The Official best-selling female albums of all time in the UK revealed

Adele, Madonna and Whitney Houston have all released some of the biggest albums by women in UK chart history - but who comes out on top?
the-best-selling-albums-by-women.jpg

The Official Top 30 biggest-selling female albums of all time in the UK have been revealed.

Featuring worldwide superstars like Madonna and Lady Gaga alongside homegrown British acts like Adele and Amy Winehouse, The Top 30 was counted down by Jo Whiley on BBC Radio 2 today (October 16) as part of celebrations for National Album Day, which this year has the theme of Women In Music. 

30% of the list is comprised of British women artists, with nine entries from acts hailing from the UK. 

The list is topped by Adele, who reigns supreme with her second album 21. She also ranks fifth with her 2015 album 25, and had a third entry with debut record 19 at Number 19, also meaning that Adele has the most entries of any act on the list. 

There are several other women with repeat entries in the Top 30; Dido has two entries in the Top 10 with No Angel (7) and Life For Rent (10), while Madonna, Whitney Houston, Rihanna and Celine Dion all have two albums each in the Top 30.

You can view the full list below, but first here's a closer look and breakdown of the Top 5:

MORE: The female artists with the most UK Number 1 albums

5. Adele - 25 (2015)
Official Chart peak: Number 1
Sales: 3.36 million
Most-streamed song: Hello, 178 million streams

Adele's third album sticks close to a formula the London singer has perfected. After an album focusing on the birth of her son Angelo was scrapped, 25 re-focuses Adele's gaze back to love-lorn ballads and supersized torch songs. Lead by the gigantic comeback hit Helloboth Adele's most-streamed song ever and the most-streamed song in this list - 25 proved that if it ain't broke...don't fix it.

4. Shania Twain - Come On Over (1998)
Official Chart peak: Number 1
Sales: 3.41 million
Most-streamed song: Man! I Feel Like A Woman, 41 million streams

1999: Shania Twain - Come on Over

Shania Twain's third studio album spent almost an entire year in the lower regions of the Official Albums Chart in 1998, but the UK finally took to her in a big way in 1999, thanks to her singles That Don't Impress Me Much and Man! I Feel Like A Woman. In 1999 alone, Come On Over had sold 2.2 million to be the year's biggest album.

Check out Shania Twain's full Official Chart history

Before Taylor Swift crossed country boundaries with her blockbuster pop album 1989 in 2014, Shania showed that you could straddle with both genres with ease. Filled to the brim with hits (and ellipsis and exclamation marks), the tracks of Come On Over bristle with dance-pop (That Don't Impress Me Much) and tender acoustic ballads (You're Still The One) while its biggest hit, Man! I Feel Like A Woman is a coquettish ode to being free - no matter who you are. 

3. Madonna. - The Immaculate Collection (1990)
Official Chart peak: Number 1 
Sales: 3.77 million
Most-streamed song: Like A Prayer, 44 million streams

Madonna never did anything by the book, the same goes for her first greatest hits collection. Not just a celebration of her legacy (which by 1990 was already enviable) but a re-invention of it, The Immaculate Collection takes all of Madonna's early-career hits (Holiday, Like A Virgin, Papa Can't Preach) and re-packages them for a new decade. 

2. Amy Winehouse - Back To Black (2006)
Official Chart peak: Number 1
Sales: 3.91 million
Most-streamed song: Back To Black, 71 million streams

2007: Amy Winehouse - Back to Black

Originally released in October 2006, it wasn't until the following year that Amy Winehouse's Back To Black really took off, selling 1.82 million copies in 2007 alone. 

See Amy Winehouse's full Official Chart history

Amy Winehouse's second and final album released during her lifetime is a record imbued with shades of light and dark, just like the artist herself. Above all a tribute to the music of 1960s girl groups like The Supremes and The Shangri-Las, Back To Black became Amy's second UK number 1 album, and was also previously named the second-biggest album of the 21st century so far

On both these occasions, Back To Black lost out on the top spot to one album (and one artist) in particular. Can you guess who? It can only be...

1. Adele - 21 (2011)
Official Chart peak: Number 1
Sales: 5 million
Most-streamed song: Someone Like You, 146 million streams

2011: Adele - 21

2011 was the year Adele went global; and on home soil, her second album 21 was the year's best seller, shifting 3.8m copies and is one of the longest running Number 1 albums in the UK of all time. 

The defining break-up album for a generation, Adele's 21 is officially the biggest female album of all time in the UK. Its most popular track, the piano ballad Someone Like You is not only Adele's biggest song in the UK, it's also the 25th best-selling song in the UK of all time too.

As the world looks ahead to Adele's much-hyped return with fourth album 30 in November, 21 is a timeless reminder of the innate power of Adele's voice and why so many have felt drawn towards her and her stories in the first place.

BBC Radio 2's Jo Whiley said: “Adele has enchanted us from the very beginning with her voice, her songs and her personality. When she writes, she writes from the heart and that’s why her music resonates with so many people. She tells it like it is, whether onstage to thousands of people at Glastonbury or through the songs on her albums, and that’s why she is so loved and a global superstar.

"She sings it like she means it - because she does. She also has a phenomenal voice and hasn’t changed from the very first Live Lounge I did with her at Radio 1 to when I spoke to her just before she headlined Glasto. Always honest, down to earth, a superstar and very very funny.”

The Official Top 30 biggest-selling female artist albums in UK chart history

POS TITLE ARTIST MOST STREAMED TRACK
1 21 ADELE SOMEONE LIKE YOU
2 BACK TO BLACK AMY WINEHOUSE BACK TO BLACK
3 THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION MADONNA LIKE A PRAYER
4 COME ON OVER SHANIA TWAIN MAN! I FEEL LIKE A WOMAN!
5 25 ADELE HELLO
6 SPIRIT LEONA LEWIS BLEEDING LOVE
7 NO ANGEL DIDO THANK YOU
8 SPICE SPICE GIRLS WANNABE
9 THE FAME LADY GAGA POKER FACE
10 LIFE FOR RENT DIDO WHITE FLAG
11 JAGGED LITTLE PILL ALANIS MORISSETTE IRONIC
12 TRACY CHAPMAN TRACY CHAPMAN FAST CAR
13 COME AWAY WITH ME NORAH JONES COME AWAY WITH ME
14 19 ADELE MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE
15 OUR VERSION OF EVENTS EMELI SANDE BENEATH YOUR BEAUTIFUL (with LABRINTH)
      READ ALL ABOUT IT - PT 3 (SOLO)
16 WHITNEY WHITNEY HOUSTON I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY
17 ROCKFERRY DUFFY MERCY
18 SIMPLY THE BEST TINA TURNER THE BEST
19 FALLING INTO YOU CELINE DION BECAUSE YOU LOVED ME
20 LET'S TALK ABOUT LOVE CELINE DION MY HEART WILL GO ON
21 STRIPPED CHRISTINA AGUILERA BEAUTIFUL
22 LOUD RIHANNA S&M
23 I DREAMED A DREAM SUSAN BOYLE I DREAMED A DREAM
24 GOOD GIRL GONE BAD RIHANNA UMBRELLA
25 CALL OFF THE SEARCH KATIE MELUA THE CLOSEST THING TO CRAZY
26 SONGBIRD EVA CASSIDY SONGBIRD
27 MISSUNDAZTOOD PINK JUST LIKE A PILL
28 LET GO AVRIL LAVIGNE COMPLICATED
29 THE GREATEST HITS WHITNEY HOUSTON I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY
30 RAY OF LIGHT MADONNA FROZEN

©2021 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

Related artists

Join the conversation by joining the Official Charts community and dropping comment.

Already registered?

Log in

No account?

Register

avatar

Jack fitsy

0

No Kylie or Gaga 😂😂 Madonna's True Blue has just been certified as selling over 2.4 million copies making it the biggest selling album by a female in the 80's

avatar

Sova02

1

The bodyguard soundtrack is not listed, I guess in UK they dont consider it officially Whitney Houston album

avatar

bebexita

0

Kylie Minogue= N/A. Wasn't she the so called "Queen of the UK" lmmaooooo

avatar

Ener Daniel

0

Annie Lennox's Diva top charted #1 both in 1992 and 1993, became best selling album of the year; won Brit Award for the Album of The Year.
Accordingly to this, dropped out! Hope you know the best!

avatar

Bengy

1

I assume these are pure sales only - no streams.

Biggest selling as opposed to best selling?

avatar

Saint Perth

0

Seriously no BRITNEY SPEARS on the list though BABY ONE MORE TIME and OOPS one of the biggest selling single and fastest selling album in the UK.

EDB

Ed Derek Bo

1

both were "only" certified 4x platinum

avatar

electrix

1

Omg where's Fever?

avatar

bebexita

-1

Flop!

avatar

S. W

1

You are such a troll.. And a CHILD. what an idiot..

Top answer anybody who is a grown adult.. FEVER has sold around 1.71 million so far so isn't quite in the top 30. Kylie also has 2 other albums that have sold massively in the UK.. "enjoy yourself" (1.2 million) and her "Ultimate Kylie" greatest hits album (1.1 million) as well as her debut "Kylie" which is indeed 7x platinum for sales of over 2.1 million and it's absolutely a mistake of this chart when you consider the bottom of the chart is 1.9 million sales..

avatar

bebexita

1

Do I believe you or do I believe the OFFICIAL UK chart?

avatar

bebexita

1

"Kylie" was simply overshipped. Period

avatar

Jack fitsy

0

But Ray of Light was given 7x platinum status by the BPI for sales of 2.8 million and True Blue 7x platinum status for sales of 2.4 million. Madonna has 9 albums that have surpassed 1 million and 4 of those have surpassed 2 million

NN

Nu No

1

"Fever" was certified 5xPlatinum for sales over 1.5 million in 2002. Much probably this album is already elligible for a 6xPlatinum having sales over 1.8 million as 2023. Yet that would still be very short from the #30 of this list, Madonna "Ray of Light" have estimated sales of 2.8 million being elligible for 9xPlatinum (last certified 6xPlatinum in 2003 and before 5xPlatinum in 2001).

Kylie best selling album in UK was her debut album that is certified 7xPlatinum for sales of 2.1 million as 1989. The album was never a big catalog seller and its sales are estimated to be at 2.3 million at best as 2022.

Probably both Kylie albums are amont TOP 100 best selling albums by female artist in UK but still very far from the TOP 30.

Kylie still did good overal being the #05 best selling female albums artist in UK with sales over 11.5 million (having at #02, #03 and #04 Adele, Whitney Houston and Celine Dion with sales from 12 million to 13.5 million). Madonna is far ahead at #01 having almost twice as much album sales any other female artist in UK with over 24 million album units sold!

NN

Nu No

1

Despite not being a big catalog seller the sales for Kylie debut must be near 2.3 million (it was certified 2.1 in 1989 already).

"Ray of Light" sales were reported at 2.8 million (being very undercertified) - last certificaitons were 6xPlatinum in 2003 and 5xPlatinum in 2001 being one of Madonna biggest catalog sellers from the 2000's decade.

Madonna "True Blue" sales are reported at 2.6 million being another huge calalog seller for Madonna in the 2000's (as it had a remaster release in 2001). Was last certified 7xPlatinum in 1992 for sales over 2.1 million.

Madonna best selling catalog seller in the 2000's was "The Immaculate Collection" that was certified 12xPlatinum in 2003 for sales over 3.6 million. The album reported sales from 2003 to 2010 were already enough to gain it another platinum award but only in 2022 was automatically certified 13xPlatinum (based on sales from 2013 to 2022 when automatic certifications were implemented). The album already sold around 4.2 million being elligible for a 14xPlatinum.

Both Kylie debut and Fever are probably among TOP 100 best selling albums by female artists. Hopefully in 2023 "Fever" will be illegible for a 6xPlatinum but as most sales were before 2013 if the label doesn't ask and pay for certification it won't happen anytime soon (as have been happening to Madonna).

avatar

Makis Sklavenitis

2

Very weird with Whitney Houston bodyguard OST absent from the list.

avatar

whitneyUK

2

It is counted as a soundtrack and therefore it isn't listed as a female album. The UK is the only country that does this, everywhere else in the world they count it as a Whitney Houston album.

avatar

Rob Parkinson

1

Yeah it does seem weird as the article even states Whitney, Adele and Madonna but then Whitney isn't even noted in the top 10 here!

avatar

Jack fitsy

0

The US counts it as a soundtrack too which it is. She sings less than 50% of the songs. Madonna's Evita is a Madonna album as she sings 90% of the songs

avatar

bebexita

1

No Kylie Minogue. What happened? I thought she was the queen in the UK and above Madonna yet she couldn't rank here?

avatar

Jack fitsy

0

LOL Madonna is WAY more successful. Read more. 8 of her albums are over million sellers in the UK with another 4 waiting in the wings at just over 900'000 for GHV2, Something To Remember & her debut Madonna & just 3 million sellers for Kylie.

NR

Neil Randall

2

The Bodyguard film soundtrack album should be there really for Whitney as she sang most of the songs on it and starred in the film.

avatar

bebexita

-2

It's only a soundtrack

avatar

whitneyUK

1

All over the world it is counted as Whitney Houston album except the UK.

avatar

bebexita

0

Well, it shouldn't. It's a soundtrack

avatar

whitneyUK

0

Then why did the UK go back in time and credit Evita to Madonna despite it originally not charting on the main chart? Why is The Preacher's Wife credited to Whitney? The bottom line is one day they will credit The Bodyguard to Whitney like the rest of the world does.

avatar

bebexita

-1

They won't and shouldn't. Get over it.

avatar

Jack fitsy

0

Evita has 2 soundtracks. The 2 CD edition was the official soundtrack. Warners then released an Evita album where Madonna sang 100% of the songs, this version topped the charts and sold over 10 million WW. Its a Madonna album because she sang 100% of the songs on it! The Bodyguard was billed as a soundtrack & Whitney sings less than 60% of the songs. Therefore, its a soundtrack

Deal with it

avatar

Petri Kakko

-2

KYlie's debut has sold over 7x Platinum and is the best selling 80s album by female artist on UK! This chart is FAKE!!! Also double checked that Kylie's debut has sold over 2,1 million in UK and Madonna's ray of light is 1,8 million so this really is total .

avatar

bebexita

0

Seethe!!! Kylie is just an irrelevant local flop who can't even have her frontloaded #1 on this list

Ray of light>>>>any studio album by Floplie

avatar

bebexita

1

Seems like Kylie isn't Even All that in the UK and she is a total nobody everywhere else. Poor ha!

avatar

Jack fitsy

0

Madonna's True Blue has now sold over 2.4 million. BPI certified it as 7x platinum in December 2018. Ray of Light has sold 2.5 million. Check your facts

NN

Nu No

0

"Ray of Light" is undercertified in UK and most European countries.
In UK since 2013 certifications are automatic but not for digital sales before 2010 and physical sales before 2013. "Ray of Light" UK sales are estimated to be around 2.8 million and even Madonna "True Blue" (despite even having more certifications) is estimated to be at 2.5 million sales.

During the 2000's decade Madonna have had huge catalog sales in Europe (as some of her albums were even re-mastered) but her label decided not to ask and pay for certifications as since 2006 they knew she was leaving to another label). The success of 2005 "Confessions On A Dancefloor" (that sold estiated 1.7 million in UK) and her sell out tours during 2000's decade helped to move millions o catalog albums.

Kylie debut album sounds a bit dated and doesn't have many catalog sales due to so many Greatest Hits packs. Its sales are probably at 2.3 million at best now.

NN

Nu No

1

Madonna "True Blue" was certified 7xPlatinum in 1992 already (for sales over 2.1 million)! It was even re-releaed a remaster from this album in 2001. "True Blue" sales in UK are estimated to be at around 2.6 million as 2022 (automatic certification were implemented in 2013 and only count digital sales from 2008 on and physical sales from 2013 on - the album is elligible for a 8x Platinum in UK for over 12 years already).

Madonna "Ray of Light" album was certified 6xPlatinum in 2003 and have sales in UK reported as arround 2.8 million as 2021 (according to BBC and other sources) - this album is already elligble for a 9xPlatinum in UK.

Despite being certified 13x Platinum "The Immaculate Collection" in August 2022 (based on automatic certificaiton) but as 2009 sales were already enough for a new certification based on yearly sales from 2003 to 2009 (it was certified 12xPlatinum in 2003 before this new automatic certification). Total sales are estimated to be already over 4.2 million as 2023 so it's already elligible for a 14xPlatinum. The album still charts almost every week on UK TOP 100 Download Charts.

Warner Music will probably re-certify Madonna albums whenever they decided to start re-leasing the annivversary editions of all her albums they announced over a year ago. We should expect Madonna re-certifications to start happening to most of her abums as soon as each album is re-leased (probably during the week of re-release or a couple of weeks after the re-releases to keep the albums selling and being streamed)!

avatar

Jack fitsy

1

Madonna's True Blue album is the best selling album by a female in the 80's with certified sales as of 2021 at 2.25 million, and over 35 million streams. Kylies debut has moved 2 million certified

avatar

Jack fitsy

0

Ray of Light has been certified as selling 2.1 million as of 2020, one of 8 million sellers for her in the UK, with another 3 at over 950'000 waiting in the wings to be certified million sellers also. Kylie just doesnt sell in the UK despite her slew of number 1 albums in her twilight years. Barely any of 14 albums released that hit number 1 are studio albums. Just 5 to Madonnas 11. Madonnas hit success is unsurpassed

avatar

thierry henon

1

I am surprised not to see the amazing MARIAH CAREY on the list!! But i know she has always had more success in the USA than in Europe even though she is more talented than the overrated adele!!

avatar

bebexita

0

Carey was never that big in the UK. Her highest certified album is 5x platinum. #30 on this list is 6x platinum so she never really stood a chance

avatar

Jack fitsy

1

She is a US talent only. Its why Madonna is the worlds most successful female and not her

M

malekً

1

i dont see nicki https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/d6b4747c2fe7c90055fb7c03009caf667b41f79be678af99f3f7f1350a4a0125.jpg

avatar

bebexita

1

Why would you? Most of her albums landed outside of the top ten and her only chart topper only spent less than 50 weels on chart. Most albums on here spent two years.

avatar

bebexita

-3

Kylie MiFlop nowhere to be found. Madonna is 100x than that fad

avatar

Petri Kakko

-1

Ray of light has sold 1,8 million and Kylie debut over 2,1 million so this chart is total fake, or they just made a huge mistake by forgetting that...

avatar

bebexita

2

This chart is 100% official, you idiot. It means Ray of light has already sold more than 2.1 million. Kylie loses again.

avatar

electrix

1

lol the obsession is insane. Madonna AND Kylie are both queens
We hispanos don't claim you either wbk

avatar

bebexita

-1

Kylie miflop is nothing in latin america btw

avatar

bebexita

0

Do I believe the UK's OFFICIAL chart's word or do I believe a delusional Kylie MiSh1t Stan? Ray of light>>>>Whorie's debut. Period

NN

Nu No

0

Madonna "True Blue" was certified 7xPlatinum in 1992 already (for sales over 2.1 million)! It was even re-releaed a remaster from this album in 2001. "True Blue" sales in UK are estimated to be at around 2.6 million as 2022 (automatic certification were implemented in 2013 and only count digital sales from 2008 on and physical sales from 2013 on - the album is elligible for a 8x Platinum in UK for over 12 years already).

Madonna "Ray of Light" album was certified 6xPlatinum in 2003 and have sales in UK reported as near 2.8 million as 2021 (according to BBC and other sources) - this album is probably already elligble for a 9xPlatinum in UK.

Despite being certified 13x Platinum "The Immaculate Collection" in August 2022 (based on automatic certificaiton) but as 2009 sales were already enough for a new certification based on yearly sales from 2003 to 2009 (it was certified 12xPlatinum in 2003 before this 2022 new automatic certification). Total sales are estimated to be already over 4.2 million as 2023 so it's already elligible for a 14xPlatinum. The album still charts almost every week on UK TOP 100 Download Charts.

These are much probably Madonna 3 biggest catalog sellers from the 2010's decade (plust "Confessions On A Danceflorr" that was released during that decade).

Warner Music will probably re-certify most Madonna albums whenever they decided to start re-leasing the annivversary editions of all her albums they announced over a year ago. We should expect Madonna re-certifications to start happening to most of her abums as soon as each album is re-leased (probably during the week of re-release or a couple of weeks after the re-releases to keep the albums selling and being streamed)!

Kylie debut album unfortunally is not a huge catalog seller and so have sales estimated to be from 2.2 to 2.3 million only. Maybe if they decided to re-release the album with an anniversary release with extras it will one day sell enough to get to 2.4 million and be certified 8xPlatinum, who knows?

G

Gabriele

1

Spice only girl group queens!

avatar

Tommo06

4

Where’s Kylie the Album? 5th biggest album of entire 1980s

avatar

bebexita

-1

Flop!!!

avatar

Petri Kakko

-2

Thats what im thinking! Way bigger album than Ray of light which shows here at #30. This chart is fake!

avatar

bebexita

1

Seethe

avatar

Jack fitsy

2

Check your facts moron! Ray of Light has sold 2.8 million in the UK. True Blue has, as of 2018 sold 2.4 million and is the biggest selling album by a female in the 80's by a woman in the UK. Madonna has 9 albums here that have sold over 1 million each, Kylie a meagre 3. Beyond a of gays she just does not sell. Madonna has had 40 years of groundbreaking music

LM

Lee Moore

1

OCC, have you looked at your article on biggest studio albums from 2018? The figures you quote are down on the figures you listed 3 years ago...assuming this list doesn't include streaming sales?

avatar

Blank

0

Only 1 album by a group in the whole top 30

NN

Nu No

1

Much probably even inside the whole TOP 50.

avatar

whitneyUK

2

It's sad and frustrating that The Bodyguard soundtrack is considered as a Whitney Houston album all over the world except in the UK Charts. It was huge in the UK but it's as if it doesn't exist for Whitney here under her career. :(

avatar

Blank

2

The single more than made up for it!

PYG

pipis y gañas

0

why should it be considered a Whitney album? it isn't

avatar

Courtney Puzzo

0

yet this very site reported earlier this year that 21 had sold nearly 6 million in the UK same as Abba Gold Greatest Hits released 18+ years before