The 50 best selling albums of the 80s (In the US)

[Citysmith]

Some great albums, but some utter garbage

AC/DC at number 2, without the hit singles of anything around it, before the birth of MTV is very impressive. Any thoughts on that little lot?

1. Michael Jackson- Thriller (29.3 Million Sales)
2. AC/DC- Back in Black (19.1 Million Sales)
3. Bruce Springsteen- Born in the U.S.A. (15.9 Million Sales)
4. Guns N' Roses- Appetite for Destruction (15.6 Million Sales)
5. Whitney Houston- Whitney Houston (14.2 Million Sales)
6. Phil Collins- No Jacket Required (13.8 Million Sales)
7. Prince- Music from the Motion Picture "Purple Rain" (13.6 Million Sales)
8. Bruce Springsteen- Live/1975-85 (13.1 Million Sales)
9. Dire Straits- Brothers in Arms (12.9 Million Sales)
10. Bon Jovi- Slippery When Wet (12.9 Million Sales)
11. Def Leppard- Hysteria (12.6 Million Sales)
12. Dirty Dancing Soundtrack- Dirty Dancing: Original Soundtrack From The Vestron Motion Picture (12.5 Million Sales)
13. Michael Jackson- Bad (11.9 Million Sales)
14. U2- The Joshua Tree (11.8 Million Sales)
15. George Michael- Faith (11.2 Million Sales)
16. Madonna- Like a Virgin (10.9 Million Sales)
17. Lionel Richie- Can't Slow Down (10.9 Million Sales)
18. Whitney Houston- Whitney (10.8 Million Sales)
19. Van Halen- 1984 (10.1 Million Sales)
20. Top Gun Soundtrack- Top Gun Soundtrack (9.6 Million Sales)
21. Madonna- True Blue (9.1 Million Sales)
22. Footloose Soundtrack- Footloose (1984 Film) (9.1 Million Sales)
23. Def Leppard- Pyromania (9.1 Million Sales)
24. REO Speedwagon- Hi Infidelity (9.1 Million Sales)
25. Garth Brooks- Garth Brooks (9 Million Sales)
26. Beastie Boys- Licensed to Ill (9 Million Sales)
27. Journey- Escape (9 Million Sales)
28. ZZ Top- Eliminator (8.9 Million Sales)
29. The Police- Synchronicity [Digipak] (8.3 Million Sales)
30. New Kids On the Block- Hangin' Tough (8.1 Million Sales)
31. Billy Joel- An Innocent Man (7.9 Million Sales)
32. Bon Jovi- New Jersey (7.6 Million Sales)
33. Bobby Brown- Don't Be Cruel (7.6 Million Sales)
34. Paula Abdul- Forever Your Girl (7.3 Million Sales)
35. Tracy Chapman- Tracy Chapman (7.2 Million Sales)
36. Genesis- Invisible Touch (7.2 Million Sales)
37. The Eagles- Eagles Live (7.1 Million Sales)
38. Aerosmith- Pump (7.1 Million Sales)
39. Metallica- ...And Justice For All (7.1 Million Sales)
40. Huey Lewis & the News- Sports (7.1 Million Sales)
41. Billy Joel- Glass Houses (7.1 Million Sales)
42. INXS- Kick (6.9 Million Sales)
43. Paul Simon- Graceland (6.5 Million Sales)
44. Phil Collins- Face Value (6.5 Million Sales)
45. Phil Collins (lol)- But Seriously (6.4 Million Sales)
46. Janet Jackson- Rhythm Nation 1814 (6.3 Million Sales)
47. Whitesnake- Whitesnake (6.3 Million Sales)
48. U2- Rattle and Hum (6.2 Million Sales)
49. Metallica- Master of Puppets (6.1 Million Sales)
50. Chicago- Chicago 17 (6.1 Million Sales)

I do love my lists :help: I own 27 of that lot (More :help: needed) :p

[Lorne.t]

I own none of the above.

[jaminb]

I have 10. I thought I hated the 80's :thinking:

GnR, metallica and Genesis have some great songs but the albums are usually mixed IMO. Only other one on there I like is Springsteen but I'm not ashamed to admit owning Bon Jovi, Van Halen and Aerosmith too. (Well OK I am, but everyone was young once)

[Nathan-Wind]

2 for me. Purple Rain and Licensed to Ill. No desire to get any of the others.

[LouBarlow]

No Husker Du?

Most of those would be good for throwing at zombies, but for little else.

[Bish]

I've got 25 of those and not ashamed of any of them :D

[welshmatt]

3 for me - Faith, Bad and Thriller :D

[George vader]

2. AC/DC- Back in Black (19.1 Million Sales)
3. Bruce Springsteen- Born in the U.S.A. (15.9 Million Sales)
4. Guns N' Roses- Appetite for Destruction (15.6 Million Sales)
8. Bruce Springsteen- Live/1975-85 (13.1 Million Sales)
10. Bon Jovi- Slippery When Wet (12.9 Million Sales)
11. Def Leppard- Hysteria (12.6 Million Sales)
14. U2- The Joshua Tree (11.8 Million Sales)
19. Van Halen- 1984 (10.1 Million Sales)
23. Def Leppard- Pyromania (9.1 Million Sales)
27. Journey- Escape (9 Million Sales)
28. ZZ Top- Eliminator (8.9 Million Sales)
32. Bon Jovi- New Jersey (7.6 Million Sales)
38. Aerosmith- Pump (7.1 Million Sales)
39. Metallica- ...And Justice For All (7.1 Million Sales)
47. Whitesnake- Whitesnake (6.3 Million Sales)
48. U2- Rattle and Hum (6.2 Million Sales)
49. Metallica- Master of Puppets (6.1 Million Sales)

Yeah baby, the 80's rocked!!!

[mjb1975]

I always thought Metallica's 'black' album was their biggest seller - it's not on there.

[LouBarlow]

it came out in 91 didnt it?

[Bish]

I always thought Metallica's 'black' album was their biggest seller - it's not on there.
As Lou said it wasn't released in the 80's it came out in '91

[allan]

Good to see Metallica on there and some Beastie Boys.

[AndyWilson]

I think that's the worst list of anything I've ever seen!

It's only redeemed by the inclusion of Licensed To Ill.

Was it the inspiration for American Psycho?

[BenBacon]

I think a triple CD Live Album selling 13.1 million is phenomenal.

[gordo]

I think a triple CD Live Album selling 13.1 million is phenomenal.

And not released on cd til the 1990`s(97 in the US)
Edit- So how much is accounted for by vinyl and cassette.That would probably be a better breakdown if cd sales were included separately if not as part of the initial release.

[Rob]

Huey Lewis & The News - Sports.

A much maligned band - a great album and excellent live.

[LouBarlow]

And the favourite music of serial killers.

[mjb1975]

it came out in 91 didnt it?

As Lou said it wasn't released in the 80's it came out in '91

D'oh! My bad..... seemingly skimmed the '80's' bit in the title.

[Nathan-Wind]

I think that's the worst list of anything I've ever seen!
It's only redeemed by the inclusion of Licensed To Ill.


I'm not about that. I have the album but its not that good with hindsight. Purple Rain is the only LP i'd rate on that list.