Top 20 The Best-Selling Solo Albums of All Time

The album called Thriller is the first album on the list. It has sold around 70 million copies throughout the world. 

The King of Pop, Michael Jackson made more than $130 million with the release of his album just after two years its release in 1982, November 29. In total, he has made as earned $1.1 billion according to Forbes and he made $700 million after the first five years of his death.

Thriller has 877 million views and 6.5 million likes on the official 4k music video on the Michael Jackson YouTube Channel.

The songs are of the pop, disco, funk, and rock genre. Some of the popular songs of the album which is even listened till date on repeat are Beat It, Billie Jean, and the title track Thriller. 

The record was awarded the Special Billboard Award in 1992 on its 10th anniversary. At the time of its release, it won many awards at the Grammys. It was also voted in the 64th number in All-Time Top 1000 Albums. It has also been ranked in the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list in 2003 and 2012. In 2018, The Independent titled Thriller was entitled the most inspiring album of all time. 

Come On Over by Shania Twain is a country and pop genre song that sold 40 million copies of the album.

The album sold more than 12 million units and was the second most-selling album of the 1990s. It was the first album to reach 14 million sales in 2001 and 15 million sales in 2004 after Neilsen SoundScan started to track sales. 

It sold more than 20 million copies sold in the States and the rest in other countries of the world. Some of the popular songs are You're Still the One, and You've Got a Way. 

The title song of the international version of the album was released in 2009. You're Still the One music video has more than 200 million views and 1.3 million likes on YouTube. 

With the release of the album and tour, she has made over 80 million dollars. As soon as it debuted it was at the No.1 position on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and stayed in that position for 50 weeks.

At the 41st Annual Grammy Awards, Come On Over was nominated for six awards as the Album of the Year and Best Country Album. The next year it received three more nominations at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards. 

Another album on the list, Bad made by the well-known singer Michael Jackson made estimated sales of more than 35 million copies globally.

It made sales of 350,000 in the first week of its release and two million copies in the first week of its release in the United States of America. The sales only grew afterward. In the 1990s, the album had already sold 25 million copies. With the album tour, he earned approximately $125 million. 

The Way You Make Me Feel, Man in the Mirror, and Dirty Diana are some of the most listened-to songs on the album. The official video version of Bad has 78 million views and over 800 thousand likes. 

The record earned the number one position on the Billboard Top Pop Albums charts as it sold more than and stayed in that position for six weeks. 

It was made the 11xPlatanium by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2021. Over the years it has been nominated for six Grammys. It also received the MTV Video Vanguard Award.

The debut album of the American singer Meat Loaf Bat Out of Hell was a massive success in the music industry with over 30 million copies sold globally.

As per Tone Deaf, the artist only got paid pennies for the album and did not make much following the release of his album. Bat Out of Hell PCM Stereo was released on YouTube in 2013 and has 36 million views and over 150 thousand likes. 

The album was certified 14x Platinium by RIAA. It was in the UK Albums Chart for 522 weeks which is the second longest chart run. Ball Out of Hell was ranked in the 343rd position on the list of Greatest Alums of All Time as per Rolling Stone.

It was ranked in the position of 301 in Rock Hard magazine for the greatest rock and metal albums of all time. In 2022, it was placed as the biggest-selling debut album in UK chart history.  

Some of the popular songs are You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth, and Two Out of Three Aint Bad. 

The fifth album on the list is Jagged Little Pill by the singer Alanis Morissette which earned sales of over 30 million copies worldwide.

The album made sales over 16 million in the United States of America and the rest in other countries including the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada.

Some of the well-known songs on the album are All I Really Want, You Learn, and Ironic. The song, All I Really Want has 4.1 million views and twenty thousand likes on YouTube. 

It was in the number 117 position on the Billboard 200 and landed the 1st position in 1995 after only four months of its release. In 1996, it sold over 18 million copies all over the world and became a massive hit. As of 2022, it has earned 33 million copies worldwide. 

Jagged Little Pill has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards and won five of them. The artist was the youngest to win the Album of the Year award during that time. It got the 69th position on the list of the 500 greatest albums of all time in the year 2020 Rolling Stone.

The fourth English album by the iconic singer Celine Dion entitled Falling into You has made sales of over 30 million copies throughout the world.

The record has earned sales of approximately 12 million in the United States, 2 million in the United Kingdom, and more than 1 million in Australia, Canada, and France.

The track entitled to the name of the album, Falling into You is one of the popular songs of the album and has 15 million views and over 60 thousand likes on YouTube.

In, the years 1996 and 1997, it was one of the most-selling albums in many countries and was also made Platinium, Diamond, Gold, and Multi-Platinium. Falling into You has earned many awards including two Grammy awards and also three awards at the World Music Awards. It was also in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on the 200 list. 

The album has not only charted the number one position in the US but also other countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Canada, and Australia. 

The album Greatest Hits Volume I & II by Billy Joel has made sales of more than 15 million copies. 

In the United States, it has made sales of over 11 million copies, 300,000 copies in the United Kingdom, about 600,000 in Australia, and others in the rest of the world.

The official video of Piano Man was released in 2009 on YouTube and has 220 million views and more than one million likes. 

RIAA certified the album as a double diamond. It has various certifications aside from a double diamond such as 9x Platinium, Gold, Platinum, 23x Platinium, and many more.

In the US Billboard 200, it earned the sixth position in 1985 and was also in the 90th position at the end of the year. Similarly, the album has charted various lists throughout the world.

It tied with The Wall for the sixth position of the most certified album of all time in the United States of America. The songs of the Greatest Hits Volume I & II are of the Rock genre with songs such as Piano Man, My Life, and New York State of Mind. 

Another album on the list is called 21 which by the singer Adele has sales of more than 30 million copies globally.

The album sold around 14 million copies in the US, more than 5 million in the UK, 10 million in Europe, and 1 million in Australia among other countries.

The song, Rolling in the Deep is still the go-to song of many people and has over two billion views and eleven million likes on YouTube. 

It is the second studio album which was made by the artist after her first album 19. The songs are of the genre soul, pop, and R&B with iconic songs such as Rolling in the Deep and Someone Like You. 

The album got the first position in the record charts in over thirty countries and was the world's best-selling album of the year in the year of its release as well as the next year. 

Adele's album made her gain more recognition and various awards like the Grammy Award in 2012 as well as the Brit Award. It is also included in the book entitled 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. 

Born in the U.S.A is one of the most successful albums of the artist Bruce Springsteen with sales of around 30 million copies. 

The album made sales of 17 million in the United States, approximately 1 million in Australia, more than 1 million in the UK, and the rest in other countries of the world.

The official music video of the title song has received immense support with over 300 thousand likes and 71 million views on the Bruce Springsteen channel on YouTube. 

The title track Born in the U.S.A. along with Glory Days and Daning in the Dark are some of the popular songs in the album that should be listened to at least once. 

It was nominated for a Grammy award and has been certified by the RIAA as 17x Platinium and 3x Platinum by BPI. It has been charted in the number one position in the US Billboard 200 and Kent Music Report and others since 1984.

With the sales of 30 million copies of the album Immaculate Collection by the artist Madonna, it is in the 10th position on the list.

The album has sold more than 10 million copies in the United States, more than 3 million copies in the United Kingdom, and other sales throughout the world.

The second single entitled Rescue Me has more than five thousand likes and 800 thousand views on YouTube. It topped various charts in the UK, Australia, and several other countries and made the second position on the US Billboard 200 chart.

In the year 2003, it was listed as number 278 on the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time in Rolling Stone. The Immaculate Collection has been entitled as the greatest American album of all time in Blender. 

All the songs in the album are of the pop genre with songs such as Holiday and Open Your Heart. Critics have said that the album defines the retrospective of 1980s music.

The eleventh album on the list is Come Away with Me which is the debut studio album of the artist Norah Jones which earned 27 million copies.

The sales of the album include 12 million copies in the US, over 2 million in the UK, and 1 million in Germany. The title track of the album, Come Away with Me has more than 40 million views and over 200 thousand followers on YouTube. 

After its release in 2002, it gained recognition and earned the number one position on the US Billboard 200. The album earned Grammy Awards for the Album of the Year as well as Best Pop Vocal Album. Three years after its release, the debut album was certified as a Diamond by RIAA. 

The Come Away with Me album has many pleasant songs such as Cold Cold Heart and Turn Me On. Don't Know Why won the Song of the Year Award and the album was 54th on the list of 100 Best Albums of the Decade. 

Music Box released in the year 1993 by the singer and songwriter Mariah Carey is one of the best-selling albums of all time.

The album has made sales of around 27 million copies globally including 8 million sales in the US, 1 million copies in the United Kingdom, and over 1 million in Germany.

Anytime You Need A Friend which was released in 2009 on YouTube has 26 million views and over 100 thousand likes. 

The album was in first position in more than fifteen countries such as UK, Germany, and France. In the 1994 Grammy Awards, the artist was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the song Dreamlover and received the same nomination for another song on the same album called Hero in 1995.

The hip-hop album The Eminem Show made by the American rapper Eminem which was released in 2002 is the thirteenth album on the list.

It has sold approximately 27 million copies and is certified 12x Platinium by RIAA in the United States after its sales of 12 million copies and 6x Platinum after its sales of over 1.5 million by BPI in the UK.

In 2003, the album was nominated for the Album of the Year and won the title of Best Rap Album. The official music video for Without Me has around 1.5 billion views on YouTube.

The songs such as Without Me, Superman, and Till I Collapse are some of the most listened-to tracks of the album. 

The album is more focused on rap rock in comparison to the other albums of the artist and was the most anticipated album in the year 2002. The album made its top position on the Billboard 200 chart and was able to stay there for six weeks.

The debut album of the American pop singer Britney Spears ...Baby One More Time released in 1999 has sales of about 25 million copies.

The artist's debut album is her most successful album with 14 million copies sold in the US and the certification of 14x Platinium by the RIAA. The songs of the album are in the teen pop and dance-pop genres. 

The title track ...Baby One More Time and Sometimes are the most popular song of the album. The album became a massive hit in the US as well as globally. It received 14x Platinum certification from RIAA. 

The album won the Teen Choice Award in 1999 and Guinness World Records in the year 2003. On YouTube, the official video of the title song, ...Baby One More Time of the debut album has over 700 million views.

Whitney Houston's debut album entitled her name Whitney Houston which was released in 1985 is one of the albums on the list.

Whitney Houston has made sales of more than 25 million copies globally. The album was certified diamond and 13x platinum by RIAA after it made sales of 13 million copies in the United States and 4x platinum by BPI after it sold more than 1 million albums.

Hold Me and You Give Good Love are some of the well-known songs of the debut album. Saving All My Love For You has 71 million views and over 300 thousand likes on the youtube platform.

The album did not gain recognition as soon as it was released but started to gain massive popularity in mid-1985 and topped the chart of the Billboard 200 chart. It topped various charts all over the world in countries such as Canada, Australia, and Sweden. 

In the year 1986, the album received four nominations at the 28th Grammy Awards. 

The sixteenth album on the list is No Jacket Required by the drummer and singer Phil Collins which has made sales of 25,000,000 albums globally.

Since the release of the album, it has earned 12 million copies with 12x Platinium certification in the US and 6x Platinium after sales of over 1 million in the United Kingdom.

Songs such as One More Night, Take Me Home, and Sussudio are some of the most listened-to songs of the albums. The MV of Sussudio has 41 million views and 180 plus likes on YouTube.

It was released in the year 1985 and all four singles of the album were ranked in the top ten positions on the Billboard 100 chart. RIAA certified the album 6x Platinium. In the Definitive 200 list of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the album earned the 74th position. 

In the Brit Awards in the year 2010, it was nominated for the best British album of the previous 30 years. It won three Grammy awards after a year of its release. 

The debut solo album Faith by the English singer George Michael released in 1987 is the seventeenth album on the list. 

RIAA certified Faith Diamond in 1996 as it has sold more than 20 million copies all over the world. It sold over 1 million albums in the United Kingdom and 1 million in Canada and many other copies throughout the rest of the world.

It has won several awards such as Grammy Awards, the 1989 American Music Awards, and Favourite Soul/R&B Album. 

Hard Day and One More Try are some of the well-known tracks on the album. The official music video of Faith has almost 300 thousand likes and 41 million views on the youtube platform.

In the UK Albums Chart and US Billboard 200, the album the first position. It stayed on the Billboard 200 chart for 51 weeks in the top 10 positions. The album made the artist the first person to be the only British male artist to have four hit singles in the top position on Billboard Hot 100.

The eighteenth album on the list is Divide by the singer and songwriter Ed Sheeran sold more than 7 million copies worldwide.

In the United States, the album has sold around 5 million copies in only 5 years earning 5x Platinium certification, over 3 million copies gaining 13x Platinium and the certification of 9x gold with sales of 900,000 in Germany.

The songs, Shape of You and Perfect are two of the most popular tracks of the third studio album of the artist. The official MV of Happier has almost 400 million views and 3 million likes on YouTube. 

Divide has positioned the number one position in various charts throughout the world in more than 25 countries such as Canada, the United States of America, and Australia. 

The album won the Grammy Award at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards and is regarded as the best album of 2017. Two years after its release, it was ranked in fifth position of the best-selling album of the 21st century in the United Kingdom. 

The fourth album of the singer and songwriter Adele entitled 30 which was released in 2021 has made sales of more than 5 million copies.

Only after a year of its release, it has already sold 3 million albums in the United States, and 600,000 copies of the album in the United Kingdom. As per RIAA, it has the certification of 3x Platinium.

Easy on Me and Oh My God are two of the well-liked tracks of the album. The song, Easy On Me released in 2021 has more than 200 million views and 1.5 million likes on YouTube. 

The lead track got in the first position in twenty-seven territories. The album was in first position in more than 30 countries such as UK and US such as Billboard 200. It went on to win British Album of the Year at the 2022 Brit Awards. 

This album was inspired by her life which expresses themes such as fame, heartache, her divorce, acceptance, and hope. 30 has songs in the genres of pop, soul, and jazz.

The sixth album by the well-known singer Beyonce entitled Lemonade is one of the best-selling albums of all time with sales of over two million.

In six years, the album has already sold more than 1.5 million copies in the United States of America giving it the certification of 3x Platinium. As per Refinery, the artist earned $105 million from the album after only a year of its release.

Formation and Sorry are some of the most-known songs of the album and on youtube, Formation has more than two million likes and 200 million views.

Lemonade earned the position of 32 in the 500 Greatest Albums of All Times in Rolling Stone magazine. It topped the charts in many countries all around the world on US Billboard 200 and various other charts.

The album has received critical acclaim and is known as the most acclaimed album of her career. It was the top album of the music critics of 2016 and one of the greatest albums in the 2010s according to Associated Press. It was nominated for nine Grammys and won Best Music Video and Best Urban Contemporary Album.