List of best-selling albums in the United States of the Nielsen SoundScan era explained

This is a list of best-selling albums in the United States of the Nielsen SoundScan era. SoundScan began tracking sales data for Billboard on March 1, 1991. SoundScan data is unrelated to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certifications, and is based on actual sales whilethe RIAA's certification process is based on shipments.

Best-sellers (overall)

Album! scope="col"
Release yearArtist(s)Pure sales figures
Metallica1991Metallica17,300,000[1]
Come On Over1997Shania Twain15,730,000[2]
Jagged Little Pill1995Alanis Morissette15,200,000[3]
12000The Beatles13,000,000[4]
Legend1984Bob Marley and the Wailers12,300,000[5]
Millennium1999Backstreet Boys12,300,000[6]
The Bodyguard1992Whitney Houston12,140,000
212011Adele12,100,000[7]
Supernatural1999Santana11,850,000[8]
Human Clay1999Creed11,690,000
No Strings Attached2000NSYNC11,160,000
Come Away with Me2002Norah Jones11,100,000[9]
The Marshall Mathers LP2000Eminem11,000,000
Falling into You1996Celine Dion10,900,000[10]
...Baby One More Time1999Britney Spears10,700,000[11]
The Eminem Show2002Eminem10,600,000
Hybrid Theory2000Linkin Park10,500,000[12]
Confessions2004Usher10,300,000
Cracked Rear View1994Hootie & the Blowfish10,270,000[13]
Titanic1997James Horner10,170,000
Backstreet Boys1997Backstreet Boys10,120,000
Ten1991Pearl Jam10,000,000[14]

Best-selling albums by decade

1991–1999

Album! scope="col"
Release yearArtist(s)Sales
Jagged Little Pill1995Alanis Morissette13,542,393
Come On Over1997Shania Twain12,110,660
Metallica1991Metallica11,715,533
The Bodyguard1992Whitney Houston11,605,690
Falling into You1996Celine Dion10,224,282
Cracked Rear View1994Hootie & the Blowfish9,817,666
Titanic1997James Horner9,806,175
Millennium1999Backstreet Boys9,445,732
Ropin' the Wind1991Garth Brooks9,370,863
Backstreet Boys1997Backstreet Boys9,258,265

2000–2009

Album! scope="col"
Release yearArtist(s)Sales
12000The Beatles11,564,000
No Strings Attached2000NSYNC11,113,000
The Marshall Mathers LP2000Eminem11,100,000
The Eminem Show2002Eminem10,900,000
Come Away With Me2002Norah Jones10,579,000
Confessions2004Usher9,730,000
Hybrid Theory2000Linkin Park9,697,000
Human Clay1999Creed9,495,000
Oops!... I Did It Again2000Britney Spears9,184,000
Country Grammar2000Nelly8,464,000

2010–2019

Album! scope="col"
Release yearArtist(s)Sales
212011Adele12,009,000
252015Adele9,517,000
19892014Taylor Swift6,215,000
Recovery2010Eminem4,867,000
Speak Now2010Taylor Swift4,694,000
Red2012Taylor Swift4,465,000
Christmas2011Michael Bublé4,379,000
Frozen2014Various artists4,314,000
Need You Now2010Lady Antebellum4,221,000
The 20/20 Experience2013Justin Timberlake3,743,000

Best-selling albums by year

The following list includes the annual best-selling albums since 1991, as reported by MRC Data (formerly Nielsen SoundScan). For albums released after 2015, the best-performing album of the year is determined by album-equivalent units consisted of album sales, digital songs sales, and on-demand streaming, while the best-selling album is determined by album sales only.

style="background-color:#FFFF99"
Indicates album-equivalent units
Year! scope="col"
AlbumArtist(s)Figures
1991Mariah CareyMariah Carey4,885,000[15]
1992Some Gave AllBilly Ray Cyrus4,700,000[16]
1993The BodyguardWhitney Houston5,460,000[17] [18]
1994The Lion KingVarious Artists4,900,000[19]
1995Cracked Rear ViewHootie & the Blowfish7,000,000[20]
1996Jagged Little PillAlanis Morissette7,400,000[21]
1997SpiceSpice Girls5,300,000[22]
1998TitanicJames Horner9,338,061[23]
1999MillenniumBackstreet Boys9,445,732[24]
2000No Strings AttachedNSYNC9,936,104[25]
2001Hybrid TheoryLinkin Park4,812,852
2002The Eminem ShowEminem7,607,925[26]
2003Get Rich or Die Tryin'50 Cent6,535,809[27]
2004ConfessionsUsher7,978,594[28]
2005The Emancipation of MimiMariah Carey4,968,606[29] [30]
2006High School MusicalVarious Artists3,719,071[31]
2007NoëlJosh Groban3,698,934[32]
2008Tha Carter IIILil Wayne2,874,420[33]
2009FearlessTaylor Swift3,216,988[34]
2010RecoveryEminem3,414,927[35]
201121Adele5,823,628[36]
201221Adele4,414,000[37]
2013The 20/20 ExperienceJustin Timberlake2,427,000[38]
20141989Taylor Swift3,661,000[39]
201525Adele8,008,000[40]
7,441,000
2016ViewsDrake4,140,000[41]
25Adele1,731,000
2017÷Ed Sheeran2,764,000[42]
ReputationTaylor Swift1,903,000
2018ScorpionDrake3,905,000[43]
The Greatest ShowmanVarious Artists1,491,000
2019Hollywood's BleedingPost Malone3,001,000[44]
LoverTaylor Swift1,085,000
2020My TurnLil Baby2,632,000[45]
FolkloreTaylor Swift1,276,000
2021Morgan Wallen3,226,000[46]
30Adele1,464,000
2022Un Verano Sin TiBad Bunny3,400,000[47]
MidnightsTaylor Swift1,818,000
2023One Thing at a TimeMorgan Wallen5,362,000 [48]
1989 (Taylor's Version)Taylor Swift1,975,000

Single week best-sellers

The first album in the SoundScan era to sell a million copies or more in a week is the soundtrack of The Bodyguard by Whitney Houston in 1992; the most recent album to do so is The Tortured Poets Department by Taylor Swift in 2024. The following is a list of all of the albums that sold at least one million copies in a single week:[49] [50] [51] [52] [53]

style="background-color:#FFFF99"
Indicates album-equivalent units
Week endingTitleArtistTotal unitsPure salesWeek #Reference
November 26, 201525Adele3,474,0003,378,0001st[54]
April 25, 2024The Tortured Poets DepartmentTaylor Swift2,610,0001,914,0001st[55]
March 26, 2000No Strings Attached
  • NSYNC
2,416,0001st
July 29, 2001Celebrity1,880,0001st
May 28, 2000The Marshall Mathers LPEminem1,760,0001st
November 9, 20231989 (Taylor's Version)Taylor Swift1,653,0001,359,0001st[56]
November 26, 2000Black & BlueBackstreet Boys1,591,0001st
October 27, 2022MidnightsTaylor Swift1,578,0001,140,0001st[57]
June 2, 2002The Eminem ShowEminem1,322,0002nd
May 21, 2000Oops!... I Did It AgainBritney Spears1,319,0001st
November 2, 20141989Taylor Swift1,287,0001st
December 24, 20001The Beatles1,259,0006th[58]
November 16, 2017ReputationTaylor Swift1,238,0001,216,0001st[59]
October 28, 2012RedTaylor Swift1,208,0001st
December 24, 201525Adele1,190,0001,160,0005th[60]
December 3, 20151,160,0001,110,0002nd
March 6, 2005The Massacre50 Cent1,141,0001st
May 23, 1999MillenniumBackstreet Boys1,134,0001st
May 29, 2011Born This WayLady Gaga1,108,0001st
March 28, 2004ConfessionsUsher1,096,0001st
November 22, 1998Double LiveGarth Brooks1,095,0001st
December 28, 1992The BodyguardSoundtrack/Whitney Houston1,061,0006th[61]
October 22, 2000Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored WaterLimp Bizkit1,055,0001st
October 31, 2010Speak NowTaylor Swift1,047,0001st
May 22, 2016ViewsDrake1,040,000852,0001st[62]
February 17, 2004Feels Like HomeNorah Jones1,022,0001st
June 21, 2008Tha Carter IIILil Wayne1,006,0001st[63]

See also

References

Footnotes

Notes and References

  1. 2021-09-19 . Metallica's 'Black Album' Returns to Top 10 on Billboard 200 After 30th Anniversary Reissue . Billboard . 2021-11-12.
  2. 2019-10-28 . Luke Combs' 'This One's For You' Ties No 1 Weeks Record On Top Country Albums . Billboard . 2020-05-01.
  3. 2020-01-23 . Alanis Morissette's 'Reasons I Drink' Hits Top 10 on Adult Alternative Songs Chart . Billboard . 2020-05-19.
  4. 2019-10-06 . The Beatles’ ‘Abbey Road’ Returns to Top 3 on Billboard 200 Chart After Nearly 50 Years. Billboard . 2020-05-01.
  5. 2017-12-21 . Bob Marley's 'Legend' Album Hits 500th Week on Billboard 200 Chart . Billboard . 2020-05-01.
  6. 2016-09-29 . The Weeknd's Back in the Top 40: Billboard 200 Chart Moves . Billboard . 2020-05-07.
  7. Trust . Gary . 2021-05-05 . Ask Billboard: Adele's Biggest Albums & Songs, From 'Rolling in the Deep' to 'Hello' & More . Billboard . en-US . 2021-11-19.
  8. Caulfield, Keith . October 9, 2014 . Adele's '21' Surpasses 11 Million In U.S. Sales . . October 11, 2014.
  9. 2016-02-07 . Adele's '25' Sales Surpass 8 Million in the U.S. . Billboard . 2020-05-07.
  10. 2019-11-26 . Celine Dion's Best-Selling Albums & Most-Streamed Songs: Ask Billboard Mailbag . Billboard . 2020-05-19.
  11. 2020-05-15 . Britney Spears' Career Streams & Sales: Ask Billboard . Billboard . 2020-05-19.
  12. 2017-07-24 . Linkin Park's 'Hybrid Theory' Producer Calls Working With Chester Bennington a 'Dream Come True' . Billboard . 2020-05-19.
  13. 2012-07-05 . Usher's 'Confessions' Album Hits 10 Million in U.S. Sales . Billboard . 2020-05-19.
  14. 2013-02-20 . Pearl Jam's 'Ten' Album Hits 10 Million in U.S. Sales . Billboard . 2020-05-19.
  15. 1991-12-21 . The Billboard 200 - Year End Charts - 1991 . live . Billboard . https://web.archive.org/web/20071211064035/http://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1991/the-billboard-200 . 2007-12-11 . 2010-08-11.
  16. Web site: Philips . Chuck . 5 January 1993 . Cyrus, Brooks Give Their All to Record Sales . Los Angeles Times.
  17. Web site: Grein . Paul . Chart Watch Extra: 20 Years of Top Albums . dead . https://archive.today/20130105145911/http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/74364/chart-watch-extra-20-years-of-top-albums/;_ylt=Anood9SEGJWf.g_BZBmUVQkPwiUv . 2013-01-05 . 2011-05-13 . Yahoo!.
  18. Inc . Nielsen Business Media . 15 January 1994 . Billboard . Billboard . Google Books.
  19. Inc . Nielsen Business Media . 21 January 1995 . Billboard . Billboard . Google Books.
  20. Inc . Nielsen Business Media . 20 January 1996 . Billboard . Billboard . Google Books.
  21. Inc . Nielsen Business Media . 18 January 1997 . Billboard . Billboard . Google Books.
  22. Inc . Nielsen Business Media . 31 January 1998 . Billboard . Billboard . Google Books.
  23. Web site: Got Charts? Linkin Park, Shaggy, 'NSYNC Are 2001's Top-Sellers . https://web.archive.org/web/20020107000435/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1451664/20020104/linkin_park.jhtml . dead . January 7, 2002 . 2009-08-08 . MTV.
  24. Web site: 2000-01-05 . SoundScan 1999 Year-End Music Industry Report . 2012-06-13 . Backstreet.net.
  25. Web site: 2001-01-03 . Audio/Video Revolution: Record Sales Up 4% in 2000 Despite Napster & MP3.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130602153443/http://www.avrev.com/home-theater-news/music-software-news/record-sales-up-4-percent-in-2000-despite-napster-and-mp3-com.html . 2013-06-02 . 2012-06-13 . Avrev.com.
  26. Web site: D'Angelo . Joe . 2003-01-03 . MTV News:Eminem Sold Most Albums, Nickelback Ruled Radio In '02 . https://web.archive.org/web/20030105101319/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1459367/20030103/eminem.jhtml . dead . January 5, 2003 . 2012-06-13 . MTV.
  27. Web site: Nielsen SoundScan and Nielsen BDS 2003 Year End Music Industry Report . 2012-06-13 . Find Articles.
  28. Web site: Usher's 'Yeah!' Was Most Played Song of 2004 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140608032028/http://www.mtv.com/news/1495342/ushers-yeah-was-most-played-song-of-2004/ . dead . June 8, 2014 . MTV.
  29. Web site: Grein . Paul . Chart Watch Extra: 20 Years of Top Albums . dead . https://archive.today/20130105145911/http://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/chart_watch/74364/chart-watch-extra-20-years-of-top-albums/;_ylt=Anood9SEGJWf.g_BZBmUVQkPwiUv . 2013-01-05 . 2011-05-13.
  30. Web site: a Phil Brodie Band Muso Information Page . 2012-06-13 . Philbrodieband.com.
  31. Web site: 2007-01-04 . Nielsen Music 2006 Year-End Music Industry Report . 2012-10-28 . Businesswire.com.
  32. Web site: 2008-01-03 . Reuters Press Release: 2007 U.S. Music Purchases Exceed 1.4 Billion . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090208175158/http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS209824+03-Jan-2008+BW20080103 . 2009-02-08 . 2012-06-13 . Reuters.
  33. Web site: 2008-12-31 . Soundscan End of Year Report: For all 2008 . 2012-06-13 . Businesswire.com.
  34. http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100106007077&newsLang=en Nielsen Music 2009 Year-End Music Industry Report
  35. Nielsen Music 2010 Year-End Music Industry Report . . 2011-01-05.
  36. Nielsen Music 2011 Year-End Music Industry Report . . 2012-01-05.
  37. Web site: January 4, 2013 . The Nielsen Company & Billboard's 2012 Music Industry Report . January 27, 2014 . . Business Wire.
  38. Caulfield . Keith . January 2, 2014 . Justin Timberlake's '20/20' 2013's Best Selling Album, 'Blurred Lines' Top Song . . . January 27, 2014.
  39. News: Caulfield . Keith . December 31, 2014 . Taylor Swift's '1989' Beats 'Frozen' As Top Selling Album of 2014 . January 6, 2016.
  40. News: Caulfield . Keith . January 5, 2016 . Adele's '25' Rules as Nielsen Music's Top Album of 2015 in U.S. . January 6, 2016.
  41. News: Caulfield . Keith . January 5, 2017 . Drake's 'Views' Is Nielsen Music's Top Album of 2016 in the U.S. . January 5, 2017.
  42. Caulfield . Keith . 2018-01-03 . Ed Sheeran's 'Divide' Is Nielsen Music's Top Album of 2017 in U.S. . Billboard . 2018-01-05.
  43. https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8492663/nielsen-music-top-album-2018-drake-scorpion Drake's 'Scorpion' Is Nielsen Music's Top Album Of 2018 in U.S., 'God's Plan' Most-Streamed Song
  44. 'Hollywood's Bleeding' Is Nielsen Music/MRC Data's Top Album of 2019, 'Old Town Road' Most-Streamed Song . Billboard . 2020-01-10.
  45. January 2, 2020 . Billboard Year-End 2020 . . January 9, 2020.
  46. Caulfield . Keith . 6 January 2022 . Dua Lipa's 'Levitating' Is Most-Streamed Song of 2021 In U.S., Morgan Wallen's 'Dangerous: The Double Album' Is MRC Data's Top Album . Billboard . 6 January 2022.
  47. Web site: Caulfield . Keith . 2023-01-11 . Bad Bunny’s ‘Un Verano Sin Ti’ Is Luminate’s Top Album of 2022 in U.S. . 2023-01-12 . Billboard . en-US.
  48. Web site: Caulfield . Keith . 2024-01-10 . Morgan Wallen’s ‘One Thing at a Time’ Is Luminate’s Top Album of 2023 in U.S. . 2024-01-12 . Billboard . en-US.
  49. Caulfield, Keith . November 23, 2015 . Adele's '25' Is the 20th Album to Sell a Million Copies in a Week: See the Full List . Billboard . December 7, 2015.
  50. Caulfield, Keith . December 5, 2015 . Adele's '25' Sells 1.11 Million in Second Week in U.S. . Billboard . December 7, 2015.
  51. Caulfield, Keith . December 27, 2015 . Adele's '25' Sells Another 1.16 Million in U.S., Spends Fifth Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart . Billboard . December 31, 2015.
  52. Caulfield . Keith . 20 November 2017 . Official: Taylor Swift's 'Reputation' Album Sells 1.2M Copies in US During First Week . Billboard . 12 December 2017.
  53. 18 June 2008 . Lil Wayne's 'Tha Carter III' Sells 1 Million . dead . Billboard . Billboard Music . https://web.archive.org/web/20180513142053/https://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/1307133/lil-waynes-tha-carter-iii-sells-1-million . 13 May 2018 . 25 February 2018.
  54. . October 23, 2012 . Albums That Sold 1 Million in One Week . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20180512075011/https://www.billboard.com/photos/426851/albums-that-sold-1-million-in-one-week . May 12, 2018 . October 23, 2021 . Billboard.
  55. Web site: Caulfield . Keith . 2024-04-28 . Taylor Swift Makes Historic Debut at No. 1 on Billboard 200 With ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ . 2024-04-28 . Billboard . en-US.
  56. Web site: Caulfield . Keith . 2023-11-05 . Taylor Swift’s ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’ Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 With Biggest Week in Nearly a Decade . 2023-11-05 . Billboard . en-US.
  57. Web site: Caulfield . Keith . 2022-10-30 . Taylor Swift’s ‘Midnights’ Blasts in at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart With Biggest Week for an Album in 7 Years . 2022-10-30 . Billboard . en-US.
  58. Billboard Staff . 2012-10-23 . Albums That Sold 1 Million in One Week . Billboard . en-US . 2021-11-19.
  59. Caulfield . Keith . November 20, 2017 . Official: Taylor Swift's 'Reputation' Album Sells 1.2M Copies in US During First Week . live . Billboard . https://web.archive.org/web/20171130081855/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8039676/taylor-swift-reputation-album-sells-12-million-copies-us . November 30, 2017 . October 23, 2017.
  60. Caulfield . Keith . 2015-12-27 . Adele's '25' Sells Another 1.16 Million in U.S., Spends Fifth Week at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart . Billboard . en-US . 2021-11-19.
  61. Billboard Staff . 2011-02-03 . 29 Black Music Milestones: Whitney Houston Sells 1 Million in A Week . Billboard . en-US . 2021-11-19.
  62. Caulfield . Keith . 2016-05-08 . Drake's 'Views' Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Chart, Sets Streaming Record . Billboard . en-US . 2021-11-19.
  63. June 18, 2008 . Lil Wayne's 'Tha Carter III' Sells 1 Million . live . Billboard . https://web.archive.org/web/20180513142053/https://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/1307133/lil-waynes-tha-carter-iii-sells-1-million . May 13, 2018 . February 25, 2018.

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