11. The Beatles, '1967-1970' (1973)
17 Million copies

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On the heels of the massive Beatles bootleg push, Apple/Capitol Records decided to spark their own compilation setting the stage for how all "best of", "definitive", "greatest hits" compilations were made. The Beatles '1962-1966' (1973) sold only 15 million copies. This album was revamped in 2023 for its 50th anniversary to include more George Harrison tracks, but the true value of this album is that it mixed major hits and album cuts to make one of the most unique "hits" albums.​​

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​10. Boston, 'Boston' (1976)
17 Million copies

 

Boston came out of the gate swinging, but took ten years to get into the game. This debut was on fire immediately as "More Than A Feeling" hit FM rock radio. The album spawned the seminal tracks, "Foreplay / Long Time", "Peace Of Mind", "Rock and Roll Band", "Smokin'" along with the rest of the album. The 1978 follow-up fared well, but it would be 8 more years before a third record from the band hit the shelves. But 1976's debut album remains a solid selling record decades later.​

 

9. Guns N' Roses, 'Appetite for Destruction' (1987)
18 Million copies

When Appetite first hit the airwaves in July of 1987, it flew under the radar and missed the mark for most. it wasn't until the single release of, "Sweet Child O' Mine" hit a year later im June of 1988 that people took notice. Already releaed, "Welcome to the Jungle" got a revision and made Appetite a sleeper classic that still remains one of the greatest hard rock albums in rock history. Other important tracks are, "My Michelle", "Nightrain", "Mr. Brownstone", "Outta Get Me", and "Rocket Queen".​

 

8. The Beatles, 'The Beatles (The White Album)' (1968)
19 Million copies

My father made a statement about how The White ALbum was something fro mthe heavens. For him, it was unlike anything he'd heard before, a feat The Beatles had done to him numerous times before, but The White Album, actually just caled, "The Beatles", despite being virtual solo cuts by three of the members, remains as unique today as it was in 1968 when it first hit the shelves.​

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7. Fleetwood Mac, 'Rumours' (1977)
20 Million copies

At over 20 million copies, someone in the record business once said you could have added an addition 3 million to whatever Rumours sells, had "Silver Springs" been on the album. Rumours is amazing - even the album cut; "I Don't Wanna Know", "Oh Daddy", "Songbird" and "Never Going Back Again". It's one of the very times a record came out that was nearly perfect from start to finish. Not to mention the slick and steller production from producer Ken Caillet and Richard Dashut. Big hits included thier only #1 single, "Dreams", "Go Your Own Way", "You Make Lovin' Fun"​​, and of course, "Don't Stop"

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​6. AC/DC, 'Back in Black' (1980)
22 Million copies

This album rocked hard in it's day, and still remains one of the greater hard rock albums, inspiring many rock artists and kids with broomsticks for guitars and pots and pans for a drumset. With the loss of leader, Bon Scott early in 1980, this album bleeds the ghost of Bon's presence with Brian Johnson giving tribute in the only way he knew how - rockin' hard! All of the members were ni top form on this album and have yet to repeat the success of this album. "You Shook Me All Night Long", "Back in Black", "Hell's Bells", "Shoot To Thrill", "Given The Dog A Bone", "Let Me Put My Love Into You" are standout tracks.

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​5. Pink Floyd, 'The Wall' (1979)
23 Million copies

Many have called this album "bloated" and "pretentious". Even band members agreed. Seen by many as a Roger Waters solo record, The Wall remains classic by all standards of rock music. With the favorite tracks; "Hey You", "Comfortably Numb", "Run Like Hell", "Mother" and the hit single, "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II", the album is uneven, for the most part, but does contain some of the greatest guitar work by David Gilmour and award-worthy lyrics by Waters.​

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​4. Led Zeppelin, (Untitled) (Led Zeppelin IV) (1971)
23 Million copies

Led Zeppelin was a powerhouse rock band, settign thr pace of how rock music was going to sound for the rest of the 70s. The songs; "Black Dog", "Rock and Roll", "When The Levee Breaks", "Going To California" and the separately early, and then latter halves of "Stairway To Heaven", are all stellar moments in both Rock music and Led Zeppelin's relatively short career. Led Zeppelin IV works like a greatest hits of sorts. Still solid. Still rock masterpiece.

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​3. Billy Joel, 'Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II' (1985)
23 Million copies

In the eyes of rock music, Billy Joel appears to be a hit single artist, as proven by the huge sales numbers of his Greatest Hits, Vol I & II, but truly, some of Billy's art shines through his album cuts; "Vienna", "All For Leyna", "Zanzibar" as just a small example. But this set remains some of rock and pop's favorite record and radio tracks, from the #1 hit, "It's Still Rock and Roll To Me" to the album cut, "New York State of Mind", this is the perfect starter pack to introduce you to the world of Billy Joel.​​

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​2. Eagles, 'Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)' (1976)
29 Million copies

The world of Eagles releases relied on singles before 1976's Hotel California made them an album rock band. However, Their Greatest Hits was a testimony at just how amazing their singles were, bringing Southern California rock and Country music together with the band's individual abilities. This album shines from beginning to end and reads more like a great album rather than a hits package, as the music is timeless and consistant. 

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​1. Michael Jackson, 'Thriller' (1982)
33 Million copies
No surprise when you consider how Thriller was all over the place in 1982, 1983, 1984 and it would be 3 years beyond that to conjure a follow-up in the form of Bad in 1987. Two #1 singles were pulled from this album; "Billie Jean" and "Beat It" and the radio and singles favorites; "Human Nature", "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)", "Wanna Be Startin' Something" and the title track, "Thriller".

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​OTHER SUCCESSFUL ALBUMS:

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Def Leppard, 'Hysteria' (1987)
12 Million copies
Hysteria did nothing upon it's release. "Women" and "Animal were the first two releases, and both failed miserably. It would be many mnths later before things realy took off with the release of "Pour Some Sugar On Me" by September of 1987. That album would eventaully hit #1 and land them their one and only #1 single, "Love Bites" by July of 1988.

 

Bon Jovi, 'Slippery When Wet' (1986)
12 million copies
After the failed 7800 Degree Farenheit album in 1985, Bon Jovi was on the chopping block of Mercury Records' roster. It was do or die and their did it. This homerun album landed two #1 singles with "You Give Love A Bad Name" and "Livin' On A Prayer" and massive hits with "Wanted Dead or Alive" and a slew of massive radio cuts.

 

The Steve Miller Band, 'Greatest Hits 1974-78' (1978)
13 Million copies
Steve Miller had a slow beginning with a minor hit here and there, until 1974's "The Joker", title track to his 8th studio album, but would hit big with a string of records covered on this compilation, including the classic, "FLy Like an Eagle", "Jet Airliner" and "Rock N' Me", of which was Steve's second #1 single. And despite the cut up short versions, this album remains a perfect storybook of Steve' impact on the world of Rock in the 1970s.

 

Bruce Springsteen & The E. Street Band, 'Live 1975-85' (1986)
13 Million copies
This remains the best selling box set to date. Five records or 3-CDs makes this a hefty package, and expensive, but sold a solid 13 million copies with tracks covering ten years of Bruce's live performances from 1975 to 1985, and covers all of the major hit singles and beloved live and album cuts Bruce is still known for.

 

Simon & Garfunkel, Simon & Garfunkel's Great Hits' (1972)
14 Million copies
With titles like, "Bridge Over Troubled Water", "The Boxer", "The Sound of Silence", "Cecilia" and "Mrs. Robinson", just to name a few, no wonder this record sold a solid 14+ million records. Much like The Eagles and Elton John's greatest hits collections, these are not just greatest hits but a solid album from start to finish. 

 

Meat Loaf, 'Bat Out Of Hell' (1977)
14 Million copies
A sleeper of an album that took Meat Loaf and composer, Jim Steinman, many months of sweating out the outcome of their debut collaboration. But man! When it finally broke by the Summer of 1978, it was monster and Meat Loaf became an instant star. This album is filled with operatic masterpieces from, "You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth" to the over-blown, "Paradise By The Dashboard Light", this album is nearly perfect from beginning to end.

 

The Beatles, '1962-1966' (1973)
15 Million copies
With the releae of "The Blue Album" and this, "The Red Album", 1973 had a great share of Beatles music in addition to the many solo albums releaed that year, but this album covered the beginnings of their hit making years into their creative period, that would be extended heavily onto the companion "Blue" record. 

 

Pink Floyd, 'Dark Side Of The Moon' (1973)
15 Million copies
Pink Floyd was running into major snags in their career before 1973. Despite the mild success of 1971's Meddle and 1972' Oscured By Clouds, , the band was nearly ready to throw in the towel, but when they tumbled on what would become The Dark Side of the Moon, they knew this would make their broken career. And they were right. This was the start of the classic period for the Floyd, that would land them as one of Rock's greatest bands, thanks to this nearly flawless recod.

 

Journey, 'Greatest Hits' (1988)
15 Million copies
Journey had gotten away with hit singles since Steve Perry joined the band in 1978. "Lights", "Wheel In The Sky", "Lovin' TOuchin', Squeezin'" all were massive records that were followed up by their next phase, the hit single years of "Don't Stop Believin", "Faithfully", "Open Arms" and "Separate Ways", this compilation hits the mark with all of these records and more. Journey's Greatest Hits reads like a documentary telling of just how influential and popular Journey was in their day.

 

​Bruce Springsteen, 'Born In The USA' (1984)
15 Million copies
When Bruce broek out in 1985 with hi Born to Run record, he set a course for rock history that would be bookended with another "Born" album, Born in the U.S.A. "Dancing ni the Dark", as off-setting to Bruce fans as it was, managed to hit #2 and the rest of the record produced the most polished Bruce record to date and gave us classics as, "Cover Me" and it's title track.

 

​Metallica, "Metallica" (1991)
16 Million copies
Metallica fans were heartbroken to hear this album in 1992, but Metallica landed tons of new fans. More like, landed them millions of new fans, and once the original Metallica fans caught on to this record's output, Metallica placed themselves in a stratosphere they couldn't even imagine. To date, this, "The Black Album", still sells wherever it's available and it's tracks all have a place on Rock radio stations, constantly played all around the world daily.

 

​Led Zeppelin, 'Physical Graffiti' (1975)
16 Million copies
Physical Grafitti was an unbalanced record for fans. The band threw in the kitchen sink in order to bloat all sides of this album. But truly, Sides 1 and 2 could have been the final master and it would most likely have done better, seeing how these are the meat and potatoes of this record. But overall, it still stands as one of the 70s most successful and classic albums.

 

​Elton John, "Greatest Hits" (1974)
16 Million copies
Only a small handful of greatest hits compilations made a dent in the history of rock and roll, and one of those that did, was Elton John's 1974 set. Filled with (most) of the hits the world knew, Elton John's Greatest Hits remains one of the most influential rock/pop albums of the 70s with some of the biggest hits, including the #1 hits, "Crocodile Rock" and "Bennie and the Jets". 

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​Eagles, 'Hotel California' (1976)
This is, and will always be, the peak of the Eagles - hands down! The Long Run will have hits and be a good album, but this album is the Eagles' pek of perfomance and their art. The hits; "Hotel California", "New Kid In Town" and "Life In The Fast Lane" were not enough. "Victim Of Love" and "Wasted Time" should have been hits, too. But by this time, the Eagles were breaking apart and it showed on The Long Run in 1979.​

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WRITTEN BY: JOHN MICHAELSON