who are the top 20 who sold the most records in the UK alone

 

Think you'll have to be more precise. What timeframe you looking for? Because of digital downloads etc. your statistics will be very biased towards everything before the year 2000. I'd look at particular timeframes if you're looking to measure the success of different artists.

Edited March 9, 201015 yr by Lewymocha

excluding downloads

Edited March 9, 201015 yr by sclub7fan001

1. "Greatest Hits (Volume One)" - Queen (1981) (5.4 million copies)

2. "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" - The Beatles (1967) (4.8 million copies)

3. "ABBA Gold Greatest Hits" - ABBA (1992) (4.5 million)

4. "(What's The Story) Morning Glory" - Oasis (1995) (4.3 million)

5. "Brothers In Arms" - Dire Straits (1985) (4.0 million)

6. "The Dark Side Of The Moon" - Pink Floyd (1973) (3.8 million)

7. "Greatest Hits Vol.II" - Queen (1991) (3.6 million)

8. "Thriller" - Michael Jackson (1982) (3.6 million)

9. "Bad" - Michael Jackson (1987) (3.6 million)

10. "The Immaculate Collection" - Madonna (1990) (3.4 million)

11. "Stars" - Simply Red (1991) (3.4 million)

12. "Come On Over" - Shania Twain (2000) (3.3 million)

13. "Rumours" - Fleetwood Mac (1977) (3.1 million)

14. "Urban Hymns" - The Verve (1997) (3.1 million)

15. "No Angel" - Dido (2002) (3.0 million)

16. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" - Simon & Garfunkel (1970) (3.0 million)

17. "Talk On Corners" - The Corrs (1999) (2.9 million)

18. "Spice" - The Spice Girls (1996) (2.9 million)

19. "Back To Bedlam" - James Blunt (2005) (2.9 million)

20. "White Ladder" - David Gray (2002) (2.9 million)

21. "Bat Out Of Hell" - Meat Loaf (1977) (2.8 million)

22. "Life For Rent" - Dido (2003) (2.8 million)

23. "...But Seriously" - Phil Collins (1989) (2.7 million)

24. "1" - The Beatles (2000) (2.7 million)

25. "The Man Who" - Travis (1999) (2.7 million)

26. "The Joshua Tree" - U2 (1987) (2.7 million)

27. "Greatest Hits" - ABBA (1976) (2.6 million)

28. "Tubular Bells" - Mike Oldfield (1973) (2.6 million)

29. "A Rush Of Blood To The Head" - Coldplay (2002) (2.6 million)

30. "I've Been Expecting You" - Robbie Williams (2000) (2.6 million)

31. "Jagged Little Pill" - Alanis Morissette (2002) (2.6 million)

32. "Scissor Sisters" - Scissor Sisters (2004) (2.5 million)

33. "Legend" - Bob Marley and the Wailers (1984) (2.5 million)

34. "Hopes And Fears" - Keane (2004) (2.5 million)

35. "War Of The Worlds" - Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version (1978) (2.5 million)

36. "The Sound Of Music" - Soundtrack (1965) (2.4 million)

37. "Dirty Dancing" - Soundtrack (1987) (2.4 million)

38. "Ladies & Gentlemen - The Best Of..." - George Michael (1998) (2.4 million)

39. "Grease" - Soundtrack (1978) (2.4 million)

40. "Come Away With Me" - Norah Jones (2002) (2.4 million)

41. "X&Y" - Coldplay (2005) (2.3 million)

42. "Tracy Chapman" - Tracy Chapman (1988) (2.3 million)

43. "Robson And Jerome" - Robson & Jerome (1995) (2.3 million)

44. "Tango In The Night" - Fleetwood Mac (1987) (2.3 million)

45. "Parachutes" - Coldplay (2000) (2.3 million)

46. "Now That's What I Call Music 44" - Various Artists (1999) (2.3 million)

47. "Automatic For The People" - R.E.M. (1992) (2.3 million)

48. "Whitney" - Whitney Houston (1987) (2.2 million)

49. "The Marshall Mathers LP" - Eminem (2000) (2.2 million)

50. "Swing When You're Winning" - Robbie Williams (2001) (2.2 million)

51. "Graceland" - Paul Simon (1986) (2.2 million)

52. "Sing When You're Winning" - Robbie Williams (2000) (2.2 million)

53. "Beautiful World" - Take That (2006) (2.2 million)

54. "Saturday Night Fever" - Original Soundtrack (1978) (2.2 million)

55. "The Bodyguard" - Soundtrack (1992) (2.1 million)

56. "The Very Best Of Elton John" - Elton John (1995) (2.1 million)

57. "Simply The Best" - Tina Turner (1991) (2.1 million)

58. "Kylie" - Kylie Minogue (1988) (2.1 million)

59. "Falling Into You" - Celine Dion (1996) (2.1 million)

60. "Life Thru A Lens" - Robbie Williams (1997) (2.1 million)

61. "Greatest Hits" - Eurythmics (1991) (2.1 million)

62. "Escapology" - Robbie Williams (2002) (2.1 million)

63. "Greatest Hits" - Robbie Williams (2004) (2.0 million)

64. "Greatest Hits" - Simon & Garfunkel (1972) (2.0 million)

65. "A New Flame" - Simply Red (1989) (2.0 million)

66. "True Blue" - Madonna (1986) (2.0 million)

Looking at some of that list...some people have appalling music taste

Back to Bedlam has sold more than 2.9 million. I take it those figures are from 2007 at the latest as there's no Amy Winehouse.

15. "No Angel" - Dido (2002) (3.0 million)

20. "White Ladder" - David Gray (2002) (2.9 million)

 

The years aren't right for these either.

Kings Of Leon have sold 2mil+ now too with 'Only By The Night.

I'm baffled by half these albums. Many seem to just sell on a few good singles.

 

Why is it that people feel the need to have a Queen compilation and not a David Bowie one or a Led Zeppelin one? They all want bloody Bohemian Rhapsody.

Edited March 10, 201015 yr by tonyttt31

Yeah this needs updating... I think 'Back to Bedlam' will be higher, 'Back To Black' will be in there and stuff like 'American Idiot' and 'Employment' have passed 2 million now.