The Eagles' 'Greatest Hits' Is Now The Best-Selling Album Ever In The U.S.

The album is 38x certified platinum, passing Michael Jackson's "Thriller" by 5 million.
The Eagles' founding members, Randy Meisner, Don Henley, the late Glenn Frey and Bernie Leadon, are seen in 1973. On Monday, their greatest hits album became the best-selling album of all time.
The Eagles' founding members, Randy Meisner, Don Henley, the late Glenn Frey and Bernie Leadon, are seen in 1973. On Monday, their greatest hits album became the best-selling album of all time.
Gijsbert Hanekroot via Getty Images

The Eagles have once again soared to the top of the charts with the album “Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975” overtaking Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” on Monday to become the best-selling album of all time in the U.S.

The Recording Industry Association of America, which certified the 1976 album 38x platinum ― i.e., 38 million ― announced the milestone to The Associated Press. A representative for the RIAA confirmed its certification to HuffPost.

The new tally places the Eagles’ album one notch above Jackson’s 1982 album, which was last certified 33x platinum in 2017. The Eagles’ 1977 album “Hotel California” is in third place, certified at 26x platinum on Monday.

“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,” Eagles’ founding member Don Henley said in a statement obtained by the AP.

The Eagles’ greatest hits album previously was certified number one in 2006 with sales totaling 29 million, overtaking “Thriller,” which then had 27 million in sales. In 2016, “Thriller” regained the top position after reaching the 32x platinum mark, according to online RIAA records.

Michael Jackson's 1982 album "Thriller" is now the second best-selling one in history, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.
Michael Jackson's 1982 album "Thriller" is now the second best-selling one in history, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.
Jean-Marc Giboux via Getty Images

It is up to the record label to request certification, which requires an audit by a third party, according to the RIAA.

The tallying process used by the RIAA includes album sales, streams and downloads in the U.S. It does not include randomized streams.

One album sale equates to 1,500 streams of an album or 10 song downloads.

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