Only true music fans can guess the 10 bestselling albums of the 2010s

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Recent decades have shown that the albums topping the charts are often unexpected, much more so than when looking at all-time bestsellers. A good example of this is the list of top ten albums from the 2000s.

Looking at the 2010s, the trend becomes even clearer. Classic rock artists aren’t as prominent, and rock music overall saw a significant decline in popularity. The decade was much more defined by pop and R&B. It really shows how music tastes were changing!

When you look at the decade’s top ten best-selling albums (according to Bestsellingalbums.org), it’s easy to see why they were so popular. However, I would have only been able to predict about half of them beforehand – see if you can do any better!

Top ten best-selling albums of the 2010s

10. Bruno Mars – Doo-Wops and Hooligans

Bruno Mars’ first solo album, released in 2010, was a huge success. It earned five Grammy nominations and won him a Grammy for “Just The Way You Are” in the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance category. To date, the album has sold 11.2 million copies, making it a top ten seller.

Interestingly, the artist Mars ranked just above Eminem, coming in at number 11. Eminem’s album Recover, released in 2010, has sold 10.8 million copies. While he previously had two albums in the top ten bestsellers of the last few decades, this one narrowly missed the cut.

9. Ed Sheeran – X

Ed Sheeran’s second studio album, X, released in 2014, really launched his career. With 11.9 million copies sold, the album showcased his skills and cemented his path to becoming a global superstar.

8. Katy Perry – Teenage Dream

It’s easy to forget just how popular Katy Perry was in 2010. Her album, Teenage Dream, produced five songs that reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Before Perry, only Michael Jackson had accomplished this feat with a single album – his album Bad.

Katy Perry’s sixth single, appropriately named “The One That Got Away,” nearly broke a record, peaking at number three on the charts. This success likely contributed to her album reaching number 8, with total sales of 12.1 million.

7. Frozen Soundtrack

Many people might be surprised to see this in the top ten. The movie Frozen and everything related to it were incredibly popular, and continue to be. Released in 2013, its soundtrack has sold 12.6 million copies worldwide, which explains its high ranking.

6. Ed Sheeran – Divide

Ed Sheeran appears again on the list! His 2017 album, a follow-up to X, has sold 13.8 million copies, slightly more than his + album from the same year, which has sold 7.7 million. It’s been a very successful decade for Sheeran, and he’s likely to continue achieving great things.

5. Justin Bieber – Purpose

Justin Bieber’s 2015 album, Purpose, was a major success. He followed it up with the Purpose World Tour in 2016, performing in large stadiums globally. It remains his best-selling album and represents a high point in his career.

4. Taylor Swift – 1989

Looking back, we had no idea how incredibly successful Taylor Swift would become. This 2014 album proved to be a major turning point in her career, becoming a fan favorite and ultimately selling 14.7 million copies – enough to reach the number four spot on the charts.

3. Michael Bublé – Christmas

While this album is already well-loved, it’s surprising to see a Christmas album climb so high – reaching number 3! Michael Bublé consistently delivers fantastic Christmas music, and his 2011 album’s impressive 15 million sales prove it. His songs are likely on many people’s holiday playlists, which significantly boosts their continued popularity and sales.

2. Adele – 25

Adele’s album 25 was a massive success, and remains popular today. Released in 2015, it features songs she wrote when she was 25 years old and sold an impressive 23 million copies, earning her the second spot on this list.

1. Adele – 21 

Her album 21, released in 2011, became even more popular, surpassing 25 with 30 million copies sold. It’s remarkable for an artist to have two albums among the decade’s best-selling, and even more so to claim the top two spots. Combined sales of over 50 million are a tremendous accomplishment.

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2026-03-09 13:00