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The Top 40 Best-Selling Studio Albums of All Time

Paul Gambaccini has revealed the Top 40 best-selling studio albums ever, on Radio 2's Pick of the Pops, to mark the first ever .

The fascinating list – compiled by the Official Charts Company – contains much-loved hits and a few surprises. A total of 33 different acts are in the chart – one with three albums, while five acts have two albums including Adele and Michael Jackson. In total the list features 18 bands, 10 female artists and 12 male artists.

You can see the Top 40 below, in ascending order.

40. Coldplay - Parachutes

Year released: 2000
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 1

39. Tracy Chapman - Tracy Chapman

Year released: 1988
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 3

38. Michael Bublé - Christmas

Year released: 2011
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 3

37. Phil Collins - But Seriously

Year released: 1989
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No. 1: 15

36. Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells

Year released: 1973
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 1

35. Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters

Year released: 2004
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 4

34. Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill

Year released: 1995
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 11

33. Coldplay - X&Y

Year released: 2005
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 4

32. Jeff Wayne - The War of the Worlds

Year released: 1978
Highest position: 5
Weeks at No.1: 0

31. Keane - Hopes and Fears

Year released: 2004
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 5

30. Take That - Beautiful World

Year released: 2006
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 8

29. U2 - The Joshua Tree

Year released: 1987
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 2

28. Dido - Life For Rent

Year released: 2003
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 10

27. Spice Girls - Spice

Year released: 1996
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 15

26. Coldplay - A Rush of Blood to the Head

Year released: 2002
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 3

25. Corrs - Talk on Corners

Year released: 1997
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 10

24. Kings of Leon - Only by the Night

Year released: 2008
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 4

23. Lady Gaga - The Fame

Year released: 2008
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 7

22. David Gray - White Ladder

Year released: 1998
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 2

21. Dido - No Angel

Year released: 2000
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 7

20. Ed Sheeran - Divide

Year released: 2017
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 20

19. Michael Bublé - Crazy Love

Year released: 2009
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 1

18. Leona Lewis - Spirit

Year released: 2007
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 8

17. Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water

Year released: 1970
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 33

16. The Verve - Urban Hymns

Year released: 1997
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 12

15. James Blunt - Back to Bedlam

Year released: 2004
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 10

14. Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell

Year released: 1977
Highest position: 9
Weeks at No.1: 0

13. Ed Sheeran - X

Year released: 2014
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 13

12. Shania Twain - Come on Over

Year released: 1997
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 11

11. Simply Red - Stars

Year released: 1991
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 12

10. Adele - 25

Year released: 2015
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 13

9. Amy Winehouse - Back to Black

Year released: 2006
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 6

8. Fleetwood Mac - Rumours

Year released: 1977
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 1

7. Michael Jackson - Bad

Year released: 1987
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 5

6. Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms

Year released: 1985
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 14

5. Michael Jackson - Thriller

Year released: 1982鈥�
Highest position: 1鈥�
Weeks at No.1: 8

4. Pink Floyd - The Dark Side of the Moon

Year released: 1973鈥�
Highest position: 2鈥�
Weeks at No.1: 0

3. Oasis - (What's the Story) Morning Glory?

Year released: 1995鈥�
Highest position: 1鈥�
Weeks at No.1: 10

2. Adele - 21

Year released: 2011
鈥℉ighest position: 1鈥�
Weeks at No.1: 23

1. The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Year released: 1967
Highest position: 1
Weeks at No.1: 28

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