20 Of The Best Selling Vinyl Records Today
More and more, fans of music are starting to turn to vinyl as a better option for consuming music in an increasingly digital world. If you’re new to collecting, curious about starting, or a seasoned vet – you’ll be able to appreciate the albums we’ve included here.
Some of the best selling vinyl records here are what most consider to be “classics“, while some of the others haven’t been around long enough yet to be considered as such. The variety of the albums here will peak the interest of any vinyl collector that’s looking for some new LPs to add to their collection.
You will most likely already be familiar with at least a few of the titles here. Our hope for you is that you’re able to find a few that you haven’t heard yet. As you know, best sellers fluctuate and are updated regularly. This list reflects the top 20 records at the time this post was published.
Are you ready to dig in and discover some new gold to add to your collection? Let’s get started!
20 Of The Best Selling Vinyl Records Today
Here’s a list of the Top 20 albums we selected:
- Bad Witch – Nine Inch Nails
- 7 – Beach House
- Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino – Arctic Monkeys
- Good Thing – Leon Bridges
- “Awaken My Love!” – Childish Gambino
- The Greatest Showman Soundtrack – Various Artists
- Coming Home – Leon Bridges
- Midnight Organ Fight – Frightened Rabbit
- Rumours – Fleetwood Mac
- Black Smoke Rising – Greta Van Fleet
- Abbey Road – The Beatles
- Traveller – Chris Stapelton
- Thriller – Michael Jackson
- Appetite For Destruction – Guns N’ Roses
- The Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd
- Back to Black – Amy Winehouse
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 – Various Artists
- Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves
- Purple Rain (Remastered) – Prince
- Ultimate Sinatra – Frank Sinatra
1. Bad Witch – Nine Inch Nails
Bad Witch was released on June 22, 2018 and marks the 9th full-length release from industrial pioneers Nine Inch Nails. The pre-orders alone landed it a top spot on Amazon’s best-sellers. “God Break Down The Door” was the first track that was released as a single.
After keeping fans waiting for several years since Hesitation Marks was released – Bad Witch is here. Although short and sweet, this album is yet another reminder of where Nine Inch Nails started, and where they’re going.
Fans of NIN have grown to expect great records from the band that constantly evolves and pumps out material like a music factory and Bad Witch delivers.
Here’s the video for “God Break Down The Door”:
Stand out tracks include: “God Break Down The Door”, “I’m Not From This World”, and “Ahead Of Ourselves”. Click here to see the full tracklisting.
2. 7 – Beach House
Dream pop duo Beach House is back with another full-length album with artwork that has enough allure to convince any fan of the genre to give it a listen. Even if you’re not familiar with the laid-back atmosphere that defines Beach House’s sound – you’re in for a treat.
It opens up with “Dark Spring” and transitions effortlessly into the introspectively apathetic “Pay No Mind”. Featuring production from Peter Kemper (of Sonic Boom/E.A.R./Spectrum) – the waves of audio will lull you into a trance that you won’t want to snap out of. (If 7 was released one year earlier, we would’ve included it on our Top 10 Albums of 2017.)
Watch the official video for “Dark Spring” below to get a better idea of what you can expect to hear on 7:
Other stand out tracks include: “Dark Spring”, “Dive”, “Lemon Glow”, and “Black Car”. Click here to see it on vinyl.
3. Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino – Arctic Monkeys
Critically regarded as being one of the most divisive records from Arctic Monkeys, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino sounds less like their past releases and more like an experimental stab at heading in a new creative direction.
The humor scattered throughout the lyrics can be hit-or-miss and at times it feels like the lyrical content took precedence over vocal melodies. Die hard fans of Arctic Monkeys will either hate or love this record.
If you do decide to delve into the science fiction and film-inspired body of work, following along with the lyrics might be a good idea.
You can see the official video for “Four Out Of Five” below:
Other stand out tracks include: “One Point Perspective”, “American Sports”, and “Star Treatment”. Click here to see it on vinyl.
4. Good Thing – Leon Bridges
Instead of creating an exact replica of his debut album Coming Home – Leon Bridges decided to mix it up and give us a variety of both old-school and contemporary musical flavors to ingest.
Throughout Good Thing, Leon Bridges alternates between singing over up-beat modern R&B instrumentation on tracks like “If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be)” and the retro-soul style that he’s more well-known for on the track titled “Mrs.”.
To sample a piece of the record, take a look at the official video for “Bad Bad News” below:
Other stand out tracks include: “Bet Ain’t Worth The Hand”, “Bad Bad News”, “Beyond”, and “If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be)”. Click here to see it on vinyl.
5. “Awaken My Love!” – Childish Gambino
“Awaken My Love!” deviates sonically from the previous work of Childish Gambino (aka Donald Glover). Instead of relying on the hip-hop elements you’re familiar hearing him perform – what you get instead is a mix of funk, soul, experimental psychedelic instrumentation and complex vocal arrangements.
The album’s fusion of multiple genres points towards inspiration from the funkadelic era of the 1970s. You might not fall in love with the experimental musical style at first, but once you get in the groove, it will prove to be an unforgettable sonic experience.
Check out Childish Gambino’s live Jimmy Fallon performance of “Redbone” below:
Other stand out tracks include: “Redbone”, “Me and Your Mama”, “Terrified”, and “Stand Tall”. Click here to see it on vinyl.
6. The Greatest Showman Soundtrack – Various Artists
The Greatest Showman Soundtrack might not have been as well-received by the critics – but if you enjoyed the movie, you’ll love the soundtrack. It’s less about showing off an immaculate display of your favorite actor’s musical talent and more about taking the musical journey along with them.
You might even be a little surprised when you come to find out that some of them actually can sing (at least a lot better than most of us). It also features vocal performances from artists such as Zendaya and Loren Allred who was a contestant on The Voice in 2012.
If you’ve been to the theater multiple times to see this flick, you’ll definitely want to add this record to your collection so you can sing along and enjoy the music.
If you haven’t seen the film, watch the video for “Never Enough” below to get a taste of the soundtrack:
Other stand out tracks include: “The Greatest Show”, “A Million Dreams”, “This Is Me”, and “rewrite The Stars”. Click here to see it on vinyl.
7. Coming Home – Leon Bridges
The debut album of Leon Bridges titled Coming Home has been compared to the nostalgic R&B sound of the fifties and sixties. The soulful vocal melodies are full of passion and the talented group of musicians performing the individual instruments also deserve their credit for the success of this record.
Coming Home is a great choice for fans of Bon Iver, Janelle Monae, Kali Uchis, Anderson .Paak, and other related artists.
Here’s the video for the title track from Coming Home:
Other stand out tracks include: “Better Man”, “River”, “Smooth Sailin'”, and “Flowers”. Click here to see it on vinyl.
8. Midnight Organ Fight – Frightened Rabbit
Frightened Rabbit’s 2008 release The Midnight Organ Fight has been out for over a decade and still manages to remain a top pick for vinyl collectors across the globe. It’s been heralded by critics as being “one of the finest breakup records in recent vintage”.
In 2008, Treble magazine said “If there’s an album from 2008 with more fantastic melodies, I certainly haven’t heard it.” No matter how deep your knowledge of Indie music runs – you won’t be able to deny the 14-track journey through heartbreak.
If you’re a fan of The Front Bottoms, Vampire Weekend, or Mastersystem – you’ll be keeping this record in heavy rotation for years to come.
Check out the visuals for “I Feel Better” below:
Other stand out tracks include: “The Modern Leper”, “Good Arms vs. Bad Arms”, “The Twist”, and “Keep Yourself Warm”. Click here to see it on vinyl.
9. Rumours – Fleetwood Mac
Rumours from Fleetwood Mac is the band’s most well-received album to date and has sold over 40 million copies worldwide. It was awarded the Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards in 1977 and is well-loved by both critics and fans alike.
In 2018, Rumours was added to the National Recording Registry for preservation due to it’s “cultural, historical, and artistic significance”. It’s hard to argue with their selection (even if you weren’t alive when this album was released). If you’ve ever listened to a classic rock station on the radio – you’ve heard a Fleetwood Mac song.
See them perform “The Chain” live in 1979 below:
Other stand out tracks include: “Dreams”, “Go Your Own Way”, “The Chain”, and “Gold Dust Woman”. Click here to see it on vinyl.
10. Black Smoke Rising – Greta Van Fleet
Black Smoke Rising is the debut EP from Michigan natives Greta Van Fleet. With a run time of just over 30 minutes, it makes for an enjoyable listen that’s short and sweet. If you’re not sure how to tell a full-length from an EP, read about the difference between an EP and LP here.
The singles “Highway Tune” and “Safari Song” both reached the number one and two spots on the Billboard Rock and Active Rock charts.
As you listen to Black Smoke Rising, you’ll hear hints of Simon & Garfunkel as well as Haight-Ashbury influences scattered throughout. Vocalist Joshua Kiszka said the record was written with a “folk influence and a nod to that era’s sound“.
The influences are clear right from the start and a throwback-inspired EP like this is only right being played on a turntable.
The official video for “Highway Tune” below sums it all up in 3 minutes:
Other stand out tracks include: “Black Smoke Rising” and “Safari Song”. Click here to see it on vinyl.
11. Abbey Road – The Beatles
The album artwork for Abbey Road is instantly recognizable by millions of people worldwide and continues to receive praise nearly five decades after it’s release.
It is the second to last Beatles album before The Beatles disbanded to pursue solo ventures. When you grab a copy of this album you’re literally buying a piece of music history. The songs pull you in until the last track stops and there’s clearly a reason why Abbey Road has been able to stand the test of time.
Selling four million copies in the first two months of it’s release is an impressive feat that most bands will never be able to accomplish again. (Especially when the average consumer prefers streaming music with services like Tidal or Spotify.)
Here’s a video of The Beatles performing “Come Together” live in New York City:
Other stand out tracks include: “Here Comes The Sun”, “Something”, and “Golden Slumbers”. Click here to see it on vinyl.
12. Traveller – Chris Stapelton
Winner of the album of the year at the 2015 Country Music Association Awards, Traveller made waves in the country music arena as the highly successful and critically-acclaimed debut album from Chris Stapelton. Two years in a row (2016 and 2017) the album also won the Billboard Music Award for Top Country Album.
Its sound has been compared to old-school country music and is loved by casual fans and purists alike. The highly emotional lyrical content and matching steel guitar, harmonica, organ, and other instrumentation alongside one of the most well-loved voices in country music make Traveller a journey worth taking.
You can watch the official music video for “Fire Away” below:
Other stand out tracks include: “Tennessee Whiskey”, “Traveller”, “Fire Away”, and “Nobody To Blame”. Click here to see it on vinyl.
13. Thriller – Michael Jackson
Thriller won a total of 8 Grammy Awards in 1984 and still holds the world record for the most album sales of all time.
Just like Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, Thriller was also selected to be preserved by the National Recording Registry since it holds noteworthy cultural significance and impact.
Your vinyl collection won’t be complete until you have at least one copy of Thriller. Most albums don’t break world records within a year (or become instant classics so fast) that they solidify a seemingly permanent spot in the ever-evolving art form called music.
Here’s the official video for “Billie Jean”:
Other stand out tracks include: “Beat It”, “Billie Jean”, and “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin'”. Click here to see it on vinyl.
14. Appetite For Destruction – Guns N’ Roses
Appetite For Destruction (released in 1987) is considered to be one of the greatest records of all time. It’s the 11th best-selling albums in the United States and has some of Guns N’ Roses’ most well-known hits. This double LP edition was pressed on 2 discs in order to maximize the audio quality.
The result is almost 1 full hour of audiophile-level classic hard rock. You can relive the days of long, drawn-out guitar solos (not in a bad way), the high-pitched vocal style of Axl Rose, and the feeling you got when you heard the opening riff for “Sweet Child O’ Mine” for the first time. Join the movement and grab one of over 30 million copies sold worldwide.
Here’s the official video for “Sweet Child O’ Mine”:
Other stand out tracks include: “Welcome To The Jungle”, “Sweet Child O’ Mine”, “Paradise City”, and “Mr Brownstone”. Click here to see it on vinyl.
15. The Dark Side of the Moon – Pink Floyd
It wouldn’t be a best-seller list without at least one Pink Floyd album. It’s probably not a surprise that The Dark Side of the Moon continues to be a favorite among vinyl collectors. The album artwork alone has convinced many Pink Floyd t-shirt-wearers that it’s a classic (even though they’ve probably never listened to it).
If you’ve never seriously listened to Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon is a great place to start. It’s an awesome introduction to one of the most influential bands of all time.
Who knows, after you listen through this record, you might end up scouring the web and discovering one of the many contemporary bands that were heavily inspired by this record and isn’t afraid to show it.
You’ll love this album if you enjoy music that covers a variety of topics including conflict, mental illness, and the passage of time. If you only own one vinyl record – this would be a great choice.
Here’s an awesome fan-made music video for “Time”:
Other stand out tracks include: “Time”, “Brain Damage”, “The Great Gig In The Sky”, and “Speak To Me”. Click here to see it on vinyl.
16. Back to Black – Amy Winehouse
At one point, Back To Black was the #1 best-selling album of the 21st century in the UK. Unfortunately, that accolade was posthumous but while she was still alive and performing she was able to make an unforgettable impact. Her music inspired the sound of Adele, Florence and the Machine, and many more to come.
Her legacy has been compared to that of Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain due to the nature of their unfortunate ends and resulting in widespread posthumous fame. If you haven’t already seen the documentary titled Amy, I highly recommend that you do.
The music lives on and you’ll definitely want to check this one out on vinyl to fully experience the vibe and soulful tunes.
Watch the live performance of “Back To Black” below to see why this record is essential:
Other stand out tracks include: “Rehab”, “You Know I’m No Good”, and “Love Is A Losing Game”. Click here to see it on vinyl.
17. Guardians of the Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 – Various Artists
The Guardians of the Galaxy Awesome Mix Vol. 1 is a super-compilation and features tracks from Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, Jackson 5, The Raspberries, David Bowie, Redbone, and more. Most of the songs were recorded in what some might consider the “golden age of vinyl” (which means they’ll sound awesome on vinyl).
If you’re a fan of the movie you’ll have a fun time remembering where each song was playing during what scene. You don’t even have to be a fan of the actual movie to enjoy the mix of classic hits on this record.
This would be a great addition to your collection if you love these songs but don’t necessarily enjoy listening to an entire album from some of the featured artists. It’s full of up-beat, feel-good tunes that would be great for playing with a house full of people or by yourself while you’re getting some work done.
Check out the song below for a short preview of the rest of the mix:
Other stand out tracks include: “I Want You Back”, “Come And Get Your Love”, “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (Mono Version)”. Click here to see it on vinyl.
18. Golden Hour – Kacey Musgraves
Golden Hour is Kacey Musgraves’ 3rd album to top the country music charts. Most music critics agree that this record deserves it’s number one spot on the charts. With a grand total of 13 tracks, Golden Hour is a great pick for fans of Chris Stapelton, Willie Nelson, Jason Aldean, and Ashley McBryde.
The album fuses both modern and classic country elements with songs that have a little bit of everything for any fan of country music. If you’re not familiar with her music, take a look at the video for “Space Cowboy” to get a feel for what you can expect.
Here’s the music video for one of the most popular tracks from the album below:
Other stand out tracks include: “Space Cowboy”, “High Horse”, “Butterflies” and “Slow Burn”. Click here to see it on vinyl.
19. Purple Rain (Remastered) – Prince
Purple Rain served as both an album and soundtrack to Purple Rain (the movie). It’s the third best-selling soundtrack of all time (as of 2008) and is widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time, period.
It also features rock band The Revolution for the first time ever on a Prince album. Attempting to pin the album down to a single genre is impossible as it blends elements of R&B, psychedelia, pop-rock, and even heavy metal-style guitar riffs.
If you can appreciate music for the legacy, timelessness, artistry, and overwhelming cultural influence – you’d be doing yourself a disservice not to pick this one up.
Watch the video below to see the official music video for “Purple Rain”:
Other stand out tracks include: “Let’s Go Crazy”, “When Doves Cry”, “Darling Nikki”, and “Purple Rain”. Click here to see it on vinyl.
20. Ultimate Sinatra – Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra needs no introduction. The multi-talented producer, singer, and actor left a giant wake behind him that’s only been replicated by the likes of Michael Jackson, The Beatles, and Elvis Presley.
The Ultimate Sinatra collection was released on the 100th anniversary of his birth and contains 24 tracks including recordings from over 6 decades of his career in music. This collection has to be heard on vinyl in order to truly experience the nostalgia and relive the creations of a legendary recording artist.
This compilation album will be loved by fans of great music (and more specifically) fans of Dean Martin, Barry Manilow, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, and Louis Armstrong.
You can watch a 1965 live performance of “Fly Me To The Moon” below:
Other stand out tracks include: “I’ve Got The World On A String”, “Come Fly With Me”, “The Way You Look Tonight”, and “My Way”. Click here to see it on vinyl.
Did You Find A New Classic To Explore?
Were you already familiar with all the albums here, or did you find a new classic to sit down, relax and enjoy? Will our 20 best selling vinyl records list come in handy when you’re ready to pick up a new LP or two?
Hopefully, it will, and we hope you enjoyed browsing through this collection. It can seem like a daunting task to decide which albums to get and which ones to avoid. If you think we did a good job, let us know in the comments below.
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