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Top-selling titles
Here is a list of the all-time top selling albums (U.S. sales):
29 MILLION
"Eagles/Their Greatest Hits: 1971-75," The Eagles
27 MILLION
"Thriller," Michael Jackson
23 MILLION
"Led Zeppelin IV," Led Zeppelin
"The Wall," Pink Floyd
21 MILLION
"Back in Black," AC/DC
"Greatest Hits Vol. I & II," Billy Joel
20 MILLION
"Double Live," Garth Brooks
"Come On Over," Shania Twain
19 MILLION
"The Beatles," The Beatles
"Rumours," Fleetwood Mac
17 MILLION
"Boston," Boston
"The Bodyguard" (soundtrack), Whitney Houston
16 MILLION
"The Beatles 1967-70,' The Beatles
"No Fences," Garth Brooks
"Hotel California," The Eagles
"Cracked Rear View," Hootie & the Blowfish
"Greatest Hits," Elton John
"Physical Graffiti," Led Zeppelin
"Jagged Little Pill," Alanis Morissette
15 MILLION
"The Beatles 1962-66," The Beatles
"Saturday Night Fever" (soundtrack), Bee Gees
"Appetite for Destruction," Guns 'N Roses
"Dark Side of the Moon," Pink Floyd
"Supernatural," Santana
"Born in the U.S.A.," Bruce Springsteen
14 MILLION
"Backstreet Boys," Backstreet Boys
"Ropin' the Wind," Garth Brooks
"Greatest Hits," Journey
"Bat Out of Hell," Meat Loaf
"Metallica," Metallica
"Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits," Simon & Garfunkel
"...Baby One More Time," Britney Spears
Source: Recording Industry Association of America
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Top-selling musicians
The 20 top selling artists in millions of albums/CDs (U.S. sales):
1. The Beatles, 168.5
2. Elvis Presley, 118.5
3. Garth Brooks, 116
4. Led Zeppelin, 109.5
5. Eagles, 91
6. Billy Joel, 79.5
7. Pink Floyd, 73.5
8. Barbra Streisand, 71
9. Elton John, 69
10. AC/DC, 66
11. The Rolling Stones, 65.5
12. Aerosmith, 65.5
13. Madonna, 63
14. George Strait, 62.5
15. Bruce Springsteen, 62
16. Mariah Carey, 61.5
17. Michael Jackson, 60.5
18. Metallica, 57.0
19. Van Halen, 56.5
20. Whitney Houston, 54
Source: Recording Industry Association of America
Good Album!
And, it's in damn near every single jukebox that I've ever seen.
I saw their live performance was it earlier this year or late last year. Hmmm. Anyhow, it was OUTSTANDING. Many multi-generation families all singing along. Each of the band members was in top form -- vocally, musically, physically. Truly, a wonderful concert. I'd go again in a flash. A happy melodic time. Just imagine thousands of people singing along with the Eagles. :)
Not in the Top 20?!? ....Recount!
Surprised that Dark Side of the Moon isn't higher on the list. Doesn't it hold the record for most weeks on the billboard charts? Otherwise I somewhat agree with the guy who said that it should only include actual albums and not greatest hits or live albums.
I definitely believe this. I've purchased 1/2 dozen or more over the years and I'm sure my siblings have done the same. Even my kids know all the words to all the songs on the album (the oldest kid is 22 years old). I paid $100 a seat to see them live about 10 years ago. It was fantastic!! Best concert I've ever been to. And, best of all, no political talk at all. Just music!
The Eagles were and are a joke. The Byrds were 20 times better. And far as "Take it Easy", Jackson Browne did it much better. I have a strange feeling that women bought a lot of Eagles albums. Life ain't fair I guess.
Just think, had Metallica put out a good Album post-1991, they might be in the Top Ten....
Hey, critics and music snobs that don't understand this: Vox populi, vox dei, baby.
Don Henley Must Die! Don't let him get back together With Glenn Frey!
bttt
No Rap "Artists"?
Nooooo! ;)
How did Hootie and the Fish Blow sell 16 million?
Some of Toto's hits are as follows:
"Africa"
"Hold The Line
"Roseanna"
"Georgy Porgy"
"99"
Now some might think me a bit odd but I have to tell you that the band Toto is comprised of musical geniuses. I would go so far as to say that Toto is more superior than even The Beatles in their songwriting ability and musical talent.
Truly, one of the greatest bands of all time. And I'm not just whistling Dixie.
The Eagles are a 'road band' largely put together from the musicians union in LA by Linda Ronstadt for her road tours.
Eagles
"Soon, Glenn's and J.D.'s and Don's recording hopes dried up as their record company went down the drain. The two future Eagles commiserated together, hanging out at the Troubadour and , in Don's words, "getting drunk a lot," until they were assembled by producer John Boylan in 1970 as backup musicians for Linda Ronstadt on her "Silk Purse" album. They then served as her backup band for two years. They played so well together that it was obvious they had to form a band of their own and Linda had to resign herself to losing them."
This has got to be one of the most idiotic statements I have ever heard. We are not talking about greatest albums using a music content scale (standards may vary). This is about sales. RECORD SALES.
Of course, the reason is simple and none of these idiots can figure it out. People mellow with age. Everybody bought this album as well as the rest of the bands' albums on the list when they first came out. We were young and loved to rock. Now, we have become older and have kids of our own and we are replacing those lost albums with CDs. Of course, with age, we (not all but the majority) have mellowed our tastes and the Eagles falls right in line with what we want to hear. The "Best of" albums have the most popular songs from these bands all wrapped into one relatively cheap package.
I also disagree with Hotel California comment. If I had updated my Eageles "Best of" CD, I would have included Try and Love Again before Hotel California but the rest of the album is average Eagles.
I repurchased 71-75 for Lyin' Eyes, Desperado, Peaceful Easy Feeling, .....Hell, I like the whole dang album.
The real barometer should be to find out just how many people, to this day, stop daily in Winslow, Arizona to stand on the corner and belt out Take It Easy.