The following is an independently list of best-selling albums in Brazil. This list can contain any types of album, including studio albums, extended plays, greatest hits, compilations, various artists, soundtracks and remixes. The list is divided by claimed sales from diverse media reports and certified units from Pro-Música Brasil when their certification program started in 1990; and thereafter by domestic (over 1 million) and international artists (over half-million).

Historically, Brazilian market have been dominated by their local artists and music. In 1996, Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos (ABPD and now Pro-Música Brasil) informed that Brazilian music represented 72% of record sales across the nation.[1] Brazil has always stayed as the largest music market in both Latin America and South America. As of 2018, was the world's 10th largest music market according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).

Numerous artists have multiplies entries led by Marcelo Rossi and Roberto Carlos with four albums reaching the million mark, while É o Tchan!, Só Pra Contrariar and Legião Urbana each have two. Rossi has also the highest certified diamond album, with Ágape Musical (2011) which received 4× Diamond from Pro-Música Brasil. According to Folha de S.Paulo, the million mark in the country was relatively common until 1998, when sales decreased due piracy.[2]

Best-selling albums (domestic artists)

Numerous albums by Brazilian artists have sold more than half-million based both in certified units and actual sales. By extension, this list of domestic repertoire is only limited to those albums with one or more million copies sold.

By certified units (since 1990)

Within Pro-Música Brasil certification database, four albums have been certified with sales of 3 million, including Marcelo Rossi's Músicas para Louvar ao Senhor
Rel. year Album Artist Certification Certified sales Ref.
1997 Só pra Contrariar (1997) Só Pra Contrariar 3× Diamond 3,000,000 [3]
1998 Músicas para Louvar ao Senhor Marcelo Rossi 3× Diamond 3,000,000 [3]
1998 Um Sonhador [pt] Leandro & Leonardo 3× Diamond 3,000,000 [3]
1990 Leandro & Leonardo Leandro & Leonardo 3× Diamond 3,000,000 [3]
1997 Na Cabeça e na Cintura [pt] É o Tchan! 2× Diamond 2,000,000 [3]
1997 É o Tchan do Brasil [pt] É o Tchan! 2× Diamond 2,000,000 [3]
1998 Terra Samba ao Vivo e a Cores [pt] Terra Samba [pt] 2× Diamond 2,000,000 [3]
1999 As Quatro Estações Sandy & Junior 2× Diamond 2,000,000 [3]
2011 Ágape Musical [pt] Marcelo Rossi 4× Diamond 1,200,000 [3]
1987 Que País É Este Legião Urbana Diamond 1,000,000 [3]
1993 O Canto da Cidade Daniela Mercury Diamond 1,000,000 [3]
1994 Sexto Sentido Xuxa Diamond 1,000,000 [3]
1994 Roberto Carlos (1994) Roberto Carlos Diamond 1,000,000 [3]
1995 Roberto Carlos (1995) Roberto Carlos Diamond 1,000,000 [3]
1995 Mamonas Assassinas Mamonas Assassinas Diamond 1,000,000 [3]
1999 Um Presente Para Jesus [pt] Marcelo Rossi Diamond 1,000,000 [3]
1999 Acústico MTV Legião Urbana Diamond 1,000,000 [3]
1999 Só pra Contrariar (1999) Só Pra Contrariar Diamond 1,000,000 [3]
2000 Laços de Família (International) Various Diamond 1,000,000 [3]
2000 Amor Sem Limite [pt] Roberto Carlos Diamond 1,000,000 [3]
2001 Acústico MTV - Roberto Carlos [pt] Roberto Carlos Diamond 1,000,000 [3]
2003 Tribalistas Tribalistas Diamond 1,000,000 [3]
2006 Minha Benção [pt] Marcelo Rossi 2× Diamond 1,000,000 [3]

Claimed sales only

Rel. year Album Artist Claimed sales Ref.
1988 Xou da Xuxa 3 Xuxa 5 million [4]

Best-selling albums by international artists

Based on claimed sales, Julio Iglesias is believed to have the best-selling album by an international artist.[5]
Based on claimed sales, Madonna has the best-selling album by an international female in Brazil with True Blue.[6]
Based on certified units, Serious Hits... Live! by Phil Collins is the best-selling by an international soloist in Brazil.

Based on certified units when Pro-Música Brasil began their certification program in 1990, Serious Hits... Live! and The Bodyguard are the highest-selling international albums with 750,000 copies each, while Madonna and Backstreet Boys are the foreign acts with more albums certified with the half-million mark. Instead, diverse albums by foreign artists reached similar or significantly major sales before that. Although precise sales figure is hard to obtain, De niña a mujer by Julio Iglesias is credited by some sources as the best-selling album in Brazil by an international artist. Iglesias and Michael Jackson are the only acts with two or more albums with 1 million claimed sales across the country. According to publications like Época, True Blue by Madonna is credited as the best-selling album by an international female artist.[6] She has also multiple entries based both in claimed sales or certified units.

By certified units (since 1990)

*Positions based on certified sales and release year.

Rel. year Album Artist Certification Certified sales Ref.
1990 Serious Hits... Live! Phil Collins 3× Platinum 750,000 [3]
1992 The Bodyguard Various artists / Whitney Houston§ 3× Platinum 750,000 [3]
1989 Like a Prayer Madonna 2× Platinum 500,000 [3]
1990 The Immaculate Collection Madonna 2× Platinum 500,000 [3]
1990 In concert The Three Tenors 2× Platinum 500,000 [3]
1991 Greatest Hits II Queen 2× Platinum 500,000 [3]
1996 Spice Spice Girls 2× Platinum 500,000 [3]
1997 Paint the Sky with Stars Enya 2× Platinum 500,000 [3]
1997 Backstreet's Back Backstreet Boys 2× Platinum 500,000 [3]
1999 Millennium Backstreet Boys 2× Platinum 500,000 [3]
1999 Californication Red Hot Chili Peppers 2× Platinum 500,000 [3]
2008 I Am... Sasha Fierce Beyoncé 2× Diamond‡ 500,000 [3]

By claimed sales

Color
Album with a certification from Pro-Música Brasil

Most examples here are albums released before the existence of certification program started in 1990 by Pro-Música Brasil. However, some of them received retroactively certifications by the organization.

Rel. year Album Artist Claimed sales
1981 De niña a mujer Julio Iglesias 2,000,000[7]
1,900,000[5]
1983 Thriller Michael Jackson 1,500,000[8]
1994 The Lion King Various artists
(Elton John, Hans Zimmer et al) 		1,200,000[9]
1987 Bad Michael Jackson 1,000,000[8]
1982 Momentos Julio Iglesias 1,000,000[10]
900,000[11]
1986 True Blue Madonna 1,000,000[12]
818,600[13]
1997 Romanza Andrea Bocelli 900,000[14]
1985 We Are the World USA For Africa 850,000[15]
1990 Starry Night Julio Iglesias 750,000[16]
1995 Pies Descalzos Shakira 750,000[5][17]
500,000[18]
1985 Like a Virgin Madonna 715,000[13]
1989 Like a Prayer Madonna 710,000[13]
1997 Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture James Horner 650,000[19]
1987 Un hombre solo Julio Iglesias 600,000[20]
1985 Brothers in Arms Dire Straits 500,000[21]
1997 Let's Talk About Love Celine Dion 500,000[19]
1982 Julio Julio Iglesias 500,000[11]
1991 Romance Luis Miguel 500,000[22]

Best-selling artists

Best-selling international acts in Brazil

A list of the best-selling acts in Brazil with record sales up to 2 million copies and limited to the Top 10.

*Updated as of March 20, 2024

Artists Country Period active Genre Sales
Julio Iglesias Spain 1968–present Latin pop 15,000,000[23]
Shakira Colombia 2005–present
6,015,003[24]
Calvin Harris Scotland 2002–present EDM 5,790,000[25]
Adele United Kingdom 2006–present Pop 4,515,000[26]
Beyoncé United States 1997–present Pop 4,200,000[27]
Madonna United States 1982–present Pop 3,990,000[28]
Dua Lipa United Kingdom 2014–present Pop 3,120,000[29]
Doja Cat United States 2012–present Hip hop 2,980,000[30]
U2 Ireland 1976–present Rock 2,675,000[31]
Miley Cyrus United States 2001–present Pop 2,550,000[32]

Best-selling Brazilian artists

A list of the best-selling Brazilian artists, with over 40 million on claimed sales and limited to the Top 10.

Artists Period active Genre Sales
Roberto Carlos 1951–present
120,000,000[33]
Nelson Gonçalves 1941–1998 Samba 78,000,000[34]
Angela Maria 1948–2018
  • MPB
  • samba
 60,000,000[35]
Rita Lee 1963–2023
  • Rock
  • MPB
 55,000,000[36]
Tonico & Tinoco 1930–1994 Sertanejo 50,000,000[37]
Xuxa 1984–present
45,000,000[38]
Benito di Paula 1966–present Samba 45,000,000[39]
Nelson Ned 1960–2014 Brega 45,000,000[40]
Raça Negra 1983–present Pagode 40,000,000[41]
Chitãozinho & Xororó 1970–present Sertanejo 40,000,000[42]

See also

Notes

References

  1. ^ Rocha, Daniela. "MÚSICA BRASILEIRA TEM 72% DO MERCADO". Folha de S.Paulo (in Portuguese). Grupo Folha. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  2. ^ Ney, Thiago. "O sucesso encolheu". Folha de S.Paulo (in Portuguese). Grupo Folha. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai "Certificados" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  4. ^ Rodrigo, Levino (July 2, 2011). "A "rainha dos baixinhos" sobrou entre os grandinhos". Veja (in Portuguese). Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  5. ^ a b c "Untitled". Veja (in Portuguese). Vol. 36, no. 26–34. Editora Abril. 2003. Retrieved June 15, 2021 – via Google Books. Trata-se, enfim, de uma Shakira e Iglesias conseguiram vendagens realmente estrondosas no Brasil — a primeira com 750000 cópias do CD Pies Descalzos A(1996) e o segundo com 1,9 - milhão de cópias do disco De > Niña a Mujer
  6. ^ a b Bruno, Astuto (July 30, 2016). "Um dos álbuns mais cultuados de Madonna completa 30 anos; relembre". Época (in Portuguese). Editora Globo. Archived from the original on November 3, 2020. Retrieved January 24, 2021.
  7. ^ "'Me gusta lo que hace Lady Gaga'". El Tiempo (in Spanish). May 10, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Cezimbra, Marcia (September 6, 1991). "Jacko está de volta". Jornal do Brasil (in Portuguese). p. 8. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  9. ^ Malena Segura Contrera (1996). O mito na mídia: a presença de conteúdos arcaicos nos meios de comunicação (in Portuguese). Selo Universidade, Annablume. p. 85. ISBN 9788585596552. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  10. ^ Souza, Tárik de (May 31, 1984). "De Julio Iglesias a Fábio Junior". Jornal do Brasil (in Portuguese). Retrieved September 19, 2021. In previous performances, Iglesias sold 1.5 million copies here (De Niña a Mujer) and another million (Momentos).
  11. ^ a b McGowan, Chris (January 26, 1985). "Industry struggles". Billboard. p. 52. Retrieved September 24, 2021 – via Google books.
  12. ^ João, Gael (June 30, 2020). "TRUE BLUE: 34 Anos Da Grande REVOLUÇÃO No POP". Pop Mais (in Portuguese). Viacom. Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  13. ^ a b c Garcia, Sérgio (October 31, 1993). "No banco com Madonna". Jornal do Brasil (in Portuguese). Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  14. ^ "Andrea Bocelli Aims For Latin Favor". Billboard. October 4, 2001. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  15. ^ Pignatori, Decio (May 18, 1985). "VIDEO - CLIP LP A TV encontra a sua poetica". Jornal do Brasil (in Portuguese). p. 35 – via National Library of Brazil. afinal, o LP we are the world vendeu em apenas tres semanas no brasil um total de 850 mil copias
  16. ^ "Campeões de vendas". O Globo (in Portuguese): 6. June 5, 1992. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  17. ^ Pérez, Luiz (September 13, 1997). "Shakira se apresenta só hoje no Olympia: Cantora colombiana comemora 750 mil CDs vendidos". Folha de S.Paulo (in Portuguese). Retrieved June 15, 2021.
  18. ^ Gente Staff (October 6, 2020). "25 años de 'Pies descalzos': el legendario disco de Shakira está de aniversario". Semana (in Spanish). Archived from the original on June 16, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  19. ^ a b Antunes, Marcelo (April 8, 1998). "Compacto". O Pioneiro (in Portuguese): 17. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  20. ^ Pickard, Christopher (16 February 1988). "Brazil Record Sales Hold Ground" (PDF). Cashbox. p. 26. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  21. ^ "OS Bicampeões". Jornal do Brasil (in Portuguese): 23. February 1, 1987. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  22. ^ Paiano, Enor (10 December 1994). "Brasil goes latino". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 50. p. 66. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  23. ^ "Iglesias" (asp). Folha de São Paulo (in Portuguese). Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  24. ^ "Shakira" (asp) (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  25. ^ "Calvin Harris" (asp) (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  26. ^ "Adele" (asp) (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  27. ^ "Beyoncé" (asp) (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  28. ^ "Madonna" (asp) (in Portuguese). Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  29. ^ "Dua Lipa" (asp) (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  30. ^ "Doja Cat" (asp) (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved January 18, 2023.
  31. ^ "U2" (asp) (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  32. ^ "Miley Cyrus" (asp) (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
  33. ^ "Roberto Carlos lança disco em espanhol após 17 anos" (in Portuguese). G1. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  34. ^ "Mais palmas para o boêmio Nelson Gonçalves". Folha de São Paulo (in Portuguese). Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  35. ^ "Morre, aos 89 anos, a cantora Angela Maria". O Globo (in Portuguese). Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  36. ^ "Especial em Macapá vai homenagear a 'rainha do rock brasileiro'" (in Portuguese). G1. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  37. ^ Sato, Nelson (April 30, 2005). "A boa raiz sertaneja". Folha de Londrina (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on October 2, 2017. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  38. ^ "Xuxa troca Som Livre por Sony, diz coluna". Folha de São Paulo (in Portuguese). Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  39. ^ "Benito di Paula apresenta espetáculo de piano e voz no Recife" (in Portuguese). G1. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  40. ^ "Romântico ou brega, Nelson Ned deixou sua marca entre os grandes ídolos do país" (in Portuguese). O Globo. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  41. ^ "Luiz Carlos: "TV foi feita pra ator de novela, não pra cantor"". Veja (in Portuguese). Retrieved June 16, 2021.
  42. ^ "Chitãozinho, Xororó, Bruno e Marrone fazem show juntos nesta sexta no DF" (in Portuguese). G1. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
Categories