List of best-selling albums

This is a list of the world's best-selling albums of recorded music in physical mediums, such as vinyl, audio cassettes or compact discs.

As a result of the methodology that the American and Canadian certification-awarding bodies (the RIAA and Music Canada respectively) use, each disc in a multi-disc set is counted as one unit toward certification, leading to many double albums on the list—such as Pink Floyd's The Wall and the Beatles' The Beatles (White Album) —being certified with a number double the number of copies sold there.

Conversely, the American certification level for double albums that fit onto one compact disc, such as the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack reflect the actual number of copies sold.

[3] Michael Jackson's Thriller, estimated to have sold 70 million copies worldwide, is the best-selling album ever.

[4][5][6] Jackson also currently has the highest number of albums on the list with five, Celine Dion has four, while the Beatles, Madonna, Whitney Houston and Pink Floyd each have three.