List of best-selling albums in the United States since 1991
This is a list of best-selling albums in the
United States of the
Nielsen SoundScan era. SoundScan began tracking sales data for Billboard on March 1, 1991. SoundScan data is unrelated to the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certifications, and is based on actual sales while
the RIAA's certification process is based on shipments.
Best-sellers (overall)
List of the best-selling albums in the United States since 1991, showing title, release year, artist, and sales figure
The following list includes the annual best-selling albums since 1991, as reported by
MRC Data (formerly
Nielsen SoundScan). For albums released after 2015, the best-performing album of the year is determined by
album-equivalent units consisted of album sales, digital songs sales, and on-demand streaming, while the best-selling album is determined by album sales only.[27]
^Not including an additional 1.59 million copies sold through BMG Music Clubs. Nielsen SoundScan does not count albums sold through clubs like the BMG Music Service, which were significantly popular in the 1990s.[6]
^As of October 2014, No Strings Attached sold 11.16 million copies per SoundScan.[10] An additional 1.52 million copies sold through the
BMG Music Club are not included in SoundScan's total.[11]
^As of May 2020, ...Baby One More Time has sold 10,700,000 copies in the US according to
Nielsen SoundScan,[14] with an additional 1,600,000 copies sold through BMG Music Clubs.[15] Nielsen SoundScan does not count albums sold through clubs like the BMG Music Service, which were significantly popular in the 1990s.[16]
^Not including an additional 3 million copies sold through CD clubs. Nielsen SoundScan does not count albums sold through CD clubs, which were significantly popular in the 1990s.[19]
^Not including an additional 1.72 million copies sold through BMG Music Clubs. Nielsen SoundScan does not count albums sold through clubs like the BMG Music Service, which were significantly popular in the 1990s.[21]
List of best-selling albums in the United States since 1991
This is a list of best-selling albums in the
United States of the
Nielsen SoundScan era. SoundScan began tracking sales data for Billboard on March 1, 1991. SoundScan data is unrelated to the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certifications, and is based on actual sales while
the RIAA's certification process is based on shipments.
Best-sellers (overall)
List of the best-selling albums in the United States since 1991, showing title, release year, artist, and sales figure
The following list includes the annual best-selling albums since 1991, as reported by
MRC Data (formerly
Nielsen SoundScan). For albums released after 2015, the best-performing album of the year is determined by
album-equivalent units consisted of album sales, digital songs sales, and on-demand streaming, while the best-selling album is determined by album sales only.[27]
^Not including an additional 1.59 million copies sold through BMG Music Clubs. Nielsen SoundScan does not count albums sold through clubs like the BMG Music Service, which were significantly popular in the 1990s.[6]
^As of October 2014, No Strings Attached sold 11.16 million copies per SoundScan.[10] An additional 1.52 million copies sold through the
BMG Music Club are not included in SoundScan's total.[11]
^As of May 2020, ...Baby One More Time has sold 10,700,000 copies in the US according to
Nielsen SoundScan,[14] with an additional 1,600,000 copies sold through BMG Music Clubs.[15] Nielsen SoundScan does not count albums sold through clubs like the BMG Music Service, which were significantly popular in the 1990s.[16]
^Not including an additional 3 million copies sold through CD clubs. Nielsen SoundScan does not count albums sold through CD clubs, which were significantly popular in the 1990s.[19]
^Not including an additional 1.72 million copies sold through BMG Music Clubs. Nielsen SoundScan does not count albums sold through clubs like the BMG Music Service, which were significantly popular in the 1990s.[21]