AC/DC’s music never seems to diminish in terms of its popularity. The hard rockers’ biggest hits and top albums regularly sell and stream incredibly well, especially when compared to most of the projects and tunes released from the same era. As Americans continue to consume the band’s most well-known compositions, they earn a new award…and make history in the process. The RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) has bestowed AC/DC with a bevy of new platinum certifications. Both songs and albums from the band have either collected their first honors or advanced further thanks to continued listening, and now one of their most successful releases ranks as one of the highest-certified ever.
AC/DC’s Back in Black is now tied as the third-most-certified album of all time. The title lands another single platinum honor, so it is now a 26-times-platinum-certified title. That means the full-length has shifted at least 26 million equivalent units, between pure purchases and streams.
Back in Black is now on the same level as the Eagles’ Hotel California, which had already reached that 26-times platinum status. Before this latest win, AC/DC’s bestseller was already at 25-times platinum, so they didn’t have far to go to match their fellow rockers.
The Eagles still claim the most-certified release ever. Their Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) compilation has earned 38 platinum certifications thus far.
In second place among all titles is Michael Jackson’s Thriller. That blockbuster, hit-packed project has been certified 34-times-platinum for shifting at least 34 million equivalent units in the U.S. alone.