# How many of the RIAA best selling albums do you own? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 26, 2005, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652 "2005-08-26T00:06:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/21 "2005-08-26T01:32:48Z")
1. Really. I’m an unabashed lover of Pop, both old and new. Surprisingly, I thought I was the only one who bought greatest hits and compilations because if I didn’t, I could easily spend thousands of dollars a week buying CDs. Judging by that list, I’m just one of millions. ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/22 "2005-08-26T01:41:36Z")
Surprisingly, I own 4. ---
**Author:** ![SlyFrog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@SlyFrog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlyFrog)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/23 "2005-08-26T01:53:43Z")
I’m amazed that I own even one, but that was given to me by a nephew that I’ve since shot and killed for being so pedestrian. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/24 "2005-08-26T01:58:38Z")
> [@SlyFrog](#): > > I’m amazed that I own even one, but that was given to me by a nephew that I’ve since shot and killed for being so pedestrian. He’s better off. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/25 "2005-08-26T02:00:23Z")
1. ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/26 "2005-08-26T02:01:40Z")
1. 2 Floyds, 1 Beatles, 1 Paul Simon, 1 Police, 1 Tom Petty. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/27 "2005-08-26T02:06:55Z")
36, if I just count mine. I’m pretty sure my husband has at least a few that I don’t. Given that the majority of my collection is classical, I feel rather plugged in with popular culture for nearly the first time evar! 3 of the top 10: 1, 2, and 10. Did have 3 but it was stolen. Husband has 9 and at least some Beatles, but I don’t know which ones. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Macphisto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b487fb/32.png) [@Ms\_Macphisto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Macphisto)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/28 "2005-08-26T02:12:53Z")
There are 3 on the list that I currently own, and if I counted correctly, a further 23 that I’ve owned at some point in the past but got tired of sooner (New Kids on the Block anyone?) or later. Given my user name, I’m sure you’ll all be shocked to hear that the three I currently own are all U2. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/29 "2005-08-26T02:35:58Z")
I have 93 albums on that list, but there are _way_ more than 100 albums on it. That must say something about the RIAA’s ability to count, for instance when they’re tallying up total dollars lost to, oh, say file sharing. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/30 "2005-08-26T02:38:33Z")
For some reason I could only find the top 100, not 387. Out of those I have 19, and my wife has two others. And I didn’t have an urge to run out and get the others, either. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/31 "2005-08-26T03:11:24Z")
47 + 1 ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/32 "2005-08-26T03:21:18Z")
Officially, 21 (most of which are from the bottom half of the list). I can add 5 or 6 more that I file under “I think I may possibly have an old copy lying around that someone left in the CD changer or something, but I don’t think I have the case or anything”. I can also add in another 15 or so that I fully deny owning. They’re in my wife’s collection, and there they will stay. ---
**Author:** ![Lobot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@Lobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobot)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/33 "2005-08-26T03:22:08Z")
I own about 24, and, like most of you, I own a lot of CD’s. I think that, for most people, once you buy a certain number of albums, your buying habits tend to be a bit more particular. There’s nothing wrong with well-crafted pop – it’s just that the more music you buy, the more you begin to learn what you like and don’t like. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find someone with 100+ from that list. ---
**Author:** ![Lisa-go-Blind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Lisa-go-Blind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lisa-go-Blind)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/34 "2005-08-26T03:49:29Z")
Just counting CDs I currently own, seven. Five of those are Beatles albums. One of the others is Pink Floyd’s _Wish You Were Here_. Last is the _City of Angels_ soundtrack, which I got unsolicited for a Christmas present the year it had come out (I don’t know if I had even seen the movie at that point). The highest one I have on the list is _The Beatles [The White Album]_. At one time, I also owned three more, but I assume I sold them (_Crash_, _Spice_ and _Tuesday Night Music Club_). I also have one on tape (_August and Everything After_) and a couple more on vinyl. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/35 "2005-08-26T04:00:28Z")
I’ve got 11 of those albums, and I used to have five others. The number of Mariah Carey and Eagles albums on that list are is distressing. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/36 "2005-08-26T04:25:08Z")
I have 1…coincidentially, it’s _1_. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/37 "2005-08-26T04:49:37Z")
I don’t have them all now, but at one time or another, I’ve owned 17 of the top 25. Eliminate the country stuff and the disco, and you can probably figure out which ones (I mean, come on, if you were born in 1961, as I was, you were required by law to have “Boston” on 8-track). ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/38 "2005-08-26T04:58:51Z")
Wow, I might win this one. I’d actually have to go through all of my CDs. But, I think I have owned at least 2/3 of these. I’m certain I still own very close to that. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/39 "2005-08-26T05:17:30Z")
Are folks really that surprised they own any of these? It’s a broad spectrum of musical genres. Frankly, I’d be surprised if someone with a large collection didn’t own at least one, or if that person was somehow shocked that he or she did. I mean, come on. The list is peppered with Beatles (heh) albums, and that’s got to cover a vast majority of music fans right there. Throw in a few other of the artists on the list, and you’ve probably got 99% of music fans covered. And while there’s plenty of bland music on that list, there’s also a lot of great stuff. I get the feeling that because it’s the RIAA’s list, folks are being a bit uppity. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652/40 "2005-08-26T05:17:58Z")
7, most of which is pre-load metallica. 1-3 were from 2/$5 bins, though, I think. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-of-the-riaa-best-selling-albums-do-you-own/318652.md?page=3)