Best-selling albums of the 1980s

According to the BSA Ranking, the best-selling album released in the 1980s is THRILLER by MICHAEL JACKSON, with over 56.6 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:
THRILLER by MICHAEL JACKSON is the best-selling male solo album released in the 1980s.
BACK IN BLACK by AC/DC is the best-selling group album released in the 1980s, with over 32.5 million copies sold.
The best-selling compilation album released in the 1980s is LEGEND by BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS, with over 26.5 million copies sold.
The most successful debut album released in the 1980s is APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION by GUNS N' ROSES, with over 24.4 million copies sold.
WHITNEY HOUSTON by WHITNEY HOUSTON is the best-selling female solo album released in the 1980s, with over 18.3 million copies sold.
PURPLE RAIN by PRINCE is the best-selling soundtrack album released in the 1980s, with over 15.9 million copies sold.
The best-selling live album released in the 1980s is UNDER A BLOOD RED SKY by U2, with over 5.76 million copies sold.

Please note that this ranking reflects the cumulative sales of albums released in the 1980, 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	THRILLER MICHAEL JACKSON 1982	56,620,065	Rank in 1982 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 1 1 1
2	BACK IN BLACK AC/DC 1980	32,511,048	Rank in 1980 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 1 2 3
3	LEGEND BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS 1984	26,535,703	Rank in 1984 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 1 3 12
4	DIRTY DANCING SOUNDTRACK 1987	24,457,051	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 1 4 18
5	APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION GUNS N' ROSES 1987	24,437,500	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 2 5 19
6	BORN IN THE U.S.A. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 1984	22,731,697	Rank in 1984 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 2 6 25
7	GREATEST HITS I QUEEN 1981	22,459,936	Rank in 1981 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 1 7 27
8	BAD MICHAEL JACKSON 1987	21,859,356	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 3 8 29
9	BROTHERS IN ARMS DIRE STRAITS 1985	19,627,351	Rank in 1985 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 1 9 37
10	GREATEST HITS JOURNEY 1988	18,607,000	Rank in 1988 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 1 10 45
11	SLIPPERY WHEN WET BON JOVI 1986	18,600,277	Rank in 1986 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 1 11 46
12	WHITNEY HOUSTON WHITNEY HOUSTON 1985	18,380,891	Rank in 1985 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 2 12 48
13	NO JACKET REQUIRED PHIL COLLINS 1985	18,070,971	Rank in 1985 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 3 13 52
14	THE JOSHUA TREE U2 1987	17,772,870	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 4 14 55
15	PURPLE RAIN (SOUNDTRACK) PRINCE 1984	15,947,070	Rank in 1984 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 3 15 66
16	WHITNEY WHITNEY HOUSTON 1987	15,446,975	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 5 16 68
17	LIKE A VIRGIN MADONNA 1984	15,040,179	Rank in 1984 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 4 17 74
18	TRACY CHAPMAN TRACY CHAPMAN 1988	14,626,249	Rank in 1988 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 2 18 77
19	FAITH GEORGE MICHAEL 1987	14,350,853	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 6 19 82
20	TRUE BLUE MADONNA 1986	14,218,761	Rank in 1986 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 2 20 84
21	HYSTERIA DEF LEPPARD 1987	14,204,330	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 7 21 85
22	ELIMINATOR ZZ TOP 1983	14,046,121	Rank in 1983 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 1 22 89
23	BUT SERIOUSLY PHIL COLLINS 1989	13,958,432	Rank in 1989 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 1 23 93
24	CAN'T SLOW DOWN LIONEL RICHIE 1983	13,771,494	Rank in 1983 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 2 24 96
25	GREATEST HITS VOLUME I & VOLUME II BILLY JOEL 1985	13,645,000	Rank in 1985 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 4 25 98
26	KENNY ROGERS' GREATEST HITS KENNY ROGERS 1980	13,171,980	Rank in 1980 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 2 26 110
27	FOOTLOOSE SOUNDTRACK 1984	12,754,870	Rank in 1984 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 5 27 115
28	TOP GUN SOUNDTRACK 1986	12,173,549	Rank in 1986 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 3 28 129
29	AEROSMITH'S GREATEST HITS AEROSMITH 1980	12,119,060	Rank in 1980 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 3 29 131
30	1984 VAN HALEN 1984	11,669,305	Rank in 1984 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 6 30 147
31	EAGLES GREATEST HITS VOLUME II EAGLES 1982	11,284,670	Rank in 1982 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 2 31 156
32	GREATEST HITS FLEETWOOD MAC 1988	10,984,280	Rank in 1988 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 3 32 165
33	PYROMANIA DEF LEPPARD 1983	10,882,530	Rank in 1983 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 3 33 166
34	FACE VALUE PHIL COLLINS 1981	10,687,605	Rank in 1981 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 2 34 173
35	HI INFIDELITY REO SPEEDWAGON 1980	10,560,000	Rank in 1980 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 4 35 179
36	LICENSED TO ILL BEASTIE BOYS 1986	10,507,000	Rank in 1986 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 4 36 182
37	ESCAPE JOURNEY 1980	10,411,540	Rank in 1980 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 5 37 186
38	GARTH BROOKS GARTH BROOKS 1989	10,000,000	Rank in 1989 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 2 38 195
39	HANGIN' TOUGH NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK 1988	9,958,817	Rank in 1988 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 4 39 198
40	NEW JERSEY BON JOVI 1988	9,662,952	Rank in 1988 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 5 40 207
41	AND JUSTICE FOR ALL METALLICA 1988	9,660,441	Rank in 1988 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 6 41 208
42	MAKE IT BIG WHAM! 1984	9,598,885	Rank in 1984 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 7 42 213
43	SYNCHRONICITY THE POLICE 1983	9,427,629	Rank in 1983 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 4 43 221
44	GRACELAND PAUL SIMON 1986	9,388,830	Rank in 1986 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 5 44 225
45	FLASHDANCE SOUNDTRACK 1983	9,387,880	Rank in 1983 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 5 45 226
46	WHITESNAKE WHITESNAKE 1987	9,210,800	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 8 46 233
47	MASTER OF PUPPETS METALLICA 1986	9,192,492	Rank in 1986 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 6 47 234
48	KICK INXS 1987	9,190,000	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 9 48 236
49	RATTLE AND HUM U2 1988	9,179,134	Rank in 1988 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 7 49 238
50	LIKE A PRAYER MADONNA 1989	9,155,024	Rank in 1989 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 3 50 240

1980s albums ranked by sales