Mental Floss

The 35 Best-Selling Albums in American History

ByAustin Thompson|
Rawpixel/iStock via Getty Images
Rawpixel/iStock via Getty Images | Rawpixel/iStock via Getty Images

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

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2. Michael Jackson // Thriller

Copies sold: 33 million

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3. Eagles // Hotel California

Copies sold: 26 million

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4. The Beatles // The Beatles

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

Copies sold: 24 million

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

Copies sold: 23 million

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6. Led Zeppelin // Led Zeppelin IV

Copies sold: 23 million

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7. Pink Floyd // The Wall

Copies sold: 23 million

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8. AC/DC // Back in Black

Copies sold: 22 million

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9. Garth Brooks // Double Live

Cooper Neill/Getty Images for dcp

Copies sold: 21 million

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10. Hootie and the Blowfish // Cracked Rear View

Copies sold: 21 million

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11. Fleetwood Mac // Rumours

Copies sold: 20 million

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12. Shania Twain // Come On Over

Copies sold: 20 million

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13. Guns N’ Roses // Appetite for Destruction

Copies sold: 18 million

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14. Whitney Houston // The Bodyguard

Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Copies sold: 18 million

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15. Boston // Boston

Copies sold: 17 million

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16. Elton John // Greatest Hits

Copies sold: 17 million

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17. Garth Brooks // No Fences

Copies sold: 17 million

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18. The Beatles // The Beatles 1967-1970

Copies sold: 17 million

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19. Alanis Morissette // Jagged Little Pill

Copies sold: 16 million

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

Paramount Pictures

Copies sold: 16 million

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21. Led Zeppelin // Physical Graffiti

Copies sold: 16 million

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22. Metallica // Metallica

Copies sold: 16 million

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23. Bob Marley & the Wailers // Legend

Copies sold: 15 million

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

Chris Jackson/Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation

Copies sold: 15 million

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25. Journey // Greatest Hits

Copies sold: 15 million

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26. Pink Floyd // Dark Side of the Moon

Copies sold: 15 million

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27. Santana // Supernatural

Copies sold: 15 million

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28. The Beatles // The Beatles 1962 - 1966

Copies sold: 15 million

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29. Adele // 21

Copies sold: 14 million

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30. Backstreet Boys // Backstreet Boys

The Backstreet Boys—Brian Littrell, Nick Carter, A. J. McLean, Howie Dorough, and Kevin Richardson—photographed in 1995.
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

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

Copies sold: 14 million

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32. Garth Brooks // Ropin' In the Wind

Copies sold: 14 million

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33. Meat Loaf // Bat Out of Hell

Copies sold: 14 million

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

Copies sold: 14 million

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

Copies sold: 14 million

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An earlier version of this story ran in 2016.

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