Based on total units accumulated:

 

2020s

 

#1 Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny: 22,334,000 

#2 Sour by Olivia Rodrigo: 21,236,000

#3 After Hours by The Weeknd: 19,828,000

 

2010s

 

#1 21 by Adele: 55,186,000

#2 1989 by Taylor Swift: 42,062,000

#3 Divide by Ed Sheeran: 37,573,000

 

2000s

 

#1 The Fame Monster by Lady Gaga: 43,553,000

#2 The Eminem Show by Eminem: 40,887,000

#3 Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park: 39,112,000

 

1990s

 

#1 Nevermind by Nirvana: 61,742,000

#2 The Bodyguard by Whitney Houston: 56,093,000

#3 Metallica (Black Album) by Metallica: 51,576,000

 

1980s

 

#1 Thriller by Michael Jackson: 123,663,000

#2 Bad by Michael Jackson: 66,859,000

#3 Back in Black by AC/DC: 63,757,000

 

1970s

 

#1 Hotel California by Eagles: 73,474,000

#2 Saturday Night Fever by Bee Gees & Various Artists: 71,167,000

#3 Rumours by Fleetwood Mac: 70,174,000

 

1960s

 

#1 Abbey Road by The Beatles: 59,731,000

#2 Help! by The Beatles: 45,759,000

#3 The Doors by The Doors: 40,336,000

 

1950s

 

#1 Elvis' Christmas Album by Elvis Presley: 36,670,000

#2 Songs For Swingin' Lovers by Frank Sinatra: 19,115,000

#3 Come Fly With Me by Frank Sinatra: 11,901,000

 

1940s

 

#1 Christmas Songs by Frank Sinatra: 9,868,000

#2 The Voice Of Frank Sinatra by Frank Sinatra: 2,168,000

Some observations:

 

- Micheal Jackson has the best selling album, Whitney Houston has the best selling female album. 
 

- Album sales seem to have peaked in the 1980s 

 

- Frank Sinatra has the most entries with (4)

 

- 2000s and 2010s are the only decades where a female album came in first place.

Y'all still combining two albums aren't you tired 

The fact that if Lover was released 4 months later, it would've been number two in the 2020s list.

1 minute ago, suburbannature said:

Y'all still combining two albums aren't you tired 

You can contact Billboard and the respective charting organisations for almost every country that counts these albums like this. Here are some resources that might be helpful:

https://www.billboard.com/contact-us/

 

https://www.bpi.co.uk

 

https://www.aria.com.au/contact-us

i'm surprised midnights, folklore or evermore are not in the top 3 of the 2020's. But we'll see by the end of the decade

4 minutes ago, DaphneGuinness said:

You can contact Billboard and the respective charting organisations for almost every country that counts these albums like this. Here are some resources that might be helpful:

https://www.billboard.com/contact-us/

 

https://www.bpi.co.uk

 

https://www.aria.com.au/contact-us

Well, no

 

https://www.billboard.com/artist/lady-gaga/

(Billboard 200)

https://www.riaa.com/gold- platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=Fame#search_section

 

But cling to that UK cert

 

 

 

Pretty sure Biophilia is second behind 21 for 2010s actually. 

1 minute ago, suburbannature said:

Well, no

 

https://www.billboard.com/artist/lady-gaga/

(Billboard 200)

https://www.riaa.com/gold- platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=Fame#search_section

 

But cling to that UK cert

 

 

 

So you think The Fame is charting at #99 this week without The Fame Monster even after almost 17 years? Glad to see you think so highly of Gaga.

 

Godga

 

Kinda crazy that a female artist didn't have a top 3 album for a decade until the 90s

1 minute ago, DaphneGuinness said:

So you think The Fame is charting at #99 this week without The Fame Monster even after almost 17 years? Glad to see you think so highly of Gaga.

 

Her first three years were indeed impressive!

1 minute ago, Aden said:

Godga

 

Kinda crazy that a female artist didn't have a top 3 album for a decade until the 90s

In my mind Rumours is a female album so let's celebrate Stevie Nicks for being a pioneer. The fact that it is also one of the most streamed albums despite coming out ages ago 

Congrats to everyone who made the list
 

3 minutes ago, sunbathinganimal said:

Congrats to everyone who made the list
 

Frank Sinatra gagging the 1940s and 1950s twinks like 

 

The way Taylor is #5 for the 2000s decade, #8 in the 2010s (and #17 with an album released in the second half of the last year), and #5, #6, and #8 (with a year old album) for the 2020s. 

 

 

Spoiler

One day 1989 will be number 1 for the 2010s, also. We Swifties play a long game. 

 

Also it's extremely undeniable that album units have decreased with changes in the music industry when you look at this data. There seems to be a very slight (maybe?) potential recovery from the digital era to the streaming era but neither are close to the physical sales era. Even hard to say that for sure when 21 and 1989 were still mostly in the digital era and have monster digital sales. People moan about streaming but it really isn't even close to replacing old school physical sales. Those old school acts are benefiting from catalogue streaming, too. 

Edited July 19, 20251 yr by DevilsRollTheDice

1 minute ago, DevilsRollTheDice said:

The way Taylor is #5 for the 2000s decade, #8 in the 2010s (and #17 with an album released in the second half of the last year), and #5, #6, and #8 (with a year old album) for the 2020s. 

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

One day 1989 will be number 1 for the 2010s, also. We Swifties play a long game. 

 

Also it's extremely undeniable that album units have decreased with changes in the music industry when you look at this data. People moan about streaming but it really isn't even close to replacing old school physical sales. Those old school acts are benefiting from catalogue streaming, too. 

Definitely! A lot of these old albums have insanely impressive catalogue streams. They have the best of both worlds.

Thriller 

12 minutes ago, DaphneGuinness said:

Frank Sinatra gagging the 1940s and 1950s twinks like 

 

kinda ended Taylor

 

 

Thriller

 

The 70s and 80s lowkey clearing

49 minutes ago, suburbannature said:

Y'all still combining two albums aren't you tired 

All of these include units from greatest hits and similar compilations (especially pre 2000)

I'm surprised to not see Teenage Dream here. The Kats told me it had more impact than 1989, yet TD isn't in the top 3 while also being PANNED. weird! 

10 minutes ago, Popboi. said:

All of these include units from greatest hits and similar compilations (especially pre 2000)

Thank you! Also the #2 album in 2000s has 38 songs while Gaga's album has 23. And they only have a problem with her 

2 minutes ago, DaphneGuinness said:

Thank you! Also the #2 album in 2000s has 38 songs while Gaga's album has 23. And they only have a problem with her 

Worst case scenario from removing "second albums" (TFM, 1989 TV) they would only fall 1 spot or 2 while outstreaming daily the ones ahead.

51 minutes ago, DaphneGuinness said:

So you think The Fame is charting at #99 this week without The Fame Monster even after almost 17 years? Glad to see you think so highly of Gaga.

 

@suburbannature is right though. The Fame Monster is included in that #99 position. Streams are included in whichever album sells the most pure sales, and since The Fame + The Fame Monster (Deluxe) outsold The Fame Monster (EP), all streams of those 8 tracks are included in The Fame's units for this week. 

Adele