The ten best-selling albums of all time worldwide, from Michael Jackson's Thriller at an estimated 70 million copies, ranked by claimed sales from Wikipedia's list of best-selling albums.
Updated October 18, 202610 ranked1 sources
Quick answer
Thriller — Michael Jackson is the best-selling album of all time, at an estimated 70 million copies. AC/DC's Back in Black is second at 50 million and The Bodyguard soundtrack third at 45 million, ahead of The Dark Side of the Moon on certified units. The ranking uses claimed worldwide sales from Wikipedia's list of best-selling albums, as of October 2026.
These are the ten albums with the highest claimed worldwide sales: every album that Wikipedia's list of best-selling albums places in its 40 million copies or more group. They span pop, hard rock, soundtracks, progressive rock and a greatest-hits compilation.
Michael Jackson's Thriller leads at an estimated 70 million copies. Below it the gaps are narrow, and four albums share the 40 million mark. Sales claims for albums are estimates published by news and music-industry outlets, so each entry also shows its certified units, the audited part of its sales.
Claimed sales (millions)
Claimed sales (millions)
Thriller — Michael Jackson
70 million
Back in Black — AC/DC
50 million
The Bodyguard (Soundtrack) — Whitney Houston / Various
45 million
The Dark Side of the Moon — Pink Floyd
45 million
Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) — Eagles
44 million
Hotel California — Eagles
42 million
Come On Over — Shania Twain
40 million
Rumours — Fleetwood Mac
40 million
Saturday Night Fever (Soundtrack) — Bee Gees / Various
40 million
Bat Out of Hell — Meat Loaf
40 million
The ranking
1
Thriller — Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson's 1982 album is the best-selling album of all time, with an estimated 70 million copies sold worldwide, 20 million more than any other album. It carries the most certified units of any album on the source list, 51.4 million across the markets it lists, including 34 million in the US. Its singles included 'Billie Jean' and 'Beat It'.
artist: Michael Jacksonyear: 1982genre: Pop, post-disco, funk, rockUS certified (millions): 34certified, all listed markets (millions): 51.4
2
Back in Black — AC/DC
AC/DC's 1980 album, their first with singer Brian Johnson after the death of Bon Scott, is second with an estimated 50 million copies sold. It features 'Hells Bells' and 'You Shook Me All Night Long'.
artist: AC/DCyear: 1980genre: Hard rockUS certified (millions): 27certified, all listed markets (millions): 31.2
3
The Bodyguard (Soundtrack) — Whitney Houston / Various
The soundtrack to the 1992 film is the best-selling soundtrack on the list, at an estimated 45 million copies. It is tied on claimed sales with The Dark Side of the Moon and ranks ahead on certified units (29.7 million against 25.7 million). It features Houston's recording of 'I Will Always Love You'.
artist: Whitney Houston / Various artistsyear: 1992genre: R&B, soul, popUS certified (millions): 19certified, all listed markets (millions): 29.7
4
The Dark Side of the Moon — Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd's 1973 album has sold an estimated 45 million copies, tied with The Bodyguard on claimed sales but behind it on certified units. It is the highest-ranked progressive rock album on the list.
The Eagles' first compilation, released in 1976, has sold an estimated 44 million copies worldwide and carries 40 million certified units in the US, the most of any album on the list there. It collects early hits including 'Take It Easy', 'Desperado', 'Lyin' Eyes' and 'One of These Nights'.
artist: Eaglesyear: 1976genre: Country rock, soft rock, folk rockUS certified (millions): 40certified, all listed markets (millions): 43.2
6
Hotel California — Eagles
The Eagles' 1976 studio album has sold an estimated 42 million copies, making the band the only act with two albums in this top 10. Its singles included the title track, 'New Kid in Town' and 'Life in the Fast Lane'.
Shania Twain's 1997 country-pop album has sold an estimated 40 million copies. It is one of four albums tied at 40 million and ranks first of them on certified units, 30.7 million. It features 'You're Still the One' and 'Man! I Feel Like a Woman!'.
Fleetwood Mac's 1977 album, with 'Go Your Own Way', 'Dreams' and 'The Chain', has sold an estimated 40 million copies. It is second among the four albums tied at 40 million, on 30.3 million certified units.
Saturday Night Fever (Soundtrack) — Bee Gees / Various
The 1977 disco soundtrack, featuring the Bee Gees' 'Stayin' Alive' and 'Night Fever', has sold an estimated 40 million copies. It is third among the four albums tied at 40 million, on 22.1 million certified units.
artist: Bee Gees / Various artistsyear: 1977genre: DiscoUS certified (millions): 16certified, all listed markets (millions): 22.1
10
Bat Out of Hell — Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf's 1977 debut, written by Jim Steinman, has sold an estimated 40 million copies. It is last of the four albums tied at 40 million, on 22 million certified units.
artist: Meat Loafyear: 1977genre: Hard rock, glam rock, progressive rockUS certified (millions): 14certified, all listed markets (millions): 22
Full comparison
#
Name
artist
year
genre
US certified (millions)
certified, all listed markets (millions)
1
Thriller — Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
1982
Pop, post-disco, funk, rock
34
51.4
2
Back in Black — AC/DC
AC/DC
1980
Hard rock
27
31.2
3
The Bodyguard (Soundtrack) — Whitney Houston / Various
Whitney Houston / Various artists
1992
R&B, soul, pop
19
29.7
4
The Dark Side of the Moon — Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
1973
Progressive rock
15
25.7
5
Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) — Eagles
Eagles
1976
Country rock, soft rock, folk rock
40
43.2
6
Hotel California — Eagles
Eagles
1976
Soft rock
28
33.8
7
Come On Over — Shania Twain
Shania Twain
1997
Country, pop
20
30.7
8
Rumours — Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac
1977
Soft rock
21
30.3
9
Saturday Night Fever (Soundtrack) — Bee Gees / Various
Bee Gees / Various artists
1977
Disco
16
22.1
10
Bat Out of Hell — Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
1977
Hard rock, glam rock, progressive rock
14
22
How we ranked this
Ranking metric: claimed worldwide sales, in millions of copies, exactly as given in the 40 million copies or more table of Wikipedia's List of best-selling albums, read on 18 October 2026. That page admits an album only if a reliable source has published its sales figure, it has sold at least 20 million copies and it has at least 10 million certified units; the ten albums here are every entry in its top group. Ties are broken the way the source breaks them: by total certified units across the markets it lists, highest first. That orders The Bodyguard (29.7 million certified) above The Dark Side of the Moon (25.7 million), and, among the four albums at 40 million, Come On Over (30.7 million), Rumours (30.3 million), Saturday Night Fever (22.1 million) and Bat Out of Hell (22 million). The US certified figure is the US entry in the same page's per-market breakdown. Certified units count sales certified in each market, not total sales.
FAQ
What is the best-selling album of all time?
Michael Jackson's Thriller (1982), with estimated worldwide sales of 70 million copies, according to Wikipedia's list of best-selling albums, which also cites Guinness World Records and the BBC for its status as the best-selling album.
How does this global list differ from US certifications?
US certifications count only units certified in the United States. This list ranks claimed worldwide sales. The two orders differ: Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) has the most US certified units of any album here, 40 million, but ranks fifth worldwide at 44 million claimed sales.
Why are there two Eagles albums?
The list ranks albums, not artists. The Eagles' Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975), at 44 million, and Hotel California, at 42 million, both have claimed sales above the 40 million cut-off.
How are tied albums ordered?
By total certified units across the markets Wikipedia lists, the same rule the source uses. Four albums are tied at 40 million: Come On Over, Rumours, Saturday Night Fever and Bat Out of Hell, in that order.
The ten singles with claimed sales of at least 20 million copies, from Xiao Zhan's digital single Spotlight and Bing Crosby's White Christmas to We Are the World, ranked by claimed worldwide sales.
The ten best-selling book series of all time, from Harry Potter's 600 million copies to Nancy Drew's 200 million, ranked by estimated copies sold worldwide.
The ten best-selling individual books of all time, from A Tale of Two Cities to The Da Vinci Code, ranked by estimated copies sold, excluding religious and political texts.