Best Rock Albums of All Time (Certified Sales)

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

The top ten rock album rankings are shared by 22 albums with collective sales of nearly 400 million units. Units include key formats such as records, cassettes, CDs, and MP3s.

The 22 albums on this list were recorded by seventeen groups/artists. Three of these albums were recorded by The Beatles, two by Led Zeppelin, two by Pink Floyd, and two by the Eagles.

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

After reading "Best Rock Albums of All Time (Certified Sales)," return to these links to read "Best Albums of All Time (Certified Sales)," "Best Country Albums of All Time (Certified Sales)," "Best_Hip_Hop_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 Rock Albums of All Time - Eagles: Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)

Certified Sales: 29x Platinum
Recording artist: Eagles
Record label: Elektra
Release Date: 2/1/1976
Popular songs: "Best of My Love"; "Lyin' Eyes"; "One of These Nights"; "Take It to the Limit"; "Take It Easy"

2. (tie) Best Rock Albums of All Time - Led Zeppelin IV

Certified Sales: 23x Platinum
Recording artist: Led Zeppelin
Record label: Atlantic
Release Date: 11/8/1971
Popular songs: "Black Dog"; "Going to California"; "Rock and Roll"; "Stairway to Heaven"

Best Rock Albums of All Time - The Wall

Certified Sales: 23x Platinum
Recording artist: Pink Floyd
Record label: Columbia
Release Date: 11/28/1979
Popular songs: "Another Brick in the Wall Part 2"; "Comfortably Numb"; "Hey You"

3. Best Rock Albums of All Time - Back in Black

Certified Sales: 22x Platinum
Recording artist: AC/DC
Record label: Epic
Release Date: 7/21/1980
Popular songs: "Back in Black"; "Hells Bells"; "You Shook Me All Night Long"

4. Best Rock Albums of All Time - Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II

Certified Sales: 21x Platinum
Recording artist: Billy Joel
Record label: Columbia
Release Date: 6/28/1985
Popular songs: "Don't Ask Me Why"; "Just the Way You Are"; "Piano Man"; "Tell Her About It"; "Uptown Girl"

5. (tie) Best Rock Albums of All Time - The Beatles (The White Album)

Certified Sales: 19x Platinum
Recording artist: The Beatles
Record label: Apple
Release Date: 11/25/1968
Popular songs: "Back in the U.S.S.R."; "Helter Skelter"; "Revolution 1"

Best Rock Albums of All Time - Rumours

Certified Sales: 19x Platinum
Recording artist: Fleetwood Mac
Record label: Warner Bros.
Release Date: 2/4/1977
Popular songs: "Don't Stop"; "Dreams"; "Go Your Own Way"

6. Best Rock Albums of All Time - Appetite for Destruction

Certified Sales: 18x Platinum
Recording artist: Guns 'N Roses
Record label: Geffen
Release Date: 7/21/1987
Popular songs: "Paradise City"; "Sweet Child o' Mine"; "Welcome to the Jungle"

7. (tie) Best Rock Albums of All Time - Boston

Certified Sales: 17x Platinum
Recording artist: Boston
Record label: Epic
Release Date: 8/25/1976
Popular songs: "More Than a Feeling"; "Rock and Roll Band"

Best Rock Albums of All Time - 1967-1970 (The Blue Album)

Certified Sales: 17x Platinum
Recording artist: The Beatles
Record label: EMI
Release Date: 4/2/1973
Popular songs: "Come Together"; "Get Back"; "Hey Jude"; "Revolution"

8. (tie) Best Rock Albums of All Time - Physical Graffiti

Certified Sales: 16x Platinum
Recording artist: Led Zeppelin
Record label: Swan Song
Release Date: 3/3/1975
Popular songs: "Houses of the Holy"; "Kashmir"; "The Wanton Song"; "Ten Years Gone"

Best Rock Albums of All Time - Elton John's Greatest Hits

Certified Sales: 16x Platinum
Recording artist: Elton John
Record label: MCA
Release Date: 11/4/1974
Popular songs: "Bennie and the Jets (US)"; "Candle in the Wind (UK)"; "Goodbye Yellowbrick Road"

Best Rock Albums of All Time - Hotel California

Certified Sales: 16x Platinum
Recording artist: Eagles
Record label: Asylum
Release Date: 11/8/1976
Popular songs: "Hotel California"; "Life in the Fast Lane"; "New Kid in Town"

Best Rock Albums of All Time - Jagged Little Pill

Certified Sales: 16x Platinum
Recording artist: Alanis Morissette
Record label: Maverick
Release Date: 6/13/1995
Popular songs: "Hand in My Pocket"; "Head Over Feet"; "Ironic"; "You Learn"; "You Outta Know"

Best Rock Albums of All Time - Cracked Rear View

Certified Sales: 16x Platinum
Recording artist: Hootie & The Blowfish
Record label: Atlantic
Release Date: 7/5/1994
Popular songs: "Let Her Cry," "Only Wanna Be With You"

9. (tie) Best Rock Albums of All Time - 1962-1966 (The Red Album)

Certified Sales: 15x Platinum
Recording artist: The Beatles
Record label: Apple
Release Date: 4/2/1973
Popular songs: "A Hard Day's Night"; "Can't Buy Me Love"; "I Want to Hold Your Hand"; "Michelle"; "Yesterday"

Best Rock Albums of All Time - Dark Side of the Moon

Certified Sales: 15x Platinum
Recording artist: Pink Floyd
Record label: Harvest
Release Date: 4/17/1973
Popular songs: "Money"; "Time"

Best Rock Albums of All Time - Greatest Hits

Certified Sales: 15x Platinum
Recording artist: Journey
Record label: Columbia
Release Date: 11/11/1988
Popular songs: "Don't Stop Believin"; "Faithfully"; "Open Arms"

Best Rock Albums of All Time - Metallica (The Black Album)

Certified Sales: 15x Platinum
Recording artist: Metallica
Record label: Warner Bros.
Release Date: 8/2/1991
Popular songs: "Enter Sandman"; "Nothing Else Matters"

Best Rock Albums of All Time - Supernatural

Certified Sales: 15x Platinum
Recording artist: Santana
Record label: Arista
Release Date: 6/15/1999
Popular songs: "Maria, Maria"; "Smooth"

Best Rock Albums of All Time - Born in the U.S.A.

Certified Sales: 15x Platinum
Recording artist: Bruce Springsteen
Record label: Columbia
Release Date: 6/1/1984
Popular songs: "Born in the U.S.A."; "Dancing in the Dark"; "Glory Days"

10. Best Rock Albums of All Time - Bat Out of Hell

Certified Sales: 14x Platinum
Recording artist: Meat Loaf
Record label: Cleveland International/Epic
Release Date: 10/21/1977
Popular songs: "Paradise by the Dashboard Light."; "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad"; "Bat Out of Hell"

Source(s):

"Top 100 Albums," Recording Industry Association of America