Biggest-selling album worldwide (current year)

On 1 March 2022, it was announced that Adele’s (UK, b. Adele Adkins) fourth studio collection 30 had made a clean sweep of all three album-based awards presented by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), topping the rankings on the Global Album All Format Chart, the Global Album Sales Chart and the inaugural Global Vinyl Album Chart. 30 was reported to have sold more than 5 million physical album equivalent units in 2021 – or, more precisely, the 43 days from its worldwide release on 19 November up to and including the last day of the calendar year.

30 features the singles “Easy on Me” and “Oh My God”. The album was a chart-topper in more than 20 global markets, including the UK (five weeks at No.1) and the US (six weeks at No.1).

Global Album All Format Chart (2021): 1. 30 by Adele (UK); 2. SOUR by Olivia Rodrigo (USA); 3. Justice by Justin Bieber (Canada); 4. = by Ed Sheeran (UK); 5. After Hours by The Weeknd (Canada); 6. Future Nostalgia by Dua Lipa (UK); 7. F*CK LOVE (Mix Tape) by The Kid LAROI (Australia); 8. Voyage by ABBA (Sweden); 9. Dangerous: The Double Album by Morgan Wallen (USA); 10. Planet Her by Doja Cat (USA). “The Global Album All Format Chart takes into account all consumption formats, spanning physical sales, digital downloads and streaming platforms across a calendar year. It is weighted based on the relative value of each method of consumption.”

Global Album Sales Chart (2021): 1. 30 by Adele (UK); 2. Voyage by ABBA (Sweden); 3. Attacca (EP) by SEVENTEEN (South Korea); 4. BTS, THE BEST by BTS (South Korea); 5. = by Ed Sheeran (UK); 6. Justice by Justin Bieber (Canada); 7. Red (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift (USA); 8. Your Choice by SEVENTEEN (South Korea); 9. Snow Mania S1 by Snow Man (Japan); 10. Fearless (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift (USA). “The Global Album Sales Chart combines global sales of physical albums and digital album downloads to rank the top albums in a calendar year.”

Global Vinyl Album Chart (2021): 1. 30 by Adele (UK); 2. Fine Line by Harry Styles (UK); 3. Rumours by Fleetwood Mac (UK/USA); 4. SOUR by Olivia Rodrigo (USA); 5. Happier Than Ever by Billie Eilish (USA); 6. Red (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift (USA); 7. Abbey Road by The Beatles (UK); 8. Nevermind by Nirvana (USA); 9. The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd (UK); 10. evermore by Taylor Swift (USA). “The Global Vinyl Album Chart combines global sales of vinyl-format physical albums to rank the top albums in a calendar year.”