Found these statistics quite interesting and thought some of you may be interested as well. 
 

Thriller and 21 are undoubtedly the biggest albums of all time as far as I’m concerned, but I was surprised to see that 21 had a more dominant chart run in so many countries. 
 

Note: The data for 21 is a little outdated so if anyone wants to correct me, feel free to do so. I’m pretty sure it’s clocked many more weeks in the top 10 of many of these countries since this data was produced in late 2013. 

US

Thriller - 37 wks @ No 1, 78 wks in Top 10
21 - 24 wks @ No 1, 84 wks in Top 10

Better chart run: Thriller

UK

Thriller (original release) - 8 wks @ No 1, 76 wks in Top 10
21 - 23 wks @ No 1, 76 wks in Top 10

Better chart run: 21

France

Thriller - 12 wks @ No 1, 69 wks in Top 10
21 - 21 wks @ No 1, 87 wks in Top 10

Better chart run: 21

Germany

Thriller - 11 wks @ No 1, 55 wks in Top 10
21 - 8 wks @ No 1, 76 wks in Top 10

Better chart run: Debatable

Austria

Thriller - 0 wks @ No 1 (Peak Pos: 3), 70 wks in Top 10
21 - 2 wks @ No 1, 70 wks in Top 10

Better chart run: 21

Netherlands

Thriller - 26 wks @ No 1, 77 wks in Top 10
21 - 31 wks @ No 1, 84 wks in Top 10

Better chart run: 21

Sweden

Thriller - 2 wks @ No 1, 36 wks in Top 10 
21 - 2 wks @ No 1, 44 wks in Top 10

Better chart run: 21

Norway

Thriller - 0 wks @ No 1 (Peak Pos: 6), 22 wks in Top 10
21 - 13 wks @ No 1, 86 wks in Top 10

Better chart run: 21

Spain

Thriller - 20 wks @ No 1, unknown wks in Top 10 
21 - 0 wks @ No 1 (Peak Pos: 2), 71 wks in Top 10

Better chart run: Thriller

Australia

Thriller - 11 wks @ No 1, 63 wks in Top 10
21 - 32 wks @ No 1, 72 wks in Top 10

Better chart run: 21

New Zealand

Thriller - 11 wks @ No 1, 40 wks in Top 10
21 - 38 wks @ No 1, 93 wks in Top 10

Better chart run: 21

Canada

Thriller - 21 wks @ No 1, 64 wks in Top 10
21 - 35 wks @ No 1, 80 wks in Top 10

Better chart run: 21

Japan

Thriller - 2 wks @ No 1, unknown wks in Top 10
21 - 0 wks @ No 1 (Peak Pos: 4), 3 wks in Top 10

Better chart run: Thriller

25 & BAD are unbothered tho

 

21 is undoubtedly the biggest female album of all time. 

5 minutes ago, Leslie1977 said:

21 is undoubtedly the biggest female album of all time. 

Almost definitely. It’s still quite unbelievable to think what 21 achieved, particularly at a time in which the overall market was very depressed. 

I believe „21” is bigger and more successful than thriller. She did something unbelievable and broke all kinds of records despite the declining market.

Didn't Thriller have more competition tho?
 

doubt comparisons can be easily made

2 hours ago, Rev8 said:

Didn't Thriller have more competition tho?
 

doubt comparisons can be easily made

And 21 was released in a market where pure sales were dead yet it still managed to sell what it sold.

5 minutes ago, abrahamjmr said:

And 21 was released in a market where pure sales were dead yet it still managed to sell what it sold.

Yea

that is another disatvantage

 

I mean, there are huge disadvantages on both of em for us to compare them

at least imo

+ Adele isn't a pedophile. So she wins

Just now, Gorgeous said:

+ Adele isn't a pedophile. So she wins

7 hours ago, Protocol said:

Depends what you consider a "female album". Rumours, The Bodyguard soundtrack and Grease soundtrack all feature female vocalists and were bigger.

 

However 21 is indeed the biggest solo female era ever.

 

https://chartmasters.org/2017/10/best-selling-artists-albums-and-singles-of-all-time/11/?y=alltime

(I know it's not a perfect measurement but it's really the best we've got at this moment)

Rumours is not a female album, it’s from a band with female and male members. The Bodyguard soundtrack was huge but accounting for inflation and in terms of chart runs, 21 was bigger. 

 

Not even going to entertain the Grease soundtrack. That’s the first time I’ve ever heard that brought into any discussion regarding the biggest albums of all time

These chart runs do not include Asia , South America and Africa where Thriller absolutely destroyed 21.

 

Furthermore, you cannot rely on chart runs when making these comparisons. Thriller is clearly the much bigger era, more hits, way more cultural impact and it is at 100M CSPC while 21 is at half that. Let’s not. 

Edited November 6, 20214 yr by CaptainMusic

21 is obviously bigger

21 is legit one of the biggest eras of all time, it's insane that it sold 30M+ WW in pure sales in 2011 when physical sales were declining 

21

1 hour ago, Gorgeous said:

+ Adele isn't a pedophile. So she wins

1 hour ago, CaptainMusic said:

These chart runs do not include Asia , South America and Africa where Thriller absolutely destroyed 21.

 

Furthermore, you cannot rely on chart runs when making these comparisons. Thriller is clearly the much bigger era, more hits, way more cultural impact and it is at 100M CSPC while 21 is at half that. Let’s not. 

21 was pretty big in countless Asian countries, huge in South America and big in many countries in Africa. The only reason I didn’t include those chart runs is because I couldn’t find the data but I’m happy for you to do so. 

22 minutes ago, Bey Admired said:

21 was pretty big in countless Asian countries, huge in South America and big in many countries in Africa. The only reason I didn’t include those chart runs is because I couldn’t find the data but I’m happy for you to do so. 

Many of those countries didn’t have album charts back then and still don’t, that’s the point but when you look at sales.

 

Asia

Thriller - 5.2M

21 - 1M

 

South America 

Thriller - 4.5M+
21 - 1.1M
 

The gap in Asia and South America is massive and even accounting for inflation (which is inaccurate and doesn’t take into account competition) Thriller is still clearly much bigger there.

 

Africa

Thriller - 450k+
21 - ?

 

Thriller also sold 450k in South Africa alone, don’t know how much 21 sold but I know it was much less than that.

 

Obviously if there were available chart runs in these continents Thriller would likely win, but as I said earlier relying on chart runs to determine which is bigger is dumb when Thriller doubles 21’s CSPC and was outcharting 21 in the U.S before Adele’s comeback despite it being released nearly 30 years before. 
 

So yeah Thriller>21, Bad>25 and 30 definitely won’t be her Dangerous. MJ wins. 

Edited November 6, 20214 yr by CaptainMusic

3 minutes ago, CaptainMusic said:

Many of those countries didn’t have album charts back then and still don’t, that’s the point but when you look at sales.

 

Asia

Thriller - 5.2M

21 - 1M

 

South America 

Thriller - 4.5M+
21 - 1.1M
 

The gap in Asia and South America is massive and even accounting for inflation (which is inaccurate and doesn’t take into account competition) Thriller is still clearly much bigger there.

 

Africa

Thriller - 450k+
21 - ?

 

Thriller also sold 450k in South Africa alone, don’t know how much 21 sold but I know it was much less than that.

 

Obviously if there were available chart runs in these continents Thriller would likely win, but as I said early relying on chart runs to determine which is bigger is dumb when Thriller doubles 21’s CSPC and was outcharting 21 in the U.S before Adele’s comeback despite it being released nearly 30 years before. 
 

So yeah Thriller>21, Bad>25 and 30 definitely won’t be her Dangerous. MJ wins. 

Not going by sales, sorry. Thriller’s sales have been massively inflated as we all know at this point and it’s intellectually dishonest to bring them up in a discussion about global chart comparisons. 
 

If you have the chart comparisons, I’ll even be happy to put them in the OP. Thanks. 

I can't even remember a song off of 21. Every thriller track is legendary. 

 

Thriller is THAT ALBUM.

1 minute ago, Bey Admired said:

Not going by sales, sorry. Thriller’s sales have been massively inflated as we all know at this point and it’s intellectually dishonest to bring them up in a discussion about global chart comparisons. 
 

If you have the chart comparisons, I’ll even be happy to put them in the OP. Thanks. 

https://chartmasters.org/2017/09/cspc-michael-jackson-popularity-analysis/9/
https://chartmasters.org/2021/10/adele-albums-and-songs-sales/

 

The sales for both artists are from the same source and if you read this:

https://chartmasters.org/2017/09/understanding-the-true-sales-of-michael-jacksons-thriller/
 

You will see the sources and tracking of the sales in these continents since the 80s.

 

Thriller’s inflated sales are the claims that it sold over 100M+ pure sales, if the sales I posted were actually inflated to this level it would have Thriller at like 10M in Asia which it doesn’t. 
 

You cannot create a thread like this and completely ignore THREE continents which did/do not have proper chart runs as it’s not a fair comparison. 

 

But sure, let’s go by chart runs like Billboard which has 24k Magic as being bigger than 25 in the 2010s decade end chart because it had a better chart run despite it selling less than half in the U.S.  

 

21 will never ever be bigger than Thriller and that’s that. 

3 minutes ago, CaptainMusic said:

https://chartmasters.org/2017/09/cspc-michael-jackson-popularity-analysis/9/
https://chartmasters.org/2021/10/adele-albums-and-songs-sales/

 

The sales for both artists are from the same source and if you read this:

https://chartmasters.org/2017/09/understanding-the-true-sales-of-michael-jacksons-thriller/
 

You will see the sources and tracking of the sales in these continents since the 80s.

 

Thriller’s inflated sales are the claims that it sold over 100M+ pure sales, if the sales I posted were actually inflated to this level it would have Thriller at like 10M in Asia which it doesn’t. 
 

You cannot create a thread like this and completely ignore THREE continents which did/do not have proper chart runs as it’s not a fair comparison. 

 

But sure, let’s go by chart runs like Billboard which has 24k Magic as being bigger than 25 in the 2010s decade end chart because it had a better chart run despite it selling less than half in the U.S.  

 

21 will never ever be bigger than Thriller and that’s that. 

Thriller might be the bigger album and I didn’t state otherwise. I simply posted a thread detailing the chart comparisons of what I believe to be the two biggest albums of all time. I can’t post chart comparisons for countries I don’t have the data for. It just so happens that 21 had the much better chart runs in the majority of the countries I do have the data for. Like I said, if you can provide the chart runs for 21 and Thriller in other countries not included in the OP, please do. 
 

I’m not going to get into a long-winded discussion about sales. I believe Thriller’s sales are hugely inflated and I’m not going to change my opinion on that. 

16 minutes ago, FreeXone said:

I can't even remember a song off of 21. Every thriller track is legendary. 

 

Thriller is THAT ALBUM.

This post isn’t giving what you think it’s giving

4 minutes ago, Bey Admired said:

Thriller might be the bigger album and I didn’t state otherwise. 

Oh ok cool. 

1 hour ago, CaptainMusic said:

South America 

Thriller - 4.5M+
21 - 1.1M

These numbers don't include the 800k+ copies that her Royal Albert Hall special sold in Brazil, the era was absolutely massive here

Edited November 6, 20214 yr by Before the Dawn