Talk:List of best-selling albums of the 21st century

English-centric
I've moved this to the draftspace since it needs some work. The problem is that the article is very English-centric and doesn't seem to take into account album sales in other countries like Japan, Germany, and so on - this can take a long time to gather this information. It's also somewhat of an issue since a century is a fairly long period of time, as it spans a hundred years. This makes the article a little unwieldy, since the 21st century has only recently begun. It's usually a lot easier to lump these into categories by periods of 10 years and even then, many articles tend to stick to specific countries. There is the article List of best-selling albums, but that article is written with the coda that it may never be complete or 100% accurate. Basically, this isn't a "no", just that this will likely need a bit more data before it's really complete and/or reflects on true worldwide coverage. Plus it also duplicates information already in the List of best-selling albums article. Tokyogirl79 (｡◕‿◕｡)  14:50, 6 September 2015 (UTC)
 * True, but the combined English-speaking market (US, UK, Australia) still makes up about 44% of the global share according to the IFPI, although South Korea, Spain, and China are experiencing substantial market growth. PJtP (talk) 01:52, 5 October 2016 (UTC)

The year 2000
The year 2000 is the twentieth century, not the twenty-first. Any album released in that year does not belong on this page. PJtP (talk) 01:52, 5 October 2016 (UTC)


 * Yes, but most people think that the year 2000 is part of the twenty-first century. That is what I thought as well. The best solution to this problem is to include albums starting from January 1 2000, but put a note saying that the twenty-first century actually began in 2001. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 73.241.160.44 (talk) 21:41, 16 May 2021 (UTC)

chartmasters.org
Should chartmasters.org be considered a reliable source for worldwide album sales? Richard Hendricks (talk) 15:19, 26 March 2018 (UTC)

reliable source?
is chartmasters.org a reliable source? the source itself looks more of a forum than a news organization. furthermore, the sales figures posted on that site, and the way they were extracted, seems highly unreliable. there was even one comment posted on the site's feedback page sometime in 2017 which questioned where and how the site's runner/s came up with their numbers. apparently the owners never clarified those questions, citing their formula was more "accurate" than those posted by the ifpi, nielsen soundscan and the occ (in the uk). they even had computations for countries with smaller music market sizes such as finland and yet they claim it is more accurate than what the official certification bodies in those countries provide. the site even said those organizations - the riaa and bpi in particular - are questionable. so now the question is, is the site reliable at all? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Joshay.16 (talk • contribs) 00:31, 13 April 2018 (UTC)
 * I recommend discussing this at Wikipedia talk:Record charts. Richard Hendricks (talk) 02:00, 13 April 2018 (UTC)

Requested move 21 November 2018

 * The following is a closed discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. Editors desiring to contest the closing decision should consider a move review after discussing it on the closer's talk page. No further edits should be made to this section. 

The result of the move request was: Moved. (non-admin closure) Iffy★Chat -- 09:23, 28 November 2018 (UTC)

– "2000s (century)" is an odd way to say "21st century". Brown Haired Girl (talk) • (contribs) 08:33, 21 November 2018 (UTC)
 * List of best-selling albums of the 2000s (century) → List of best-selling albums of the 21st century
 * List of best-selling albums of the 2000s (century) in the United Kingdom → List of best-selling albums of the 21st century in the United Kingdom
 * Support per nom. --Gonnym (talk) 09:56, 21 November 2018 (UTC)
 * Should also add List of best-selling albums of the 2000s (century) in the United Kingdom. --Gonnym (talk) 10:28, 21 November 2018 (UTC)
 * Added. Thanks, . -- Brown Haired Girl (talk) • (contribs) 21:58, 21 November 2018 (UTC)


 * Support  for clarity and consistency (21st century as opposed to 2000s (century) JC7V (talk) 18:23, 21 November 2018 (UTC)


 * The above discussion is preserved as an archive of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page or in a move review. No further edits should be made to this section.

2001
Shouldn't "the album must have shipped at least 10 million units starting from January 1, 2000" be changed to "January 1, 2001" and the list updated accordingly to match the new title? Star cheers peaks news lost wars Talk to me 14:58, 28 November 2018 (UTC)

Albums released on 2000
you called "flawed" the reversion that I made. Have you read the criteria of inclusion of this list? According to the article's lead section, the inclusion are just albums that shipped at least 10 million units "starting from January 1, 2001". Per Wikipedia's article 21st century began on "January 1, 2001". A couple of months ago I've added an album released on 2000 but an user reverted it too based on the criteria of inclusion. That's the reason why other users deleted albums like 1 by The Beatles. Obviously I don't want to start an unnecessary edit war and for someone that have expressed and used words like "flawed" instead use of the talk page first. --Chrishonduras (talk) 03:39, 4 April 2020 (UTC)

you're absolutely right. Also those inflated sales that included of  Meteora and Minutes to Midnight has nothing to do here. Meteora is an album released in 2007. The biggest selling album in 2007 is "High School Musical 2", it sold 7 million copies worldwide according to IFPI.[link In 2007 the music industry was in crisis, there was no streaming and digital download were not strong. Meteora sold 4 million copies in US according to RIAA and 2 million in Europe according to IFPI, a year after, how this album sold 27 million copies worldwide in those mentioned conditions?--[[User:88marcus|88marcus]] (talk) 07:40, 4 April 2020 (UTC)

I got my sources from the (wikipedia) articles with those references in question and searched extensively to make sure this is correct. Meteora was released in 2003 and Minutes to Midnight was released in 2007, if you even bothered to make sure when both Linkin Park albums came out. It isn't exclusively reduced to sales in the year it came out. If this is the case, then you may as well remove every single album on this wikipedia article. Sales are obviously going to go up as time went on, so of course they are going to inflate. It has been 17 years since the release of Meteora and you expect sales not to soar overtime? Minutes to Midnight may have not sold as well as the aforementioned Meteora, but granted inflation in sales will happen for every single album on the list so you cannot use that as an argument. Music industry was in crisis? Do you not realise how big CD sales were? Streaming and digital downloads are online formats of distributing music. CD's and Vinyls are use of of physical sales and they were selling strongly. Just because we were in the pre Spotify/Deezer/Apple Music era doesn't mean sales 'weren't strong'. As for Hybrid Theory, that's the fault of wikipedia and the author of the article for not being clear enough about their own rules. It is flawed if something meets requirements and is reverted because of not following criteria. The 21st century starting in 2001 is a load of rubbish. It started in 2000. The 20th century is all of a sudden including the year 2000? As far as I'm aware, 1999 and 2000 are in two completely different centuries. Again, I'm aware that Hybrid Theory's inclusion can be disputed if that's the case, but that is certainly not the case for Meteora and Minutes to Midnight. I feel no need to start an editing war either so let's just leave Hybrid Theory out of the question entirely due to that reason.--Rockmusicfanatic20 (talk) 14:04, 4 April 2020 (UTC)


 * Thanks for pointed out that, 88marcus. In regards the date when 21st century started, according to Scientific American was on 1 January, 2001. That's the date according to the Wikipedia's article as well. 2000 was just a leap year. Maybe if we can reach a consensus or have more opinions we may include 2000's albums (year). However, personally I agree with just albums since 2001, because even the title changed in a "Requested move" as of 2018. But now seems like there is other problem with his inclusion because almost of these albums (Likin Park) have a highly questionable worldwide sales. Maybe they may have sales up to 10 million but over 20 million it's a big gap. Even with references but we try to based as possible sales/certifications. In Wikipedia's consensus terms we can remove his editions since 88marcus and me agree with that (like 1 vs 2 opinion). The problem I can see he could still ignoring that and making an edit war. But we can do that or at least try and wait for more opinions. --Chrishonduras (talk) 17:04, 4 April 2020 (UTC)


 * yes, music industry was in crisis in 2007 that's why the best selling album of 2007 sold "only" 7 million copies. Those sales of Linking Park are tottaly inflated. An album sold most of his copies in the first year of release, it doesn't sell millions and millions after the album promotion is over, they all dissapear from charts for that reason. There's no indication that those albums are great catalog sellers and sold millions twice their certifications and IFPI information that year.--88marcus (talk) 03:09, 5 April 2020 (UTC)


 * your 2 cents: do you have other references for worldwide sales of both Likin Park albums Minutes to Midnight and Meteora? A claim of more than 20 million it's a big gap. Both passed the 10 million mark and can stay here. But with the current sales claims they "should be included" into the List of best-selling albums. However, seems doesn't meets the criteria for inclusion there. Almost all of the 2000's albums have Diamond status in United States and various multiplatinum awards worlwide, including Hybrid Theory by them, some Eminem's albums or Come Away with Me. Minutes to Midnight and Meteora are similar case of Back to Black from 2000's decade. --Chrishonduras (talk) 16:49, 5 April 2020 (UTC)


 * Unfortunately no. Old verions of "Minutes to Midnight" claim that this album sold 12 million copies worldwide, and then 15 million copies, all unsourced. Probably when fans begun to increase the sales here to 20 million copies worldwide the media begun to report the inflated 20 million claim too, another case of Woozle effect.--88marcus (talk) 20:29, 5 April 2020 (UTC)

Coldplay - Parachutes
British Pop-Rock band Coldplay's debut album called Parachutes turning 20 this year. Many article mentioned Parachutes has sold over 13 million copies worldwide. Should we include Parachutes on to that list? My source: Esambuu (talk) 11:51, 16 July 2020 (UTC)
 * Not done. 21st century began on January 1, 2001, and this album was released before. --Apoxyomenus (talk) 12:38, 16 July 2020 (UTC)
 * No, Parachutes released in 10 July 2000. Last week Parachutes turned 20. 2000 is 21st century. Esambuu (talk) 23:59, 16 July 2020 (UTC)
 * Then, you can "consider" change it in the article 21st century and ask reliable sources change it as well. --Apoxyomenus (talk) 15:59, 17 July 2020 (UTC)

Adele - 25
I think it's impossible that Lemonade outsold 25 in 2016. The math just doesn't add up — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2601:642:4A01:2A70:0:0:0:2 (talk) 00:03, 24 August 2020 (UTC)

Usher - Confessions
Seeing Billboard said the album sold over 20 million copies worldwide in their 2009 article Artists of the Decade it seems fitting to have his album in the 20 million section.

Laundry Service 18 million of copies
On the anniversary of the Laundry Service, Sony Music itself revealed that the album has sold 18 million copies worldwide. I think it should be uploaded given the information provided by Sony. Link: https://www.sonymusic.ca/press_release/legacy-recordings-set-to-deliver-20th-anniversary-digital-expanded-edition-of-shakiras-laundry-service-washed-and-dried-on-friday-november-12

Orphaned references in List of best-selling albums of the 21st century
I check pages listed in Category:Pages with incorrect ref formatting to try to fix reference errors. One of the things I do is look for content for orphaned references in wikilinked articles. I have found content for some of List of best-selling albums of the 21st century's orphans, the problem is that I found more than one version. I can't determine which (if any) is correct for this article, so I am asking for a sentient editor to look it over and copy the correct ref content into this article.

Reference named "1 31 million copies": From Hybrid Theory:  From 1 (Beatles album):  

I apologize if any of the above are effectively identical; I am just a simple computer program, so I can't determine whether minor differences are significant or not. AnomieBOT ⚡ 06:22, 30 December 2021 (UTC)

Meteora by Linkin Park
In an article, it was mentioned that Meteora sold over 27 million copies: https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/chester-bennington-obituary-1976-2017-2113700 --Mohammed Alabri 2312 (talk) 06:49, 7 February 2022 (UTC)

Eminem The Marshall Mather LP
Why is this album not included on this list? It’s a list of the best selling albums of the 21st century, but left out the year 2000 apparently? Lol May 2000 if my memory serves me correctly. 2603:8080:CC00:D0DF:79EA:A507:D594:CF03 (talk) 02:53, 15 March 2022 (UTC)

Sort by Genre.
Wouldn't it make sense to sort by genre? Especially given that there's republished music, classical music, soundtrack music that could also be considered "albums", and make this list? 68.189.2.14 (talk) 21:31, 18 April 2024 (UTC)