Posted on May 12, 2012 by Benjamin Shapiro

If you’re anything like us when we started playing the guitar, you occasionally fantasize about playing professionally and hitting it big in the music biz. We all love to dream about playing onstage in front of legions of adoring fans… having awesome musicians to play with… making a boat load of money… being famous… The works! We’d all love to be legends in the music business and, no matter how unrealistic it may be, it never hurts to dream. While you’re busy daydreaming about your first international tour, here’s a list of the top 10 best selling albums of all time to give you some context of what it means to make it big:

10. Come on Over by Shania Twain – With over 40 million albums sold, this country album is nothing to sneeze at. Shania Twain may not be a rock ‘n’ roll hero, but the featured guitar riff in “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” is easily recognized by anyone who has heard the song just once.
 

9. Rumours by Fleetwood Mac – Lindsey Buckingham is one of the most respected guitarists in the business. He revolutionized finger-picking and his mastery is featured on Rumours, which has sold more than 40 million copies.

8. Saturday Night Fever by the Bee Gees – The disco era was not big on guitar sounds, but they featured heavy bass lines that are respected today just as they were back then. This movie soundtrack has sold more than 40 million copies.
 

7. The Dirty Dancing Soundtrack – Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey’s on-screen romance helped this soundtrack sell more than 42 million copies.

6. Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) by The Eagles – Don Henley and the rest of the Eagles are masters of their craft. They feature an interesting blend of guitars, the banjo, and the mandolin that has been respected for decades. This album has sold over 42 million copies.
 

5. Bat Out of Hell by Meat Loaf – Meat Loaf’s music features heavy guitar sounds and a lot of energy. He is a true performer whose top album has sold over 43 million copies.

4. The Bodyguard by Whitney Houston – The late Whitney Houston’s rendition of “I Will Always Love You” helped this soundtrack sell over 44 million copies.

3. Back in Black by AC/DC – These rockers are purists. They employ heavy drum and guitar sounds. This hit album sold over 49 million copies.

2. The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd – Roger Waters’ poetic lyrics and the band’s haunting instrumentals earned this band a spot on the list with over 50 million albums sold.

1. Thriller by Michael Jackson – To no one’s surprise, the top-selling album of all time is Thriller. It has sold an astounding 110 million copies.

Which of these albums is your favorite to jam out to?

Keep rockin’!