CLASSIFICATIONS
World's best-selling albums of all time
How many times in your life have you listened to songs extracted from the best-selling albums of all time? Some albums have changed the history of music and art in general, and their value has been certified by the number of copies of the album purchased.
These records are iconic and have marked an era: even today, many people buy a copy of such albums to keep a historical product with them, especially now that vinyls are popular again.
Here are what are the best-selling albums of all time according to data provided by the certification bodies made available by different nations, taking into consideration, of course, the number of officially declared sales.
The best-selling albums of all time worldwide
How many times in your life have you listened to the songs extracted from these records? Some albums have changed the history of music and their value has been certified by the number of copies sold. These records are iconic and have marked an era: even today, many people buy a copy of such albums to keep a historical product with them, especially now that vinyls are popular again. Here are what are the best-selling albums of all time according to the data provided by the certification bodies of different nations, taking into consideration, of course, the number of officially declared sales.
Bee Gees - Saturday Night Fever (1977): 40 million copies sold
The celebrated soundtrack to the film starring John Travolta and Karen Lynn Gorney collects some of Bee Gees, 's biggest hits including "How Deep Is Your Love" and "Stayin' Alive". The album won two Grammy Awards, in the categories of Album of the Year and Best Vocal Performance by a Group.
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours (1977): 40 million copies sold
The eleventh album by Fleetwood Mac was incredibly successful, even winning the Grammy as album of the year. In terms of specialized critics, "Rumours" was also highly praised: for example, the magazine Rolling Stone places this record seventh on its list of the best albums of all time.
Shania Twain - Come on Over (1997): 40 million copies sold
Shania Twain, 's third studio project "Come on Over" is the best-selling country album of all time. The album is one of the best-selling albums ever in the United States according to data from Nielsen SoundScan and holds the record for the most weeks spent on the top 20 of the Billboard 200, an impressive 112.
Eagles - Hotel California (1976): 42 million copies sold
"Hotel California" is the first work of Eagles without the contribution of founding member Bernie Leadon, as well as being the last record recorded with bassist Randy Meisner. The success of this album is driven by historical songs such as "New Kid in Town" and, of course, "Hotel California".
Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell (1977): 43 million copies sold
The peculiarity of this record is that initially it was not a success, on the contrary : at the time of its release, "Bat Out of Hell" recorded very low numbers in terms of sales, and then gradually gathered acclaim. An estimated 200,000 copies per year of this album, which also had two sequel: "Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell" (1993) and "Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose" (2006), are still sold.
Eagles - Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) (1976): 44 million copies sold
"Their Greatest Hits" is the best-selling album ever in the United States, as certified by the Recording Industry Association of America. In total, this album went diamond 5 times and went platinum 10 times
Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon (1973): 45 million copies sold
"The Dark Side of the Moon" needs no introduction. An iconic album, starting from the cover to the songs featured in this splendid record work, which explores aspects that can escape the rational control of the human soul, from money to the passage of time to mental alienation.
Whitney Houston & various artists - The Bodyguard (1992): 45 million copies sold
The soundtrack to the famous film starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner is the best-selling album of all time by a female artist. Thanks to unforgettable hit such as "I Will Always Love You" and "I Have Nothing", this record also won Grammy as Album of the Year in 1994.
AC/DC - Back in Black (1980): 50 million copies sold
"Back in Black" is the first AC/DC album without the historic singer Bon Scott. The death of the band frontman probably influenced the themes of this album, which, among other themes, deals with death and hedonism and has within it some of AC/DC's most popular songs, such as "Back in Black" and "You Shook Me All Night Long".
Thriller - Michael Jackson (1982): 70 million copies sold
'Thriller' is the best-selling album of all time worldwide. Produced by Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson's sixth studio album has officially sold 70 million copies, but estimates say it should have surpassed 100 million. Reputed to be one of the most iconic records of all time, 'Thriller' was the first album ever to place seven singles in the Top 10 of the Billboard 100: 'The Girl Is Mine' featuring Paul McCartney, 'Billie Jean', 'Beat It', 'Wanna Be Startin' Somethin', 'Human Nature', 'P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)' and, of course, the eponymous 'Thriller'. The record won eight Grammys, including the Album of the Year award, making Michael Jackson the first artist to receive eight statuettes in a single night.
From the past
23/03/2024
The music world, but more specifically the rock 'n' roll environment, has always been a place inhabited by cursed artists, bizarre characters, suffering personalities and misunderstood geniuses. The lives of these great artists have often not been easy, and have also given rise to many legends.
The famous 27 Club, for example, is said to have been born out of a pact with the devil. But also the rock stars' passion for drugs gave rise to many urban legends that are still believed to be true by many people today.
It is difficult to say how much truth there is in these tales, but it is undeniable that the stories told have, over the years, increased the myth of the cursed poet, the wild rocker and the 'fast life'.
Curiosities
22/03/2024
For various reasons, some bands, as well as some singers, force themselves to stop playing certain songs live, including some of their biggest hits.
Among these bands are Beatles, who, for example, have never played at least ten songs from their entire repertoire live.
The Beatles, of course, are not the only musicians who have had this peculiarity. The same goes for other great artists such as David Gilmour, AC/DC, but also R.E.M. Here are some of the songs that musicians have never performed (or ever again performed) live.