List of best-selling albums in Europe

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Since 1996, the IFPI have awarded Platinum Europe Awards for albums that have sold at least one million copies in Europe.[1] Only albums released on or after 1 January 1994 are eligible for the award.[1] This is a list of the best-selling albums in Europe, having been certified Platinum five times or more.

List of best-selling albums in Europe of the IFPI Platinum Europe Awards[edit]

10× Platinum[edit]

Year Artist Album Label Sales Certification[2][1]
1997 Celine Dion Let's Talk About Love[3] Epic 10,000,000 10× Platinum
2011 Adele 21 Columbia/XL 10,000,000 10× Platinum

9× Platinum[edit]

Year Artist Album Label Sales Certification[2][1]
1996 Celine Dion Falling into You[3] Epic 9,000,000 9× Platinum
2000 The Beatles 1 Capitol 9,000,000 9× Platinum

8× Platinum[edit]

Year Artist Album Label Sales Certification[2][1]
1994 Bon Jovi Cross Road Mercury 8,000,000 8× Platinum
1995 Celine Dion D'eux[3] Epic 8,000,000 8× Platinum
1996 Spice Girls Spice Virgin 8,000,000 8× Platinum
2006 Amy Winehouse Back to Black Island 8,000,000 8× Platinum

7× Platinum[edit]

Year Artist Album Label Sales Certification[2][1]
1995 Alanis Morissette Jagged Little Pill Maverick 7,000,000 7× Platinum
1997 Shania Twain Come On Over Mercury Nashville 7,000,000 7× Platinum
1998 Madonna Ray of Light Maverick/Warner 7,000,000 7× Platinum
1998 U2 The Best of 1980–1990 Island 7,000,000 7× Platinum
2002 Norah Jones Come Away with Me Blue Note 7,000,000 7× Platinum

6× Platinum[edit]

Year Artist Album Label Sales Certification[2][1]
1997 Andrea Bocelli Romanza Island/Universal 6,000,000 6× Platinum
1997 The Corrs Talk on Corners Atlantic 6,000,000 6× Platinum
1996 Fugees The Score Ruffhouse/Columbia 6,000,000 6× Platinum
2000 Eminem The Marshall Mathers LP Aftermath 6,000,000 6× Platinum
1998 George Michael Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael Sony 6,000,000 6× Platinum
2004 James Blunt Back to Bedlam Atlantic 6,000,000 6× Platinum
1995 Michael Jackson HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I Epic 6,000,000 6× Platinum
1995 Oasis (What's the Story) Morning Glory? Creation 6,000,000 6× Platinum
2004 Robbie Williams Greatest Hits EMI/Chrysalis 6,000,000 6× Platinum
2001 Robbie Williams Swing When You're Winning EMI/Chrysalis 6,000,000 6× Platinum
1999 Santana Supernatural Arista 6,000,000 6× Platinum

5× Platinum[edit]

Year Artist Album Label Sales Certification[2][1]
1997 Spice Girls Spiceworld Virgin 5,000,000 5× Platinum
1999 Celine Dion All the Way... A Decade of Song[3] Epic 5,000,000 5× Platinum
1997 Backstreet Boys Backstreet's Back Jive 5,000,000 5× Platinum
2000 Barry White The Ultimate Collection Universal 5,000,000 5× Platinum
1995 Bruce Springsteen Greatest Hits Columbia 5,000,000 5× Platinum
2002 Coldplay A Rush of Blood to the Head Capitol/Parlophone 5,000,000 5× Platinum
2005 Coldplay X&Y Capitol/Parlophone 5,000,000 5× Platinum
2003 Dido Life for Rent Arista 5,000,000 5× Platinum
1999 Dido No Angel Arista 5,000,000 5× Platinum
1995 Elton John Love Songs Rocked 5,000,000 5× Platinum
2002 Eminem The Eminem Show Aftermath/Shady 5,000,000 5× Platinum
1997 Eros Ramazzotti Eros BMG 5,000,000 5× Platinum
1996 George Michael Older Virgin 5,000,000 5× Platinum
2000 Madonna Music Maverick/Warner 5,000,000 5× Platinum
1997 James Horner Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture Sony 5,000,000 5× Platinum
1995 Queen Made in Heaven Parlophone/EMI 5,000,000 5× Platinum
1998 Phil Collins Hits Atlantic 5,000,000 5× Platinum
2002 Robbie Williams Escapology EMI/Chrysalis 5,000,000 5× Platinum
2005 Robbie Williams Intensive Care EMI/Chrysalis 5,000,000 5× Platinum

By claimed sales[edit]

Previously, IFPI, Music & Media awarded album sales in the Pan-European sphera like The Bodyguard soundtrack which earned 7× platinum, equivalent to 7 million copies. They also reported sales amount in the case of several album's artists in their regular articles.

*Positions based on claimed sales and release year.

Year Artist Album Sales Ref.
1982 Michael Jackson Thriller 18,000,000 [4]
1992 Various artists/Whitney Houston The Bodyguard 7,000,000 [5]
1987 Michael Jackson Bad 6,700,000 [6]
1993 Mariah Carey Music Box 6,000,000 [7]
1992 ABBA ABBA Gold 5,600,000 [8]
1986 Madonna True Blue 5,500,000 [9]
1988 Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman 5,000,000 [10]
1989 Madonna Like a Prayer 5,000,000 [11]
1991 Michael Jackson Dangerous 5,000,000 [12]
1993 Sheryl Crow Tuesday Night Music Club 5,000,000 [13]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "Platinum Europe Awards - Terms and Conditions" (PDF). IFPI. Retrieved 30 August 2014.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on July 29, 2010. Retrieved December 27, 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d Celine Dion's highest IFPI Platinum Europe Awards:
  4. ^ "Michael Jackson … continued". Ebony. September 1987. p. 146. Retrieved December 18, 2022 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ "EUROPEAN TOP 100 ALBUMS Week 9/94" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 9. February 26, 1994. p. 13. Retrieved February 8, 2022.
  6. ^ "Gold & Platinum Awards 1987" (PDF). Music & Media. December 26, 1987. p. 16. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
  7. ^ Tilli, Robert (December 22, 1994). "La Carey Picks The Right Song As Album Sales Point" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 22. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  8. ^ Bakker, Machgiel (19 November 1993). "ABBA Is Still Thankful For The Music Via Boxed Set" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 16. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  9. ^ Bakker, Machgiel (July 17, 1987). "Spotlight: Madonna Heads For 15th Triumph" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 11. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 7, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  10. ^ "European Chart" (PDF). Music & Media. February 3, 1990. p. 18. Retrieved December 18, 2021 – via World Radio History.
  11. ^ "WEA Warnings On Madonna LP" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 7, no. 19. May 4, 1990. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 19, 2021. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  12. ^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 43. October 23, 1993. p. 22. Retrieved December 6, 2021.
  13. ^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music and Media. 17 June 1995: 25. Retrieved 14 March 2021. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)