The 25 top-selling rock albums of all time

Yardbarkee ^ | 03/07/23 | By Jeff Mezydlo

[frogjerk]

Still, its a great song.

[dfwgator]

Fair Warning is the best VH album.

[frogjerk]

Van Halen or Van Hagar?

[frogjerk]

Diver Down is pretty good and so is 1984

[frogjerk]

Isn’t Frampton Comes Alive the best selling live album of all time?

[ronniesgal]

amen!

[stanne]

Im looking for At Fillmore East, Layla, Eric Clapton slow hand, all things must Pass, exile on Main Street, Let it Bleed, Sticky Fingers and what?

[1Old Pro]

“Who’s Next” is IMHO the best ever album.

My morning talk show guy was talking about The Who this morning, probably some anniversary or something brought it up. He said, some of you in the audience probably remember them at The Saratoga Performing Arts Center in August 1971. I believe they set an attendance record good till this day. The venue eventually started to cap sales fearing a repeat. The next record was Fleetwood Mac, I believe the one I attended around 1976, front row tickets from a H.S. buddy . https://nysmusic.com/2020/08/02/flashback-the-who-perform-their-first-and-only-show-at-spac-49-years-ago-today/

[Gary from Dayton]

“Greatest Hits Albums shouldn’t count.”

I was getting ready to say the same thing. I agree totally.

[Responsibility2nd]

Even though The Cars released a greatest hits album, it’s widely considered that their first debut album was in fact their greatest hits. I agree.

[dfwgator]

Yep, The Cars never came close to topping their first album.

[frogjerk]

Now obviously this is not a list of the BEST albums of all time although many on this list are overqualified.

What needs to be taken into account when looking at this list is when the said album was released, what else was hot at the time (because most albums when released have their biggest bump in sales, I believe) and how these albums have been marketed since release and til now (remasters, rereleases, etc...).

[Gay State Conservative]

I see Dylan's genius...his early genius...being as a songwriter.However,I like his early albums as well...his style is an acquired taste. Mister Tambourine Man,Masters of War,Blowin In The Wind,The Times They Are A Changin’,My Back Pages,All Along The Watchtower...and a few others...are classics for the ages.

[dfwgator]

It’s still up there.

The one Live album that should be one of the top-sellers is Dire Straits “Alchemy”.

“Telegraph Road” may be the single greatest song ever on a live album.

[frogjerk]

The Cars Greatest Hits is missing quite a few of their great songs... Dangerous Type, It’s All I can do, Bye Love to name a few.

[WeaslesRippedMyFlesh]

They’re on there for profilin’ purposes.

[Responsibility2nd]

Do you know what’s sad? Nothing on this list is new. Older than 25 years old. And what with digital and streaming music available to download, there may never be another album selling 15-20 million copies.

[Responsibility2nd]

Actually, according to Wikipedia, their greatest hits album sold 6.3 million copies as opposed to their first album selling 6.4

[frogjerk]

I tend to agree with you but regarding folk music, I really like more English-style folk than American-style. It seems to not take itself as seriously and is more fun.

[dfwgator]

Music is too segmented now. Kids listen to the “old stuff” too. Rock music has pretty much reached the same point as classical music. People just want to hear Beethoven, Bach, etc., and not anything new.