10 Biggest-Selling Rock Music Albums Of All Time
1. Hotel California - The Eagles
Out of all of the greatest selling albums of all time, rock tends to stand in the shadow of the pop genre that it's cribbing from. Looking back on the list proper, you start to see a lot of the main heavyhitters like Michael Jackson and the Saturday Night Fever soundtracks breaking the records instead of the U2s of the world. If you have enough staying power though, that nostalgia can last you more than your own lifetime.
The Eagles sure had their work cut out for them though, with Hotel California coming off of a string of amazing records that made each previous effort look lackluster by comparison. Needing to come up with the goods, Hotel California is a tour de force on just how well the songwriting team of Glenn Frey and Don Henley had gelled, making the title track one of the most haunting passages in rock history along with the freewheeling sounds of something like Life in the Fast Lane.
Still, the record didn't get nearly enough credit for how eclectic it was, having roots in everything from R&B to country to pop, especially if songs like Victim of Love or Wasted Time are any indication. Standing at 26 million today, Hotel California is evidence that you need more than just being really good at one trick to reach the big time. You have to have a little bit of everything in there as well.