Best-selling albums of the 1970s

According to the BSA Ranking, the best-selling album released in the 1970s is THEIR GREATEST HITS 1971-1975 by EAGLES, with over 41.1 million copies sold. The sales figures throughout this ranking include physical album sales as well as digital track downloads and audio and video streaming, converted into album-equivalent units using industry-standard formulas. For more information, see the certification criteria used in different countries.

★ Highlights:
THEIR GREATEST HITS 1971-1975 by EAGLES leads both the compilation and group categories among albums released in the 1970s.
Among studio albums released in the 1970s, DARK SIDE OF THE MOON by PINK FLOYD ranks first, with over 32.4 million copies sold.
GREASE is the best-selling soundtrack album released in the 1970s, with over 24.6 million copies sold.
BAT OUT OF HELL by MEAT LOAF ranks first in both the debut and male solo categories among releases from the 1970s, with over 22.4 million copies sold.
TAPESTRY by CAROLE KING is the best-selling female solo album released in the 1970s, with over 15.3 million copies sold.
The best-selling live album released in the 1970s is FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE! by PETER FRAMPTON, with over 8.16 million copies sold.

Please note that this ranking reflects the cumulative sales of albums released in the 1970, from their original release to date. It does not represent the best-selling albums of the decade itself. For contemporary decade-end rankings, see the Decade-End Lists published in various countries.

№	Album	Total Sales	BSA Ranking
1	THEIR GREATEST HITS 1971-1975 EAGLES 1976	41,197,000	Rank in 1976 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 1 1 2
2	DARK SIDE OF THE MOON PINK FLOYD 1973	32,452,885	Rank in 1973 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 1 2 4
3	HOTEL CALIFORNIA EAGLES 1976	32,390,933	Rank in 1976 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 2 3 5
4	RUMOURS FLEETWOOD MAC 1977	31,749,220	Rank in 1977 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 1 4 6
5	LED ZEPPELIN IV LED ZEPPELIN 1971	30,754,901	Rank in 1971 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 1 5 9
6	GREASE SOUNDTRACK 1978	24,602,070	Rank in 1978 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 1 6 17
7	SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER (SOUNDTRACK) BEE GEES 1977	22,898,680	Rank in 1977 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 2 7 24
8	BAT OUT OF HELL MEAT LOAF 1977	22,490,000	Rank in 1977 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 3 8 26
9	THE WALL PINK FLOYD 1979	18,799,000	Rank in 1979 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 1 9 42
10	GREATEST HITS ELTON JOHN 1974	18,609,696	Rank in 1974 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 1 10 44
11	Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits SIMON & GARFUNKEL 1972	18,230,092	Rank in 1972 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 1 11 50
12	BOSTON BOSTON 1976	18,163,046	Rank in 1976 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 3 12 51
13	GREATEST HITS 1974-1978 STEVE MILLER BAND 1978	16,000,000	Rank in 1978 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 2 13 63
14	TAPESTRY CAROLE KING 1971	15,377,200	Rank in 1971 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 2 14 71
15	1967 - 1970 THE BEATLES 1973	14,666,995	Rank in 1973 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 2 15 76
16	1962 - 1966 THE BEATLES 1973	13,506,070	Rank in 1973 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 3 16 102
17	CHRONICLE: 20 GREATEST HITS CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL 1976	13,147,500	Rank in 1976 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 4 17 111
18	BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER SIMON & GARFUNKEL 1970	13,100,000	Rank in 1970 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 1 18 112
19	THE STRANGER BILLY JOEL 1977	12,087,000	Rank in 1977 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 4 19 134
20	HOUSES OF THE HOLY LED ZEPPELIN 1973	12,076,004	Rank in 1973 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 4 20 135
21	OFF THE WALL MICHAEL JACKSON 1979	11,960,230	Rank in 1979 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 2 21 138
22	JAMES TAYLOR'S GREATEST HITS JAMES TAYLOR 1976	11,805,000	Rank in 1976 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 5 22 145
23	VAN HALEN VAN HALEN 1978	11,158,000	Rank in 1978 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 3 23 161
24	BEST OF THE DOOBIES THE DOOBIE BROTHERS 1976	10,500,000	Rank in 1976 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 6 24 183
25	HIGHWAY TO HELL AC/DC 1979	10,225,928	Rank in 1979 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 3 25 190
26	JOHN DENVER'S GREATEST HITS JOHN DENVER 1973	9,771,500	Rank in 1973 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 5 26 204
27	GREATEST HITS JANIS JOPLIN 1973	9,586,540	Rank in 1973 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 6 27 216
28	WISH YOU WERE HERE PINK FLOYD 1975	9,512,000	Rank in 1975 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 1 28 217
29	PHYSICAL GRAFFITI LED ZEPPELIN 1975	9,279,130	Rank in 1975 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 2 29 230
30	TOYS IN THE ATTIC AEROSMITH 1975	9,101,564	Rank in 1975 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 3 30 245
31	GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD ELTON JOHN 1973	8,934,120	Rank in 1973 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 7 31 254
32	52ND STREET BILLY JOEL 1978	8,288,000	Rank in 1978 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 4 32 287
33	DIRTY DEEDS DONE DIRT CHEAP AC/DC 1976	8,224,562	Rank in 1976 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 7 33 293
34	FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE! PETER FRAMPTON 1976	8,164,780	Rank in 1976 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 8 34 299
35	BORN TO RUN BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 1975	7,956,325	Rank in 1975 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 4 35 312
36	SANTANA'S GREATEST HITS SANTANA 1974	7,900,000	Rank in 1974 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 2 36 317
37	LED ZEPPELIN III LED ZEPPELIN 1970	7,864,079	Rank in 1970 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 2 37 319
38	THE LONG RUN EAGLES 1979	7,824,686	Rank in 1979 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 4 38 321
39	RUNNING ON EMPTY JACKSON BROWNE 1977	7,749,890	Rank in 1977 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 5 39 324
40	DEJA VU CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG 1970	7,726,100	Rank in 1970 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 3 40 326
41	DON'T LOOK BACK BOSTON 1978	7,585,470	Rank in 1978 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 5 41 335
42	HARVEST NEIL YOUNG 1972	7,508,000	Rank in 1972 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 2 42 339
43	FLEETWOOD MAC FLEETWOOD MAC 1975	7,480,000	Rank in 1975 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 5 43 340
44	SINGLES 1969 - 1973 CARPENTERS 1973	7,470,000	Rank in 1973 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 8 44 342
45	GREATEST HITS LINDA RONSTADT 1976	7,398,570	Rank in 1976 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 9 45 348
46	DOUBLE VISION FOREIGNER 1978	7,205,000	Rank in 1978 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 6 46 365
47	HOT ROCKS 1964-1971 THE ROLLING STONES 1971	6,917,540	Rank in 1971 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 3 47 392
48	BREAKFAST IN AMERICA SUPERTRAMP 1979	6,727,000	Rank in 1979 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 5 48 408
49	IN THROUGH THE OUT DOOR LED ZEPPELIN 1979	6,618,161	Rank in 1979 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 6 49 423
50	STRANGER IN TOWN BOB SEGER 1978	6,515,000	Rank in 1978 Rank in 1970s Overall rank 7 50 438

1970s albums ranked by sales