According to RateYourMusic.com which has a compilation of lists of the best U.S. selling albums of the 70's. 80's, 90's etc..

Purple Rain is listed as the #7 biggest selling album of the U.S. in the 80's with 13.6 million copies sold in the U.S. alone.

The estimated U.S. sales of Purple Rain as of 2015 should be around over 14 million copies as the figures from this list was used in the late 90's... and with a continued estimation adding more updated figures, Purple Rain should be in the TOP 5 selling albums of the 80's of all time, with Whitney Houston closley behind Purple Rain with also 14M sales in the U.S.

5. Purple Rain - 14M

4. Appetite for Destruction - 15.6M

3. Born in the U.S.A. - 15.9M

2. Back in Black - 19.1M

1. Thriller - 29M

[Edited 10/7/15 16:51pm]

This title is misleading.. It's #7 biggest selling U.S of the U.S IN THE 80s

[Edited 10/7/15 17:01pm]

purpleshadow said:

This title is misleading.. It's the biggest selling U.S album of the U.S IN THE 80s

Yes my mistake, I'm fixing it now... Don't sue me.

feeluupp said:

purpleshadow said:

This title is misleading.. It's the biggest selling U.S album of the U.S IN THE 80s

Yes my mistake, I'm fixing it now... Don't sue me.

no big deal.. i made a mistake in my reply myself by saying it's the biggest selling album of the U.S. in the 80's

May I add...

1999 came in at #97 with 4.1M U.S sales.

Fun facts:

In 1991 believe it or not, the best selling Prince album was Purple Rain:

2,548,000, "Purple Rain (soundtrack)" (1984)
2,462,000, "Diamonds and Pearls" (1991)

The combined world wide sales of 1999 and Purple Rain equals 31 Million Copies, which is more than his sales of the 90's and 00's combined, with just those two albums.

[Edited 10/7/15 17:11pm]

feel u up:


why do you have 2 threads at the same time about Prince records sales??????

thedance said:

feel u up:


why do you have 2 threads at the same time about Prince records sales??????

i am guilty. send me to the guillotine.

oh fuck that

feeluupp said:

Fun facts:

In 1991 believe it or not, the best selling Prince album was Purple Rain:

2,548,000, "Purple Rain (soundtrack)" (1984)
2,462,000, "Diamonds and Pearls" (1991)

[Edited 10/7/15 17:11pm]

Interesting. So did PR chart that year?


I also wouldnt be surprised if PR outsold HNR this year too.

[Edited 10/7/15 23:54pm]