Best Country Albums of All Time (Certified Sales)

This article ranks the best country albums of all time based on certified sales data maintained by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

The top ten country album rankings are shared by 22 albums with collective sales of 240 million units. Units include key formats such as records, cassettes, CDs, and MP3s.

The 22 albums on this list were recorded by ten artists/groups. Nine of these albums were recorded by Garth Brooks, three by Shania Twain, and two each by George Strait and the Dixie Chicks.

Each country album that follows includes its certified sales, recording artist, record label, release date, and popular songs.

After reading "Best Country Albums of All Time (Certified Sales)," return to these links to read "Best Albums of All Time (Certified Sales)," "Best_Hip_Hop_Albums_of_All_Time_(Certified_Sales)," "Best Rock Albums of All Time (Certified Sales)," "Best R&B Albums of All Time (Certified Sales)," and "Best Soundtracks of All Time (Certified Sales)."

1. Best Country Albums of All Time - Double Live

Certified Sales: 21x Platinum
Recording artist: Garth Brooks
Record label: Capitol Nashville
Release Date: 11/17/1998
Popular songs: "It's Your Song"; "Tearin' It Up"; "Wild as the Wind"

2. Best Country Albums of All Time - Come On Over

Certified Sales: 20x Platinum
Recording artist: Shania Twain
Record label: Mercury Nashville
Release Date: 11/4/1997
Popular songs: "Man! I Feel Like a Woman"; "Come On Over"; "You're Still the One"; "That Don't Impress Me Much"

3. Best Country Albums of All Time - No Fences

Certified Sales: 17x Platinum
Recording artist: Garth Brooks
Record label: Capitol
Release Date: 8/27/1990
Popular songs: "Friends in Low Places"; "Unanswered Prayers"; "Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House"; "The Thunder Rolls"

4. Best Country Albums of All Time - Ropin' the Wind

Certified Sales: 14x Platinum
Recording artist: Garth Brooks
Record label: Capitol
Release Date: 9/10/1991
Popular songs: "Shameless"; "What She's Doing Now"; "The River"

5. Best Country Albums of All Time - Greatest Hits

Certified Sales: 12x Platinum
Recording artist: Kenny Rogers
Record label: Liberty
Release Date: 9/23/1980
Popular songs: "The Gambler"; "Lady"; "She Believes in Me"; "You Decorated My Life"

Best Country Albums of All Time - The Woman in Me

Certified Sales: 12x Platinum
Recording artist: Shania Twain
Record label: Mercury Nashville
Release Date: 2/7/1995
Popular songs: "Any Man of Mine"; "(If You're Not in It for Love) I'm Outta Here!"; "You Win My Love"; "No One Needs to Know"

Best Country Albums of All Time - Wide Open Spaces

Certified Sales: 12x Platinum
Recording artist: Dixie Chicks
Record label: Monument
Release Date: 1/27/1998
Popular songs: "There's Your Trouble"; "Wide Open Spaces"; "You Were Mine"

6. Best Country Albums of All Time - Up!

Certified Sales: 11x Platinum
Recording artist: Shania Twain
Record label: Mercury Nashville
Release Date: 11/18/2002
Popular songs: "Forever and for Always"; "Up!"; "I'm Gonna Getcha Good"

7. (tie) Best Country Albums of All Time - Fly

Certified Sales: 10x Platinum
Recording artist: Dixie Chicks
Record label: Monument
Release Date: 8/31/1999
Popular songs: "Cold Day in July"; "Ready to Run"

Best Country Albums of All Time - Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits

Certified Sales: 10x Platinum
Recording artist: Patsy Cline
Record label: MCA
Release Date: 3/13/1967
Popular songs: "I Fall to Pieces"; "Crazy"; "She's Got You"; "Walkin' After Midnight"

Best Country Albums of All Time - Sevens

Certified Sales: 10x Platinum
Recording artist: Garth Brooks
Record label: Capital Nashville
Release Date: 11/25/1997
Popular songs: "Longneck Bottle"; "She's Gonna Make It"; "Two Pina Coladas"

Best Country Albums of All Time - The Hits

Certified Sales: 10x Platinum
Recording artist: Garth Brooks
Record label: Liberty
Release Date: 12/13/1994
Popular songs: "Friends in Low Places"; "The River"; "If Tomorrow Never Comes"; Unanswered Prayers"

Best Country Albums of All Time - Garth Brooks

Certified Sales: 10x Platinum
Recording artist: Garth Brooks
Record label: Capitol
Release Date: 4/12/1989
Popular songs: "If Tomorrow Never Comes"; "The Dance"; "Not Counting You"

8. (tie) Best Country Albums of All Time - The Chase

Certified Sales: 9x Platinum
Recording artist: Garth Brooks
Record label: Liberty
Release Date: 9/22/1992
Popular songs: "Somewhere Other Than the Night"; "That Summer"; "Learning to Live Again"

Best Country Albums of All Time - John Denver's Greatest Hits

Certified Sales: 9x Platinum
Recording artist: John Denver
Record label: RCA
Release Date: 11/1973
Popular songs: "Take Me Home, Country Roads"; "Leaving on a Jet Plane"; "Sunshine on My Shoulders"; "Rocky Mountain High"

9. (tie) Best Country Albums of All Time - Some Gave All

Certified Sales: 8x Platinum
Recording artist: Billy Ray Cyrus
Record label: Mercury
Release Date: 5/19/1992
Popular songs: "Achy Breaky Heart"; "Could've Been Me"; "She's Not Cryin' Anymore"

Best Country Albums of All Time - Breathe

Certified Sales: 8x Platinum
Recording artist: Faith Hill
Record label: Warner Bros.
Release Date: 11/19/1999
Popular songs: "Breathe"; "The Way You Love Me"

Best Country Albums of All Time - In Pieces

Certified Sales: 8x Platinum
Recording artist: Garth Brooks
Record label: Liberty
Release Date: 8/31/1993
Popular songs: "Ain't Going Down" ('Til the Sun Comes Up)"; "American Honky-Tonk Bar Association"

Best Country Albums of All Time - Strait Out of the Box

Certified Sales: 8x Platinum
Recording artist: George Strait
Record label: MCA Nashville
Release Date: 9/12/1995
Popular songs: "Check Yes or No"; "I Know She Still Loves Me"

10. (tie) Best Country Albums of All Time - Some Hearts

Certified Sales: 7x Platinum
Recording artist: Carrie Underwood
Record label: Arista Nashville
Release Date: 11/15/2005
Popular songs: "Inside Your Heaven"; "Jesus, Take the Wheel"; "Before He Cheats"

Best Country Albums of All Time - 50 Number Ones

Certified Sales: 7x Platinum
Recording artist: George Strait
Record label: MCA Nashville
Release Date: 10/5/2004
Popular songs: "All My Ex's Live in Texas"; "Fool Hearted Memory"; "You Look So Good in Love"; "Heartland"; "Check Yes or No"

Best Country Albums of All Time - Fresh Horses

Certified Sales: 7x Platinum
Recording artist: Garth Brooks
Record label: Capitol Nashville
Release Date: 11/21/2005
Popular songs: "She's Every Woman"; "The Fever"

Source(s):

"Top 100 Albums," Recording Industry Association of America