Best R&B Albums of All Time (Certified Sales)

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

The top ten R&B album rankings are shared by 31 albums with collective sales of 305 million units. Units include key formats such as records, cassettes, CDs, and MP3s.

The 31 R&B albums on this list were recorded by 21 artists/groups. Michael Jackson has five albums on the list, Mariah Carey has four, Whitney Houston has three, and Boyz II Men have two.

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

After reading "Best R&B 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 Country Albums of All Time (Certified Sales) ," "Best Rock Albums of All Time (Certified Sales) ," and "Best Soundtracks of All Time (Certified Sales)."

1. Best R&B Albums of All Time - Thriller

Certified Sales: 29x Platinum
Recording artist: Michael Jackson
Record label: Epic
Release Date: 11/30/1982
Popular songs: "Billie Jean"; "Beat It"; "Thriller"

2. Best R&B Albums of All Time - The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack Album

Certified Sales: 17x Platinum
Recording artist: Whitney Houston
Record label: Arista
Release Date: 11/17/1992
Popular songs: "I Will Always Love You"; "I'm Every Woman"; "I Have Nothing"

3. (tie) Best R&B Albums of All Time - Purple Rain

Certified Sales: 13x Platinum
Recording artist: Prince & The Revolution
Record label: Warner Bros.
Release Date: 6/25/1984
Popular songs: "When Doves Cry"; "Let's Go Crazy"; "Purple Rain"

Best R&B Albums of All Time - Whitney Houston

Certified Sales: 13x Platinum
Recording artist: Whitney Houston
Record label: Arista
Release Date: 2/14/1985
Popular songs: "Saving All My Love"; "How Will I Know"; "Greatest Love of All"

4. Best R&B Albums of All Time - II

Certified Sales: 12x Platinum
Recording artist: Boyz II Men
Record label: Motown
Release Date: 8/30/1994
Popular songs: "I'll Make Love to You"; "On Bended Knee"

5. (tie) Best R&B Albums of All Time - CrazySexyCool

Certified Sales: 11x Platinum
Recording artist: TLC
Record label: LaFace Records
Release Date: 11/15/1994
Popular songs: "Creep"; "Waterfalls"

Best R&B Albums of All Time - Speakerboxxx

Certified Sales: 11x Platinum
Recording artist: OutKast
Record label: LaFace
Release Date: 9/23/2003
Popular songs: "Hey Ya!"; "The Way You Move"

6. (tie) Best R&B Albums of All Time - No Strings Attached

Certified Sales: 10x Platinum
Recording artist: 'N Sync
Record label: Jive
Release Date: 3/21/2000
Popular songs: "Bye, Bye, Bye"; "It's Gonna Be Me"; "This I Promise You"

Best R&B Albums of All Time - Can't Slow Down

Certified Sales: 10x Platinum
Recording artist: Lionel Richie
Record label: Motown
Release Date: 10/11/1983
Popular songs: "Hello"; "Stuck on You"; "Penny Lover"

Best R&B Albums of All Time - Music Box

Certified Sales: 10x Platinum
Recording artist: Mariah Carey
Record label: Columbia
Release Date: 8/31/1993
Popular songs: "Dreamlover"; "Hero"; "Without You"

Best R&B Albums of All Time - Confessions

Certified Sales: 10x Platinum
Recording artist: Usher
Record label: LaFace Records
Release Date: 3/23/2004
Popular songs: "Yeah"; "Confessions Part II"

Best R&B Albums of All Time - Songs in the Key of Life

Certified Sales: 10x Platinum
Recording artist: Stevie Wonder
Record label: Tamla
Release Date: 9/28/1976
Popular songs: "Isn't She Lovely"; "Sir Duke"

Best R&B Albums of All Time - Daydream

Certified Sales: 10x Platinum
Recording artist: Mariah Carey
Record label: Columbia
Release Date: 10/3/1995
Popular songs: "Fantasy"; "One Sweet Day"


7. (tie) Best R&B Albums of All Time - Cooleyhighharmony

Certified Sales: 9x Platinum
Recording artist: Boyz II Men
Record label: Motown
Release Date: 2/14/1991
Popular songs: "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday"; "Motownphilly"


Best R&B Albums of All Time - Mariah Carey

Certified Sales: 9x Platinum
Recording artist: Mariah Carey
Record label: Columbia
Release Date: 6/12/1990
Popular songs: "Vision of Love"; "Love Takes Time"; "Someday"; "I Don't Wanna Cry"

Best R&B Albums of All Time - Whitney

Certified Sales: 9x Platinum
Recording artist: Whitney Houston
Record label: Arista
Release Date: 6/21/1987
Popular songs: "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)"; "Didn't We Almost Have it All"; "So Emotional"; "Where do Broken Hearts Go"

8. (tie) Best R&B Albums of All Time - Bad

Certified Sales: 8x Platinum
Recording artist: Michael Jackson
Record label: Epic
Release Date: 8/31/1987
Popular songs: "Bad"; "The Way You Make Me Feel"; "Man in the Mirror"; "Dirty Diana"; "Smooth Criminal"

Best R&B Albums of All Time - Off the Wall

Certified Sales: 8x Platinum
Recording artist: Michael Jackson
Record label: Epic
Release Date: 8/10/1979
Popular songs: "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough"; "Rock with You"; "Off the Wall"

Best R&B Albums of All Time - The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Certified Sales: 8x Platinum
Recording artist: Lauryn Hill
Record label: Columbia
Release Date: 8/25/1998
Popular songs: "Doo Wop"


Best R&B Albums of All Time - Christina Aguilera

Certified Sales: 8x Platinum
Recording artist: Christina Aguilera
Record label: RCA
Release Date: 8/24/1999
Popular songs: "Genie in a Bottle"; "Come on Over Baby (All I Want is You)"


Best R&B Albums of All Time - Toni Braxton

Certified Sales: 8x Platinum
Recording artist: Toni Braxton
Record label: LaFace Records
Release Date: 7/13/1993
Popular songs: "Another Sad Love Song"; "Breathe Again"


Best R&B Albums of All Time - Black & Blue

Certified Sales: 8x Platinum
Recording artist: Backstreet Boys
Record label: Jive
Release Date: 11/21/2000
Popular songs: "Shape of My Heart"; "The Call"; "More than That"


Best R&B Albums of All Time - The Writing's on the Wall

Certified Sales: 8x Platinum
Recording artist: Destiny's Child
Record label: Columbia
Release Date: 7/27/1999
Popular songs: "Bills, Bills, Bills"; "Say My Name"; "Jumpin, Jumpin"; "Bug a Boo"


Best R&B Albums of All Time - R.

Certified Sales: 8x Platinum
Recording artist: R. Kelly
Record label: Jive
Release Date: 11/10/1998
Popular songs: "I Believe I Can Fly"; "I'm Your Angel"


9. (tie) Best R&B Albums of All Time - History: Past, Present & Future, Book I

Certified Sales: 7x Platinum
Recording artist: Michael Jackson
Record label: Epic
Release Date: 6/16/1995
Popular songs: "Billie Jean"; "The Way You Make Me Feel"; "Bad"; "Thriller"; "Beat It"


Best R&B Albums of All Time - Dangerous

Certified Sales: 7x Platinum
Recording artist: Michael Jackson
Record label: Epic
Release Date: 11/26/1991
Popular songs: "Black or White"


Best R&B Albums of All Time - Forever Your Girl

Certified Sales: 7x Platinum
Recording artist: Paula Abdul
Record label: Virgin
Release Date: 6/13/1988
Popular songs: "Straight Up"; "Forever Your Girl"; "Cold Hearted"


Best R&B Albums of All Time - Waiting to Exhale (Soundtrack)

Certified Sales: 7x Platinum
Recording artist: Various
Record label: Arista
Release Date: 11/14/1995
Popular songs: "Exhale" (Whitney Houston); "Sittin' Up in My Room" (Brandy)



Best R&B Albums of All Time - Unforgettable ... with Love

Certified Sales: 7x Platinum
Recording artist: Natalie Cole
Record label: Elektra
Release Date: 6/11/1991
Popular songs: "Unforgettable"


Best R&B Albums of All Time - Don't Be Cruel

Certified Sales: 7x Platinum
Recording artist: Bobby Brown
Record label: MCA
Release Date: 5/16/1988
Popular songs: "Don't Be Cruel"


Best R&B Albums of All Time - The Emancipation of Mimi

Certified Sales: 6x Platinum
Recording artist: Mariah Carey
Record label: Island
Release Date: 11/12/2005
Popular songs: "It's Like That"; "We Belong Together"


Source(s):

"Top 100 Albums," Recording Industry Association of America