Best-selling albums of 1987

According to the BSA Ranking, the best-selling album released in1987 is the soundtrack to DIRTY DANCING, with over 24.4 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:
APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION by GUNS N' ROSES leads both the debut and group categories among albums released in 1987, with over 24.4 million copies sold.
BAD by MICHAEL JACKSON is the best-selling male solo album released in 1987, with over 21.8 million copies sold.
WHITNEY by WHITNEY HOUSTON is the best-selling female solo album released in 1987, with over 15.4 million copies sold.
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA by ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER is the best-selling soundtrack album released in 1987, with over 5.93 million copies sold.
The best-selling compilation album released in 1987 is A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS by A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS SERIES, with over 4.2 million copies sold.
The best-selling live album released in 1987 is НА КОНЦЕРТАХ ВЛАДИМИРА ВЫСОЦКОГО – 1 : СЕНТИМЕНТАЛЬНЫЙ БОКСЁР by ВЛАДИМИР ВЫСОЦКИЙ (VLADIMIR VYSOTSKY), with over 2.71 million copies sold.

Please note that this ranking reflects the cumulative sales of albums released in 1987, from their original release to date. It does not represent the best-selling albums during the calendar year itself. For annual worldwide best-seller lists, see the IFPI Global Album Charts, published since 2001.

№	Album	Total Sales	BSA Ranking
1	DIRTY DANCING SOUNDTRACK 1987	24,457,051	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 1 4 18
2	APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION GUNS N' ROSES 1987	24,437,500	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 2 5 19
3	BAD MICHAEL JACKSON 1987	21,859,356	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 3 8 29
4	THE JOSHUA TREE U2 1987	17,772,870	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 4 14 55
5	WHITNEY WHITNEY HOUSTON 1987	15,446,975	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 5 16 68
6	FAITH GEORGE MICHAEL 1987	14,350,853	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 6 19 82
7	HYSTERIA DEF LEPPARD 1987	14,204,330	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 7 21 85
8	WHITESNAKE WHITESNAKE 1987	9,210,800	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 8 46 233
9	KICK INXS 1987	9,190,000	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 9 48 236
10	TANGO IN THE NIGHT FLEETWOOD MAC 1987	7,675,990	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 10 63 329
11	THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER 1987	5,930,000	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 11 100 535
12	PERMANENT VACATION AEROSMITH 1987	5,700,000	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 12 111 569
13	A MOMENTARY LAPSE OF REASON PINK FLOYD 1987	5,631,554	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 13 114 583
14	ALWAYS & FOREVER RANDY TRAVIS 1987	5,500,000	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 14 118 605
15	INTRODUCING THE HARDLINE ACCORDING TO TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY TERENCE TRENT D'ARBY 1987	5,417,002	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 15 121 621
16	WHENEVER YOU NEED SOMEBODY RICK ASTLEY 1987	5,154,230	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 16 131 678
17	TUNNEL OF LOVE BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 1987	5,087,646	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 17 136 703
18	TIFFANY TIFFANY 1987	4,795,270	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 18 146 759
19	LET IT LOOSE / ANYTHING FOR YOU MIAMI SOUND MACHINE 1987	4,414,000	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 19 162 855
20	GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS MOTLEY CRUE 1987	4,260,000	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 20 170 909
21	A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS SERIES 1987	4,200,000	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 21 176 934
22	NOTHING LIKE THE SUN STING 1987	4,152,160	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 22 181 949
23	HIGHLIGHTS FROM PHANTOM OF THE OPERA ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER 1987	4,115,000	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 23 187 962
24	BAD ANIMALS HEART 1987	3,830,911	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 24 202 1,048
25	THE LONESOME JUBILEE JOHN MELLENCAMP 1987	3,665,000	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 25 206 1,087
26	ALL THE BEST PAUL MCCARTNEY 1987	3,405,100	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 26 219 1,194
27	DIESEL AND DUST MIDNIGHT OIL 1987	3,230,000	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 27 231 1,283
28	ENYA / THE CELTS ENYA 1987	3,157,500	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 28 244 1,342
29	OUT OF THE BLUE DEBBIE GIBSON 1987	3,124,290	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 29 247 1,365
30	GREATEST HITS REBA MCENTIRE 1987	3,100,000	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 30 255 1,404
31	RICHARD MARX RICHARD MARX 1987	3,100,000	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 31 256 1,405
32	MAKE IT LAST FOREVER KEITH SWEAT 1987	3,060,000	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 32 262 1,443
33	THE NUMBER ONE HITS ELVIS PRESLEY 1987	3,050,000	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 33 264 1,462
34	GREATEST HITS VOLUME II GEORGE STRAIT 1987	3,000,000	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 34 274 1,548
35	THE BEST OF UB40 VOL I UB40 1987	2,907,190	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 35 285 1,586
36	XEGUNDO XOU DA XUXA XUXA 1987	2,754,000	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 36 297 1,642
37	НА КОНЦЕРТАХ ВЛАДИМИРА ВЫСОЦКОГО – 1 : СЕНТИМЕНТАЛЬНЫЙ БОКСЁР ВЛАДИМИР ВЫСОЦКИЙ (VLADIMIR VYSOTSKY) 1987	2,716,680	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 37 301 1,661
38	ACTUALLY PET SHOP BOYS 1987	2,665,436	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 38 309 1,686
39	YOU CAN DANCE MADONNA 1987	2,527,544	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 39 316 1,759
40	МОЯ ЛЮБОВЬ ВЛАДИМИР КУЗЬМИН (VLADIMIR KUZMIN) 1987	2,480,100	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 40 322 1,815
41	НА КОНЦЕРТАХ ВЛАДИМИРА ВЫСОЦКОГО – 2 : СПАСИТЕ НАШИ ДУШИ ВЛАДИМИР ВЫСОЦКИЙ (VLADIMIR VYSOTSKY) 1987	2,434,660	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 41 329 1,850
42	МЕЛЬНИЦА ИГОРЬ НИКОЛАЕВ (IGOR NIKOLAEV) 1987	2,386,020	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 42 335 1,889
43	WHO'S THAT GIRL (SOUNDTRACK) MADONNA 1987	2,370,264	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 43 339 1,901
44	ROBERTO CARLOS 1987 ROBERTO CARLOS 1987	2,300,000	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 44 354 1,974
45	МИНУТОЧКУ!!! ВЕСЁЛЫЕ РЕБЯТА (VESYOLYE REBYATA) 1987	2,291,440	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 45 357 1,990
46	LA BAMBA (SOUNDTRACK) LOS LOBOS 1987	2,267,500	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 46 359 2,020
47	HEAVEN ON EARTH BELINDA CARLISLE 1987	2,256,402	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 47 362 2,034
48	МОИ ДВОРЫ АЛЕКСАНДР РОЗЕНБАУМ (ALEXANDER ROSENBAUM) 1987	2,236,230	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 48 364 2,054
49	SOLITUDE STANDING SUZANNE VEGA 1987	2,161,712	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 49 382 2,187
50	ПЕРЕСТУПИ ПОРОГ ЧЁРНЫЙ КОФЕ (CHORNY KOFE) 1987	2,157,100	Rank in 1987 Rank in 1980s Overall rank 50 385 2,200

1987 albums ranked by sales