Heavy Metal’s Top 20 Best Selling Metal Albums Of All Time

Wow this was a lot harder to do than expected. We have did this basically on RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) certifications first and after that on research through various internet sources. That being said, this will be constantly updated as time goes on.

Note: We didn't include any of Ozzy Osbourne's solo albums in this but might change it as we update in the future.

SLIPKNOT - Slipknot

Released on June 29th, 1999 the album was certified double platinum by the RIAA on February 5th, 2005 .In 2011, it was voted the best debut album of the last 25 years by readers of Metal Hammer magazine.

PANTERA - Vulgar Display of Power

Released on February 25th, 1992 the album was certified double platinum by the RIAA on July 7th, 2004. It is often considered one of the most influential heavy metal albums of the 1990s. In 2017, Rolling Stone ranked Vulgar Display of Power 10th on their list of 'The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time'.

BLACK SABBATH - Master of Reality

Released on July 21st, 1971 the album was certified double platinum by the RIAA on July 26th, 2001. Master of Reality peaked at number five on the UK Albums Chart and number eight on the US Billboard 200. Negatively received by critics on release, the album is now considered one of the greatest heavy metal albums of all time.

DEEP PURPLE - Machine Head

Released on March 25th, 1972 the album was certified double platinum by the RIAA on October 13th, 1986. Machine Head is Deep Purple's most commercially successful album, topping the charts in several countries, including number one in the UK. Kerrang! magazine ranked Machine Head at number 35 on their "100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time" list in 1989.

JUDAS PRIEST - Screaming for Vengeance

Released on July 17th, 1982 the album was certified double platinum by the RIAA on October 16th, 2001. Screaming for Vengeance reached No. 11 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 17 on the US Billboard 200 Pop Albums. In 2017, it was ranked 12th on Rolling Stone's list of "100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time".

DIO - Holy Diver

Released on May 25th, 1983 the album was certified double platinum by the RIAA on May 6th, 2022. Holy Diver remains the undisputed highlight of Dio's career...and, indeed, one of the finest pure heavy metal albums of the 1980s. In 2017, it was ranked 16th on Rolling Stone's list of "100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time".

PANTERA - Cowboys from Hell

Released on July 24th, 1990 the album was certified double platinum by the RIAA on May 26th, 2023. The album has been praised by most critics as it would prove to be one of the most influential albums in the metal scene in the 1990s and of all time, and would inspire a generation of musicians, particularly guitarists.

MEGADETH - Countdown to Extinction

Released on July 14th, 1992 the album was certified double platinum by the RIAA on December 13th, 1994. The album was released through Capitol Records and debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 128,000 copies. It was prevented from entering the chart at number one because of Billy Ray Cyrus' long chart-topping reign with Some Gave All.

TOOL - Lateralus

Released on May 15th, 2001 the album was certified triple platinum on April 15th, 2021. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling more than 555,200 copies in its first week of release. In 2016, Loudwire named Lateralus the No. 1 hard rock/metal album of the 21st century. The magazine also ranked it No. 6 on their "Top 25 Progressive Metal Albums of All Time."

METALLICA - Reload

The album was released on November 18th, 1997. The album was certified triple platinum by the RIAA on November 18th, 1998. Reload debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 436,000 copies in its first week. In 2020, Metal Hammer included it in their list of top 10 albums of 1997.

TOOL - Ænima

The album was released on September 17th, 1996. The album was certified triple platinum by the RIAA on March 4th, 2003. The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart upon its initial release, selling 148,000 copies in its first week. Rolling Stone listed the album at No. 18 on its list of The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time.

ROB ZOMBIE - Hellbilly Deluxe  

The album was released on August 25th, 1998. The album was certified triple platinum on January 11th, 2000. On the week dated September 12, Hellbilly Deluxe debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States. The album sold an estimated 121,000 copies during its first week of release.

TOOL - Undertow

The album was released on April 6th, 1993. The album was certified triple platinum by the RIAA on April 15th, 2021. According to AllMusic, Undertow helped heavy metal music remain prominent as a mainstream musical style, and allowed several later bands to break through to the mainstream. It was released at a time when grunge was at the height of its popularity, and pop punk was slowly beginning to gather mainstream attention.

METALLICA - Kill 'Em All

The album was released on July 25th, 1983. The album was certified triple platinum by the RIAA on March 9th, 1999. The album did not enter the Billboard 200 until 1986, when it peaked at number 155, following Metallica's commercial success with its third studio album, Master of Puppets; the 1988 Elektra reissue peaked at number 120. Kill 'Em All was critically praised at the time of its release and has since been regarded as a groundbreaking album for thrash metal, because of its "precise musicianship, which fused new wave of British heavy metal riffs with hardcore punktempos".

BLACK SABBATH - Paranoid

The album was released on September 18th, 1970. The album was certified 4x platinum on January 31st, 1995. In a 2017 publication by Rolling Stone magazine, Paranoid was ranked number one on its list of the "100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time". The album is often cited as a key influence for the development of the heavy metal music genre as well as one of the earliest heavy metal albums.

METALLICA - Load

The album was released on June 4th, 1996. The album was certified 5x platinum by the RIAA on June 9th, 2003. Load received mixed reviews from critics but was a commercial success, debuting and spending four consecutive weeks at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. Load sold 680,000 units in its first week, making it the biggest opening week for Metallica as well as the biggest debut of 1996.

METALLICA - Master of Puppets

The album was released on March 3rd, 1986. The album was certified 6x platinum on June 9th, 2003. Master of Puppets peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 and received widespread acclaim from critics, who praised its music and political lyrics. It is widely considered to be one of the greatest and most influential metal albums of all time, and is credited with consolidating the American thrash metal scene.

METALLICA - Ride the Lightning

The album was released on July 27th, 1984. The album was certified 6x platinum on December 13th, 2012. Ride the Lightning peaked at number 100 on the Billboard 200 with virtually no radio exposure. Although 75,000 copies were initially pressed for the American market, the album sold half a million by November 1987. In 2017, it was ranked 11th on Rolling Stone's list of "100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time".

METALLICA - ...And Justice for All

The album was released on August 25th, 1988. The album was certified 8x platinum on June 9th, 2003. In 1988, ...And Justice for All was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance, but controversially lost to Jethro Tull's Crest of a Knave. In 2017, it was ranked 21st on Rolling Stone's list of "100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time".

METALLICA - Metallica

The album was released on August 12th, 1991. The album was certified 16x platinum on December 13th, 2012. Metallica received widespread critical acclaim and became the band's best-selling album. It debuted at number one in ten countries and spent four consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard 200, making it Metallica's first album to top the album charts. With over 30 million copies sold worldwide, Metallica is one of the best-selling albums worldwide, and also one of the best-selling albums in the United States since Nielson Soundscan began.