"Nielsen SoundScan is a system that tracks sales data for singles, albums, and music video products in Canada and the United States for Billboard. They began tracking sales data in 1991. Previously, Billboard tracked sales by calling stores across the U.S. and asking about sales; a method that was inherently error-prone and open to outright fraud. Nielsen SoundScan is more accurate"

Top 10

1 Come On Over - Shania Twain (15,449,000)
2 Metallica - Metallica (15,077,000)
3 Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morissette (14,557,000)
4 Millennium - Backstreet Boys (12,099,000)
5 Soundtrack - Bodyguard (11,798,000)
6 Supernatural - Santana (11,643,000)
7 Human Clay - Creed (11,504,000)
8 No Strings Attached - N Sync (11,104,000)
9 Beatles 1 - Beatles (11,097,000)
10. Falling Into You - Celine Dion (10,768,000)

Obviously for USA/Canada only.

Some more stats.

Last Year Metallicas "The Black Album" sold 258,000 copies while Come On Over from Shania Twain sold 41,000 units. With a new album and tour set to arrive this year from Metallica, as history shows sales of back catalogue tend to triple to quadriple in an Album/Tour year expect over 750k in sales and Metallica will have the best selling album in USA since 1991.

That is amazing, a metal band to achieve that and their album still sell over 250k in a dull year (No tour, No Album, No Promotion) 16 years after release.

http://www.encycmet.com/news/2008-01-07.shtml

Had no idea some of those bands/musicians were that big (Creed, Morissette) what are your thoughts

Good job Metallica (even though their earlier material was so much better)

So close, no matter how far....

Oh yeah, but that was hardcore metal, and that sold incredibly well i mean MOP - around 7m+ AJFA - around 9m and around 5m each for RTL and KEA thats amazing, Metallica sticks out like a sore thumb in that list.

Wow...

Wow. That wasn't even a good Metallica album.. and most of those cds are terrible. The Beatles one is good but it was only like one new song.

What strikes me about that list is that a country(maybe pop-country in some people's eyes) and a metal(or whatever you want to call it) album are at the top. Not exactly genres that set the charts on fire. Also, Santana had been around forever when his became so huge; nobody expected that. It's also strange that Celine Dion is up there, considering we're basically talking about the grunge/alternative/rap/boyband era.

BTW: not shocked at all that the first response had something to do with a "Metallica used to be great" line. I seriously knew someone was going to say it the second I saw them on the list. Not saying I agree or disagree, as I'm not huge on Metallica, just think it's funny that always happens every time they are mentioned. :)

Shouldn't Nevermind be on there? I know it went diamond

Bone thugs N harmony and biggie CDs also went diamond.

I only bought 1 of those CDs. You can come on over and see which one :)