Counting albums sales from RIAA certifications, HipHopByNumbers compiled the list of hip-hop album sales in the US.
Eminem firmly tops the chart with 46.5 million copies, 10 million sales ahead of 2Pac, who holds the second place. The gap between Eminem’s dales and Jay-Z on the third position is impressive 19 million copies.
Truth be told, all big artists on this list have not been updating their album certification recently. They past caring and are focused on their creative ambitions, for instance, Eminem has not updated The Slim Shady LP certificates for 20 years. By very rough estimations the number of his sales on this list could be 40% higher.
But these are official numbers and this is all that RIAA can demonstrate in terms of album sales in the US:
1. 46.5 million – Eminem
2. 36.5 million – 2Pac
3. 27.5 million – Jay-Z
4. 25.5 million – Drake
5. 22 million – Nelly & Outkast
6. 21 million – Notorious B.I.G.
7. 16 million – MC Hammer
8. 15.5 million – 50 Cent
9. 14.5 million – Kanye
10. 14 million – DMX
11. 12.5 million – LL Cool J & Snoop Dogg
12. 12 million – Ludacris
Most Album Sales in Hip-Hop (via RIAA Certs)
46.5m – Eminem
36.5m – 2Pac
27.5m – Jay-Z
25.5m – Drake
22m – Nelly & Outkast
21m – Biggie
16m – MC Hammer
15.5m – 50 Cent
14.5m – Kanye
14m – DMX
12.5m – LL Cool J & Snoop
12m – LudaWho in the new school can climb this chart?
— Hip Hop By The Numbers (@HipHopNumbers) May 28, 2020
