List of best-selling albums in Australia

Last updated

This is a list of best-selling albums in Australia that have been certified by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Since the 1970s, ARIA certified an album platinum for a shipment of 50,000 copies across Australia. In 1983, the number of copies required for a platinum album was raised to 70,000 copies. [1] All albums in this list released after 1982 must have won at least ten ARIA Platinum Awards (700,000 copies) or fourteen awards (700,000 copies) if released before 1983. This list is primarily based on the ARIA database, so it does not include some of the albums which were best-sellers before ARIA began tracking records.

Contents

According to ARIA certifications, Bat Out of Hell by Meat Loaf is the best-selling album of all time in Australia, with twenty-five times platinum; Whispering Jack by John Farnham is the second-best-selling album and best-selling album for any local artist, with twenty-four times platinum; and Shania Twain's Come On Over holds record for the best-selling album by a female solo artist, with twenty-five times platinum. Gold: Greatest Hits by ABBA is the best-selling compilation album ever, while Madonna's The Immaculate Collection is the best-selling compilation album in solo artist category. All of these records (except for the second-best-selling album of all time) are held by foreign artists. The highest-selling album by an Australian female solo artist is Delta Goodrem's debut Innocent Eyes , with fifteen times platinum.

Gold and Platinum certification awards (Timeline)

Albums

CertificationUntil 1983 [2] Since 1983 [1] [3] Since 2015 [4]
Gold20,00035,000no change
Platinum50,00070,000no change
Diamond––500,000

Best-selling albums in Australia

Listing is sorted by certified sales and by release year.

No.YearAlbumArtistNationalityAwardSalesSource
1 1977 Bat Out of Hell Meat Loaf US26× Platinum1,820,000 [5]
2 1997 Come On Over Shania Twain Canada25× Platinum1,750,000 [5]
3 1986 Whispering Jack John Farnham Australia24× Platinum1,680,000 [6]
4 1992
2014 		Gold: Greatest Hits
Gold: Greatest Hits (40th Anniversary Edition) 		ABBA Sweden17× Platinum
1× Platinum		1,260,000 [7] [8]
[7]
5 1985 Brothers in Arms Dire Straits UK17× Platinum1,190,000 [9]
2011 21 Adele UK [8]
1982 Thriller Michael Jackson US [10]
8 1975 The Best of ABBA ABBA Sweden22× Platinum1,100,000 [11]
9 2003 Innocent Eyes Delta Goodrem Australia15× Platinum1,050,000 [12]
1981 Greatest Hits Queen UK [7]
11 1995 Jagged Little Pill Alanis Morissette Canada14× Platinum1,035,000 [13] [14]
12 2011 Christmas Michael Bublé Canada2× Diamond1,000,000 [15]
2002 The Eminem Show Eminem US [16]
14 1973 The Dark Side of the Moon Pink Floyd UK14× Platinum980,000 [12]
1978 Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture Olivia Newton-John, John Travolta & Various ArtistsVarious [13] [17]
1984 Born in the U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen US [16]
1993 So Far So Good Bryan Adams Canada [5]
18 1994 Cross Road Bon Jovi US13× Platinum910,000 [5]
1996 Falling into You Celine Dion Canada [12]
1996 Recurring Dream − The Very Best of Crowded House Crowded House New Zealand / Australia [18]
1977 Rumours Fleetwood Mac UK / US [12]
1991 Metallica Metallica US [16]
2008 Funhouse Pink US [10]
24 1976 Arrival ABBA Sweden18× Platinum900,000 [11]
25 2005 Curtain Call: The Hits Eminem US12× Platinum840,000 [19] [20]
1980 Back in Black AC/DC Australia [21]
1990 The Immaculate Collection Madonna US [22]
1997 Savage Garden Savage Garden Australia [23]
2003 The Complete Greatest Hits Eagles US [18] [6]
1993 Music Box Mariah Carey US [12]
2006 I'm Not Dead Pink US [10]
32 1987 Dirty Dancing Various ArtistsUS11× Platinum770,000 [12]
2014 1989 Taylor Swift US [10]
1994 Forrest Gump Various ArtistsUS [12]
2002 Come Away with Me Norah Jones US [24]
1979 The Wall Pink Floyd UK [12]
2017 ÷ Ed Sheeran UK [5]
2008 Only by the Night Kings of Leon US [5]
38 1975 ABBA ABBA Sweden14× Platinum700,000 [11]
1972 Hot August Night Neil Diamond US [25] [26]
1990 Led Zeppelin Remasters Led Zeppelin UK10× Platinum [27]
1991 Dangerous Michael Jackson US [12]
1994 Don't Ask Tina Arena Australia [12] [28]
1996 Yourself or Someone Like You Matchbox Twenty US [29]
2000 1 The Beatles UK [9]
2009 I Dreamed a Dream Susan Boyle UK [12]
2015 25 Adele UK [30]
1994 Throwing Copper Live US [8]
1991 Soul Deep Jimmy Barnes Australia [19]
2010 Greatest Hits...So Far!!! Pink US [19]
2014 × Ed Sheeran UK [16]
1995 Greatest Hits Bruce Springsteen US [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>The Eminem Show</i> 2002 studio album by Eminem

The Eminem Show is the fourth studio album by the American rapper Eminem. After it had originally scheduled for release on June 4, 2002, the album was released nine days earlier on May 26, 2002, through Aftermath Entertainment, Shady Records, and Interscope Records due to pirating and bootlegging of it. The album saw Eminem take a substantially more predominant production role; most of it was self-produced, with his longtime collaborator Jeff Bass. It features guest appearances from Obie Trice, D12, Dr. Dre, Nate Dogg, Dina Rae and Eminem's daughter Hailie Jade Scott-Mathers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Britney Spears discography</span>

American singer Britney Spears has released nine studio albums, eight compilation albums, nine box sets, three extended plays (EPs), 50 singles, 11 promotional singles, two charity singles, and has made three guest appearances. In 1997, Spears signed a recording contract with American record label Jive Records in order to launch her career.

<i>Curtain Call: The Hits</i> 2005 greatest hits album by Eminem

Curtain Call: The Hits is the first greatest hits album by American rapper Eminem. It was released on December 6, 2005, under Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope Records. The album collects Eminem's most popular singles, as well as three new songs, including a live version of "Stan", featuring English singer-songwriter Elton John performed at the 43rd Grammy Awards, plus the songs "Fack", "When I'm Gone" and "Shake That" featuring Nate Dogg.

<i>The Essential Michael Jackson</i> 2005 greatest hits album by Michael Jackson

The Essential Michael Jackson is a greatest hits compilation album by American singer Michael Jackson. It was released on July 19, 2005, by Sony Music's catalog division Legacy Recordings as part of The Essential series. The two-disc compilation features thirty-eight hit songs by Michael Jackson, from his days at Motown Records with The Jackson 5 in the late 1960s and early 1970s to his 2001 hit "You Rock My World".

<i>Savage Garden</i> (Savage Garden album) 1997 studio album by Savage Garden

Savage Garden is the debut studio album by Australian pop duo Savage Garden. It was released on 4 March 1997 in Australia by Columbia Records and Roadshow Music. The album won the award for Highest Selling Album at the 12th Annual ARIA Music Awards, selling more than 12 million copies worldwide, according to Billboard magazine. In September 1997, Savage Garden won a record ten ARIA Awards from 13 nominations for the album and associated singles. As of 2005, Savage Garden had been certified diamond in Canada, 12× platinum in Australia, 7× platinum in the US, 2× platinum in New Zealand, Singapore, and in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whitney Houston albums discography</span>

American singer Whitney Houston, who is known as “The Voice”, released seven studio albums, eight compilations, three soundtrack albums, five box sets, six extended plays, and 57 singles. She has sold over 220 million records worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling music artists in history. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), Houston is the best-selling female R&B artist of the 20th century, and has sold 100 million certified records in the United States. She is also the fourth best-selling female album artist in the US with 61 million certified album sales. In addition, until the launch of the RIAA's digital certification program in 2004, she had sold 16.5 million physical singles—more than any other female solo artist in history. According to the Official Charts Company in October 2012, Houston is the fourth-biggest-selling female singles artists of all-time list with a sales total of 8.5 million singles in that country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mariah Carey albums discography</span>

American singer Mariah Carey has released fifteen studio albums, two soundtrack albums, eight compilation albums, four extended plays, and one remix album. Carey is one of the best-selling music artists of all-time, having sold over 220 million records globally. She was presented with the Millennium Award at the 2000 World Music Awards for becoming the best-selling female artist of the millennium. According to the RIAA, she is the highest-certified female artist and tenth overall recording artist with shipments of 75 million albums in the US. She is also ranked as the best-selling female artist of the US Nielsen SoundScan era (1991–present) with album sales of 55.5 million.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rihanna albums discography</span>

Barbadian singer Rihanna has released eight studio albums, two remix albums, one reissue, seven box sets and three extended plays. Since the beginning of her career in 2005, Rihanna has sold 60 million album units and 215 million digital tracks worldwide, making her one of the best-selling artists of all time. All of her albums have been certified platinum and multi-platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and have totalled sales of over 10 million copies in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shania Twain discography</span>

Canadian singer Shania Twain has released six studio albums, three compilation albums, three remix albums, one box set, two live albums, 45 singles, 38 music videos, six promotional singles, and made six guest appearances. Twain's repertoire has sold over 34 million albums in the United States alone, placing her as the top-selling female artist in country music. Moreover, with 48 million copies shipped, she is ranked as the 26th best-selling artist overall in the US, tying with Kenny G for the spot. She is also recognized as one of the best-selling music artists in history, selling over 100 million records worldwide and thus becoming the top-selling female artist in country music ever.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eminem albums discography</span>

American rapper Eminem has released 11 studio albums, two compilation albums, and one extended play. His music has been released on record labels Interscope Records and Aftermath Entertainment, along with subsidiaries Web Entertainment and his own Shady Records. Eminem is the best-selling rapper of all time and the best-selling artist of the 2000s with US album sales at over 32.25 million during the decade. With sales of over 500 million records worldwide, he is among of the best-selling music artists of all time. According to the RIAA, Eminem has sold 227.5 million certified albums and singles in the United States. In his home country, he has earned 50 platinum albums and 10 number one albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rod Stewart discography</span>

The following is the complete discography of British singer Rod Stewart. Throughout his career, Stewart has sold 120 million records worldwide, making him one of the world's best-selling music artists in history. According to Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), he has sold 46.6 million albums and singles in the US. Billboard ranked him as the 15th Greatest Artist of all time. He is also the 20th Greatest Hot 100 artist of all time and the 13th Greatest Billboard 200 Artist of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bon Jovi discography</span>

American rock band Bon Jovi has released 15 studio albums, three live albums, five compilation albums, five EPs, 66 singles, 14 video albums, and 71 music videos. Bon Jovi has sold over 130 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling bands of all time. As of 2018, the band has sold 21.8 million albums in the US Nielsen SoundScan era. Billboard ranked Bon Jovi as the 45th Greatest Artist of all time, achieving 6 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 & 4 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. According to Recording Industry Association of America, Bon Jovi has sold 34.5 million albums in the United States.

<i>Eminem Presents: The Re-Up</i> 2006 compilation album by Shady Records

Eminem Presents: The Re-Up or simply, The Re-Up, is a compilation album performed by various artists of American record label, Shady Records. The album features performances by Shady Records artists Eminem, D12, 50 Cent, Obie Trice, Stat Quo, Bobby Creekwater and Cashis, while affiliated artists such as Lloyd Banks, Akon and Nate Dogg, made guest appearances. The album debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart and has since sold over one million copies in the US alone, being certified platinum by the RIAA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Celine Dion albums discography</span>

Canadian singer Celine Dion has released 27 studio albums, seven live albums, 19 compilation albums, and 25 box sets. Referred to as the "Queen of Power Ballads", Dion is the best-selling Canadian artist of all time and the best-selling artist in the Nielsen SoundScan era in Canada. Dion is also the second best-selling female artist in the United States since Nielsen began tracking sales in 1991 with over 53.2 million albums sold in the country. Guinness World Records recognises her as the Top Selling Album Act in Europe with 33 million certified album sales since 1996. In 2003, Dion was honored by International Federation of the Phonographic Industry for selling 50 million albums in Europe. Billboard placed her second among the best-selling female album artist of the 2000s Decade in the United States with 17.3 million albums sold via Soundscan. According to Billboard, Dion is the sixth Greatest Billboard 200 female solo artist of all time, as well as the eighth Greatest female solo artist of all time in Billboard's chart history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eagles discography</span>

The Eagles are an American rock band. Since their debut in 1972, they have released seven studio albums, three live albums, 11 compilation albums, as well as four video albums and 30 singles. Of those singles, five topped the Billboard Hot 100. The Eagles have a total of 18 Top 40 hits on the pop charts, as well as several hits on the adult contemporary chart. They are one of the best-selling popular music artists in history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dido discography</span>

The discography of Dido, a British pop singer, consists of six studio albums, one demo album, two extended plays, 31 singles, and one video album. She debuted in 1993, performing and touring with trip hop group Faithless. In 1997, she began composing solo material and signed a recording contract with Arista Records in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alan Jackson albums discography</span>

Alan Jackson is an American country music artist. The first artist signed to Arista Nashville Records, he was with them from 1989 to 2011. He has released 21 studio albums, including two Christmas albums, and a tribute album for the label, as well as released 14 compilation albums. His second greatest hits album Greatest Hits Volume II is his highest-certified album, being certified 7× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, with sales in the United States of over 7,000,000. His other greatest hits album as well as his 1992 studio album, A Lot About Livin' , are his second highest-certified albums, at 6× Platinum. He has sold over 40 million albums in the United States since 1991 when Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales for Billboard.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elton John albums discography</span>

The albums discography of British musician and singer-songwriter Elton John consists of 31 studio albums, 5 live albums, 10 soundtrack albums, 16 compilation albums, 4 extended plays, 3 tribute albums, 4 collaboration albums, and 2 holiday albums.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Janet Jackson albums discography</span>

The albums discography of American singer Janet Jackson consists of eleven studio albums, four compilation albums, and two remix albums. When she was fifteen, her father arranged a contract for her with A&M Records. Her debut album, Janet Jackson (1982), peaked at number 64 on the Billboard 200 chart and sold 250,000 copies in the United States. Her next album, Dream Street (1984), peaked at number 147 on the Billboard 200, a weaker effort than her previous album. Her third album, Control (1986), became known as her breakthrough album, topping the Billboard 200 and sold over 10 million copies worldwide. Her fourth album, Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989), topped the Billboard 200 for four consecutive weeks and sold three million copies within the first four months of its release. The album went on to produce seven consecutive top 5 hits, four of them reaching the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in three separate calendar years, a record yet to be broken. The album was certified 6× Platinum by RIAA, and sold over 12 million copies worldwide.

References

  1. 1 2 "ARIA Accreditations". Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 6 February 2010.
  2. ↑ Glenn A Baker (12 June 1982). "Riding an International Wave". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 54, Australia New Zealand insert p. 2 (A/NZ2). ISSN   0006-2510.
  3. ↑ Glenn A Baker (15 November 1986). "Pacing the Majors: Labels Try to Balance Pluses and Minuses in Year of Transition". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 60, Australia insert p. 6. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  4. ↑ Ryan, Gavin (28 November 2015). "ARIA Albums: Adele '25' Debuts at No 1 in Australia". noise1.com. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2022 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  6. 1 2 "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2006 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  7. 1 2 3 "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2014 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  8. 1 2 3 "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2019 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  9. 1 2 "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2009 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2023 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  11. 1 2 3 Glen Baker (8 November 1979). "Billboard Magazine Volume 91, No. 36". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved 11 December 2010.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 < "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2011 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  13. 1 2 "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1998 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  14. ↑ "ARIA Charts media release 7 November 2015" (PDF). ARIA. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  15. ↑ "ARIA End of Year Album Chart 2016". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  16. 1 2 3 4 "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2021" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  17. ↑ "ARIA Catalogue Albums Chart – 03/12/2012". Australian Recording Industry Association. 12 March 2012. Archived from the original on 4 December 2012. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
  18. 1 2 "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2010 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  19. 1 2 3 "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2020 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  20. ↑ "Eminem – "Curtain Call" Certified 12xPlatinum in Australia | Eminem.Pro - the biggest and most trusted source of Eminem". 6 September 2020.
  21. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2013 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  22. ↑ "ARIA Catalogue Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 6 October 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  23. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  24. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2012 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  25. ↑ Position 21, 138th week: Hot August Night - Neil Diamond, 14 x Platinum "ARIA Albums Chart". 24 November 1991.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  26. ↑ Position 41, 145th week: Hot August Night - Neil Diamond, 14 x Platinum "ARIA Album Chart". 12 January 1992.
  27. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2007 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 23 October 2021.
  28. ↑ "The all-time more than 500,000 sellers, according to ARIA accreditations". The Sydney Morning Herald . Fairfax Media. 12 July 2007. Retrieved 10 August 2009.
  29. ↑ "ARIA Australian Top 20 Catalogue Albums | Australia's Official Top 20 Catalogue Records - ARIA Charts". www.ariacharts.com.au. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012.
  30. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2017 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved 23 October 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.