The 35 Best-Selling Albums in American History

What albums are most beloved by Americans? If we're talking quantitatively, it's the Eagles's Greatest Hits. According to the RIAA, these are the best-selling albums in American history.

1. Eagles // Their Greatest Hits 1971 - 1975

Getty Images

Copies sold: 38 million

Buy it on Amazon

2. Michael Jackson // Thriller

Copies sold: 33 million

Buy it on Amazon

3. Eagles // Hotel California

Copies sold: 26 million

Buy it on Amazon

4. The Beatles // The Beatles

The Beatles performing on stage in 1963. / King Collection/Hulton Archives/Getty Images

Copies sold: 24 million

Buy it on Amazon

5. Billy Joel // Greatest Hits Volume I and II

Copies sold: 23 million

Buy it on Amazon

6. Led Zeppelin // Led Zeppelin IV

Copies sold: 23 million

Buy it on Amazon

7. Pink Floyd // The Wall

Copies sold: 23 million

Buy it on Amazon

8. AC/DC // Back in Black

Copies sold: 22 million

Buy it on Amazon

9. Garth Brooks // Double Live

Cooper Neill/Getty Images for dcp

Copies sold: 21 million

Buy it on Amazon

10. Hootie and the Blowfish // Cracked Rear View

Copies sold: 21 million

Buy it on Amazon

11. Fleetwood Mac // Rumours

Copies sold: 20 million

Buy it on Amazon

12. Shania Twain // Come On Over

Copies sold: 20 million

Buy it on Amazon

13. Guns N’ Roses // Appetite for Destruction

Copies sold: 18 million

Buy it on Amazon

14. Whitney Houston // The Bodyguard

Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Copies sold: 18 million

Buy it on Amazon

15. Boston // Boston

Copies sold: 17 million

Buy it on Amazon

16. Elton John // Greatest Hits

Copies sold: 17 million

Buy it on Amazon

17. Garth Brooks // No Fences

Copies sold: 17 million

Buy it on Amazon

18. The Beatles // The Beatles 1967-1970

Copies sold: 17 million

Buy it on Amazon

19. Alanis Morissette // Jagged Little Pill

Copies sold: 16 million

Buy it on Amazon

20. Bee Gees // Saturday Night Fever (Soundtrack)

Paramount Pictures

Copies sold: 16 million

Buy it on Amazon

21. Led Zeppelin // Physical Graffiti

Copies sold: 16 million

Buy it on Amazon

22. Metallica // Metallica

Copies sold: 16 million

Buy it on Amazon

23. Bob Marley & the Wailers // Legend

Copies sold: 15 million

Buy it on Amazon

24. Bruce Springsteen // Born in the U.S.A.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation

Copies sold: 15 million

Buy it on Amazon

25. Journey // Greatest Hits

Copies sold: 15 million

Buy it on Amazon

26. Pink Floyd // Dark Side of the Moon

Copies sold: 15 million

Buy it on Amazon

27. Santana // Supernatural

Copies sold: 15 million

Buy it on Amazon

28. The Beatles // The Beatles 1962 - 1966

Copies sold: 15 million

Buy it on Amazon

29. Adele // 21

Copies sold: 14 million

Buy it on Amazon

30. Backstreet Boys // Backstreet Boys

The Backstreet Boys—Brian Littrell, Nick Carter, A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, and Kevin Richardson—photographed in 1995. / Tim Roney/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Copies sold: 14 million

Buy it on Amazon

31. Britney Spears // ...Baby One More Time

Copies sold: 14 million

Buy it on Amazon

32. Garth Brooks // Ropin' In the Wind

Copies sold: 14 million

Buy it on Amazon

33. Meat Loaf // Bat Out of Hell

Copies sold: 14 million

Buy it on Amazon

34. Simon & Garfunkel // Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits

Copies sold: 14 million

Buy it on Amazon

35. Steve Miller Band // Greatest Hits 1974-1978

Copies sold: 14 million

Buy it on Amazon

An earlier version of this story ran in 2016.

Home/MUSIC