*Six years after his death and 33 years after the release of “Thriller,” Michael Jackson’s seminal album – already the best-selling LP worldwide – has broken yet another music record.
The 1982 effort was certified Wednesday as the first album to sell more than 30 million copies in the United States. The Recording Industry Association of America said that “Thriller” is its first ever “30 times platinum” album, meaning roughly one out of every 10 Americans has a copy.
“What an exceptional achievement and testament to ‘Thriller”s enduring spot in our hearts and musical history,” the industry group’s chairman, Cary Sherman, said in a statement.
“Thriller” produced a string of classic singles including “Beat It” and “Billie Jean” and landed Jackson a record 12 nominations at the Grammy Awards, where he won eight.
“It is crystal clear that Michael Jackson is simply the greatest, and biggest, artist of all time,” L.A. Reid, chairman of his label Epic Records, said as he saluted the new feat.
The album was certified as 29 times platinum in the U.S. less than two months after his death.
Jackson’s estate says that “Thriller” has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide.
Adele recently set the record for fastest sales in the United States since at least 1991, with her album “25” selling more than five million copies in less than a month. But many experts doubt that any album will ever match “Thriller” in sales.
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