Best-selling albums by year (USA)

Billboard Magazine began publishing year-end lists for Album Sales in 1956.

[edit] 1950s

The best-selling album of 1956 was Calypso, by Harry Belafonte. [1]
The best-selling album of 1957 was My Fair Lady, Original Cast recording. [2]
The best-selling album of 1958 was My Fair Lady, Original Cast Recording. [3]
The best-selling album of 1959 was Music from Peter Gunn, by Henry Mancini. [4]

The best-selling album of 1960 was The Sound of Music, Original Cast Recording. [5]
The best-selling album of 1961 was Camelot, Original Cast Recording. [6]
The best-selling album of 1962 was West Side Story Soundtrack. [7]
The best-selling album of 1963 was West Side Story Soundtrack. [8]
The best-selling album of 1964 was Hello, Dolly!, Original Cast Recording. [9]
The best-selling album of 1965 was Mary Poppins Soundtrack. [10]
The best-selling album of 1966 was Whipped Cream & Other Delights, by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass. [11]
The best-selling album of 1967 was More of The Monkees by The Monkees. [12]
The best-selling album of 1968 was Are You Experienced? by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. [13]
The best-selling album of 1969 was In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly. [14]

The best-selling album of 1970 was Bridge Over Troubled Water, by Simon and Garfunkel. [15]
The best-selling album of 1971 was Jesus Christ Superstar Soundtrack. [16]
The best-selling album of 1972 was Harvest, by Neil Young. [17]
The best-selling album of 1973 was The World Is a Ghetto, by War. [18]
The best-selling album of 1974 was Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, by Elton John. [19]
The best-selling album of 1975 was Elton John's Greatest Hits. [20]
The best-selling album of 1976 was Frampton Comes Alive, by Peter Frampton. [21]
The best-selling album of 1977 was Rumours, by Fleetwood Mac. [22]
The best-selling album of 1978 was the Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack. [23]
The best-selling album of 1979 was 52nd Street, by Billy Joel. [24]

The best-selling album of 1980 was The Wall, by Pink Floyd. [25]
The best-selling album of 1981 was Hi Infidelity, by REO Speedwagon. [26]
The best-selling album of 1982 was Asia, by Asia. [27]
The best-selling album of 1983 was Thriller, by Michael Jackson. [28]
The best-selling album of 1984 was Thriller, by Michael Jackson. [29]
The best-selling album of 1985 was Born in the U.S.A., by Bruce Springsteen . [30]
The best-selling album of 1986 was Whitney Houston, by Whitney Houston. [31]
The best-selling album of 1987 was Slippery When Wet, by Bon Jovi . [32]
The best-selling album of 1988 was Faith, by George Michael. [33]
The best-selling album of 1989 was Don't Be Cruel , by Bobby Brown . [34]

The best-selling album of 1990 was Rhythm Nation 1814, by Janet Jackson. [35]
The best-selling album of 1991 was Mariah Carey, by Mariah Carey. [36]
The best-selling album of 1992 was Ropin' the Wind, by Garth Brooks. [37]
The best-selling album of 1993 was The Bodyguard Soundtrack. [38]
The best-selling album of 1994 was The Sign, by Ace of Base . [39]
The best-selling album of 1995 was Cracked Rear View, by Hootie and the Blowfish. [40]
The best-selling album of 1996 was Jagged Little Pill, by Alanis Morissette. [41]
The best-selling album of 1997 was Spice, by Spice Girls. [42]
The best-selling album of 1998 was Titanic Soundtrack. [43]
The best selling album of 1999 was Millennium, by Backstreet Boys. [44]

The best-selling album of 2000 was No Strings Attached, by *NSYNC. [45]
The best-selling album of 2001 was Hybrid Theory, by Linkin Park. [46]
The best-selling album of 2002 was The Eminem Show, by Eminem. [47]
The best-selling album of 2003 was Get Rich or Die Tryin', by 50 Cent. [48]
The best-selling album of 2004 was Confessions, by Usher. [49]
The best-selling album of 2005 was The Emancipation of Mimi, by Mariah Carey. [50]
The best-selling album of 2006 was High School Musical Soundtrack.[51]
The best-selling album of 2007 was Noel, by Josh Groban