What could be the most loved and most bought album by Americans? Michael Jackson’s album might still ring a bell but it is no longer on the top spot.

Yes, we now have a new bestselling album in the United States. It is real and true, the Eagles have dominated this year’s album sales toppling down others including the previous title-holder, Michael Jackson.

The Eagles | Photo Credits: firstpost.com

The Eagles: Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 is now the no. 1 top-selling album of all time. It snatched the throne from Michael Jackson’s Thriller placing it to second. (However, MJ’s Thriller still holds the top-selling album around the world with over 66 million sales.)

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), an award-giving body that certifies the number of albums and singles sold, told The Associated Press on Monday, August 20, that the Eagle’s album is now certified 38x Platinum. It means that the sales and streams of the album have reached 38 million copies in the United States. The Eagles: Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 was released by the Eagles in 1976.

Michael Jackson’s Thriller album | Photo Credits: thesource.com

Furthermore, RIAA also revealed that Thriller by Michael Jackson came in second place and certified 33x Platinum. Interestingly, another Eagles’ album, Hotel California, garnered the third place which is now 26x Platinum. It was released in 1977. Hence, this makes the Eagles the best-selling band in the whole of America.

On behalf of the Eagles, Don Henley expressed his gratitude for the new feat in their career. He said in a statement:

“We are grateful for our families, our management, our crew, the people at radio and, most of all, the loyal fans who have stuck with us through the ups and downs of 46 years. It’s been quite a ride.”

The Eagles

American rock band The Eagles started in Los Angeles in the early 1970s. They mastered and mixed different music genres especially rock & roll and country music. Also, two of their singles, “Hotel California” and “Take It Easy” went big becoming part of the soundtrack of that decade. However, they disbanded in 1980 but came back together 14 years later. Don Henley and Glenn Frey remained to be the original members. The band amassed many awards including the Grammys. Unfortunately, Frey passed away in 2016.

The band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 and received the Kennedy Center Honor in 2016.

RIAA’s Standard Certification

Record Industry Association of America (RIAA) | Photo Credits: riaa.com

In the United States, the RIAA certifies albums and singles by basing it on their total number of sales through retail and other supporting markets. Launched in 1958, RIAA’s Platinum status was once equivalent to selling one million albums or songs. However, in 2013, it started incorporating and including streaming from social media apps with the likes of Youtube, Spotify, and other digital music services. This is to exactly determine certification for albums and singles.

Recently, it has been agreed by the company that a total of 1,500 streams of an album is already equivalent to an album sale. In addition, 10 song downloads will equal one album sale.

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