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List of best-selling albums in Germany

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Germany is the third largest music market in the world, and the largest in Europe. This is a list of the best-selling albums in Germany that have been certified by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI). Since January 1, 2003, BVMI certifies an album platinum for the shipment of 200,000 copies across Germany. All albums in this list must have sold more than a million copies.

Certifications for albums released in Germany depend upon their release date.

Certification levels

Certification till 24 September 1999 till 31. December 2002 till 31 December 2012 since 1 January 2013
Gold 250,000 150,000 100,000 100,000
Platinum 500,000 300,000 200,000 200,000
3× Gold 750,000 450,000 300,000 300,000
2× Platinum 1,000,000 600,000 400,000 400,000
... ... ... ... ...
Diamond – – – 750,000

Source:

By units

Sortable table
Year Title Artist Certification Shipments
1987 Dirty Dancing O.S.T. - Various 13× Gold 3.25 million
2002 Mensch Herbert Grönemeyer 21× Gold 3.15 million
1989 ...But Seriously Phil Collins 6× Platinum 3 million
1994 Over the Hump The Kelly Family 9× Gold 3 million
1984 4630 Bochum Herbert Grönemeyer 11× Gold 2.75

million

2013 Farbenspiel Helene Fischer 13× Platinum 2.6 million
1991 We Can't Dance Genesis 5× Platinum 2.5 million
1992 Gold: Greatest Hits ABBA 5× Platinum 2.5 million
1995 Rock Super Stars Various artists — 2.5 million
2001 Best Of Andrea Berg 8× Platinum 2.4 million
1988 Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman 9× Gold 2.25 million
1991 Greatest Hits II Queen 9× Gold 2.25 million
1979 The Wall Pink Floyd 4× Platinum 2.1 million
1973 1962–1966 The Beatles 4× Platinum 2 million
1987 Bad Michael Jackson 4× Platinum 2 million
1991 Metallica Metallica 4× Platinum 2 million
1991 Dangerous Michael Jackson 4× Platinum 2 million
1995 Abenteuerland Pur 4× Platinum 2 million
1995 Bocelli Andrea Bocelli 4× Platinum 2 million
1996 Alles Wolfgang Petry 4× Platinum 2 million
2010 Best Of Helene Fischer 10× Platinum 2 million
2010 Große Freiheit Unheilig 9× Platinum 1.8 million
1978 Grease O.S.T. - Various 5× Gold 1.75 million
1978 Saturday Night Fever O.S.T. - Various 3× Platinum 1.75 million
1981 Face Value Phil Collins 7× Gold 1.75 million
1981 Greatest Hits Queen 7× Gold 1.75 million
1988 Ö Herbert Grönemeyer 7× Gold 1.75 million
1991 Joyride Roxette 7× Gold 1.75 million
1994 Affentheater Marius Müller-Westernhagen 7× Gold 1.75 million
1992 The Bodyguard Whitney Houston 3× Platinum 1.7 million
2000 1 The Beatles 11× Gold 1.65 million
2011 21 Adele 8× Platinum 1.6 million
1972 Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits Simon & Garfunkel 2× Platinum 1.5 million
1973 The Dark Side of the Moon Pink Floyd 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1973 1967–1970 The Beatles 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1975 Wish You Were Here Pink Floyd Platinum 1.5 million
1980 Revanche Peter Maffay 2× Platinum 1.5 million
1982 Thriller Michael Jackson 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1985 Movin Jennifer Rush 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1985 No Jacket Required Phil Collins 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1987 Winterkinder Rolf Zuckowski 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1990 Serious Hits... Live! Phil Collins 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1993 Both Sides Phil Collins 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1993 Happy Nation Ace of Base 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1993 Seiltänzertraum Pur 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1995 The Lion King (Audio Book) Diverse 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1995 HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I Michael Jackson 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1995 Made in Heaven Queen 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1996 Dove c'è musica Eros Ramazzotti 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1997 Eros Eros Ramazzotti 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1997 Let's Talk About Love Celine Dion 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1998 Ray of Light Madonna 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1998 Westernhagen - Live Marius Müller-Westernhagen 3× Platinum 1.5 million
2001 Swing When You're Winning Robbie Williams 5× Platinum 1.5 million
2008 Stadtaffe Peter Fox 15× gold 1.5 million
1993 Music Box Mariah Carey 2× Platinum 1.4 million
2013 Die Eiskönigin - Völlig Unverfroren (Audio Book) Various 7× Platinum 1.4 million
2010 Rapunzel: Neu verföhnt (Audio Book) Various 13× Gold 1.3 million
2012 Bis ans Ende der Welt Santiano 13× Gold 1.3 million
1992 1492: Conquest of Paradise Vangelis 5× Gold 1.3 million
1968 Heintje Heintje 9× Gold, Platinum 1.25 million
1977 Benjamin Blümchen als Wetterelefant (Audio Book) Benjamin Blümchen 5× Gold 1.25 million
1977 Rumours Fleetwood Mac 5× Gold 1.25 million
1979 Weihnachten mit Andrea Jürgens - Meine 20 schönsten Weihnachtslieder Andrea Jürgens 5× Gold 1.25 million
1979 Benjamin Blümchen und die Schule (Audio Book) Benjamin Blümchen 5× Gold 1.25 million
1980 Benjamin Blümchen hat Geburtstag (Audio Book) Benjamin Blümchen 5× Gold 1.25 million
1982 Benjamin Blümchen als Weihnachtsmann (Audio Book) Benjamin Blümchen 5× Gold 1.25 million
1983 Benjamin Blümchen als Feuerwehrmann (Audio Book) Benjamin Blümchen 5× Gold 1.25 million
1983 Benjamin Blümchen auf dem Bauernhof (Audio Book) Benjamin Blümchen 5× Gold 1.25 million
1984 Private Dancer Tina Turner 5× Gold 1.25 million
1997 Titanic James Horner 5× Gold 1.25 million
1991 Out of Time R.E.M. 5× Gold 1.25 million
1991 Stars Simply Red 5× Gold 1.25 million
1991 Use Your Illusion II Guns N' Roses 5× Gold 1.25 million
1992 Automatic for the People R.E.M. 5× Gold 1.25 million
1992 Unplugged Eric Clapton 5× Gold 1.25 million
1996 Falling into You Celine Dion 5× Gold 1.25 million
1997 Reload Metallica 5× Gold 1.25 million
1997 Sehnsucht Rammstein 5× Gold 1.25 million
1998 Radio Maria Marius Müller-Westernhagen 5× Gold 1.25 million
1998 Back for Good Modern Talking 5× Gold 1.25 million
1979 Steppenwolf Peter Maffay Platinum 1.2 million
1989 Foreign Affair Tina Turner 2× Platinum 1.2 million
2002 Escapology Robbie Williams 4× Platinum 1.2 million
2006 Back to Black Amy Winehouse 6× Platinum 1.2 million
2006 Loose Nelly Furtado 6× Platinum 1.2 million
2007 Vom selben Stern Ich + Ich 6× Platinum 1.2 million
2008 The Fame Lady Gaga 6× Platinum 1.2 million
2013 Mit den Gezeiten Santiano 6× Platinum 1.2 million
2015 25 Adele 6× Platinum 1.2 million
2015 Weihnachten Helene Fischer 6× Platinum 1.2 million
2003 United Deutschland sucht den Superstar 11× Gold 1.1 million
2005 Intensive Care Robbie Williams 11× Gold 1.1 million
2006 Das große Leben Rosenstolz 11× Gold 1.1 million
2011 MTV Unplugged - Live aus dem Hotel Atlantik Udo Lindenberg 11× Gold 1.1 million
2015 Muttersprache Sarah Connor 11× Gold 1.1 million
1999 All the Way... A Decade of Song Celine Dion 7× Gold 1.05 million
2000 So far ... - Best Of Marius Müller-Westernhagen 7× Gold 1.05 million
2001 Das Dschungelbuch (audio book) Various 7× Gold 1.05 million
2001 Elle'ments No Angels 7× Gold 1.05 million
  • Tracy Chapman's eponymous debut album was certified 9× Gold in 2010. Since this album was released prior to September 24, 1999, every Gold certification it receives denotes 250,000 copies shipped. Thus at 9× Gold, 2.25 million copies of the album have been shipped across Germany.
  • 1 by The Beatles was certified 11× Gold in 2007. Since this album was released prior to January 1, 2003, every Gold certification it receives denotes 150,000 copies shipped. Thus at 11× Gold, 1.65 million copies of the album have been shipped across Germany.

Usually the BVMI does not give a 6× Gold certification, but a 3× Platinum instead. The reason for this singular certification is unclear.

See also

Notes

References

  1. "Bundesverband Musikindustrie: Deutschland drittgrößter Musikmarkt weltweit". Musikindustrie.de. 2011-04-13. Archived from the original on 2011-12-31. Retrieved 2012-02-28.
  2. "Richtlinien für die Verleihung von Gold/Platin Schallplatten und Awards (Guidelines for Gold and Platinum awards)" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindstie. Archived from the original on 2010-03-28. Retrieved 2010-03-13.
  3. "Richtlinien für die Verleihung von Gold/Platin Auszeichnungen" (PDF) (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  4. "Bundesverband Musikindustrie: Gold-/Platin-Datenbank". musikindustrie.de.
  5. "Highest Gold Platinum certifications as of 2008" (PDF). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-01-04. Retrieved 2010-10-03.
  6. "The Kelly Family". Gorey Guardian. 23 July 1997. p. 68. Retrieved 18 May 2023. Their debut album, 'Over The Hump' sold over 4 million copies in Europe, 3 million of them in Germany alone.
  7. Spahr, Wolfgang (20 January 1996). "Burgers And CDs: Record Companies Use McDonald's, Burger King To Sell Releases". Billboard. p. 41. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  8. "Phil Collins Seriously Breaks The Records" (PDF). Music & Media. 15 September 1990. p. 1. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  9. ^ "West Germany - The Year in Review - Bellaphon". Billboard. 8 December 1979. p. G-10. Retrieved 26 October 2022 – via Google Books.
  10. Wolfgang Spahr (13 May 2000). Grammy's Two Way Street. Billboard. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  11. "West Germany - Domestic Product Makes Chart Inroads". Billboard. Vol. 94, no. 2. 6 January 1982. p. 48. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 26 October 2022 – via Google Books.
  12. "Long Chart Life For Floyd, Styx". Billboard. 25 October 1980. p. 76. Retrieved 26 October 2022 – via World Radio History.
  13. ^ Spahr, Wolfgang (8 July 1981). "Peter Maffay Discks Defy Slack Mart, Sales Boom". Billboard. p. 64. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  14. Mark Dezanni (25 October 1997). "New BMG set finds Eros recycling history" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 43. p. 10. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  15. Marlowe, Chris (October 14, 1995). "Carey's 'Daydream' Follows 'Fantasy' To The Top" (PDF). Music & Media. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 June 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2022 – via AmericanRadioHistory.com.
  16. Spahr, Wolfgang (20 January 1996). "Sporting Events And Personalities Giving A Big Boost TO Record Sales For Labels". Billboard. p. 41. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  17. Günter Ehnert (1994), Taurus Press (ed.), Hit Bilanz – Deutsche Chart LP's 1962–1986 (in German) (1 ed.), Hamburg: Verlag populärer Musik-Literatur, p. 291, ISBN 9783922542292
  18. Murrells, Joseph (1985). Million selling records from the 1900s to the 1980s : an illustrated directory. Arco Pub. p. 263. ISBN 0668064595.
  19. Mooij, Thessa (April 6, 1996). "Soul Empress Keeps Rejuvenating" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 11. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  20. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank ('Tracy Chapman')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  21. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Beatles; '1')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  22. "Bundesverband Musikindustrie: Gold/Platin". musikindustrie.de. Archived from the original on 28 March 2010. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
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