‘Back In Black’ and 60 Other Diamond-Certified Albums
AC/DC‘s juggernaut album Back In Black was released 39 years ago today (July 25), and besides being the band’s highest-selling release, it’s also one of a small group of albums that’s been…
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AC/DC's juggernaut album Back In Black was released 39 years ago today (July 25), and besides being the band's highest-selling release, it's also one of a small group of albums that's been certified Diamond (10 million copies sold) by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA.)
In fact, it's gone double Diamond with over 22 million copies sold, so the aforementioned use of "juggernaut" is more than appropriate. To get an idea of how prestigious this honor is, here’s a list of 60 other rock records and greatest hits collections that are also part of the Diamond club.
Nirvana – Nevermind – 10 Million
Kirk Weddle/UMG...
Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin – 10 Million
Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
Nirvana – Nevermind – 10 Million
Kirk Weddle/UMG...
Green Day – Dookie – 10 Million
Theo Wargo/Getty Images...
Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin – 10 Million
Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
Doobie Brothers – Best Of The Doobies – 10 Million
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images...
Green Day – Dookie – 10 Million
Theo Wargo/Getty Images...
Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness – 10 Million
Noam Galai/Getty Images...
Doobie Brothers – Best Of The Doobies – 10 Million
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images...
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – Greatest Hits – 10 Million
Mike Coppola/Getty Images...
Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness – 10 Million
Noam Galai/Getty Images...
U2 – The Joshua Tree – 10 Million
Jason Merritt/Getty Images...
Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – Greatest Hits – 10 Million
Mike Coppola/Getty Images...
Van Halen – 1984 – 10 Million
Ethan Miller/Getty Images...
U2 – The Joshua Tree – 10 Million
Jason Merritt/Getty Images...
Van Halen – 1984 – 10 Million
Ethan Miller/Getty Images...
Billy Joel – The Stranger – 10 Million
Brian Ach/Getty Images...
Billy Joel – The Stranger – 10 Million
Brian Ach/Getty Images...
Nickelback – All The Right Reasons – 10 Million
Buda Mendes/Getty Images...
Nickelback – All The Right Reasons – 10 Million
Buda Mendes/Getty Images...
Eric Clapton – Unplugged – 10 Million
Larry Busacca/Getty Images...
Eric Clapton – Unplugged – 10 Million
Larry Busacca/Getty Images...
ZZ Top – Eliminator – 10 Million
Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images...
Van Halen – Van Halen – 10 Million
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images...
ZZ Top – Eliminator – 10 Million
Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images...
Beastie Boys – Licensed To Ill – 10 Million
Bryan Bedder/Getty Images...
Van Halen – Van Halen – 10 Million
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images...
Elvis Presley – Elvis’ Christmas Album – 10 Million
Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
Beastie Boys – Licensed To Ill – 10 Million
Bryan Bedder/Getty Images...
The Doors – The Best Of The Doors – 10 Million
Central Press/Getty Images...
Elvis Presley – Elvis’ Christmas Album – 10 Million
Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chronicle: 20 Greatest Hits – 10 Million
Evening Standard/Getty Images...
The Doors – The Best Of The Doors – 10 Million
Central Press/Getty Images...
No Doubt – Tragic Kingdom – 10 Million
Kevin Winter/Getty Images...
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chronicle: 20 Greatest Hits – 10 Million
Evening Standard/Getty Images...
Def Leppard – Pyromania – 10 Million
Mercury Records/Hulton Archive/Courtesy of Getty Images...
No Doubt – Tragic Kingdom – 10 Million
Kevin Winter/Getty Images...
Creed – Human Clay – 11 Million
Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
Def Leppard – Pyromania – 10 Million
Mercury Records/Hulton Archive/Courtesy of Getty Images...
Aerosmith – Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits – 11 Million
Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images...
Creed – Human Clay – 11 Million
Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
James Taylor – James Taylor’s Greatest Hits – 11 Million
Jack Kay/Daily Express/Getty Images...
Aerosmith – Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits – 11 Million
Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images...
Eagles – Eagles Greatest Hits Vol. II – 11 Million
Rick Diamond/Getty Images...
James Taylor – James Taylor’s Greatest Hits – 11 Million
Jack Kay/Daily Express/Getty Images...
Kid Rock – Devil Without A Cause – 11 Million
Rick Diamond/Getty Images...
Eagles – Eagles Greatest Hits Vol. II – 11 Million
Rick Diamond/Getty Images...
Linkin Park – Hybrid Theory – 11 Million
Kevin Winter/Getty Images...
Kid Rock – Devil Without A Cause – 11 Million
Rick Diamond/Getty Images...
Linkin Park – Hybrid Theory – 11 Million
Kevin Winter/Getty Images...
The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – 11 Million
John Pratt/Keystone/Getty Images...
The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band – 11 Million
John Pratt/Keystone/Getty Images...
Led Zeppelin – Houses Of The Holy – 11 Million
Roger Jackson/Central Press/Getty Images...
The Beatles – 1 – 11 Million
Fox Photos/Getty Images)...
Led Zeppelin – Houses Of The Holy – 11 Million
Roger Jackson/Central Press/Getty Images...
The Beatles – 1 – 11 Million
Fox Photos/Getty Images)...
Phil Collins – No Jacket Required – 12 Million
Elsa/Getty Images...
Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wet – 12 Million
Jesse Grant/Getty Images...
Phil Collins – No Jacket Required – 12 Million
Elsa/Getty Images...
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Greatest Hits – 12 Million
Samir Hussein/Getty Images...
Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wet – 12 Million
Jesse Grant/Getty Images...
Def Leppard – Hysteria – 12 Million
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images...
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Greatest Hits – 12 Million
Samir Hussein/Getty Images...
The Beatles – Abbey Road – 12 Million
Keystone Features/Getty Images...
Def Leppard – Hysteria – 12 Million
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images...
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II – 12 Million
Evening Standard/Getty Images...
The Beatles – Abbey Road – 12 Million
Keystone Features/Getty Images...
The Rolling Stones – Hot Rocks – 12 Million
Chris Ware/Keystone Features/Getty Images...
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II – 12 Million
Evening Standard/Getty Images...
Pearl Jam – Ten – 13 Million
Kevin Winter/Getty Images)...
The Rolling Stones – Hot Rocks – 12 Million
Chris Ware/Keystone Features/Getty Images...
Bruce Springsteen – Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band 1975-’85 – 13 Million
Monty Fresco/Evening Standard/Getty Images...
Pearl Jam – Ten – 13 Million
Kevin Winter/Getty Images)...
Bruce Springsteen – Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band 1975-’85 – 13 Million
Monty Fresco/Evening Standard/Getty Images...
Meat Loaf – Bat Out Of Hell – 14 Million
Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
Simon & Garfunkel – Simon & Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits – 14 Million
Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
Meat Loaf – Bat Out Of Hell – 14 Million
Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
Steve Miller Band – Greatest Hits 1974-1978 – 14 Million
Kevin Winter/Getty Images...
Simon & Garfunkel – Simon & Garfunkel’s Greatest Hits – 14 Million
Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
Journey – Greatest Hits – 15 Million
Mike Coppola/Getty Images...
Steve Miller Band – Greatest Hits 1974-1978 – 14 Million
Kevin Winter/Getty Images...
Pink Floyd – Dark Side Of The Moon – 15 Million
MJ Kim/Getty Images...
Bob Marley Performs Bob Marley & The Wailers – Legend – 15 MillionOn Stage
Express Newspapers/Getty Images...
Journey – Greatest Hits – 15 Million
Mike Coppola/Getty Images...
Pink Floyd – Dark Side Of The Moon – 15 Million
MJ Kim/Getty Images...
Bruce Springsteen – Born In The U.S.A. – 15 Million
Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
Bob Marley Performs Bob Marley & The Wailers – Legend – 15 MillionOn Stage
Express Newspapers/Getty Images...
Bruce Springsteen – Born In The U.S.A. – 15 Million
Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
Santana – Supernatural – 15 Million
Scott Gries/ImageDirect...
Santana – Supernatural – 15 Million
Scott Gries/ImageDirect...
The Beatles – 1962-1966 – 15 Million
Getty Images...
The Beatles – 1962-1966 – 15 Million
Getty Images...
Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti – 16 Million
Ian Showell/Keystone/Getty Images...
Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti – 16 Million
Ian Showell/Keystone/Getty Images...
Metallica – Metallica (Black Album) – 16 Million
Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
Metallica – Metallica (Black Album) – 16 Million
Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
Elton John – Greatest Hits – 17 Million
D. Morrison/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
Elton John – Greatest Hits – 17 Million
D. Morrison/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
Boston – Boston – 17 Million
Mary Schwalm/Getty Images...
Boston – Boston – 17 Million
Mary Schwalm/Getty Images...
The Beatles – 1967-1970 – 17 Million
Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)...
The Beatles – 1967-1970 – 17 Million
Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)...
Guns N’ Roses – Appetite For Destruction – 18 Million
Gene Kirkland/Getty Images...
Guns N’ Roses – Appetite For Destruction – 18 Million
Gene Kirkland/Getty Images...
Fleetwood Mac – Rumours – 20 Million
Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images...
Fleetwood Mac – Rumours – 20 Million
Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images...
AC/DC – Back In Black – 22 Million
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images...
AC/DC – Back In Black – 22 Million
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images...
Pink Floyd – The Wall – 23 Million
MJ Kim/Getty Images...
Led Zeppelin – IV – 23 Million
Danny Martindale/Getty Images...
Pink Floyd – The Wall – 23 Million
MJ Kim/Getty Images...
Led Zeppelin – IV – 23 Million
Danny Martindale/Getty Images...
Billy Joel – Greatest Hits Volume I & II – 23 Million
xpress Newspapers/Getty Images...
Billy Joel – Greatest Hits Volume I & II – 23 Million
xpress Newspapers/Getty Images...
The Beatles – The Beatles (White Album) – 24 Million
Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
The Beatles – The Beatles (White Album) – 24 Million
Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
Eagles – Hotel California – 26 Million
Rick Diamond/Getty Images...
Eagles – Hotel California – 26 Million
Rick Diamond/Getty Images...
Michael Jackson – Thriller – 33 Million
Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
Michael Jackson – Thriller – 33 Million
Hulton Archive/Getty Images...
Eagles – Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 – 38 Million
Rick Diamond/Getty Images)...
Eagles – Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 – 38 Million
Rick Diamond/Getty Images)...
Erica Banas is a news blogger who's been covering the rock/classic rock world since 2014. The coolest event she's ever covered in person was the 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Sir Paul McCartney inducting Foo Fighters? C'mon now!) She's also well-versed in etiquette and extraordinarily nice. #TransRightsAreHumanRights
