ABBA "GOLD" Sales.

 

 

 

 Country Sales (Certifications)

Argentina210,000platinum x31994ACP
Australia1,190,000platinum x142014ARIA
Austria150,000platinum x31999IFPI Austria
Belgium350,000platinum x72014Ultrapop
Brazil100,000gold1994ABPD
Canada1,300,000diamond2000CRIA
Chile60,000platinum x31999
Denmark560,000platinum x72011Hitlisten
France1,000,000diamond1996SNEP
Finland145,000platinum x31999IFPI Finland
Germany2,500,000platinum x52009Musikindustrie
Hong Kong120,000platinum x61999
Hungary20,000platinum1999Slagerlistak
Iceland5,000gold1999
India20,000platinum1999
Ireland90,000platinum x61999
Italy400,000gold x4 (1999)1999
Italy100,000platinum x2 2020FIMI

Israel40,000platinum1999
Japan600,000platinum x32009RIAJ
Latvia32,000platinum x41998
Malaysia100,000platinum x41999
Mexico250,000platinum2008
Netherlands100,000platinum1999
New Zealand240,000platinum x182008RIANZ
Norway100,000platinum x31999
Poland40,000platinum1999
Portugal80,000platinum x21999
Russia10,000gold2008IFPI
Singapore165,000platinum x111999
South Africa50,000platinum1999
South Korea100,000platinum1999
Spain500,000platinum x52000Mediafire
Sweden500,000platinum x51999IFPI Sweden
Switzerland500,000platinum x102008IFPI Switzerland
Taiwan350,000platinum x71999
Thailand20,000gold1999
UK6,300,000platinum x212023BPI
US6,000,000platinum x62002RIAA
Venezuela50,000silver1999
 23, 867,000 



References - Billboard (Gold - certifications from 1999)


Many countries no longer have public databases 


Media Traffic estimated sales of 30 million and Gold Greatest Hits is the 20th Best Selling Album Worldwide


This article confirms 23 million album CERTIFIED Sales. It is one of the  World's best selling albums of All Time.


1. Thriller - Michael Jackson 50.2m

2. Greatest Hits - The Eagles 49.1m

3. Hotel California - the Eagles 31.5m

4. Led Zeppelin IV - Led Zeppelin 30.4m

5. Back in Black - ACDC 30.1m6. 

6. Come on Over - Shania Twain 29.9m

7.Rumours - Fleetwood Mac 29.3

8. The Bodyguard - Original Soundtrack 28.7m

9 21 - Adele 26.4m

10. Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd 26.4m

11 Jagged Little Pill - Alanis Morrisette 24.3m

12 1 - The Beatles 23.2m

13. Gold Greatest Hits - ABBA 23.0m

 

  

Estimated sales: 32,000,000  (physical/download - mainly physical). 36,000,000 plus including stream equivalent sales.

ESTIMATED SALES - Top 10 Countries

1. United States, 11,000,000

2. United Kingdom, 6,300,000

3. Germany 3,000,000

4. France 2,000,000

5. Canada 1,500,000

6. Australia 1,250,000

7. Sweden 800,000

8. Japan 700,000

9. Denmark 600,000

10. Spain 600,000


Per Capita - Top 10 countries, based on population. (Just a bit of fun)


1. Denmark

2. United Kingdom

3. Sweden

4. Switzerland

5. New Zealand

6. Australia

7. Canada

8. Germany

9. Belgium

10. United States



 

UK sales - GOLD with end of year chart positions in final column


 * estimated sale for years 1992-95 inclusive

1992525,000 12
1993205,000 36
1994168,000 63
1995140,000 80
1996130,000 87
1997110,000 100
1998211,000 55
19991,253,000 4
2000367,000 41
2001107,000 148
200242,000 --
200395,000 193
2004377,000 47
2005160,000 118
200694,000 194
200792,000 166
2008410,000 19
2009249,000 54
2010151,000 90
201195,000 130
201281,000 140
201376,000 119
201470,000 103
201584,000 77
201688,000 72
201791,000 77
2018174,000 20
2019122,000  32
2020135,000
19
2021178,000
13
2022198,000
10
2023230,,000
10


Downloads introduced 2005. Audio stream equivalent sales introduced 2015. 

For 2021. 178,000 sales breaks down: 46,000 physical sales, 6,000 digital sales, 126,000 streaming equivalent sales. Here page 81-84

For 2022. 198,000 total sales. 34,000 physical sales, 7,000 downloads, 157,000 streaming equivalent sales. Here page 83


You can see from this the decline in sales. 2020s sales and Year End Chart position within the Top 20 would put it outside the Top 80 in the mid 90s.  A #19 Year End Chart position needed 410,000 sales in 2008 but only 135,000 in 2020.

175,000 sales is a #20 Year End Chart position in 2018 but #13 in 2021.

Sales were just that up to and including 2014. Streaming was used as well from 2015 onwards.


1999Mamma Mia! opens in London
200430th Anniversary CD/DVD
2008Mamma Mia! film released
2010Special CD/DVD released
2018Mamma Mia 2 released
2021Release of Voyage album
2022Release of Voyage concert

 

First album to spend 1,000 weeks in UK Top 100

 

Comparison of "Gold" with other compilations. Official figures.

 

CountryGOLDGreatest HitsMore Gold
Australia1,190,0001,100,00070,000
Canada1,000,000500,000100,000
France1,000,000300,000300,000
Germany2,500,000750,000250,000
UK5,700,0002,650,000460,000
US6,000,0001,000,000115,000
 17,390,0006,300,001,295,000

 

Greatest Hits - includes Best Of 

More Gold - Australia's figures are for Complete  Gold - a double album, GOLD and More Gold

From this I would project "Greatest Hits" to be on about 12m and More Gold on about 2.25m.