The music industry is a rapidly changing space, with new formats like digital streaming surpassing physical formats like CDs.

Regardless, album sales—both physical and digital—are still a key measure of popularity, especially for certain genres and fan bases that prioritize album purchases.

This visualization shows the top-selling album of the year from 2001 to 2023 by number of units sold. Units sold include all physical formats (vinyl, cassette, CD) and paid full album downloads.

The figures come from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and are updated as of August 2024.