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The best-selling albums of all time on the Official UK Chart
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Launched in 1956, the Official Albums Chart has provided a weekly snapshot of popularity to one of the most influential art forms of our time for more than 60 years.
The first ever chart, which was published in Record Mirror on 22 July 1956, saw Frank Sinatra’s Songs For Swingin’ Lovers landing in the coveted Number 1 slot. Now, over half a century of vinyl, cassette, CD and download-purchasing later, over 1,100 albums have hit the top spot in the UK. But which are the biggest of all time?
MORE: Look back at the best-selling album of every year since 1956
Topping the all time best sellers list is Queen’s 1981 Greatest Hits, and stands alone as the first and only album to have sold over 6 million copies in the UK (6.1 million sales to date). Queen’s Greatest Hits II also makes it into the Top 10 at Number 10 with almost 4 million albums sold.
"What a great bit of news to wake up to!" Brian May told Official Charts. "The most popular album? Well, I always thought the band showed promise, but this is beyond our boyhood dreams! Thanks folks!"
Roger Taylor added: "Incredible... marvellous... humbling... thank you... I feel good!"
The retrospective has enjoyed another resurgence this year thanks to the Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody. We caught up with Brian May back when the record passed 6 million - watch below:
Meanwhile, ABBA – Gold: Greatest Hits is the UK’s second biggest-selling album of all-time – 5.2 million units have been shifted since its release in 1992.
The best-selling studio album in Britain comes courtesy of The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (3) is also the only other release in history to break the five million UK sales barrier (5.1 million). Look back at The Beatles' full Official Chart history here.
Adele’s 2011 phenomenon 21, featuring Someone Like You, remains unmoved at Number 4, while Oasis’ (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? rounds out the Top 5 approaching 4.7 million sales.
The rest of the Top 10 features two entries from Michael Jackson; Thriller and Bad sit at 6 and 9 respectively. Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon (7) is the only record in the Top 10 that has never topped the weekly chart, peaking at Number 2 instead, while Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms lands at Number 8.
With a total of four entries, Robbie Williams makes the most appearances of any individual within the Top 60, counting two of his solo releases (I’ve Been Expecting You at 48 and Swing When You’re Winning at 56) and two Take That best-sellers (Progress at 57 and Never Forget – The Ultimate Collection at 59). Robbie also scored the 1000th Number 1 album back in 2013 with Swings Both Ways.
Take That have a third inclusion on the long list with Beautiful World at Number 34, their first album without Robbie. Also with three entries on the list are Coldplay with their albums A Rush of Blood to the Head (31), X&Y (40) and Parachutes (45). Acts with two albums apiece in the Top 60 include Michael Jackson, Queen, The Beatles, Adele, Dido, ABBA, Paul Simon (including Simon & Garfunkel) and Fleetwood Mac.
While Adele’s 21 might be her personal best overall, her most recent offering 25 causes the biggest disruption to the all-time list, rocketing into the all-time Official Albums Chart Top 30 at Number 27.
25 broke a slew of chart records following its release back in November 2015 when it became the fastest-selling album of all time in the UK, beating Oasis’ Be Here Now to the highest ever first week sales as British shoppers snapped up a staggering 800,000 copies in its opening week.
Not content with stopping there, 25 smashed through the million sales threshold in just 10 days, setting a new land speed record for a million-selling album in Britain, the previous record being held by Oasis’ Be Here Now (17 days) also. It came as little surprise when Adele then went on to hurtle through the 2 million barrier by its 29th day on sale, overtaking title holders Robson & Jerome whose 1995 debut album took 42 days to cover the same ground.
In the time since the all-time Top 60 list was compiled, 25 has proven unstoppable by bulldozing through the 3 million units marker, receiving a 10x Platinum certification from the BPI.
Another notable modern entry is Ed Sheeran's second album X at Number 49. An impressive run of form over recent years has seen the Suffolk singer-songwriter notch up nearly 2.6 million sales of 2014 release X. X has spent 13 weeks at Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart and and incredible 250 weeks in the Top 100.
Ed Sheeran receives the first Official Number 1 Album Award ahead of his three sold-out shows on July 10 at Wembley Stadium.
Ed Sheeran receiving the very first Official Number 1 Album Award in July 2015
Ed was also the first recipient of the 24ct gold-plated Official Number 1 Album Award when the scheme launched one year ago this week. Ed was presented with the award on stage at Wembley Stadium in July 2015 where he made history by becoming the first solo performer to headline the legendary venue.
Commenting on this list, Official Charts chief executive Martin Talbot said: “In celebration of 60 years of the UK’s Official Album Chart, it is fantastic that we can crown Queen as the kings of the Anniversary Top 60. With seven albums by British acts in the all-time Top 10, and Adele’s 21 now challenging The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper to be the biggest selling studio album of all time, it is a great list for homegrown talent.
"And the fact that Adele’s latest album 25 is riding into the overall Top 30, along with Ed Sheeran’s X, underlines the power of the Official Albums Chart in championing great British talent, young and old. Happy birthday to the UK’s Official Albums Chart!"
The best-selling albums of all time on the Official Chart
| POS | TITLE | ARTIST | YEAR | HIGH POSN |
| 1 | GREATEST HITS | QUEEN | 1981 | 1 |
| 2 | GOLD - GREATEST HITS | ABBA | 1992 | 1 |
| 3 | SGT PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND | BEATLES | 1967 | 1 |
| 4 | 21 | ADELE | 2011 | 1 |
| 5 | WHAT'S THE STORY MORNING GLORY | OASIS | 1995 | 1 |
| 6 | THRILLER | MICHAEL JACKSON | 1982 | 1 |
| 7 | THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON | PINK FLOYD | 1973 | 2 |
| 8 | BROTHERS IN ARMS | DIRE STRAITS | 1985 | 1 |
| 9 | BAD | MICHAEL JACKSON | 1987 | 1 |
| 10 | GREATEST HITS II | QUEEN | 1991 | 1 |
| 11 | RUMOURS | FLEETWOOD MAC | 1977 | 1 |
| 12 | THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION | MADONNA | 1990 | 1 |
| 13 | BACK TO BLACK | AMY WINEHOUSE | 2006 | 1 |
| 14 | STARS | SIMPLY RED | 1991 | 1 |
| 15 | COME ON OVER | SHANIA TWAIN | 1997 | 1 |
| 16 | LEGEND | BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS | 1984 | 1 |
| 17 | BACK TO BEDLAM | JAMES BLUNT | 2004 | 1 |
| 18 | URBAN HYMNS | VERVE | 1997 | 1 |
| 19 | BAT OUT OF HELL | MEAT LOAF | 1977 | 9 |
| 20 | 1 | BEATLES | 2000 | 1 |
| 21 | BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER | SIMON & GARFUNKEL | 1970 | 1 |
| 22 | DIRTY DANCING | ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK | 1987 | 4 |
| 23 | SPIRIT | LEONA LEWIS | 2007 | 1 |
| 24 | CRAZY LOVE | MICHAEL BUBLE | 2009 | 1 |
| 25 | NO ANGEL | DIDO | 2000 | 1 |
| 26 | WHITE LADDER | DAVID GRAY | 1998 | 1 |
| 27 | 25 | ADELE | 2015 | 1 |
| 28 | TALK ON CORNERS | CORRS | 1997 | 1 |
| 29 | SPICE | SPICE GIRLS | 1996 | 1 |
| 30 | THE FAME | LADY GAGA | 2008 | 1 |
| 31 | A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD | COLDPLAY | 2002 | 1 |
| 32 | LIFE FOR RENT | DIDO | 2003 | 1 |
| 33 | ONLY BY THE NIGHT | KINGS OF LEON | 2008 | 1 |
| 34 | BEAUTIFUL WORLD | TAKE THAT | 2006 | 1 |
| 35 | HOPES AND FEARS | KEANE | 2004 | 1 |
| 36 | THE JOSHUA TREE | U2 | 1987 | 1 |
| 37 | THE WAR OF THE WORLDS | JEFF WAYNE | 1978 | 5 |
| 38 | SCISSOR SISTERS | SCISSOR SISTERS | 2004 | 1 |
| 39 | BUT SERIOUSLY | PHIL COLLINS | 1989 | 1 |
| 40 | X&Y | COLDPLAY | 2005 | 1 |
| 41 | JAGGED LITTLE PILL | ALANIS MORISSETTE | 1995 | 1 |
| 42 | TUBULAR BELLS | MIKE OLDFIELD | 1973 | 1 |
| 43 | THE MAN WHO | TRAVIS | 1999 | 1 |
| 44 | TRACY CHAPMAN | TRACY CHAPMAN | 1988 | 1 |
| 45 | PARACHUTES | COLDPLAY | 2000 | 1 |
| 46 | GREATEST HITS | ABBA | 1975 | 1 |
| 47 | GREASE | ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK | 1977 | 1 |
| 48 | I'VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU | ROBBIE WILLIAMS | 1998 | 1 |
| 49 | X | ED SHEERAN | 2014 | 1 |
| 50 | COME AWAY WITH ME | NORAH JONES | 2002 | 1 |
| 51 | GRACELAND | PAUL SIMON | 1986 | 1 |
| 52 | THE SOUND OF MUSIC | ORIGINAL CAST RECORDING | 1965 | 1 |
| 53 | LADIES & GENTLEMEN - THE BEST OF | GEORGE MICHAEL | 1998 | 1 |
| 54 | TANGO IN THE NIGHT | FLEETWOOD MAC | 1987 | 1 |
| 55 | THE MARSHALL MATHERS LP | EMINEM | 2000 | 1 |
| 56 | SWING WHEN YOU'RE WINNING | ROBBIE WILLIAMS | 2001 | 1 |
| 57 | PROGRESS | TAKE THAT | 2010 | 1 |
| 58 | EYES OPEN | SNOW PATROL | 2006 | 1 |
| 59 | NEVER FORGET - THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION | TAKE THAT | 2005 | 2 |
| 60 | AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE | REM | 1992 | 1 |
©2016 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.
Look back through the UK's official biggest selling album of every year since 1956 below:
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Owen Martin
No stone roses find that hard to believe
Bengy
Can these sales figures please be updated?
Miguel Ángel Martín Ramírez
Faltan SUPERTRAMP y BEE GEES
Bengy
©2016 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.
So your sales figures are now out of date. Queen has been awarded 21 times platinum by BPI in Dec. 2018 for 6,300,000. And Sgt. Pepper was re-issued in 2017 adding on a further 200,000 plus sales.
M
Marcus777
The 5,200,000 UK Sales, that you give to 'ABBA Gold' was a few Years old, by April 2019. It was given an 18th B.P.I. Platinum Award on December 20th 2018 = 5.400,000 UK Sales. It has sold about 100,000 since then, which includes over 83,000 in 2019. (To W/E 5th September). More recently, The OCC gave it over 5,580,000 UK Sales in a 'Feature'.
Regarding 'Greatest Hits' by Queen:
Almost 600,000 of its UK Sales are from other Queen releases. That's 66,000 from a 1994 Double Queen CD and 560,000 from the Triple Queen CD - 'The Platinum Collection', from 2000. So 2 of its 21 Platinum Awards are from other Queen releases. It has 19 Platinum Awards as the 'Stand-Alone' Album, that was released in 1981. Their 'Greatest Hits II' also gets 2 of its Platinum Awards from the 1994 and 2000 Queen releases. It should have 11 UK Platinum Awards - not 13...
Bengy
Some albums updated by BPI on 10/8/20,
Queen Greatest Hits Virgin Platinum 22X Album 10.08.2020 03.01.2011
Abba Gold - Greatest Hits Polydor Platinum 19x Album 10.08.2020 05.04.2004
Beatles Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Apple Corps Platinum 18x Album 10.08.2020 09.09.2009
Fleetwood Mac Rumours Rhino/Warner Records Platinum 14x Album 10.08.2020 24.04.1984
Bob Marley & The Wailers Legend Tuff Gong Platinum 13x Album 10.08.2020 20.05.2002
Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water Columbia Platinum 11x Album 10.08.2020 20.08.2001
Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman Elektra Platinum 9x Album 10.08.2020 08.04.1988
etin
Back to bedlam & tubular bells are very surprising. Also how Talk on corners sold more than spice?
BP
Oh, and where is that overhyped Elvis....???
NOWHERE.....
FC
Fact Checker
Article dated 11th April 2019, but is identical to the list you published on 4th July 2016. I know album sales are falling fast, but surely there have been some position changes in the past 3 years ?
Bengy
Sales figures and rank order both need updating. This is the same list as in July 2016.
GF
Gary Feld
What about these albums...I thought they all sold enough to be in Top 60?
“Christmas” – Michael Buble’
"Ladies & Gentlemen - The Best Of..." - George Michael
“Number 1s” – Michael Jackson
"Greatest Hits" - Robbie Williams
Carta
George Michael is #53....
Bengy
Can we please have another update on album sales? For clarity, do OCC include Music Club sales, streams, video plays in all-time lists?
etin
where is boyzone- by request?
DG
David Gibbs
What position would be Elvis' 40 Greatest Hits released in 1975 on K-Tel label.It was a massive seller.
DG
David Gibbs
I thought the 1975 collection ELvis 40 Greatest Hits might have snuck in here.I know he was mainly a singles artist most of the time sales wise but this collection was a massive seller over a couple of years up to his death.
DS
David Sutton
Thanks Nu No, I'd seen the list before, but not with the sales figures. Nice one.
NN
Nu No
THE UK ’S 100 BEST SELLING ALBUMS (THE OFFICIAL UK CHARTS COMPANY - FROM 2006)
Just for you who want to know about other albums bellow #60. This list has 110 and it's from 10 years ago when the charts celebrated 50 years.
1
GREATEST HITS
QUEEN
5,407,587
2
SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND
BEATLES
4,811,996
3
WHAT'S THE STORY MORNING GLORY
OASIS
4,314,715
4
BROTHERS IN ARMS
DIRE STRAITS
3,956,704
5
GOLD - GREATEST HITS
ABBA
3,943,950
6
THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON
PINK FLOYD
3,781,993
7
GREATEST HITS II
QUEEN
3,644,619
8
THRILLER
MICHAEL JACKSON
3,578,107
9
BAD
MICHAEL JACKSON
3,554,301
10
THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION
MADONNA
3,402,160
11
STARS
SIMPLY RED
3,361,115
12
COME ON OVER
SHANIA TWAIN
3,344,280
13
RUMOURS
FLEETWOOD MAC
3,135,844
14
URBAN HYMNS
VERVE
3,054,374
15
NO ANGEL
DIDO
3,002,194
16
BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER
SIMON & GARFUNKEL
3,001,062
17
TALK ON CORNERS
CORRS
2,944,547
18
SPICE
SPICE GIRLS
2,920,669
19
BACK TO BEDLAM
JAMES BLUNT
2,895,874
20
WHITE LADDER
DAVID GRAY
2,851,429
21
BAT OUT OF
MEAT LOAF
2,837,285
22
LIFE FOR RENT
DIDO
2,789,719
23
BUT SERIOUSLY
PHIL COLLINS
2,737,932
24
1
BEATLES
2,690,318
25
THE MAN WHO
TRAVIS
2,669,825
26
THE JOSHUA TREE
U2
2,665,553
27
GREATEST HITS
ABBA
2,598,576
28
TUBULAR BELLS
MIKE OLDFIELD
2,575,099
29
A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD
COLDPLAY
2,574,249
30
I'VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU
ROBBIE WILLIAMS
2,556,042
31
JAGGED LITTLE PILL
ALANIS MORISSETTE
2,551,238
32
SCISSOR SISTERS
SCISSOR SISTERS
2,535,983
33
LEGEND
BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS
2,520,486
34
HOPES AND FEARS
KEANE
2,498,950
35
WAR OF THE WORLDS
JEFF WAYNE'S MUSICAL VERSION
2,452,236
36
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK
2,438,695
37
DIRTY DANCING
ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK
2,435,109
38
LADIES & GENTLEMEN - THE BEST OF
GEORGE MICHAEL
2,408,810
39
GREASE
ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK
2,373,621
40
COME AWAY WITH ME
NORAH JONES
2,369,847
41
X&Y
COLDPLAY
2,345,126
42
TRACY CHAPMAN
TRACY CHAPMAN
2,342,506
43
ROBSON & JEROME
ROBSON & JEROME
2,336,086
44
TANGO IN THE NIGHT
FLEETWOOD MAC
2,333,819
45
PARACHUTES
COLDPLAY
2,324,783
46
AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE
REM
2,270,332
47
WHITNEY
WHITNEY HOUSTON
2,237,603
48
THE MARSHALL MATHERS LP
EMINEM
2,233,158
49
SWING WHEN YOU'RE WINNING
ROBBIE WILLIAMS
2,205,028
50
GRACELAND
PAUL SIMON
2,203,381
51
SING WHEN YOU'RE WINNING
ROBBIE WILLIAMS
2,182,097
52
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER
ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK
2,151,142
53
THE BODYGUARD
ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK
2,138,030
54
THE VERY BEST OF
ELTON JOHN
2,134,524
55
SIMPLY THE BEST
TINA TURNER
2,121,000
56
KYLIE - THE ALBUM
KYLIE MINOGUE
2,105,698
57
FALLING INTO YOU
CELINE DION
2,093,363
58
LIFE THRU A LENS
ROBBIE WILLIAMS
2,074,860
59
GREATEST HITS
EURYTHMICS
2,055,996
60
ESCAPOLOGY
ROBBIE WILLIAMS
2,037,380
61
GREATEST HITS
ROBBIE WILLIAMS
1,998,668
62
LET'S TALK ABOUT LOVE
CELINE DION
1,984,152
63
DANGEROUS
MICHAEL JACKSON
1,983,954
64
TRUE BLUE
MADONNA
1,961,164
65
APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION
GUNS N' ROSES
1,945,240
66
NO JACKET REQUIRED
PHIL COLLINS
1,934,912
67
ABBEY ROAD
BEATLES
1,925,783
68
A NEW FLAME
SIMPLY RED
1,923,366
69
BY THE WAY
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
1,915,008
70
CAN'T SLOW DOWN
LIONEL RICHIE
1,891,896
71
SONGS ABOUT JANE
MAROON 5
1,868,548
72
CROSS ROAD - THE BEST OF
BON JOVI
1,867,427
73
STRIPPED
CHRISTINA AGUILERA
1,850,852
74
GREATEST HITS
SIMON & GARFUNKEL
1,840,454
75
CARRY ON UP THE CHARTS - THE BEST OF
BEAUTIFUL SOUTH
1,828,890
76
PLAY
MOBY
1,819,938
77
THE COLOUR OF MY LOVE
CELINE DION
1,816,915
78
BORN TO DO IT
CRAIG DAVID
1,816,781
79
THE GREATEST HITS
TEXAS
1,809,480
80
NEVERMIND
NIRVANA
1,807,142
81
SOUTH PACIFIC
ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK
1,803,681
82
JUSTIFIED
JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE
1,802,172
83
AMERICAN IDIOT
GREEN DAY
1,800,144
84
BE HERE NOW
OASIS
1,799,784
85
BACK TO FRONT
LIONEL RICHIE
1,793,978
86
OUT OF TIME
REM
1,786,954
87
CALL OFF THE SEARCH
KATIE MELUA
1,780,817
88
EMPLOYMENT
KAISER CHIEFS
1,772,936
89
BY REQUEST
BOYZONE
1,770,728
90
BAT OUT OF II
MEAT LOAF
1,745,974
91
DEFINITELY MAYBE
OASIS
1,740,386
92
JUST ENOUGH EDUCATION TO PERFORM
STEREOPHONICS
1,731,863
93
INTRODUCING THE HARDLINE ACCORDING TO…
TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY
1,721,685
94
MISSUNDAZTOOD
PINK
1,712,173
95
LET GO
AVRIL LAVIGNE
1,711,088
96
PERFORMANCE AND COCKTAILS
STEREOPHONICS
1,710,522
97
OLDER
GEORGE MICHAEL
1,708,555
98
PARALLEL LINES
BLONDIE
1,694,353
99
FEVER
KYLIE MINOGUE
1,682,387
100
10 GOOD REASONS
JASON DONOVAN
1,680,651
101 RAY OF LIGHT MADONNA 1,677,925
102 COAST TO COAST WESTLIFE 1,675,804
103 IN CONCERT CARRERAS/DOMINGO/PAVAROTTI 1,668,571
104 ARRIVAL ABBA 1,653,225
105 FRIDAY'S CHILD WILL YOUNG 1,640,090
106 MY WAY - THE BEST OF FRANK SINATRA 1,639,353
107 WHITE ON BLONDE TEXAS 1,639,327
108 OCEAN DRIVE LIGHTHOUSE FAMILY 1,633,722
109 LIKE A VIRGIN MADONNA 1,626,126
110 GOTTA GET THRU THIS DANIEL BEDINGFIELD 1,614,517
NN
Nu No
Own only 10 of those albums. Very different styles on this chart. That is cool.
Johnny McVey
Where would Robbie's greatest hits and Michael Jackson's Number Ones be in the all time sellers? Somewhere in the 60s?
Bertram LeFarge
Where's Marty Feldman's 'I Feel A Song Going Off'....scandalous!
puzzzleduck
What a pointless quiz
CM
Colin Mackie
Seriously...........no Status Quo? Hello!
C
Chrissywissy
Some people don't seem to understand this is a sales list, not a critical appraisal. I own 17, and there's two greatest hits albums by one of my fave artists that I haven't got (but I own 2 or 3 copies of nearly all their other albums). Also a few other compos by artists I like - it's the nature of things that these do well. Some artists shine very brightly for a short period and appear on this list with one of only a couple of albums produced. I'm sure a list of artists by total sales would have most of the missing names people expect to appear.
Johnny McVey
Where would Adele's 19 be?
etin
very low position for jagged little pill .. Wondering other mega sellers which stay on chart many weeks
prodigy,boyzone, radiohead,beautiful south,blur,celine dion
Felix Rene
The best is Johnny HALLYDAY.........
СЁ
Самбуу Ёндон
#31 A RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD
#40 X&Y
#45 PARACHUTES
Coldplay is Legends
jonsouthgen
So the biggest selling album of the 20th century in the U.S., ..and the second biggest selling of all time,.doesn't cut it in the U. K.?..surprising,..R.I.P. Glenn
Darren M Gomes
A lot of the albums are fairly recent ones, does this mean that downloads sell much more than physical albums? Took the quiz, I've only got 13 of the top 60, but rather insulted to be told to "time to start brushing up on some classics" when most of them are far too recent to be considered 'classics'!
DS
David Sutton
Totally agree 5i Only got 16 and got the same message.
Johnny McVey
Not at all - digital albums have NEVER sold more than physical albums. CDs and vinyls are still responsible for over half the albums market. Digital albums only became legal in April 2006, which means that 49 of the albums on this list were released when downloads weren't even a thing. Also last year Adele's 21 became the very first album to sell more than 1 million downloads in the UK, so no, downloaded albums do not sell anywhere near physical ones.
A Margine
So Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Bee Gees, Nirvana, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, they all WISH they could sell like James Blunt and Scissor Sisters and Snow Patrol, right? Are you serious????
I Am A Stegosaurus
I see your point, but don't sh*t on Snow Patrol, they are great.
AJ
Adam Jones
Disappointed that there are no synthesiser based groups in there. Also quite surprised that True Blue, Listen Without Prejudice and Actually aren't as I thought they sold quite well
NN
Nu No
They were once. Won't be far behind. Probably are all inside the TOP 100.
AJ
Adam Jones
Proves that best selling doesn't necessarily mean good
KC
Kevin Carroll
Thanks for those insightful comments Drew. Glad you could find the time to sneak away from the dinner table and down to your parents basement to post what is surely the best retort of all time! Don't forget to delete your browser history tonight in case mommy finds out what you are really doing down there!
I Am A Stegosaurus
Hating on old musical artists doesn't make you a bad person you know. Sure he is a massive troll at times but all he did this time was post his opinions
JL
Jonathan Lewis
where is Emeli Sandi she spent almost a year in the top ten a couple of years ago. and no sade albums ?
Official Charts
Hi Jonathan, Our Version Of Events was a massive album yes, and Emeli only just missed out on a placing in the list. Would be Number 68!
M
michael
no carpenters greatest hits
Bengy
Are Music Club sales included in the sales figures?
BlueLightAlarm
Are they still a thing?
Bengy
Not now, but were in the past.
For example, Britannia Music Club (1969-2007).
KC
Kevin Carroll
Surprised but pleased to see Jeff Wayne and Mike Oldfield!! Shocked not to see any Elton John (Goodbye Yellow Brick Road) or Alan Parsons Project (I Robot). Who doesn't have these two albums in their collections? Also Pink Floyd The Wall?
drew
lots of people do not have those 2 albums because they are .
I Am A Stegosaurus
I don't.
AJ
Adam Jones
I don't either
BlueLightAlarm
I've never even heard of Alan Parsons Project - had to Google it and am still none the wiser
puzzzleduck
You teaser!
DG
David Gibbs
Same here.
EH
Edward Howard
Glad to see a good artist still tops these charts.
S
steveshow
In fact the best!
EH
Edward Howard
Of course! Silly me.
G
guilherme
madonna´s ray of light was a huge seller . i thought it would have made the list! but at least she has TIC going strong!
Johnny McVey
Ray of Light isn't 7x Platinum yet. I'd guess it's maybe around number 85-90?
G
guilherme
yes. maybe. i think her certifications are totally overdue. in the uk and usa. warner bros does not have the interest of updating them as she is no longer with them.
Johnny McVey
the BPI certify songs and albums every Friday - keep your eyes peeled
G
guilherme
but only if the record companies ask to.
Bengy
Albums left out by the OCC include,
ELTON JOHN - THE VERY BEST OF ELTON JOHN 9 x Platinum Certification
ROBBIE WILLIAMS - SING WHEN YOU'RE WINNING 8 x Platinum Certification
ROBBIE WILLIAMS - LIFE THRU A LENS 8 x Platinum Certification
When other albums are only 7 times platinum.
Official Charts
Hi Bengy, no albums have been left out. BPI certifications are based on shipments, rather than actual copies sold. On pure sales, Sing When You're Winning, for example, would place at Number 72 in this list, Elton is a little further down. Thanks for following.
Felice P Iovino
Yes but what about KYLIE the album? Over 2 million copies sold and shifted
Johnny McVey
How has Automatic for the People sold more than Sing When You're Winning? AFTP only went 7x Platinum (2.1m) in February, whilst SWYW has passed 2.2m according to Music Week (http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/by-the-numbers-inside-robbie-williams-albums-career/064727) and I seriously doubt much of that comes from streams. Has AFTP really sold over 100k that quickly?
Bengy
Unlike the BPI the OCC do not include Music Club sales or streams in their tallies.
Britannia Music Club (1969-2007) generated many sales for Robbie which were not tracked.
Bengy
Thanks for that explanation.
jp1962
No Bowie :-(
Red Mike
Far to eclectic to be a massive seller. If good taste and aesthetics mattered then the chart would look quite different!
Happy Pilchard
I was wondering about that.
Liam Prince
In your opinion, of course
I Am A Stegosaurus
Johnny McVey
I think his biggest seller is Best of Bowie, which is only 4x Platinum (1.2 million)
Johnny McVey
Back to Black is a very eclectic album
Mik Keogh
Shocked at that
I Am A Stegosaurus
yay Snow Patrol #58! :D