[nelson]

Source: Billboard
Dated: Mar. 17, 1984
Title: 'Thriller' Album Breaks 'Fever'

..."Saturday Night Fever's" claim as the best-selling album of all time. It was released in late 1977, at the record business' peak, and quickly racked up sales in excess of 25 million.

But that heady sales total is now only good enough for the second place. CBS Records reports that as of Monday (5), worldwide sales of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" reached 30.9 million. At the same time, US sales hit 19.4 million.

....
blah blah blah

[nelson]

Yes, I agree that 1977-1978 were the record business' peak, when you read the BPI figures and Oricon figures, in the 80s the sales were low, so "Thriller's" sales were really impressive, even the record business' peak again in 90s and 00s, no other album sold over 40-50 million again, by considering several albums sold over 28 million in 90s (Bodyguard, Jagged Little Pill, Falling Into You, Let's Talk About Love, Come On Over) over 25 million (Supernatural) and can't remember others, lol.
So when said Beatles' "Sgt. Pepp..." sold 37 million is a joke, and it's released in not the business' peak.

And also "Saturady Night Fever" is DEFINITELY not the best-selling album of all-time before "Thriller", some albums went close 20x platinum in US, like:

1) Their Greatest Hits/Eagles
2) IV/Led Zeppelin
3) Rumours/Fleetwood Mac
4) Back In Black/AC/DC
Close to 15x platinum in US.
1) Hotel California/Eagles
2) Dark Side Of The Moon (through catalogs for years)
3) Greatest Hits/Simon & Garfunkel
4) Bat Out Of Hell/Meat Loaf
and more...
They were all most likely sold more...
But they never claimed anything...

I remember Guninees even had the updated figures for "Saturday Night Fever" in 1987 of 27.5 million. Even sold through catalogs, it only managed to sell over 29-30 million.

But since the system in those years were not so complete, there's no multi-platinum awards by RIAA, so every label even didn't know other labels's sales' or certifications' databases, so they were all silly to claim "all-time" every time in the press. Until now, they don't have to ask, just can be silent to know other labels' sales, it's from IFPI, RIAA, etc.
But today, we can check online or through RIAA to know the exact certifications to avoid embarassment.

[nelson]

Some more "Saturday Night Fever" facts.

Source: Billboard
Dated: Sept. 2, 1978

...
BRAZIL
"The Bee Gees are the most popular international group in Brazil" - Claudio Condel, Phonogram
[Really???]

FRANCE
"The 'Saturday Night Fever' album released in January had reached the million unit sales mark by mid June, and that according to Jaques Kerner of Polydor, 'represents an all time high for the French market in such a short sales period." - Henry Kahn, Billboard
[so it can be confirmed it had sold 1 million units, but 2 million is impossible, imo]

MEXICO
"They are the most exciting gropu in the world right now, and particularly in Mexico. We have had fanatstic No. 1 success with them." - Herbe Pombeyo, Polydor S.A.

AUSTRALIA
Granham newman, of Phonogram, quotes a projected album sale 'of half a million by the end of the year, which would make 'Saturday Night Fever' Australia's biggest seller since Neil Diamond's "Hot August Night", and it has notched up its sixth platinum record award." The Bee Gees have found national recognition in Australia, the country where the group began its astonishing recording career with their first single "Spicks and Speaks", which was recorded in an abandoned butcher's shop in Sydney." - Jim Oram, Billboard
[It has now officially certified 11x platinum by ARIA]

...

"Saturday Night Fever" hit #1 not only in America but Canada, France, Belgiu, Holland, West Germany, Italy, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Japan, South Africa, Venezuela, New Zealand and naturally Australia.
[#1 in 15 countries]

International Awards
CRIA Gold Album, Canada
CRIA 10x Platinum Album, Canada
...
BPI Silver Disc Album
BPI Gold Disc ALbum
BPI 3x Platinum Album [so it's really over 1 million in UK although it's not on their BPI list since there' no multi-platinum at that time, but is it 2 million just have to wait to this July]
...
Belgium Platinum Album [50,000]
Germany 4x Gold Award [means 1 million, but now 1.5 million]
Holland Platinum Album
...
Sweden Gold Album [sold so long still Gold?? so it's still 25,000]
Denmark Silver Disc Award [10,000???]

[jcguzman]

Nelson.

Thanks for bringing up the subject .

Saturday night fever has not been duly certified .

In South America it was number 1 in all countries.

In Spain where the album has not been certified ,spent 22 weeks at number one and it was the best selling album of the year.

The same for France <Canada ,Italy ,Mexico ,and the top 20 markets .

Theres no doubt Fever was the best selling album of all time up until 83 .

Rumours barely sold in France and south America.

In Brazil the bee gees have had hits in 5 decades and I think are among the biggest acts in that country.

Based on certifications Saturday Night fever will never be the 2nd best selling album of all time but based on wekks at number one all over the world theres no doubt about it.

Nelson ,if you could send me some of billboard 1978 it would be great.

[jcguzman]

Nelson.

According to infodisc saturday night fever has sold more than 2 million copies in France

[nelson]

[MJDangerous]

Yes infodisc is not accurate. But about SNF, I have not scans but it was published in popular newpapers at the begin of 79 that album sales of SNF are in excess of 1.9m units in France.

[jcguzman]

Thanks for the info.

Both Saturday night fever and Spirits having flown the follow up to fever were huge sellers all over the world,

[AutomaticBR]

Bee Gees are popular in Brasil but not THE most popular... I think even U2 is more popular than Bee Gees (and U2 is HUUUUUUUUUUUUGE here)

[jcguzman]

U2 is bigger now .no doubt.

But the Bee gees have been huge since the 60s ,even singles like Wish you were here which not were released as singles but in brazil reached number 2 in brazil.

The music dvds have been huge sellers ,like one night only .the record was certified platinum in 2001 and number ones reached number 2.in 2004.

Besides many acts have covered bee gees songs with great success.

[nelson]

[jcguzman]

http://www.hot100brasil.com/timemachinemain.html

No chart book ,but this page is very reliable.

You can see the year end listings only for singles.

[MJDangerous]

[jarvis]

I had always heard SNF was #1 till Thriller but since then 1 dozen albums albums ave outsold it where does it rank now? Whats really #2 today?

[nelson]

[Dane]

I thought "Rumours" held the crown before "Thriller" came...
And "Frampton comes alive" (1976) was also one of many albums claimed to be the bestselling album ever.
Unlikely, as it is only 6 x platinum in the US today (although not certified for ages).

[nelson]

SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER'S SALES IN US

1978
JAN [28] - DOUBLE PLATINUM
MAR [16] - 6X PLATINUM

[jcguzman]

Nelson.

I dont get it since multiplatinum certifications starded in 1984.

Thanks in advance for the explanation.

[nelson]

[nelson]

SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER

US SALES

1978
JAN [28] - 2X PLATINUM
MAR [16] - 6X PLATINUM
APR [15] - 10X PLATINUM
SEP [02] - 14X PLATINUM
SEP [23] - 15X PLATINUM

BEFORE SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, THESE WERE THE BEST SELLING ALBUMS.

RUMOURS/FLEETWOOD MAC - 9X-10X PLATINUM
FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE/PETER FRAMPTON - 7X-8X PLATINUM
TAPESTRY/CAROLE KING - 10X-12X PLATINUM

UK SALES

1978
JUL [22] - 1 MILLION
SOLD 937,000 IN 3 MONTHS.

GREASE

US SALES

1978
JUL [15] - 2X PLATINUM
AUG [05] - 5X PLATINUM
SEP [23] - 9X PLATINUM

JUL [29]
SOME MORE FIGURES