The ranking of the Top 30 Best Selling Women’s Albums is based on UK sales and downloads as compiled by The Official Charts Company. Jo Whiley announced the results of a Top 30 countdown on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds (Saturday, October 16, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.) as part of the network’s celebrations for National Album Day, which this The theme of the year is Women in Music. From 6 a.m. to midnight, Radio 2 also devotes the entire day to tracks from women’s albums with an all-female playlist from Sounds of the 60s all the way to Craig Charles’ House Party. Re-listen to all broadcasts on BBC Sounds.

The first 5 are:

Ad̬le Р21 (5,007,000 sales)
Amy Winehouse – Back To Black (3,912,000)
Madonna – The Immaculate Collection (3,771,000)
Shania Twain – Go For It (3,411,000)
Adele – 25 (3,364,000)

Jo Whiley said: “Adele enchanted us from the start with her voice, songs and personality. When she writes, she writes from the heart and that is why her music resonates with so many people. She says it as it is, whether it’s performing in front of thousands of people in Glastonbury or through songs from her albums, and that’s why she is so loved and a global superstar. She sings it the way she thinks it – because she does it. She also has a phenomenal voice and hasn’t changed from the very first Live Lounge I did with her on Radio 1 until I spoke to her just before she hit Glasto. Always honest, down to earth, a superstar and very very funny.

Laura Busson, Director of Commissioning for Radio 2, said: “Radio 2 is proud to support National Album Day by celebrating this year’s theme of Women in Music by playing tracks by female artists. all day. The Top 30 List is a wonderful reminder of the incredible contribution women have made – and continue to make – to the music industry, and kudos to Adele for leading the charts.

21 was the second album by English singer-songwriter Adele, released in January 2011. She was inspired to write it following a break-up with a former boyfriend. This followed her debut – called 19 – with all of her albums named after the age she was when they were produced. 21 is the fourth best-selling album of all time in the UK, with only the biggest hits from Queen, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Abba’s Gold sold more. It was the oldest UK No. 1 album in 45 years, spending a total of 23 weeks in No. 1; and was the world’s biggest album for two consecutive years, with 18 million copies sold worldwide in 2011 and 8.3 million the following year. The first two singles to come out – Rolling In The Deep and Someone Like You – have both sold over two million copies, followed by Set Fire To The Rain and Turning Tables / Rumor Has It. During her career to date, Adele has sold over 120 million records and won numerous awards including 15 Grammys, Nine Britons, the Oscar for Best Song for Skyfall (2013), a Golden Globe, 18 Billboard Music Awards, five American Music Awards and two Ivor. novels. His latest album, 30, is due out soon and the first single, Easy on Me, was released on Friday October 15th.

Nine of the artists on the chart are from the UK, and Adele not only has two Top 5 albums, she also has a third – 19 – at No. 14. Dido has two Top 10 albums – No Angel at No. 7 and Life for Rent at No. 10. Other female stars with two Top 30 albums are Madonna, Whitney Houston, Rihanna and Celine Dion.

The full Top 30 is as follows:

Adele – 21 (released 2011)
Amy Winehouse – Back To Black (2006)
Madonna – The Immaculate Collection (1990)
Shania Twain – Go For It (1997)
Adele – 25 (2015)
Leona Lewis – Spirit (2007)
Dido – No Angel (1999)
Spice Girls – Spice (1996)
Lady Gaga – The Fame (2008)
Dido – Life for Rent (2003)
Alanis Morissette – Little Shredded Pill (1995)
Tracey Chapman – Tracey Chapman (1988)
Norah Jones – Come With Me (2002)
Adele – 19 (2008)
Emeli Sand̩ РOur version of events (2012)
Whitney Houston – Whitney (1985)
Duffy – Rockferry (2008)
Tina Turner – Simply the Best (1989)
C̩line Dion РFalling Into You (1996)
Céline Dion – Let’s Talk About Love (1997)
Christina Aguilera – Stripped (2002)
Rihanna – Strong (2010)
Susan Boyle – I Dreamed of a Dream (2009)
Rihanna – Good Girl Turned Bad (2007)
Katie Melua – Call The Search (2003)
Eva Cassidy – The Songbird (1998)
Rose – Missundaztood (2001)
Avril Lavigne – Let Go (2002)
Whitney Houston – Greatest Hits (2000)
Madonna – Ray of Light (1998)

The Official Cat of All Time Female Artists Album is a 7digital production.

BBC Radio 2 is the UK’s most listened to radio station, with a weekly audience of 14.4 million (RAJAR Q1, 2020), and won the Station Of The Year award at the Music Week 2021 awards. Network presenters include Michael Ball, Zoe Ball, Tony Blackburn, OJ Borg, Rev. Kate Bottley, Ken Bruce, Craig Charles, Dr Rangan Chatterjee, Fearne Cotton, Sara Cox, Jamie Cullum, Gary Davies, Vanessa Feltz, Paul Gambaccini, Bob Harris, Ana Matronic, Cerys Matthews, Jason Mohammad, Trevor Nelson, Paul O’Grady , Dermot O’Leary, Mark Radcliffe, Rylan, Liza Tarbuck, Jeremy Vine, Johnnie Walker, Jo Whiley, Claudia Winkleman and Steve Wright.