SOme say ATWIAD sold 3 million copies but it is certificated 2 million by the RIAA! Which is true?

There are a bazillion threads on this, just type "Album sales" into the search tab and they will show up.

.

RIAA certifications are always super conservative and slow to acknowledge sales. Many albums after 1985 also sold much higher numbers and reach higher chart places overseas rather than the USA, where his star peaked with Purple Rain, while Parade to Diamonds and Pearls were bigger sellers in Europe and Oceania than the USA.

.

Purple Rain has 13 million certified including a 10 million Diamond Award, but then the next albums are only double or triple platinum and most if not all are at least gold.

.

Globally they guess his total album sales are 150 million with 99 million in the USA, add on at least 50 million singles and 10 million for proteges and side projects like the Time and Sheila E.