Top 10 highest selling rap albums of all time (10-6)
by on March 19th, 2007
Top 10 highest selling rap albums of all time (10-6)
It’s time for another edition of “who’s really bawllin?”...If you remember..the first time around we counted down the top 10 richest rappers by the end of 2006. This time around we’re going to take it a step further and count down the Top 10 highest selling rap albums of all time in the US. It’s a sad thing that the forthcoming numbers will probably never be achieved again. Anyways, lets start it off with 10-6:10. Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (Ruffhouse, 1998)
Released on August 25th, 1998, the debut solo album of the former Fugee Lauryn Hill set an unimaginable landmark for female MCs worldwide. Selling over 8 million copies and sweeping the Grammies for 11 nominations and 5 wins, The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill also claims the title for one of the highest selling debut albums of all time.
The album has also been declared one of the greatest albums of all time coming in at number 37 on VH1’s Greatest Albums of all Time list and number 312 on Rolling Stone Magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of all time.
Audiobit: Lauryn Hill – Lost ones
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9. Will Smith – Big Willie Style (Columbia, 1997) 
Who would’ve thought Will Smith would be on this list? Released on November 25th, 1997, during the big screen take off of the Fresh Prince’s acting career, Big Willie Style has sold over 9 million. With numerous hit singles such as “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It”, “Just the two of us”, “Men In Black”, and “Miami” Will Smith returned to music industry with a bang after splitting with Dj Jazzy Jeff.
Audiobit: Will Smith – Men In Black
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8. 2Pac – Greatest Hits (Death Row, 1998) 
Released two years after the death of Tupac Shakur, the double disc compilation sold well over 9 million records and included 21 hits as well as four unreleased tracks including “Changes.” The Greatest hits compilation is also considered one of the highest selling posthumous rap releases.
Audiobit: 2Pac – Changes
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7. 2Pac – All Eyez On Me (Death Row, 1996)
Released on February 13th, 1996, All Eyez on Me reached platinum status in just 4 hours. Selling over 9 million copies, the album is considered one of the most influential in hip hop history and is considered one of the landmarks of 90’s rap. The 27 track double album was recorded in a mere two weeks following a highly publicized 2pac arrest and qualifies for Diamond album status since each disc in a double album counts towards RIAA certification.
Audiobit: 2Pac feat. Big Syke - All Eyes on Me
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6. Beastie Boys – Licensed to Ill (Def Jam, 1986)
What has been dubbed the first rap album to reach mainstream success, Licensed to Ill was the debut rap album from the Beasties Boys. Released in 1986, Licensed to Ill became Columbia Record’s fastest selling debut record going 9 times platinum. It has been ranked amongst the greatest albums of all time by both The Source Magazine as well as Rolling Stone Magazine.
The album has also been recognized as the first major full-length album by a white hip hop group.
Audiobit: Beastie Boys - No Sleep Till Brooklyn
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Sale numbers are for U.S. only..not worldwide margins



























Though no single source can give a definitive number, the following are considered by most all accounts to be the best selling albums worldwide, of all-time, for a male solo artist:
Michael Jackson – Thriller (1983)
Copies Sold: 54 Million
Meat Loaf – Bat Out Of Hell (1978)
Copies Sold: 37 Million
Michael Jackson – Bad (1987)
Copies Sold: 27 Million
Michael Jackson – Dangerous (1991)
Copies Sold: 27 Million
Santana – Supernatural (1999)
Copies Sold: 25 Million
Bruce Springsteen Born In The USA (1984)
Copies Sold: 24 Million
Lionel Richie – Can’t Slow Down(1983)
Copies Sold: 22 Million
MC Hammer – Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ’Em (1990)
Copies Sold: 20 Million
Ricky Martin – Ricky Martin (1999)
Copies Sold: 20 Million
Elton John – Greatest Hits (1974)
Copies Sold: 20 Million
In addition to the above, the following is a list of ten other albums recorded by male solo artists having reached an estimated 15 million in sales worldwide:
Prince – Purple Rain (1984)
Eminem – The Marshall Mathers (2000)
Peter Frampton – Comes Alive (1976)
Michael Jackson – History (1995)
Andrea Bocelli – Romanza (1997)
Garth Brooks – No Fences (1991)
Eric Clapton – Unplugged (1992)
George Michael – Faith (1987)
Michael Jackson – Off The Wall (1979)
Eminem – The Eminem Show (2002)
Though no single source can give a definitive number, the following are considered by most all accounts to be the best selling albums worldwide, of all-time, for a female solo artist:
Shania Twain – Come On Over (1997)
Copies Sold: 35 Million
Celine Dion – Let’s Talk About Love (1997)
Copies Sold: 30 Million
Celine Dion – Falling Into You (1996)
Copies Sold: 29 Million
Alanis Morissette – Jagged Little Pill (1995)
Copies Sold: 28 Million
Mariah Carey – Music Box (1993)
Copies Sold: 27 Million
Britney Spears – Baby One More Time (1999)
Copies Sold: 24 Million
Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston (1985)
Copies Sold: 23 Million
Madonna – The Immaculate Collection (1990)
Copies Sold: 23 Million
Carole King – Tapestry (1971)
Copies Sold: 22 Million
Mariah Carey – Daydream (1995)
Copies Sold: 22 Million
In addition to the above, the following is a list of ten other albums recorded by female solo artists having reached an estimated 15 million in sales worldwide:
Madonna – True Blue (1986)
Madonna – Like A Virgin (1984)
Britney Spears – Oops I Did It Again (2000)
Whitney Houston – Whitney (1987)
Shania Twain – The Woman In Me (1995)
Celine Dion – All The Way A Decade Of Song (1999)
Mariah Carey – Mariah Carey (1990)
Janet Jackson – Janet (1993)
Mariah Carey – Butterfly (1997)
Mariah Carey – Merry Christmas (1994)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (1983)
Copies Sold: 54 Million
Though no-one can give a definitive number, Thriller is considered by most all accounts to be the best selling album of all-time, with an estimated fifty-four million copies sold worldwide and multiple number one hits.
AC/DC – Back In Black (1980)
Copies Sold: 42 Million
After Bon Scott’s death it was questionable whether AC/DC could reach previous levels of success, but with the song writing started while Bon was still alive, and Brian Johnson taking over the mic, AC/DC were indeed Back in Black.
The Eagles – Greatest Hits 1971-75 (1976)
Copies Sold: 41 Million
Released in 1976, it was the first album to receive platinum status and to date is the best selling album of all-time in the United States at almost thirty million copies, and worldwide has achieved over forty million in sales.
Soundtrack – Saturday Night Fever (1978)
Copies Sold: 40 Million
The number one best-selling soundtrack of all-time, primarily recorded by the Bee Gees, was equally helped by the enormous popularity of the movie starring John Travolta. For a moment the disco era was mainstream.
Soundtrack – The Bodyguard (1992)
Copies Sold: 37 Million
One of the most successful films in history also produced one of the most successful soundtracks. Whitney Houston’s cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” helped bring the album to number eight all-time worldwide.
Meat Loaf – Bat Out Of Hell (1978)
Copies Sold: 37 Million
After every record label refused to pick up the album, Cleveland International Records decided to take a chance. After an appearance on Saturday Night Live, the album started to receive huge fanfare in America and eventually the world.
Pink Floyd – The Dark Side Of The Moon (1973)
Copies Sold: 35 Million
Though this post Syd Barrett conceptual album focusing on the human experience stayed at number one for only one week on The Billboard 200, amazingly it managed to stay on the chart itself for a record fourteen consecutive years until 1988.
Shania Twain – Come On Over (1997)
Copies Sold: 35 Million
This is the biggest selling album by a female solo artist, and is due to the successful team collaboration of the highly talented Shania and her husband, producer/writer Robert “Mutt” Lange, the producer for AC/DC’s “Back in Black” (see above).
The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
Copies Sold: 32 Million
Considered by many to be the most influential rock album ever, this ground-breaker came at the end of the Beatlemania craze. The Beatles, who were no longer touring, took major leaps in the studio by incorporating new sounds and recording styles into their music.
Soundtrack – Dirty Dancing (1987)
Copies Sold: 32 Million
The best-selling soundtrack for the movie included many hit singles such as “Hungry Eyes”, as sung by Eric Carmen, and an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”, sung by the duet of Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes.
Tupac I knew would be on there, but Im anticipating Notorious BIG Life after Death may be in the top 5 also, 50 will definately be up there because of GRODT, and Em will be there as well…..Im not sure that Jigga will be in there, but it’ll be interesting to see whos number 1…..Radamez, it better not be Hammer!!! Cant Touch This!! LOL….
I will be mad as hell if Hammer got that top spot..“Hammer Dont Hurt’em”…too fuckin funny.
I forgot to mention that I think Mr. Omerta74 is on his period this week.
I never fucked with Hammer. I respect what he did but that’s where it ends for me. In Livin Color didn’t have a problem clowning on him. That skit was too funny.
By the way, Big Willie Style went Double Diamond and MIGHT actually be up there! I TOLD y’all Nas got $$$$$$!
By the way, Big Willie Style went Double Diamond and MIGHT actually be up there! I TOLD y’all Nas got $$$$$$!
big willie style is up their its number 9, it didnt go double diamond if it did that it would number 3 or something
AND I KNOW PAC GOT 3 DIAMOND RECORDS SO U GO CATCH HIM UP THEIR 3 TIMES AND HE WILL BE NUMBER 1
HardKnock Life Vol. 2- Jay-Z (5x)
Very Necessary- Salt
nPepa (5x)5. Get Rich or Die Tryin’- 50 cent (6x)
NellyVille- Nelly (6x)
The Chronic- Dr. Dre (6x)
The score-Fugees (6x)
4. No Way Out- P. Diddy (7x)
To the extreme-Vanilla Ice (7x)
3. The Eminem Show-Eminem (8x)
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill- Lauryn Hill (8x)
2. Country Grammat- Nelly (9x)
The Marshall Mathers LP-Eminem (9x)
Big Willie Style- Will Smith (9x)
All Eyes On Me- Tupac Shakur (9x)
Greatest Hits- 2Pac (9X)
SpeakerBox/The Love Below- Outkast (9x)
1. Please Hammer Don’t Hurt Em’- MC Hammer (10x)
Life After Death- Notorious B.I.G. (10x)
and blackdirtent those numbers are wrong homie…whatever site you got that from needs to be updated unless those are just US sales
All I know is, lol, Jennifer Hudson & Amy Winehouse might be the SAVIORS! They can blow. I’m waitin’ 4 J.Hud’s album now…see if she can stick it on MORE than that 1 song. Amy’s a legend in the making, providing the fame & $$$ don’t get 2 her head, with all the dumb ish she’s done lately.
As far as hip hop… what did Nas say a couple months ago? LOL. Need I NOT repeat it.
KING
….LOL, that was good….
TalkofNJ, what up nigga, let that no-name nigga be dead, he RIP’d ya feel me??
O my bad it was a misprint take the million out, it was 27 copies sold worldwide.
yo svj dats worldwide, sold over 28 million, and if nobody believe it, i will give u tha link. this list is for u.s sales
http://www.hitemup.com/tupac/lawsuit-agnant.html
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go down until u see END Footnotes and read tha first three paragraphs
5. BIG- “Life ater death”-10 mill
4. Puffy-“No Way Out”-10 mill
3. Vanilla Ice- I don’t which one but one of them sold close to 15 million
2. Hammer- “Please hammer don’t hurt em”-15 mill
1. Pac- 7 day theory- somewhere in the 20 mill area
These are just my guesses
to when we played a kids
but things change
and dats tha way it is” – G.O.A.T
It for good convo nothing more.
I’m one of those motherfuckas. Fuck it!
I’m just fuckin around. I understand what your saying MJ.
charismatic — about 11 hours ago
Actually I was FEELIN’ the “song” ‘Gettin’ Jiggy Wit’ It’… I ALWAYS knew there was somethin’ I liked about it; then, I found out years later, in The Source, that Nas wrote it (as well as co-wrote OTHER songs on the album), and I was like, “I knew it, lol!” Not that I knew Nas wrote it, but I knew that there was some’n special about it!
By the way, Big Willie Style went Double Diamond and MIGHT actually be up there! I TOLD y’all Nas got $$$$$$!
Someone already knows it that’s tha shit but Nas never bragged about it like ghostwriters today that’s why no1 found out till the thing sold millions….Im glad charismatic is on point
Eminem, 50 cent,Pac, Biggie, Mc hummer, Dr Dre and shit like that yall know the people that sell records…..
Please show me where you got the info from MJ, cuz that sounds way too hard to believe…
Not even biggie.. we heard all of bigggie musik but pac still droppin albums… hahahahaha
http://www.elvis.com.au/presley/biography/elvis_presley_biography.shtml
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2nd paragraph of Elvis’ bio clearly says he has sold over a BILLION records. More than any other artist in history.
will smith
more power to him
black actors and rappers big ups
The Marshall Mathers LP (9x)
Ready To Die (10x)
The Eminem Show (10x)
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (11x)
Get Rich or Die Tryin (12x)
But I think you mean Life After Death rather than Ready to Die
1. Outkast (speakerboxxx/ the love below – 11 mil
2. Hammer ( Hammer Don’t Hurt Em ) – 10 mil
3. Notorious BIG ( Life After Death ) – 10 mil
4. Tupac ( All Eyes On Me ) – 9 Mil
5. Tupac ( Greatest Hits ) – 9 Mil
6. Beastie Boys ( Licensed to Ill ) – 9 Mil
7. Eminem ( The Marshall Mather LP ) – 9 mil
8. Nelly ( Country Grammar ) – 9 Mil
9. Will Smith ( Big Willie Style ) – 9 Mil
10. Eminem ( Them Eninem Show ) – 8 Mil
http://www.riaa.com/gp/bestsellers/topalbums.asp
but number 1 has to be hammer or something
yo 1st 2 comment…but on a real Pac iz bigga dan big…nigga sold a million in da 1st 4hrz of releasin an album he recorded in jus 2 weekz…..damn nigga waz “ballin”
Niggaz like u get no respect! Bottom Line!
Tupac Amura Shakur Is the fucking only one who is a real gangsta
Fuck All the others Fakeass like Lil Wayne, Lil Scrappy, Lil Flip, Chamillionair You know. Fuck tha fake ass G’z !