TOP 30 BEST-SELLING GLAM METAL ALBUMS FROM 1981 TO 1991

#1. GUNS N' ROSES – Appetite for Destruction (1987)

Worldwide sales: 30,000,000

Released: July 21, 1987, Geffen

Produced by Mike Clink

US Billboard: #1, UK Albums: #5

18x Platinum in USA (18,000,000)

Best songs: "Welcome to the Jungle", "Paradise City", "My Michelle", "Sweet Child O' Mine"

#2. BON JOVI – Slippery When Wet (1986)

Worldwide sales: 28,000,000

Released: August 18, 1986, Mercury

Produced by Bruce Fairbairn

US Billboard: #1, UK Albums: #6

12x Platinum in USA (12,000,000)

Best songs: "You Give Love a Bad Name", Livin' on a Prayer", "Wanted Dead or Alive", "Raise Your Hands"

#3. DEF LEPPARD – Hysteria (1987)

Worldwide sales: 25,000,000

Released: August 3, 1987, Phonogram

Produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange

US Billboard: #1, UK Albums: #1

12x Platinum in USA (12,000,000)

Best songs: "Rocket", "Animal", "Love Bites", "Run Riot"

#4. WHITESNAKE – Whitesnake (1987)

Worldwide sales: 25,000,000

Released: March 23, 1987, Geffen

Produced by Keith Olsen & Mike Stone

US Billboard: #2, UK Albums: #8

8x Platinum in USA (8,000,000)

Best songs: "Still of the Night", "Is This Love", "Here I Go Again", "Straight for the Heart"

#5. BON JOVI – New Jersey (1988)

Worldwide sales: 19,000,000

Released: September 19, 1988, Mercury

Produced by Bruce Fairbairn

US Billboard: #1, UK Albums: #1

7x Platinum in USA (7,000,000)

Best songs: "Lay Your Hands on Me", "Bad Medicine", "Born to Be My Baby", "Homebound Train"

#6. GUNS N' ROSES – Use Your Illusion II (1991)

Worldwide sales: 18,000,000

Released: September 17, 1991, Geffen

Produced by Mike Clink

US Billboard: #1, UK Albums: #1

7x Platinum in USA (7,000,000)

Best songs: "14 Years", "Knockin' on Heaven's Door", "So Fine", "You Could Be Mine"

#7. GUNS N' ROSES – Use Your Illusion I (1991)

Worldwide sales: 16,000,000

Released: September 17, 1991, Geffen

Produced by Mike Clink

US Billboard: #2, UK Albums: #2

7x Platinum in USA (7,000,000)

Best songs: "Dust n' Bones", "Live and Let Die", "Don't Cry", "November Rain"

#8. EUROPE – The Final Countdown (1986)

Worldwide sales: 15,000,000

Released: May 30, 1986, Epic

Produced by Kevin Elson

US Billboard: #8, UK Albums: #9

3x Platinum in USA (3,000,000)

Best songs: "The Final Countdown", "Rock the Night", "Carrie", "Cherokee"

#9: DEF LEPPARD – Pyromania (1983)

Worldwide sales: 15,000,000

Released: January 20, 1983, Vertigo

Produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange

US Billboard: #2, UK Albums: #18

Diamond in USA (10,000,000)

Best songs: "Photograph", "Too Late for Love", "Foolin'", "Rock of Ages"

#10. VAN HALEN – 5150 (1986)

Worldwide sales: 12,000,000

Released: March 24, 1986, Warner Bros.

Produced by Mick Jones, Donn Landee and Van Halen

US Billboard: #1, UK Albums: #16

6x Platinum in USA (6,000,000)

Best songs: "Why Can't This Be Love", "Dreams", "Best of Both Worlds", "Inside"

#11. VAN HALEN – 1984 (1984)

Worldwide sales: 11,700,000

Released: January 9, 1984, Warner Bros.

Produced by Ted Templeman

US Billboard: #2, UK Albums: #15

Diamond in USA (10,000,000)

Best songs: "Jump","Panama", "Hot for Teacher", "I'll Wait"

#12. AEROSMITH – Pump (1989)

Worldwide sales: 10,000,000

Released: September 12, 1989, Geffen

Produced by Bruce Fairbairn

US Billboard: #5, UK Albums: #3

7x Platinum in USA (7,000,000)

Best songs: "Young Lust", "Love in an Elevator", "The Other Side", "Hoodoo Voodoo Medicine Man"

#13. QUIET RIOT – Metal Health (1983)

Worldwide sales: 10,000,000

Released: March 11, 1983, Pasha

Produced by Spencer Proffer

US Billboard: #1, UK Albums: 

6x Platinum in USA (6,000,000)

Best songs: "Metal Health (Bang Your Head)", "Cum On Feel the Noize", "Slick Black Cadillac","Run for Cover"

#14. SCORPPIONS – Love at First Sting (1984)

Worldwide sales: 10,000,000

Released: March 1984, Harvest/EMI

Produced by Dieter Dierks

US Billboard: #6, UK Albums: #17

3x Platinum in USA (3,000,000)

Best songs: "Bad Boys Running Wild", "Rock You Like a Hurricane", "Big City Nights", "Still Loving You" 

#15. OZZY OSBOURNE – No More Tears (1991)

Worldwide sales: 8,300,000

Released: September 17, 1991, Epic

Produced by Duane Baron & John Purdell

US Billboard: #7, UK Albums: #17

4x Platinum in USA (4,000,000)

Best songs: "Mr. Tinkertrain", "I Don't Want to Change the World", "Mama I'm Coming Home", "No More Tears"

#16. POISON – Open Up and Say...Ahh! (1988)

Worldwide sales: 8,000,000 

Released: April 27, 1988, Enigma

Produced by Tom Werman

US Billboard: #2

5x Platinum in USA (5,000,000)

Best songs: "Nothin' But a Good Time", "Fallen Angel", "Every Rose Has Its Thorn", "Your Mama Don't Dance"

#17. POISON – Flesh & Blood (1990)

Worldwide sales: 7,000,000 

Released: July 2, 1990, Enigma

Produced by Bruce Fairbairn

US Billboard: #2, UK Albums: #3

3x Platinum in USA (3,000,000)

Best songs: "Valley of Lost Souls", "Unskinny Bop", "Ride the Wind", "Poor Boy Blues"

#18. MÖTLEY CRÜE – Dr. Feelgood (1989)

Worldwide sales: 6,600,000

Released: August 28, 1989, Elektra

Produced by Bob Rock

US Billboard: #1, UK Albums: #4

6x Platinum in USA (6,000,000)

Best songs: "Dr. Feelgood", "Kickstart My Heart", "Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away)", "Time for Change"

#19. HEART – Heart (1985)

Worldwide sales: 6,000,000

Released: June 21, 1985, Capitol

Produced by Ron Nevison

US Billboard: #1, UK Albums: #19

5x Platinum in USA (5,000,000)

Best songs: "If Looks Could Kill", "What About Love", "Never", "These Dreams"

#20. SKID ROW – Skid Row (1989)

Worldwide sales: 6,000,000 

Released: January 24, 1989

Produced by Michael Wagener

US Billboard: #6, UK Albums: #30

5x Platinum in USA (5,000,000)

Best songs: "Big Guns", "18 and Life", "Youth Gone Wild", "I Remember You"

#21. AEROSMITH – Permanent Vacation (1987)

Worldwide sales: 5,700,000

Released: August 25, 1987, Geffen

Produced by Bruce Fairbairn

US Billboard: #11, UK Albums: #37

5x Platinum in USA (5,000,000)

Best songs: "Rag Doll", "Dude (Looks Like a Lady", "St. John", "Hangman Jury"

#22. MÖTLEY CRÜE – Theatre of Pain (1985)

Worldwide sales: 4,500,000 

Released: June 24, 1985, Elektra

Produced by Tom Werman

US Billboard: #6, UK Albums: #36

4x Platinum in USA (4,000,000)

Best songs: "City Boy Blues", "Smokin' in the Boys Room", "Keep Your Eye on the Money", "Home Sweet Home"

#23. MÖTLEY CRÜE – Shout at the Devil (1983)

Worldwide sales: 4,000,000 

Released: September 23, 1983, Elektra

Produced by Tom Werman

US Billboard: #17

4x Platinum in USA (4,000,000)

Best songs: "In the Beginning", "Shout at the Devil", "Helter Skelter", "Too Young to Fall in Love"

#24. MÖTLEY CRÜE – Girls Girls Girls (1987)

Worldwide sales: 4,300,000

Released: May 20, 1987, Elektra

Produced by Tom Werman

US Billboard: #2, UK Albums: #14

4x Platinum in USA (4,000,000)

Best songs: "Wild Side", "Girls Girls Girls", "All in the Name of...", "You're All I Need"

#25. VAN HALEN – OU812 (1988)

Worldwide sales: 4,100,000

Released: May 24, 1988, Warner Bros.

Produced by Don Landee and Van Halen

US Billboard: #1, UK Albums: #16

4x Platinum in USA (4,000,000)

Best songs: "Mine All Mine","When It's Love", "A.F.U. (Naturally Wired)", "Finish What Ya Started"

#26. LOVERBOY – Get Lucky (1981) 

Worldwide sales: 4,000,000

Released: October 7, 1981, Columbia

Produced by Bruce Fairbairn and Paul Dean

US Billboard: #7

4x Platinum in USA (4,000,000)

Best songs: "Working for the Weekend", "When It's Over", "Jump", "Lucky Ones"

#27. POISON – Look What the Cat Dragged In (1986)

Worldwide sales: 4,000,000 

Released: May 23, 1986, Enigma

Produced by Ric Browde

US Billboard: #3

3x Platinum in USA (3,000,000)

Best songs: "Cry Tough", "I Want Action", "Look What the Cat Dragged In", "Talk Dirty to Me"

#28. CINDERELLA – Night Songs (1986)

Worldwide sales: 4,000,000

Released: June 9, 1986, Mercury

Produced by Andy Johns

US Billboard: #3

3x Platinum in USA (3,000,000)

Best songs: "Night Songs", "Shake Me", "Nobody's Fool", "Somebody Save Me"

#29. TWISTED SISTER – Stay Hungry (1984)

Worldwide sales: 4,000,000

Released: May 10, 1984, Atlantic

Produced by Tom Werman

US Billboard: #15, UK Albums: #34

3x Platinum in USA (3,000,000)

Best songs: "We're Not Gonna Take It", "Burn in Hell", "I Wanna Rock", "The Price"

#30. HEART – Bad Animals (1987)

Worldwide sales: 3,500,000

Released: May 15, 1987, Capitol

Produced by Ron Nevison

US Billboard: #2, UK Albums: #7

3x Platinum in USA (3,000,000)

Best songs: "Who Will You Run to", "Alone", "There's the Girl", "Bad Animals"