Thriller

Michael Jackson's 1982 album Thriller is estimated to have sold about 70 million copies worldwide. Seven of its nine tracks became top-10 singles in the US.

Worldwide totals are estimates; the US figure is certified.

Context

Thriller was released in late 1982 on Epic Records and produced by Quincy Jones with Jackson. Its singles included Billie Jean, Beat It and the title track, and the album won a record-setting haul of Grammy Awards in 1984. It is also preserved in the US Library of Congress's National Recording Registry.

Sales claims for the album vary because worldwide data in the early 1980s was patchy. The figure of about 70 million is an industry estimate that combines certified shipments from many countries with later reissues and format changes, while certification bodies such as the RIAA verify only US shipments, which have passed many multiples of platinum. Other estimates exist, so the ranking is more secure than the exact total.

Part of the album's staying power was the way its music videos, especially Thriller itself, helped establish video as a promotional medium on television. The record's claim as the best seller rests on the combination of the large estimate and its steady sales for decades, and rival albums have come close to the total on some lists.