The 1977 album threatening to become the third-best-selling record of all time
Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 album *Rumours* is closing in on the soundtrack to *Saturday Night Fever* in reported all-time sales, a change that could make it the world’s third-best-selling record. The shift would alter a long-standing top three dominated by landmark releases from the 1970s and 1980s.
The article gives *Rumours* sales of 73,157,000 copies, compared with 72,291,000 for *Saturday Night Fever*, released 49 years ago. Michael Jackson’s *Thriller* remains first and the Eagles’ *Hotel California* second; Jackson’s *Bad* is fifth with just over 70 million copies. Both albums approaching the change are nearing their 50th anniversaries.
In short
- *Rumours* is nearing third place among all-time best-selling albums.
- It is reported to have sold 73.157 million copies.
- *Saturday Night Fever* is reported at 72.291 million.
Explained simply
Fleetwood Mac are a British-American rock band whose 1977 album Rumours became a worldwide hit. It was made during a turbulent period for the band, and its songs about relationships helped it reach listeners well beyond rock fans.
Saturday Night Fever was a 1977 film whose soundtrack, featuring the Bee Gees and other artists, became one of the era’s defining records. All-time album sales rankings are estimates compiled from reported sales, and their order reflects the global reach and lasting popularity of releases across different decades.
The rankings put these albums alongside Michael Jackson’s Thriller and the Eagles’ Hotel California, records that have sold tens of millions of copies. Their positions matter to the music industry because they offer a way to compare enduring commercial success across artists, formats and generations.