In 2009, The New York Times obituary for Michael Jackson credited his 1982 album Thriller with an astonishing 100 million copies sold, cementing its reputation as the best-selling album in history. But music sales figures are notoriously complex, frequently exaggerated for publicity, and subject to changes in measurement methods over time.
According to Quincy Jones, Jackson’s longtime producer, Thriller sold both 100 million and 120 million copies—within the same memoir. Regardless of the precise total, the title of “best-selling album” has long been pivotal to Michael Jackson’s legacy, essential to upholding his “King of Pop” moniker. In popular culture, the artist with the highest sales becomes symbolic of dominance and cultural significance.
However, determining which album truly holds the title isn’t as easy as adding up numbers. Sales tracking before the 1980s lacked global consistency, and streaming has since further complicated comparisons. Historical gaps, unreliable international data, and revised methods like stream-equivalent albums mean the complete picture remains elusive.
So how did Thriller earn this title, and is it still holding onto the crown?
In the early music industry, albums were rarely the focus. Iconic acts like Elvis, The Beatles, and The Supremes gained fame primarily through singles and compilations. Albums were often marketing tools to support hit singles. For example, The Beatles released five U.S. albums in 1964 alone.
Soundtracks once dominated sales, with My Fair Lady and The Sound of Music considered record-setters in the 1960s. By the 1970s, artists like Carole King and Fleetwood Mac started breaking album sales records with Tapestry and Rumours. Then the Bee Gees’ Saturday Night Fever soundtrack sold 25 million units, inspiring a young Michael Jackson.
Jackson left Motown for Epic Records in pursuit of album success. His 1979 solo effort Off the Wall became the best-selling album by a Black artist to that point, with four top-ten singles. Yet Jackson wanted more—he aimed to create the best-selling album of all time.
He achieved it with Thriller, which fused R&B, pop, and rock, backed by cutting-edge videos and dance moves. By the end of 1983, it approached the 25 million unit milestone, then the record for best-selling album. In 1984, CBS hosted a lavish party to celebrate, where Jackson was hailed as a cultural icon.
Thriller would go on to sell 35 million units by the end of 1984. But RIAA certifications are based on shipments, not direct customer purchases, meaning actual sales might have been lower. At the time, Billboard charts relied on surveys from record store staff, making accuracy difficult.
Artists like Prince, Whitney Houston, and Janet Jackson tried to match Jackson’s sales, but none succeeded. Even Bad, his 1987 follow-up, though a huge success, couldn’t outdo Thriller. Jackson’s career became tied to sales milestones, setting an impossible bar to top.
In 1991, Nielsen SoundScan began tracking actual in-store sales, exposing how Billboard charts previously missed key buying trends. Still, SoundScan didn’t count all sales, like those at concerts or via mail-order.
In 2016, the RIAA began including streaming in its certifications, with 1,500 streams counting as one album sale. In 2018, a recalculation unseated Thriller in the U.S., giving the title to the Eagles’ Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) with 38x platinum certification.
Yet controversy surrounded these figures. Only 5 million copies of the Eagles album were sold from 1991–2006, raising questions about the legitimacy of the “discovered” sales. Michael Jackson’s estate called the audit methods “absurd.”
Regardless of U.S. figures, Michael Jackson remains the top-selling artist worldwide. As John Branca of Jackson’s estate noted, the U.S. now accounts for only 30% of Jackson’s streaming numbers. Globally, Thriller still reigns supreme.
In the streaming era, album sales may seem outdated, but Thriller remains a cultural and commercial phenomenon unlikely to be repeated.
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