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This is a list of the world's best-selling albums of all time. The criteria are that the figure must have been published by a reliable source and the album must have sold at least 20 million copies worldwide. In this list the highest sales figure reported for an album is added to the list. This list can contain any types of albums, including studio albums, greatest hits, compilations, various artists, soundtracks and remixes.

All albums included on this list have their available claimed figure(s) supported by at least 20% in certified copies. The percentage amount of certified sales needed increases the newer the album is, so albums released before 1975 are only expected to have their claimed figures supported by at least 20% in certified copies. However, newer albums such as 21 and Come Away with Me are expected to have their claimed figures supported by at least 70% in certified copies. Certified copies are sourced from available online databases of local music industry associations.

This is the reason why albums such as The Sound of Music, Spirits Having Flown, Phantom of the Opera, Laundry Service, and Back to Black have not been included on this list.

As a result of the methodology that the American certification–awarding body, the RIAA uses, each disc in a multi-disc set is counted as one unit toward certification, leading to many double albums on the list—such as Pink Floyd's The Wall and The Beatles's The Beatles—being certified with a number double the number of copies sold there. Such albums have the certifications for the number of copies, not discs, shipped indicated.

Conversely, the American certification level for double albums that fit onto one compact disc such as the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack reflect the actual number of copies sold.

The figures given do not take into account the resale of used albums.

Michael Jackson's Thriller is the best-selling album of all time, and it is estimated to have sold between 50 to 65 million copies worldwide. Although sales estimates for Thriller have been as high as 110 million copies, these sales figures are unreliable.

Legend

Groupings are based on different sales benchmarks, the highest being for claims of at least 40 million copies, and the lowest being for claims of 20–29 million copies. Albums are listed in order of number of copies sold and thereafter by the artist's first name.

40 million copies or more

• Markets' order within the table is based on the number of compact discs sold in each market, largest market at the top and smallest at the bottom.

30–39 million copies

20–29 million copies

Timeline of the highest selling albums

• (1956) Elvis Presley by Elvis Presley
• (1965) The Sound of Music by Various artists
• (1967) Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles
• (1971) Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin
• (1973) The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd
• (1980) Back in Black by AC/DC
• (1982) Thriller by Michael Jackson

See also

References

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