A.” (1978)
Wild Cherry “Play That Funky Music” (1976)
Bill Withers “Lean on Me” (1972)
Stevie Wonder “Superstition” (1972)
Neil Young “Heart of Gold” (1972)

Albums Featured in the Book:

David Bowie The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)
The Clash London Calling (1979)
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Déjà Vu (1970)
Eagles Hotel California (1976)
Fleetwood Mac Rumours (1977)
Marvin Gaye What's Going On (1971)
Genesis The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway (1974)
Michael Jackson Off the Wall (1979)
Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
Carole King Tapestry (1971)
Kiss Alive! (live, 1975)
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
Curtis Mayfield Superfly soundtrack (1972)
Joni Mitchell Blue (1971)
Parliament Mothership Connection (1976)
Gram Parsons Grievous Angel (1974)
Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
Pink Floyd The Wall (1979)
Ramones Ramones (1976)
Rush 2112 (1976)
Sex Pistols Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols (1977)
Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970)
Patti Smith Horses (1975)
Bruce Springsteen Born to Run (1975)
Van Halen Van Halen I (1978)
The Who Who’s Next (1971)
Stevie Wonder Songs in the Key of Life (1976)
Yes Fragile (1971)
Neil Young Harvest (1972)
Grease soundtrack (1978)
Saturday Night Fever soundtrack (1977)

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database book: Music of the 1980s
Dave’s Music Database: “The Top 100 Songs of the 1970s”
Dave’s Music Database: “Other “songs of the decade” lists
90.9 The Bridge: “The Top 909 Songs of the 1970s”
Dave’s Music Database: “The Top 100 Albums of the 1970s”
Dave’s Music Database: “Other “albums of the decade” lists

First posted 2/27/2024; last updated 2/28/2024.

Sunday, December 19, 2021

The Top 100 Soundtracks of All Time

Soundtracks:

The Top 100 of All Time

This list was first posted on April 17, 2011, as a note on the Dave’s Music Database Facebook page. It has been revised a few times since then. As with most DMDB lists, this was created based on sales, chart peaks, awards, and an aggregate of lists, in this case more than 100 best-of lists focused on cast albums, musicals, soundtracks, and music-themed movies. You can click on the titles of the soundtrack for more detailed pages at DavesMusicDatabase.com. Unless noted otherwise, soundtracks are recorded by various artists.

Check out other best-of-genre/category lists here.

1. Prince & the Revolution Purple Rain (1984)
2. Bee Gees et al Saturday Night Fever (1977)
3. Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II (composers) (1965) The Sound of Music
4. Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim (composers) West Side Story (1961)
5. Olivia Newton-John, John Travolta, et al Grease (1978)
6. Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II (composers) South Pacific (1958)
7. Whitney Houston et al The Bodyguard (1992)
8. Dirty Dancing (1987)
9. O Brother Where Art Thou (soundtrack, 2000)
10. Curtis Mayfield Superfly (1972)

11. Richard and Robert Sherman (composers) Mary Poppins (1964)
12. Elton John and Tim Rice (composers) The Lion King (1994)
13. James Horner Titanic (1997)
14. Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II (composers) The King and I (1956)
15. American Graffiti (1973)
16. Frozen (2013)
17. The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
18. Jimmy Cliff et al The Harder They Come (1972)
19. Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II (composers) Oklahoma! (1955)
20. Al Jolson Songs He Made Famous (1946)

21. Eminem et al 8 Mile (2002)
22. High School Musical (TV soundtrack, 2006)
23. Footloose (1984)
24. Woodstock (recorded live 1969, released 1970)
25. Whitney Houston et al Waiting to Exhale (1995)
26. Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe (composers) My Fair Lady (1964)
27. Talking Heads Stop Making Sense (live, recorded 1983, released 1984)
28. Mario Lanza The Student Prince (1954)
29. George & Ira Gershwin (composers) An American in Paris (1951)
30. Madonna et al Evita (1996)

31. Flashdance (1983)
32. Elvis Presley Blue Hawaii (1961)
33. Henry Mancini The Music from Peter Gunn (1959)
34. Top Gun (1986)
35. Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg, & Herbert Stothart (composers) The Wizard of Oz (1939)
36. Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein II (composers) Show Boat (1951)
37. Pulp Fiction (1994)
38. The Band The Last Waltz (live, recorded 1976; released April 1978)
39. Earth, Wind & Fire That’s the Way of the World (1975)
40. Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe (composers) Gigi (1958)

41. John Kander & Fred Ebb (composers) Chicago (2003)
42. Alan Menken & Howard Ashman (composers) Beauty and the Beast (1997)
43. Simon & Garfunkel The Graduate (1968)
44. Forrest Gump (1994)
45. Jerry Bock & Sheldon Harnick (composers) Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
46. Elvis Presley G.I. Blues (1960)
47. Moulin Rouge (2001)
48. John Kander & Fred Ebb (composers) Cabaret (1972)
49. Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II (composers) Carousel (1956)
50. Andrew Lloyd Webber, Charles Hart, & Richard Stilgoe (composers) Phantom of the Opera (2004)

51. High School Musical 2 (TV soundtrack, 2007)
52. Nacio Herb Brown & Arthur Freed (composers) Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
53. Isaac Hayes Shaft (1971)
54. The Blues Brothers The Blues Brothers (1980)
55. Irving Berlin (composer) Annie Get Your Gun (1950)
56. Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice (composers) Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)
57. Meredith Willson (composer) The Music Man (1962)
58. The Beatles Help! (1965)
59. Jane Froman With a Song in My Heart (1952)
60. Prince & the Revolution Parade (Under the Cherry Moon soundtrack, 1986)

61. Henry Mancini Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
62. Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus (composers) Mamma Mia! (2008)
63. Cole Porter (composer) Kiss Me, Kate (1954)
64. Spinal Tap This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
65. Richard O’Brien (composer) The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
66. Elvis Presley Loving You (1957)
67. Galt MacDermot, Gerome Ragni, & James Rado (composers) Hair (cast album, 1967)
68. Frank Churchill (composer) Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938)
69. John Williams (composer) Star Wars IV: A New Hope (1977)
70. Al Jolson Souvenir Album (1947)

71. Lionel Bart (composer) Oliver! (1968)
72. The Commitments The Commitments (1991)
73. Miami Vice (TV soundtrack, 1985)
74. Almost Famous (2000)
75. Stephen Sondheim (composer) Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2008)
76. Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, & Tim Rice Aladdin (1992)
77. Jonathan Larson (composer) Rent (2005)
78. Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman Hairspray (2002)
79. Jule Styne & Bob Merrill (composers), Barbara Streisand (performer) Funny Girl (1968)
80. Prince Batman (1989)

81. Exodus (1961)
82. Elvis Presley King Creole (1958)
83. Olivia Newton-John/Electric Light Orchestra Xanadu (1980)
84. Doris Day Love Me or Leave Me (1955)
85. Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova as The Swell Season Once (2007)
86. Around the World in 80 Days (1957)
87. Glee Cast Volume 3 Showstoppers (2010)
88. Barbra Streisand & Kris Kristofferson A Star Is Born (1976)
89. Danny Kaye Hans Christian Andersen (1953)
90. Baz Luhrmann (composer) Romeo + Juliet (1996)

91. Bad Boys II (2003)
92. Coyote Ugly (2000)
93. Mario Lanza The Great Caruso (1951)
94. Garden State (2004)
95. Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart (composers) Pal Joey (1957)
96. Three Little Words (1950)
97. Madonna I’m Breathless (1990)
98. Neil Diamond The Jazz Singer (1980)
99. Maurice Jarre Doctor Zhivago (1966)
100. Harry Warren & Al Dubin (composers) 42nd Street (1933)

Resources and Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: other best-of-genre/category lists
Facebook (4/17/2011). “The Top 50 Soundtracks
Dave’s Music Database: “The Top 50 Musicals/Cast Albums of All Time”
Dave’s Music Database: “Top 50 Music Movies of All Time”
Dave’s Music Database: “The Top 1000 Albums of All Time”

First posted 4/17/2011; last updated 12/19/2021.

Friday, September 11, 2020

The World's Top 100+ All-Time Best-Selling Albums

First posted 2/20/2012; last updated 9/11/2020.

World’s Best-Selling Albums:

The Top 100+ Albums

You’d think it would be simple to generate this list; you just count up how many sales each album has and the one with the most is the best-seller and so on, right? Well…

There’s a couple problems. First, on a global scale, there just isn’t any solid means in place for tracking albums. Second, even those official sales measurers (such as the RIAA in the United States) favor more recent albums because of improvements in tracking over the years and simple population growth. Third, albums that preceded official tracking measures don’t even typically show up on all-time best-selling lists.

As a result, the DMDB has compiled what lists it can find to try to generate a worldwide bestsellers list. Click here for a complete list of those sources. In the event of ties, the oldest album is listed first. Click on an album to go to its DMDB page.

Note: One should certainly regard this list with at least some skepticism. Remember, these aren’t official numbers, just estimates. Also, to boost an album’s reputation, even official websites or record companies may inflate numbers. (Iron Butterfly has sold 30 million copies worldwide of In-A-Gada-Da-Vida? Really?) However, it is my opinion that these estimates come much closer to reflecting all-times sales than the official records reflect.

Note: when albums sold the same amount, they are listed by overall DMDB points. Also, this list is slightly over 100 albums to include all those which sold 20 million or more.

1. 72.4 million: Michael Jackson Thriller (1982)
2. 50 million: AC/DC Back in Black (1980)
3. 50 million: Meat Loaf Bat Out of Hell (1977)
4. 45 million: Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
5. 44.5 million: Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
6. 42.9 million: Eagles Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 (1976)
7. 40.4 million: Grease (soundtrack, 1978)
8. 40 million: Fleetwood Mac Rumours (1977)
9. 40 million: Saturday Night Fever (soundtrack, 1977)
10. 40 million: Shania Twain Come on Over (1997)

11. 38.5 million: Various Artists (Whitney Houston et al) The Bodyguard (soundtrack, 1992)
12. 35.0 million: Michael Jackson Bad (1987)
13. 34.4 million: Abba Gold: Greatest Hits (compilation, 1992)
14. 33 million: Alanis Morissette Jagged Little Pill (1995)
15. 33 million: Celine Dion Falling into You (1996)
16. 32.6 million: Dire Straits Brothers in Arms (1985)
17. 32.33 million: Eagles Hotel California (1976)
18. 32 million: The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
19. 32 million: Various Artists Dirty Dancing (soundtrack, 1987)
20. 32 million: Michael Jackson Dangerous (1991)

21. 32 million: Mariah Carey Music Box (1993)
22. 31.5 million: The Beatles 1 (compilation, 2000)
23. 31.5 million: Madonna The Immaculate Collection (compilation, 1990)
24. 31.3 million: Bob Marley & the Wailers Legend (compilation, 1984)
25. 31 million: Adele 21
26. 31 million: Metallica Metallica (aka “The Black Album”) (1991)
27. 31 million: Celine Dion Let’s Talk about Love (1997)
28. 30.7 million: Pink Floyd The Wall (1979)
29. 30.4 million: Guns N’ Roses Appetite for Destruction (1987)
30. 30 million: Nirvana Nevermind (1991)

31. 30 million: The Beatles Abbey Road (1969)
32. 30 million: U2 The Joshua Tree (1987)
33. 30 million: Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
34. 30 million: Bruce Springsteen Born in the U.S.A. (1984)
35. 30 million: Santana Supernatural (1999)
36. 30 million: the Beatles 1962-1966 (compilation, 1973)
37. 30 million: James Horner (composer) Titanic (soundtrack, 1997)
38. 30 million: Iron Butterfly In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (1968)
39. 30 million: Bee Gees Spirits Having Flown (1979)
40. 29.8 million: The Beatles 1967-1970 (compilation, 1973)

41. 28.5 million: Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970)
42. 28.3 million: Britney Spears Baby…One More Time (1999)
43. 28 million: Bon Jovi Slippery When Wet (1986)
44. 28 million: Boston Boston (1976)
45. 28 million: Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys (U.S. version, 1997)
46. 27.6 million: Queen Greatest Hits (compilation, 1981)
47. 27.6 million: Spice Girls Spice (1996)
48. 27 million: Norah Jones Come Away with Me (2002)
49. 27 million: Eminem The Eminem Show (2002)
50. 27 million: Elton John Greatest Hits (compilation, 1974)

51. 27 million: Linkin Park Hybrid Theory (2000)
52. 26.45 million: Phil Collins No Jacket Required (1985)
53. 26.3 million: Madonna True Blue (1986)
54. 26 million: Prince & the Revolution Purple Rain (soundtrack, 1984)
55. 26 million: Eric Clapton Unplugged (live, 1992)
56. 26 million: Madonna Like a Virgin (1984)
57. 26 million: U2 Songs of Innocence (2014)
58. 25.1 million: Simon & Garfunkel Greatest Hits (compilation, 1972)
59. 25 million: Carole King Tapestry (1971)
60. 25 million: George Michael Faith (1987)

61. 25 million: Whitney Houston Whitney Houston (1985)
62. 25 million: Backstreet Boys Millenium (1999)
63. 25 million: Mariah Carey Daydream (1995)
64. 25 million: Elvis Presley Christmas Album (1957)
65. 24.5 million: Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin II (1969)
66. 24.4 million: Phil Collins But Seriously (1989)
67. 24.3 million: Whitney Houston Whitney (1987)
68. 24 million: Backstreet Boys Black & Blue (2000)
69. 23.9 million: Hootie & the Blowfish Cracked Rear View (1994)
70. 23.4 million: ZZ Top Eliminator (1983)

71. 23.35 million: Eminem The Marshall Mathers LP (2000)
72. 23 million: Garth Brooks No Fences (1990)
73. 23 million: Ace of Base The Sign (aka “Happy Nation”) (1993)
74. 22.4 million: Oasis (What’s the Story) Morning Glory (1995)
75. 22.3 million: Queen Greatest Hits 2 (compilation, 1991)
76. 22 million: Richard Rodgers/Oscar Hammerstein II (composers) The Sound of Music (soundtrack, 1965)
77. 22 million: Def Leppard Hysteria (1987)
78. 22 million: Adele 25 (2015)
79. 22 million: Michael Jackson HIStory: Past, Present, and Future Book 1 (studio album/compilation, 1995)
80. 22 million: Celine Dion All the Way…A Decade of Song (compilation, 1999)

81. 21.5 million: The Beatles The Beatles (aka “The White Album”) (1968)
82. 21.4 million: Billy Joel Greatest Hits Volume I & II (compilation, 1985)
83. 21.3 million: Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here (1975)
84. 21 million: Lionel Richie Can’t Slow Down (1983)
85. 21 million: Bon Jovi Cross Road (compilation, 1994)
86. 21 million: Boyz II Men Men II (1994)
87. 21 million: Dido No Angel (1999)
88. 20.4 million: U2 Achtung Baby (1991)
89. 20.4 million: Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman (1988)
90. 20 million: The Who Tommy (1969)

91. 20 million: Michael Jackson Off the Wall (1979)
92. 20 million: Blondie Parallel Lines (1978)
93. 20 million: Green Day Dookie (1994)
94. 20 million: MC Hammer Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em (1990)
95. 20 million: Supertramp Breakfast in America (1979)
96. 20 million: Usher Confessions (2004)
97. 20 million: The Fugees The Score (1996)
98. 20 million: Tina Turner Private Dancer (1984)
99. 20 million: Shania Twain The Woman in Me (1995)
100. 20 million: Mariah Carey #1’s (compilation, 1998)

101. 20 million: Meat Loaf Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell (1993)
102. 20 million: Various Artists: Flashdance (soundtrack, 1983)
103. 20 million: Celine Dion The Colour of My Love (1993)
104. 20 million: Aerosmith Get a Grip (1993)
105. 20 million: Ricky Martin Ricky Martin (1999)
106. 20 million: Britney Spears Oops!...I Did It Again (2000)

Resources and Related Links:

Daves Music Database: “links for sales data”
Dave’s Music Database: “Best-Selling Albums of All Time
Dave’s Music Database: “Other Year-End Album Awards”

Friday, November 22, 2019

Dave’s Music Database Hall of Fame: Album Inductees (Nov. 2019)

Originally posted 11/22/2019.

January 22, 2019 marked the 10-year anniversary of the DMDB blog. To honor that, Dave’s Music Database announced its own Hall of Fame. This month marks the fourth batch of album inductees. Only 11 albums have achieved the trifecta of winning the Grammy for Album of the Year, being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and being named to the National Recording Registry. Two of these have already been inducted into the Dave’s Music Database Hall of Fame – The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Michael Jackson Thriller (1982). A third album, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart is not eligible as it is a comedy album, not a music album. That leaves eight albums to be inducted this month.

See the full list of album inductees here.

Fleetwood Mac Rumours (1977)