List of best-selling albums in the United Kingdom

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Colour photograph of all four members of Queen performing live in 1981.
Queen's Greatest Hits (1981) is the best-selling album in the UK. Their 1991 follow-up Greatest Hits II is the UK's tenth highest-selling album.

The best-selling album in the United Kingdom is Greatest Hits, a compilation album by the British rock band Queen that was first released in 1981.[1] As of July 2022, it has sold more than 7 million copies,[2] of which approximately 124,000 have been from downloads.[3][4] Queen's second greatest hits album, Greatest Hits II, has sold approximately 4 million copies since being released in 1991, and is the tenth biggest-selling album in the UK.[1] These sales figures include 50% of sales of box sets containing both albums and 33% of sales of box sets of Queen's three Greatest Hits albums.[5]

Of the UK's top 60 best-selling albums, more than half are by British artists.[1] Fourteen are by American artists, with the rest being from Ireland, Canada, Sweden and Jamaica.[6] Ten acts feature on the chart with more than one album, with Queen and Michael Jackson both featuring twice within the top ten.[1] The only acts to feature more than twice are Coldplay, Michael Jackson, Take That and Robbie Williams; Williams features on the chart four times, more than any other artist.[a] The most-represented record label is Parlophone with seven entries, while the decade that appears the most is the 2000s, with 20 of the entries having been released during that period, despite its "general background of declining sales and internet piracy".[6][8]

According to the Official Charts Company (OCC), which collects album sales data in the UK, an album is defined as being a type of music release that features more than four tracks or is longer than 25 minutes in duration.[9] Sales of albums in the UK were first published by the music magazine Record Mirror, who compiled a weekly chart of the country's five biggest-selling records for the week of 22 July 1956.[10] Record Mirror's first number one was Songs for Swingin' Lovers! by Frank Sinatra.[11] Since then, four albums have gone on to sell more than five million copies each: Greatest Hits by Queen, Gold: Greatest Hits by ABBA, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles and 21 by Adele.[12] The top nine best-selling albums have each sold at least four million copies.[13] Since 1994, sales of albums have been monitored by the OCC, who took over compiling the weekly UK Albums Chart.[14]

Sales certifications for albums are awarded by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipments, physical sales and downloads of albums, and, as of June 2015, streaming of album tracks.[15] The BPI began awarding certifications soon after it was founded in April 1973.[16] Initially, certifications were based on the revenue received by the album manufacturers – records that generated revenue of £75,000 were awarded silver certification, £150,000 represented gold and £1 million was platinum.[16] Over the following six years, the thresholds for silver and gold certifications both grew twice – the threshold for platinum certification remained at £1 million. In January 1979, this method of certifying sales was abolished, and certifications were instead based on unit sales to retail outlets: sales of 60,000 were awarded silver, gold for 100,000 and platinum for 300,000.[16] Multi-platinum awards were introduced in February 1987;[b] digital downloads have been counted towards unit sales since 2004.[17] Certifications for albums released before April 1973 were retroactively awarded in August 2013 for sales from 1994 onwards, and then again in February 2016 for all previous sales.[18] The highest-certified album is Greatest Hits, which has been awarded platinum certification 23 times, representing 6,900,000 units.[19]

Best-selling albums[edit]

Positions are as of July 2016;[1] sales, where shown, are from the reference given, which may be at a different date, and cannot be used to infer changes in position.

Best-selling albums in the UK
No. Album Artist Record label[c] Released[c] Chart
peak[c] 		Sales[d] (as of date) No. of times
Platinum[e]
1 Greatest Hits Queen EMI October 1981 1 7,000,000 (Jul 2022)[21] 23×
2 Gold: Greatest Hits ABBA Polydor September 1992 1 6,000,000 (Nov 2021)[22] 20×
3 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band The Beatles Parlophone June 1967 1 5,400,000 (Aug 2020)[23] 18×
4 21 Adele XL January 2011 1 5,400,000 (Nov 2022)[23] 18×
5 (What's the Story) Morning Glory? Oasis Creation October 1995 1 5,100,000 (Jan 2024)[24] 17x
6 Thriller Michael Jackson Epic November 1982 1 4,500,000 (Nov 2021)[25] 15×
7 The Dark Side of the Moon Pink Floyd Harvest March 1973 2 4,470,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 15×
8 Brothers in Arms Dire Straits Vertigo May 1985 1 4,350,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 14×
9 Bad Michael Jackson Epic August 1987 1 4,200,000 (Nov 2021)[26] 14×
10 Greatest Hits II Queen EMI/Parlophone October 1991 1 3,990,000 (Jul 2016)[27] 13×
11 Rumours Fleetwood Mac Warner Bros. February 1977 1 4,090,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 14×
12 Back to Black Amy Winehouse Island October 2006 1 3,930,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 13×
13 The Immaculate Collection Madonna Sire November 1990 1 3,700,000 (Jul 2016)[27] 13×
14 25 Adele XL November 2015 1 3,600,000 (Apr 2020)[24] 12×
15 Come On Over Shania Twain Mercury November 1997 1 3,517,003 (Jan 2023)[24] 11×
16 Stars Simply Red East West September 1991 1 3,450,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 12×
17 Legend Bob Marley and the Wailers Island/Tuff Gong May 1984 1 3,380,000 (Aug 2020)[27] 14×
18 Back to Bedlam James Blunt Atlantic November 2004 1 3,360,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 11×
19 Urban Hymns The Verve Hut September 1997 1 3,340,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 11×
20 x Ed Sheeran Asylum June 2014 1 3,380,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 11×
21 Bat Out of Hell Meat Loaf Epic October 1977 3 3,370,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 11×
22 The Fame Lady Gaga Interscope January 2009 1 3,303,415 (Aug 2023)[23] 11×
23 1 The Beatles Apple November 2000 1 3,230,000 (Jul 2016)[27] 11×
24 Bridge over Troubled Water Simon & Garfunkel CBS January 1970 1 3,260,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 10×
25 Dirty Dancing Original soundtrack RCA August 1987 4 3,150,000 (Oct 2015)[28] 10×
26 Spirit Leona Lewis Syco November 2007 1 3,170,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 10×
27 Crazy Love Michael Bublé Reprise October 2009 1 3,130,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 10×
28 No Angel Dido Arista October 2000 1 3,090,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 10×
29 Spice Spice Girls Virgin November 1996 1 3,022,090 (Nov 2021)[29] 10×
30 White Ladder David Gray IHT/East West November 1998 1 3,020,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 10×
31 Only by the Night Kings of Leon Hand Me Down September 2008 1 3,000,000 (Apr 2018) 10×
32 A Rush of Blood to the Head Coldplay Parlophone August 2002 1 3,000,000 (Nov 2020)[24] 10×
33 Talk on Corners The Corrs Atlantic October 1997 1 2,960,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 9×
34 Life for Rent Dido Cheeky September 2003 1 2,900,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 9×
35 Beautiful World Take That Polydor November 2006 1 2,880,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 9×
36 Hopes and Fears Keane Island May 2004 1 2,860,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 9×
37 The Joshua Tree U2 Island March 1987 1 2,880,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 9×
38 The War of the Worlds Jeff Wayne Columbia June 1978 5 2,800,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 9×
39 X&Y Coldplay Parlophone June 2005 1 2,790,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 9×
40 Scissor Sisters Scissor Sisters Polydor February 2004 1 2,760,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 9×
41 ...But Seriously Phil Collins Virgin November 1989 1 2,750,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 9×
42 Jagged Little Pill Alanis Morissette Maverick June 1995 1 2,780,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 10×
43 Parachutes Coldplay Parlophone July 2000 1 2,740,000 (Jul 2020)[30] 9×
44 Tubular Bells Mike Oldfield Virgin May 1973 1 2,760,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 9×
45 Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael Epic November 1998 1 2,700,000 (Jan 2019)[31] 9×
46 The Man Who Travis Independiente May 1999 1 2,687,500 (May 2016)[32] 9×
47 Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman Elektra April 1988 1 2,710,000 (Oct 2018)[24] 8×
48 Greatest Hits ABBA Epic April 1976 1 2,606,000 (Jul 2016)[27] 8×
49 Grease Original soundtrack RSO April 1978 1 2,586,500+ (Jul 2016) 9×
50 I've Been Expecting You Robbie Williams Chrysalis October 1998 1 2,586,500 (May 2016)[33] 10×
51 Come Away with Me Norah Jones Parlophone June 2002 1 2,556,650 (Oct 2016)[34] 8×
52 Graceland Paul Simon Warner Bros. August 1986 1 2,500,000+ (Jul 2016) 8×
53 The Sound of Music Original soundtrack RCA Victor May 1965 1 2,500,000+ (Jul 2016) 8×
54 Tango in the Night Fleetwood Mac Warner Bros. April 1987 1 2,500,000 (Apr 2017)[35] 8×
55 The Marshall Mathers LP Eminem Interscope June 2000 1 2,460,000 (May 2018)[36] 8×
56 Swing When You're Winning Robbie Williams Chrysalis November 2001 1 2,385,700 (May 2016)[33] 8×
57 Progress Take That Polydor November 2010 1 2,360,000+ (Jul 2016) 8×
58 Eyes Open Snow Patrol Fiction May 2006 1 2,400,000 (Mar 2018)[37] 8×
59 Never Forget – The Ultimate Collection Take That RCA November 2005 2 2,360,000 (Jul 2016)[27] 8×
60 Automatic for the People R.E.M. Warner Bros. October 1992 1 2,350,000 (Jul 2016) 7×

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Williams features on the chart twice as a solo artist and twice as a member of Take That.[7]
  2. ^ As an example, a 2× Platinum certification would reflect 2 × 300,000 = 600,000 sales.
  3. ^ a b c The record labels, dates and chart peaks are those given by the OCC.[20]
  4. ^ Sales, where available, are rounded to the nearest 100; a more precise figure is given in the reference.
  5. ^ The certifications are those given by the BPI as of December 2018.[19]

References[edit]

General (chart positions)

  • Copsey, Rob (4 July 2016). "The UK's 60 official biggest selling albums of all time revealed". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 9 July 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.

Specific

  1. ^ a b c d e Copsey, Rob (4 July 2016). "The UK's 60 official biggest selling albums of all time revealed". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 9 July 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  2. ^ Smith, Carl (11 July 2022). "Queen's Greatest Hits becomes first album in Official Charts history to reach 7 million UK chart 'sales'". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 19 July 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  3. ^ Jones, Alan (17 November 2014). "Official Charts analysis: Wake Me Up returns to singles summit as Children in Need charity track". Music Week. (subscription required)
  4. ^ "Queen reach six million album sales in UK". BBC News. 11 February 2014. Archived from the original on 19 February 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  5. ^ Jones, Alan (19 September 2009). "How the All Time Charts were compiled". Music Week.
  6. ^ a b "Queen retain UK album sales crown". BBC News. 9 April 2012. Archived from the original on 11 April 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
  7. ^ "Queen's greatest hits crowned as UK's biggest-selling album". The Guardian. London. 5 July 2016. ISSN 0261-3077. OCLC 60623878. Archived from the original on 6 July 2016. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  8. ^ Murison, Krissi, ed. (9 April 2012). "'Queen's Greatest Hits' named biggest-selling UK album of all time". NME. ISSN 0028-6362. OCLC 317997735. Archived from the original on 13 April 2012. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
  9. ^ "Rules For Chart Eligibility – Albums" (PDF). Official Charts Company. May 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 September 2016. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  10. ^ Mawer, Sharon (2008). "1956". The Official UK Charts Company. Archived from the original on 8 March 2009. Retrieved 28 June 2011.
  11. ^ "Albums chart: 50 chart facts". Music Week. 5 August 2006. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2011. (subscription required)
  12. ^ Gumble, Daniel (4 January 2017). "Adele's 21 breaks five million sales barrier". Music Week. Archived from the original on 5 January 2017. Retrieved 4 January 2017.
  13. ^ "Adele overtakes Dire Straits to become UK's sixth biggest selling album of all-time". Official Charts Company. 23 March 2012. Archived from the original on 8 May 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  14. ^ "Official UK Albums Top 100". Official Charts Company. 2010. Archived from the original on 5 October 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  15. ^ "About Us". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 1 May 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  16. ^ a b c "Certified Awards – A Timeline" (PDF). British Phonographic Industry. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 April 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  17. ^ "Certified Awards". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 1 May 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  18. ^ "Beatles albums finally go platinum". BBC News. 2 September 2013. Archived from the original on 10 April 2014. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  19. ^ a b "Certified Awards". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 25 June 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  20. ^ "Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. 2010. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  21. ^ Smith, Carl (19 July 2021). "Queen's Greatest Hits becomes first album in Official Charts history to reach 7 million UK chart 'sales'". Official Charts. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  22. ^ Ainsley, Helen (19 November 2021). "Taylor Swift secures eighth Official Number 1 album with Red (Taylor's Version)". Official Charts Company.
  23. ^ a b c "Brit Certified – Certification Levels – Albums". British Phonographic Industry. n.d. Archived from the original on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 12 November 2022.
  24. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad "Oasis: What's The Story Morning Glory". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
  25. ^ Michael Jackson - Thriller, PLATINUM 15X. Retrieved November 26, 2021
  26. ^ Michael Jackson - Bad, PLATINUM 14X. Retrieved November 26, 2021
  27. ^ a b c d e f Myers, Justin (12 July 2016). "The Greatest of the Greatest: The UK's Official Top 10 Biggest Hits Collections Revealed". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 14 July 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
  28. ^ "Quiz: Who sold more?". Official Charts Company. 24 October 2015. Archived from the original on 25 December 2015.
  29. ^ Paine, Andre (5 November 2021). "Charts analysis: Ed Sheeran scores biggest weekly sales since ÷ in 2017". Music Week. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  30. ^ Copsey, Rob (13 July 2020). "Coldplay's Parachutes: 20 incredible chart facts on the album's 20th anniversary". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
  31. ^ "George Michael Ladies & Gentlemen - The Best Of". British Phonographic Industry. 11 January 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  32. ^ Jones, Alan (6 May 2016). "Official Chart Analysis: Drake's Views tops Official Albums chart". Music Week. Archived from the original on 6 December 2017. Retrieved 5 July 2016. (subscription required)
  33. ^ a b Sutherland, Mark (9 May 2016). "By the numbers: inside Robbie Williams' albums career". Music Week. Archived from the original on 13 July 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  34. ^ Jones, Alan (14 October 2016). "Official Charts Analysis: Green Day claim top spot with Revolution Radio". Music Week. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 15 October 2016. (subscription required)
  35. ^ Jones, Alan (7 April 2017). "Official Charts Analysis: Sheeran becomes first artist this century to top both charts for five weeks in a row". Music Week. Archived from the original on 8 April 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2017. (subscription required)
  36. ^ White, Jack (4 May 2018). "The UK's Official biggest rap albums of the Millennium". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  37. ^ Copsey, Rob (22 March 2018). "Listen to Snow Patrol's first single in seven years". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 30 March 2018.

External links[edit]

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