Think of all the HUGE albums that have come out since 1991: Jagged Little Pill, Come On Over, Supernatural, the Titanic soundtrack, everything by Backstreet Boys, everything by NSYNC, everything by Britney Spears, 21, Spin Doctors Greatest Hits. Yet none of those are the top-selling album of the SoundScan-era; no, that distinction goes to…The Black Album. *draws lightning bolts on laptop screen*
Metallica’s mega-selling self-titled 1991 album has hit a new sales threshold. The album, which continues to be the best-selling release of the Nielsen SoundScan era, has become the first album to sell 16 million copies since SoundScan started tracking sales in 1991.
SoundScan began tracking U.S. music sales in 1991. Its point-of-sale data was first used to compile the Billboard 200 albums chart on May 25, 1991. Metallica marked the group’s first No. 1 that year, when it debuted atop the list. (Via)
The only other album to sell even 15 million copies: Shania Twain’s Come on Over, which, well, 1997 was a weird year for everyone. Gas was only $1.30 per gallon — we were basically being forced to drive down to Sam Goody and buy the damn thing. THANKS OBAMA.
