The best-selling album the year you were born, according to Billboard
29 April, 2026careerofbusiness.com0 Comments1 category
Michael Jackson had the best-selling album two years in a row with “Thriller.”
BSR Agency/Gentle Look via Getty Images
Billboard, using data recorded by Nielsen Soundscan/Luminate, tracks each year’s best-selling album.
Since 2015, streaming has been incorporated into music metrics through the use of album-equivalent units.
Many classic albums don’t appear on the list, having been outsold by lesser-known records.
Each year, one album taps into the hearts and ears of the public on its way to becoming the year’s best-selling album.
Times have changed, though. In recent years, singers like Adele and Taylor Swift have dominated the charts, while in the 1950s and early 1960s, musical soundtracks and Broadway cast recordings often topped the list.Â
Billboard has been tracking the best-selling album of the year since 1956, but its methodology has changed several times. Before 1991, the outlet relied on retailer report, but that year it began using Nielsen SoundScan data, which was more accurate, according to Billboard.
And since 2015, Nielsen Soundscan — now called Luminate — has incorporated album-equivalent units into its data to account for streaming. This means that in 2022, Taylor Swift’s “Midnights” was the best-selling album based on sales alone, while Bad Bunny’s “Un Verano Sin Ti” was the top album overall, including album-equivalent units.
Methodology aside, the list isn’t without its surprises. In 1967, The Beatles‘ critically acclaimed album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” was outsold by The Monkees’ “More of The Monkees.”
Using Billboard and Luminate’s data, Business Insider compiled all the best-selling albums and their respective notable singles, dating back to 1956, so you can see which album was the soundtrack to your birth year (provided you’re 70 or younger).
See the best-selling album every year since 1956.
2025: Taylor Swift — “The Life of a Showgirl”
“The Life of a Showgirl” was released on October 3, 2025.
Republic
Copies sold, including album-equivalent units: 5,607,000
Notable singles: “The Fate of Ophelia,” “Elizabeth Taylor”
2024: Taylor Swift — “The Tortured Poets Department”
“The Tourtured Poets Department” was released on April 19, 2024.
Republic
Copies sold, including album-equivalent units: 6,955,000
Notable singles: “Fortnight,” “I Can Do It with a Broken Heart”
2023: Morgan Wallen — “One Thing at a Time”
“One Thing at a Time” was released on March 3, 2023.
Big Loud
Copies sold, including album-equivalent units: 5,362,000
Notable singles: “You Proof,” “Thought You Should Know,” “Last Night
2022: Bad Bunny — “Un Verano Sin Ti”
“Un Verano Sin Ti” was released on May 6, 2022.
Rimas
Copies sold, including album-equivalent units: 3,400,000
Notable singles: “Moscow Mule,” “Tità Me Preguntó”
2021: Morgan Wallen — “Dangerous: The Double Album”
“Dangerous: The Double Album” was released on January 8, 2021.
Big Loud
Copies sold, including album-equivalent units: 3,226,000
Notable singles: “7 Summers,” “Wasted on You”
2020: Lil Baby — “My Turn”
“My Turn” was released on February 28, 2020.
Capitol
Copies sold, including album-equivalent units: 2,632,000
Notable singles: “Woah,” “Sum 2 Prove”
2019: Post Malone — “Hollywood’s Bleeding”
“Hollywood’s Bleeding” was released on September 6, 2019.
Republic
Copies sold, including album-equivalent units: 3,001,000
Notable singles: “Wow,” “Goodbyes,” “Circles”
2018: Drake — “Scorpion”
“Scorpion” was released on June 29, 2018.
Young Money Entertainment
Copies sold, including album-equivalent units: 3,905,000
Notable singles: “God’s Plan,” “Nice for What,” “In My Feelings”
2017: Ed Sheeran — “Divide”
“Divide” was released on March 3, 2017.
Atlantic
Copies sold, including album-equivalent units:Â 2,764,000
Notable singles: “Shape of You,” “Perfect”Â
2016: Drake — “Views”
“Views” was released on April 29, 2016.
Young Money
Copies sold, including album-equivalent units: 4,140,000
Notable singles: “Hotline Bling,” “One Dance”
2015: Adele — “25”
“25” was released on November 20, 2015.
Columbia
Copies sold, including album-equivalent units: 8,008,000
Notable singles: “Hello,” “When We Were Young”
2014: Taylor Swift — “1989”
“1989” was released on October 27, 2015.
Big Machine Records
Copies sold:Â 3,661,000
Notable singles: “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space,” “Bad Blood”
2013: Justin Timberlake — “The 20/20 Experience”
“The 20/20 Experience” was released on March 19, 2013.
RCA Records
Copies sold: 2,430,000
Notable singles: “Suit & Tie,” “Mirrors”
2012: Adele — “21”
“21” was released on January 24, 2011 in Europe.
Columbia
Copies sold: 4,410,000
Notable singles: “Someone Like You,” “Set Fire to the Rain,” “Rumour Has It”
2011: Adele — “21”
“21” was released on January 24, 2011 in Europe.
Columbia
Copies sold: 5,824,000
Notable singles: “Rolling In The Deep”
2010: Eminem — “Recovery”
“Recovery” was released on June 18, 2010.
Aftermath Entertainment
Copies sold: 3,415,000
Notable singles: “Not Afraid,” “Love The Way You Lie”
2009: Taylor Swift — “Fearless”
“Fearless” was released on November 11, 2008.
Big Machine Records
Copies sold: 3,217,000
Notable singles: “Love Story,” “You Belong With Me”
2008: Lil Wayne — “Tha Carter III”
“Tha Carter III” was released on June 10, 2008.
Cash Money/Universal Motown
Copies sold: 2,874,000
Notable singles: “Lollipop,” “A Milli”
2007: Josh Groban — “Noël”
“Noël” was released on October 9, 2007.
Reprise Records
Copies sold: 3,699,000
Notable single: “The First Noel (feat. Faith Hill)”
2006: “High School Musical” (Soundtrack)
The “High School Musical” soundtrack was released on January 10, 2006.
Walt Disney Records
Copies sold: 3,719,000
Notable single: “Breaking Free”
2005: Mariah Carey — “The Emancipation of Mimi”
“The Emancipation of Mimi” was released on March 30, 2005.
Island Def Jam
Copies sold: 4,969,000
Notable singles: “We Belong Together,” “Shake It Off”
2004: Usher — “Confessions”
“Confessions” was released on March 23, 2004.
Arista Records
Copies sold: 7,979,000
Notable singles: “Burn,” “Confessions Pt. II,” “Yeah!”
2003: 50 Cent — “Get Rich or Die Tryin'”
“Get Rich or Die Tryin'” was released on February 6, 2003.
Shady Records/Aftermath Entertainment
Copies sold: 6,536,000
Notable singles: “In da Club,” “21 Questions”
2002: Eminem — “The Eminem Show”
“The Eminem Show” was released on May 26, 2002.
Aftermath Entertainment
Copies sold: 7,608,000
Notable singles: “Without Me,” “Sing For The Moment”
2001: Linkin Park — “Hybrid Theory”
“Hybrid Theory” was released on October 24, 2000.
Warner Bros. Records
Copies sold: 4,813,000
Notable single: “In The End”
2000: NSYNC — “No Strings Attached”
“No Strings Attached” was released on March 21, 2000.
Jive Records
Copies sold: 9,936,000
Notable singles: “Bye Bye Bye,” “It’s Gonna Be Me”
1999: Backstreet Boys — “Millennium”
“Millennium” was released on May 18, 1999.
Jive
Copies sold: 9,446,000
Notable singles: “I Want It That Way,” “Larger Than Life”
1998: James Horner and Celine Dion — “Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture”
“Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture” was released on November 18, 1997.
Sony Classical
Copies sold: 9,338,000
Notable single: “My Heart Will Go On”Â
1997: Spice Girls — “Spice”
“Spice” was released on September 19, 1996.
Virgin Records
Copies sold: 5,302,000
Notable singles: “Wannabe,” “Say You’ll Be There”
1996: Alanis Morissette — “Jagged Little Pill”
“Jagged Little Pill” was released on June 13, 1995.
Maverick
Copies sold: 7,380,000
Notable singles: “You Oughta Know,” “Hand In My Pocket”
1995: Hootie and the Blowfish — “Cracked Rear View”
“Cracked Rear View” was released on July 5, 1994.
Atlantic Records
Copies sold: 7,020,000
Notable singles: “Hold My Hand,” “Only Wanna Be With You”
1994: Elton John/Hans Zimmer — “The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack”
“The Lion King” soundtrack was released on May 31, 1994
Walt Disney Records
Copies sold: 4,934,000
Notable singles: “Can You Feel The Love Tonight,” “Circle of Life”
1993: Whitney Houston/Various Artists — “The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album”
“The Bodyguard Original Soundtrack Album” was released on November 17, 1992.
Arista
Copies sold: 5,460,000
Notable single: “I Will Always Love You”
1992: Billy Ray Cyrus — “Some Gave All”
“Some Gave All” was released on May 19, 1992.
Mercury Records
Copies sold: 4,832,000
Notable singles: “Achy Breaky Heart”
1991: Mariah Carey — “Mariah Carey”
“Mariah Carey” was released on June 12, 1990.
Columbia Records
Notable singles: “Vision of Love,” “Love Takes Time”
1990: Janet Jackson — “Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814”
“Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814” was released on September 19, 1989.
A&M Records
Notable singles: “Miss You Much,” “Rhythm Nation”
1989: Bobby Brown — “Don’t Be Cruel”
“Don’t Be Cruel” was released on June 20, 1988.
MCA Records
Notable single: “My Prerogative”
1988: George Michael — “Faith”
“Faith” was released on October 30, 1987.
Columbia
Notable singles: “One More Try,” “Father Figure”
1987: Bon Jovi — “Slippery When Wet”
“Slippery When Wet” was released on August 18, 1986.
Mercury
Notable singles: “You Give Love A Bad Name,” “Livin’ On A Prayer”
1986: Whitney Houston — “Whitney Houston”
“Whitney Houston” was released on February 14, 1985.
Arista
Notable singles: “How Will I Know,” “Greatest Love Of All”
1985: Bruce Springsteen — “Born in the U.S.A.”
“Born in The U.S.A.” was released on June 4, 1984.
Columbia
Notable singles: “Dancing In The Dark,” “Born In The U.S.A.”
1984: Michael Jackson — “Thriller”
“Thriller” was released on November 29, 1982.
Epic
Notable singles:Â “Billie Jean,” “Beat It”
1983: Michael Jackson — “Thriller”
“Thriller” was released on November 29, 1982.
Epic
Notable singles: “Thriller,” “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)”
1982: Asia — “Asia”
“Asia” was released on 18 March 1982.
Geffen Records
Notable single: “Heat of the Moment”
1981: REO Speedwagon — “Hi Infidelity”
“Hi Infidelity” was released on November 21, 1980.
Epic
Notable singles: “Keep on Loving You,” “Take It on the Run”
1980: Pink Floyd — “The Wall”
“The Wall” was released on November 30, 1979.
Columbia
Notable singles: “Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)”
1979: Billy Joel — “52nd Street”
“52nd Street” was released on October 11, 1978.
Columbia
Notable single: “My Life”
1978: “Saturday Night Fever: The Original Movie Sound Track”
“Saturday Night Fever” was released on November 15, 1977.
RSO Records
Notable singles: “How Deep Is Your Love,” “Stayin’ Alive”
1977: Fleetwood Mac — “Rumours”
“Rumors” was released on February 4, 1977.
Warner Bros.
Notable singles: “Go Your Own Way,” “Don’t Stop”
1976: Peter Frampton — “Frampton Comes Alive!”
“Frampton Comes Alive” was released on January 15, 1976.
A&M Records
Notable single: “Show Me The Way”
1975: Elton John — “Elton John’s Greatest Hits”
“Greatest Hits” was released on November 8, 1974.
Island
Notable singles: “Your Song,” “Daniel”
1974: Elton John — “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road”
“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” was released on October 5, 1973.
MCA Records
Notable single: “Bennie and the Jets”
1973: War — “The World Is a Ghetto”
“The World is a Ghetto” was released in November 1972.
United Artists
Notable single: “The Cisco Kid”
1972: Neil Young — “Harvest”
“Harvest” was released on February 15, 1972.
Reprise Records
Notable single: “Heart of Gold”
1971: “Jesus Christ Superstar”
“Jesus Christ Superstar” was released in October 1970.
MCA Records
Notable single: “Superstar”
1970: Simon and Garfunkel — “Bridge over Troubled Water”
“Bridge Over Troubled Water” was released on January 26, 1970.
Columbia
Notable singles: “Bridge over Troubled Water,” “The Boxer”
1969: Iron Butterfly — “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida”
“In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” was released on June 14, 1968.
Atco
Notable single: “In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida”
1968: The Jimmy Hendrix Experience — “Are You Experienced”
“Are You Experienced” was released on August 23, 1967 in the US.
Track Records
Notable singles: “Purple Haze,” “Foxy Lady”
1967: The Monkees — “More of The Monkees”
“More of the Monkees” was released on January 9, 1967.
Colgems Records
Notable single: “I’m A Believer”
1966: Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass — “Whipped Cream & Other Delights”
“Whipped Cream & Other Delights” was released in April 1965.
A&M Records
Notable single: “A Taste of Honey”
1965: “Mary Poppins (Original Soundtrack)”
“Mary Poppins” was released in September 1964.
Walt Disney Records
Notable singles: “A Spoonful of Sugar,” “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”
1964: “Hello, Dolly! (Original Broadway Cast)”
“Hello, Dolly!” was released in 1964.
RCA Victor Records
Notable single: “Hello, Dolly!”
1963: “West Side Story (Soundtrack)”
“West Side Story” was released in 1961.
United Artists Records
Notable single: “I Feel Pretty”
1962: “West Side Story (Soundtrack)”
“West Side Story” was released in 1961.
United Artists Records
Notable single: “Maria”
1961: “Camelot (Original Broadway Cast)”
“Camelot” was released in 1960.
Columbia Records
Notable single: “If Ever I Would Leave You”
1960: “The Sound of Music (Original Broadway Cast)”
“The Sound of Music” was released in 1959.
Columbia Records
Notable single: “Do-Re-Mi,” “The Sound of Music”
1959: Henry Mancini — “Music from Peter Gunn”
“Music from Peter Gunn” was released in January 1959.
RCA Victor Records
Notable single: “Peter Gunn”
1958: “My Fair Lady (Original Broadway Cast)”
“My Fair Lady” was released on April 2, 1956.
Columbia Records
Notable single: “With A Little Bit of Luck”
1957: “My Fair Lady (Original Broadway Cast)”
“My Fair Lady” was released on April 2, 1956.
Columbia Records
Notable single: “The Rain in Spain”
1956: Harry Belafonte — “Calypso”
“Calypso” was released in May 1956.
RCA Victor Records
Notable singles: “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song),” “Jamaica Farewell”
