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
UK6,600,000platinum x222024BPI
US6,000,000platinum x62002RIAA
Venezuela50,000silver1999
 24, 167,000 



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


Top 10 Best Selling Albums in Europe


1. Gold Greatest Hits - ABBA 13.2m

2. Thriller - Michael Jackson 11.8m

3. Greatest Hits - Queen 9.8m

4. Greatest Hits 2 - Queen 9.3m

5. 21 - Adele 9.1m 

6. Bad - Michael Jackson 8.5m 

7. 1 - The Beatles 8.3m

8. Dirty Dancing - Soundtrack 8.3m

9.But Seriously - Phil Collins 8.3m

10. Let's Talk About Love - Celine Dion 7.8m


Source: Here

 

  

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, 10,000,000

2. United Kingdom, 7,000,000

3. Germany 3,000,000

4. France 2,000,000

5. Canada 2 000,000

6. Australia 1,250,000

7. Sweden 1,000,000

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. Canada

6. New Zealand

7. Australia 

8. Germany

9. Belgium

10. United States



 

UK sales - GOLD


 

YearUK SalesYear End ChartCumulative  Sales
1992560,00012560K
1993210,00036770k
1994155,00063925k
1995120,000801045k
1996130,000871175k
1997115,0001001290k
1998211,0005515001k
19991,253,00042754k
2000367,000413121k
2001107,0001483228k
200242,000--3270k
200395,0001933365k
2004377,000473742k
2005160,0001183902k
200694,0001943996k
200792,0001664088k
2008410,000194498k
2009249,000544747k
2010151,000904898k
201195,0001304993k
201281,0001405074k
201376,000                               1195150k
201470,0001035220k
201584,000775304k
201688,000725392k
201791,000775483k
2018174,000205657k
2019122,000 325779k
2020135,000195914k
2021178,000136092k
2022198,000106290k
2023230,,000106520k
2024250,000146770k
2025240,000197010k


Total sales to end 2025:  7, 010,000

Sales by July 2026 - 7,100,000


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

 Links

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

UK weekly chart positions for GOLD

 

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.