The best-selling albums of each decade according to the charts: Do you agree?
Measuring the best-selling album of a decade is harder than it sounds. Chart methodologies have changed, certification systems vary by country, and streams complicate pure sales comparisons. The selections below draw on global sales data compiled by ChartMasters, cross-referenced with Wikipedia’s list and decade-by-decade analysis from BestSellingAlbums.org. Where the data is genuinely contested, that is noted.
The list below covers the 1950s through the 2020s.
One album per decade. Do you agree?
The 1950s: Elvis Presley — “Elvis Presley” (1956)
The album market barely existed at the beginning of the decade. By the end of it, Elvis had changed everything. His 1956 self-titled debut on RCA Victor was the first, spending ten weeks at the top. Exact global sales figures from this era are fragmentary, but no album of the 1950s generated comparable cultural or commercial impact.
The 1960s: The Beatles — “Abbey Road” (1969)
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band gets the cultural credit, but according to ChartMasters, Abbey Road leads the 1960s in total units moved, with catalog sales continuing to accumulate for decades. It was the last album the Beatles recorded together. It sold more than any other from the decade. It still does.
The 1970s: Fleetwood Mac — “Rumours” (1977)
Rumours has sold 40-45 million copies, making it the dominant commercial record of the 1970s by a substantial margin. It was recorded while the band’s two couples were simultaneously dissolving. Five people were ending relationships with each other while making one of the best-selling albums in history.
The 1980s: Michael Jackson — “Thriller” (1982)
There is no debate here. Thriller sold 70M, making it not only the best-selling album of the 1980s but the best-selling album in recorded music history by a significant margin. It spent 37 weeks at number 1 on the Billboard 200. Seven of its nine tracks were released as singles. The argument about what comes second is far more interesting than the argument about what comes first.
The 1990s: Alanis Morissette — “Jagged Little Pill” (1995)
The 1990s were the decade in which the contest was most genuinely disputed. The Bodyguard soundtrack, Nevermind, and Shania Twain’s Come On Over all have credible claims. ChartMasters ranks Nevermind when streaming is included in the calculation. But by pure physical sales, Jagged Little Pill at approximately 33 million copies and Come On Over at around 40 million compete closely for the decade’s top spot. The answer depends entirely on what you are counting.
The 2000s: Eminem — “The Marshall Mathers LP” (2000)
Eminem’s second studio album sold approximately 35 million copies worldwide and remains the fastest-selling rap album. In the United States alone, it was certified Diamond by the RIAA. ChartMasters, when global sales outside the US are given equal weight, illustrates exactly how methodologically contested these rankings are.
The 2010s: Adele — “21” (2011)
21 has sold 31-35 million copies, placing it clearly at the top of the 2010s. It is also the best-selling album ever by a female artist, edging out The Bodyguard soundtrack in early 2026, according to ChartMasters’ tracking. Adele released it at 22. She recorded it immediately after a breakup. The math is the math.
The 2020s: Taylor Swift — “Midnights” (2022)
The 2020s are still unfolding, but Taylor Swift’s Midnights is the strongest commercial performer of the decade so far, according to BestSellingAlbums.org. No single release of the 2020s has approached the multi-tens-of-millions totals of earlier decades’ runaway sellers, partly because the album market itself has fragmented across streaming platforms.
Wrap up
Eight decades, eight albums, at least three that would start an argument at any music fan’s table. The 1990s winner is genuinely contested. The 2000s answer changes depending on whether you weigh American or global sales. And the 2020s chapter is still being written.
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Related:
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- The most controversial songs of the ’60s: Do you agree?
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