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The Eagles vs. Michael Jackson

The Eagles officially have the best-selling album of all time. Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 has overtaken Michael Jackson‘s Thriller, reclaiming the top spot nearly a decade after the King of Pop’s death.

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) recently recalculated sales of the best-of collection and certified the LP as 38x platinum, pushing the 33x platinum Thriller to second place, the Associated Press reports. The RIAA confirmed the new certifications to Rolling Stone.

The RIAA last tallied Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975‘s totals in 2006, when the album was 29x platinum; since then, streaming and digital downloads have dominated the music industry. Greatest Hits‘ new certification takes into account total streams, downloads and traditional sales since 2006. Thriller‘s totals were reportedly updated in 2017.

“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’ Don Henley said in a statement.

Additionally, the RIAA recalculation – initiated by the band’s label – was good news for the Eagles’ 1977 album Hotel California, which is now 26x platinum, making the LP Number Three on the all-time list; in 2001, Hotel California was 16x platinum. While the RIAA declined to divulge specific details on the 10x platinum jump, the association told Rolling Stone that singles sales and other factors not initially tabulated into the RIAA’s platinum certification were retroactively added to the album’s sales total. In the case of Hotel California, sales of the Hot 100-topping title track were consolidated into album sales (10 singles purchases – physical or downloads – now count as one album).

The band’s Greatest Hits 1971-1975 spent nearly a decade as the best-selling album of all time until Thriller bypassed it in the aftermath of Jackson’s death in 2009, Billboard reported at the time.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/eagles-greatest-hits-overtakes-michael-jacksons-thriller-as-best-selling-album-713224/
Photo: The Eagles vs. Michael Jackson

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