Germany is the third largest music market in the world, and the largest in Europe.[1] This is a list of the best-selling albums in Germany that have been certified by the Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI). Since January 1, 2003, BVMI certifies an album platinum for the shipment of 200,000 copies across Germany. [2] All albums in this list must have sold more than a million copies.

Certifications for albums released in Germany depend upon their release date.

Certification levels

Certification till 24 September 1999 till 31. December 2002 till 31 December 2012 since 1 January 2013
Gold 250,000 150,000 100,000 100,000
Platinum 500,000 300,000 200,000 200,000
3× Gold 750,000 450,000 300,000 300,000
2× Platinum 1,000,000 600,000 400,000 400,000
... ... ... ... ...
Diamond – – – 750,000

Source:[3]

By units

Sortable table
Year Title Artist Certification [4][5] Shipments
1987 Dirty Dancing O.S.T. - Various 13× Gold‡ 3.25 million
2002 Mensch Herbert Grönemeyer 21× Gold 3.15 million
1989 ...But Seriously Phil Collins 6× Platinum 3 million
1994 Over the Hump The Kelly Family 9× Gold 3 million[6]
1984 4630 Bochum Herbert Grönemeyer 11× Gold 2.75

million

2013 Farbenspiel Helene Fischer 13× Platinum‡ 2.6 million
1991 We Can't Dance Genesis 5× Platinum 2.5 million
1992 Gold: Greatest Hits ABBA 5× Platinum 2.5 million
1995 Rock Super Stars Various artists — 2.5 million[7]
2001 Best Of Andrea Berg 8× Platinum 2.4 million
1988 Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman 9× Gold 2.25 million
1991 Greatest Hits II Queen 9× Gold 2.25 million
1979 The Wall Pink Floyd 4× Platinum 2.1 million[8]
1973 1962–1966 The Beatles 4× Platinum 2 million
1987 Bad Michael Jackson 4× Platinum 2 million
1991 Metallica Metallica 4× Platinum‡ 2 million
1991 Dangerous Michael Jackson 4× Platinum 2 million
1995 Abenteuerland Pur 4× Platinum 2 million
1995 Bocelli Andrea Bocelli 4× Platinum 2 million
1996 Alles Wolfgang Petry 4× Platinum 2 million
2010 Best Of Helene Fischer 10× Platinum 2 million
2010 Große Freiheit Unheilig 9× Platinum‡ 1.8 million
1978 Grease O.S.T. - Various 5× Gold 1.75 million[9]
1978 Saturday Night Fever O.S.T. - Various 3× Platinum 1.75 million[9]
1981 Face Value Phil Collins 7× Gold 1.75 million
1981 Greatest Hits Queen 7× Gold 1.75 million
1988 Ö Herbert Grönemeyer 7× Gold 1.75 million
1991 Joyride Roxette 7× Gold 1.75 million
1994 Affentheater Marius Müller-Westernhagen 7× Gold 1.75 million
1992 The Bodyguard Whitney Houston 3× Platinum 1.7 million[10]
2000 1 The Beatles 11× Gold 1.65 million
2011 21 Adele 8× Platinum 1.6 million
1972 Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits Simon & Garfunkel 2× Platinum 1.5 million[11]
1973 The Dark Side of the Moon Pink Floyd 3× Platinum‡ 1.5 million
1973 1967–1970 The Beatles 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1975 Wish You Were Here Pink Floyd Platinum 1.5 million[12]
1980 Revanche Peter Maffay 2× Platinum 1.5 million[13]
1982 Thriller Michael Jackson 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1985 Movin Jennifer Rush 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1985 No Jacket Required Phil Collins 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1987 Winterkinder Rolf Zuckowski 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1990 Serious Hits... Live! Phil Collins 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1993 Both Sides Phil Collins 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1993 Happy Nation Ace of Base 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1993 Seiltänzertraum Pur 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1995 The Lion King (Audio Book) Diverse 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1995 HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I Michael Jackson 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1995 Made in Heaven Queen 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1996 Dove c'è musica Eros Ramazzotti 3× Platinum 1.5 million[14]
1997 Eros Eros Ramazzotti 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1997 Let's Talk About Love Celine Dion 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1998 Ray of Light Madonna 3× Platinum 1.5 million
1998 Westernhagen - Live Marius Müller-Westernhagen 3× Platinum 1.5 million
2001 Swing When You're Winning Robbie Williams 5× Platinum 1.5 million
2008 Stadtaffe Peter Fox 15x gold 1.5 million
1993 Music Box Mariah Carey 2× Platinum 1.4 million[15]
2013 Die Eiskönigin - Völlig Unverfroren (Audio Book) Various 7× Platinum 1.4 million
2010 Rapunzel: Neu verföhnt (Audio Book) Various 13× Gold 1.3 million
2012 Bis ans Ende der Welt Santiano 13× Gold 1.3 million
1992 1492: Conquest of Paradise Vangelis 5× Gold 1.3 million[16]
1968 Heintje Heintje 9× Gold, Platinum[17] 1.25 million[18]
1977 Benjamin Blümchen als Wetterelefant (Audio Book) Benjamin Blümchen 5× Gold 1.25 million
1977 Rumours Fleetwood Mac 5× Gold 1.25 million
1979 Weihnachten mit Andrea Jürgens - Meine 20 schönsten Weihnachtslieder Andrea Jürgens 5× Gold 1.25 million
1979 Benjamin Blümchen und die Schule (Audio Book) Benjamin Blümchen 5× Gold 1.25 million
1980 Benjamin Blümchen hat Geburtstag (Audio Book) Benjamin Blümchen 5× Gold 1.25 million
1982 Benjamin Blümchen als Weihnachtsmann (Audio Book) Benjamin Blümchen 5× Gold 1.25 million
1983 Benjamin Blümchen als Feuerwehrmann (Audio Book) Benjamin Blümchen 5× Gold 1.25 million
1983 Benjamin Blümchen auf dem Bauernhof (Audio Book) Benjamin Blümchen 5× Gold 1.25 million
1984 Private Dancer Tina Turner 5× Gold 1.25 million
1997 Titanic James Horner 5× Gold 1.25 million
1991 Out of Time R.E.M. 5× Gold 1.25 million
1991 Stars Simply Red 5× Gold 1.25 million
1991 Use Your Illusion II Guns N' Roses 5× Gold 1.25 million
1992 Automatic for the People R.E.M. 5× Gold 1.25 million
1992 Unplugged Eric Clapton 5× Gold 1.25 million
1996 Falling into You Celine Dion 5× Gold 1.25 million
1997 Reload Metallica 5× Gold 1.25 million
1997 Sehnsucht Rammstein 5× Gold‡ 1.25 million
1998 Radio Maria Marius Müller-Westernhagen 5× Gold 1.25 million
1998 Back for Good Modern Talking 5× Gold 1.25 million
1979 Steppenwolf Peter Maffay Platinum 1.2 million[13]
1989 Foreign Affair Tina Turner 2× Platinum 1.2 million[19]
2002 Escapology Robbie Williams 4× Platinum 1.2 million
2006 Back to Black Amy Winehouse 6× Platinum 1.2 million
2007 Vom selben Stern Ich + Ich 6× Platinum 1.2 million
2013 Mit den Gezeiten Santiano 6× Platinum 1.2 million
2015 25 Adele 6× Platinum 1.2 million
2015 Weihnachten Helene Fischer 6× Platinum 1.2 million
2003 United Deutschland sucht den Superstar 11× Gold 1.1 million
2005 Intensive Care Robbie Williams 11× Gold 1.1 million
2006 Das große Leben Rosenstolz 11× Gold 1.1 million
2011 MTV Unplugged - Live aus dem Hotel Atlantik Udo Lindenberg 11× Gold 1.1 million
2015 Muttersprache Sarah Connor 11× Gold 1.1 million
1999 All the Way... A Decade of Song Celine Dion 7× Gold 1.05 million
2000 So far ... - Best Of Marius Müller-Westernhagen 7× Gold 1.05 million
2001 Das Dschungelbuch (audio book) Various 7× Gold 1.05 million
2001 Elle'ments No Angels 7× Gold 1.05 million

† Usually the BVMI does not give a 6× Gold certification, but a 3× Platinum instead.[22] The reason for this singular certification is unclear.

Notes

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bundesverband Musikindustrie: Deutschland drittgrößter Musikmarkt weltweit". Musikindustrie.de. 2011-04-13. Archived from the original on 2011-12-31. Retrieved 2012-02-28.
  2. ^ "Richtlinien für die Verleihung von Gold/Platin Schallplatten und Awards (Guidelines for Gold and Platinum awards)" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindstie. Archived from the original on 2010-03-28. Retrieved 2010-03-13.
  3. ^ "Richtlinien für die Verleihung von Gold/Platin Auszeichnungen" (PDF) (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  4. ^ "Bundesverband Musikindustrie: Gold-/Platin-Datenbank". musikindustrie.de.
  5. ^ "Highest Gold Platinum certifications as of 2008" (PDF). International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-01-04. Retrieved 2010-10-03.
  6. ^ "The Kelly Family". Gorey Guardian. 23 July 1997. p. 68. Retrieved 18 May 2023. Their debut album, 'Over The Hump' sold over 4 million copies in Europe, 3 million of them in Germany alone.
  7. ^ Spahr, Wolfgang (20 January 1996). "Burgers And CDs: Record Companies Use McDonald's , Burger King To Sell Releases". Billboard. p. 41. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  8. ^ "Phil Collins Seriously Breaks The Records" (PDF). Music & Media. 15 September 1990. p. 1. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  9. ^ a b "West Germany - The Year in Review - Bellaphon". Billboard. 8 December 1979. p. G-10. Retrieved 26 October 2022 – via Google Books.
  10. ^ Wolfgang Spahr (13 May 2000). Grammy's Two Way Street. Billboard. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  11. ^ "West Germany - Domestic Product Makes Chart Inroads". Billboard. Vol. 94, no. 2. 6 January 1982. p. 48. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 26 October 2022 – via Google Books.
  12. ^ "Long Chart Life For Floyd, Styx". Billboard. 25 October 1980. p. 76. Retrieved 26 October 2022 – via World Radio History.
  13. ^ a b Spahr, Wolfgang (8 July 1981). "Peter Maffay Discks Defy Slack Mart, Sales Boom". Billboard. p. 64. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  14. ^ Mark Dezanni (25 October 1997). "New BMG set finds Eros recycling history" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 14, no. 43. p. 10. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  15. ^ Marlowe, Chris (October 14, 1995). "Carey's 'Daydream' Follows 'Fantasy' To The Top" (PDF). Music & Media. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 June 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2022 – via AmericanRadioHistory.com.
  16. ^ Spahr, Wolfgang (20 January 1996). "Sporting Events And Personalities Giving A Big Boost TO Record Sales For Labels". Billboard. p. 41. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  17. ^ Günter Ehnert (1994), Taurus Press (ed.), Hit Bilanz – Deutsche Chart LP's 1962–1986 (in German) (1 ed.), Hamburg: Verlag populärer Musik-Literatur, p. 291, ISBN 9783922542292
  18. ^ Murrells, Joseph (1985). Million selling records from the 1900s to the 1980s : an illustrated directory. Arco Pub. p. 263. ISBN 0668064595.
  19. ^ Mooij, Thessa (April 6, 1996). "Soul Empress Keeps Rejuvenating" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 11. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
  20. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank ('Tracy Chapman')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  21. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Beatles; '1')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  22. ^ "Bundesverband Musikindustrie: Gold/Platin". musikindustrie.de. Archived from the original on 28 March 2010. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
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