That release cost fans upwards of $10 in ’68 money ($73 in today’s money), which was much pricier than a single record. The RIAA is the music industry’s trade organization, meaning it exists to boost the livelihoods of recording artists and (mostly) the labels who distribute their music.įor such a group, it’s definitely significant that The Beatles sold 12 million copies of The White Album since 1968.
If you’re wondering how such a system could be in place, remember who (or in this case, what) put it in place. Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and John Lennon arrive at EMI Studios in Abbey Road, London for the recording of ‘All You Need is Love’ on 24th June 1967. File it under “to be continued.” Double albums count twice because they brought in more money. sales of Beatles studio albums are concerned. In other words, the album that included “Stairway to Heaven” and “When the Levee Breaks” really was as popular as it seems.īut it also means that Abbey Road (12 million units) and The White Album stand neck-and-neck as far as U.S. The Beatles’ White Album got the same treatment, making its sales still impressive at 12 million units but way behind Led Zeppelin IV’s certified 23 million. ( Thriller, on the other hand, did have 33 million buyers.) However, since each disc was counted individually, it means 11.5 million copies of each release went home with record buyers. The list includes Billy Joel’s Greatest Hits Volume I and Volume II and Pink Floyd’s The Wall.īoth have 23 million certified sales in America. When you look at the top-10 albums of all time on the RIAA website, you’ll find several double albums (i.e., two records or two CDs) among them. Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham (obscured) perform at Madison Square Garden, circa 1973. The RIAA system means ‘The White Album’ sold closer to 12 million copies. Because of the way the RIAA tallies sales, they’ve counted the double White Album as two units each time. As for The Beatles (aka The White Album), you’ll find that record listed at 24 million units shipped.Īt a glance, it looks like a clear win for the Fab Four. Looking at the stats for Led Zeppelin IV, you’ll find the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certifying the album at 23 million copies shipped. However, once you get into individual album sales, it’s not so easy. Worldwide, no recording artist has approached the 600 million Beatles records that people have bought over the years. Meanwhile, both have records that rank in the top 10 with over 20 million discs sold.
Both sold well over 100 million records apiece in the U.S. If you want to know about the top-selling bands in history, start with The Beatles and Led Zeppelin.
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