List of best-selling albums in China explained

This is a list of the best-selling albums in China.

As of 2023, China was the world's 5th largest music market, an increase from being 14th in 2015 and 27th in 2005.[1] [2]

Best-selling albums in China

This is a list of the top 10 best-selling albums in China.

bgcolor=#FFE6EA align=center
Physical album
bgcolor=#E0CEF2 align=centerDigital album
Year of release! scope="col"
AlbumArtistNumber of copies sold
2022Greatest Works of ArtJay Chou7,219,772<--as of July 19, 2022-->[3]
2021EpsilonLiu Yuxin5,878,671<--as of February 7, 2022-->
2019HoneyLay4,858,957<--as of July 19, 2022-->
1993The Goodbye KissJacky Cheung4,000,000
2019Going to Powerfully BurstR1SE3,082,155<--as of July 19, 2022-->[4]
2020LitLay2,741,096<--as of July 19, 2022-->[5]
2004Common Jasmin OrangeJay Chou2,600,000[6]
1984WanderingCheng Fangyuan2,000,000[7]
1985ChildhoodCheng Fangyuan2,000,000
1991Red SunVarious (honoring Mao Zedong)2,000,000[8]
2016Jay Chou's Bedtime StoriesJay Chou1,989,173<--as of June 9, 2021-->[9]

Best-selling physical albums

The following is a list of the best-selling physical albums in China, with album sales of over 500,000 units.

Year of releaseAlbumArtistNumber of copies sold
1993Kiss And GoodbyeJacky Cheung4,000,000[10]
2004Common Jasmin OrangeJay Chou2,600,000
1984WanderingCheng Fangyuan2,000,000
1985ChildhoodCheng Fangyuan2,000,000
1983Su RuiSu Rui1,500,000[11]
By A Wrong BusSu Rui1,500,000
WolfQi Qin1,300,000
1994Nothing Will Stop Me From Loving YouWakin Chau1,200,000[12]
1994The Lion KingVarious artists1,000,000[13]
1997TitanicJames Horner/Celine Dion1,000,000[14]
1986 A Voice on the OceanFei Xiang1,000,000[15]
1996 Too SoftheartedRichie Jen1,000,000
2002StartStefanie Sun1,000,000[16]
2003To Be Continued...Stefanie Sun1,000,000
1997The Third EyeZheng Jun800,000[17]
1994Chi LuoZheng Jun600,000[18]
1987BadMichael Jackson500,000[19]
2001Meteor RainF4500,000[20]
2007Against the LightStefanie Sun500,000[21]
2004It's RainingRain500,000[22]
1999Next to HappinessThe Flowers500,000[23]
Qingchun ShijieHang Hong500,000[24]

List of best-selling digital albums (5 tracks or more)

2 million or more units

Artist Album Year Sales
Jay ChouGreatest Works of Art20227,219,772
Cai XukunMi 20213,473,680[25]
R1SEGoing to Powerfully Burst20193,082,155[26]
Made20162,841,614 [27]
LayLit20202,741,096 [28]
Jay ChouJay Chou's Bedtime Stories20162,000,890 [29]

1 million or more units

Artist Album Year Sales
Taylor SwiftLover20191,872,460[30]
Li YuchunWow20191,858,647[31]
Hua ChenyuNew World20201,835,069[32]
Taylor Swift198920141,780,189[33]
Taylor SwiftReputation20171,741,210[34]
G-DragonKwon Ji Yong20171,507,570[35]
BlackpinkThe Album20201,432,666[36]
Nine PercentTo the Nines20181,396,966[37]
Li YuchunLiu Xing20171,243,109[38]
Taylor SwiftFolklore20201,206,487[39]
LayNamanana20181,180,208[40]
JJ LinMessage in a Bottle20171,173,263[41]
LayLay 02 Sheep20171,008,065[42]

List of best-selling digital singles/EPs (4 tracks or less)

20 million or more units

Artist Single/EP Year Sales
Xiao ZhanLight202054,255,539[43]
Hua ChenyuI Really Want to Love This World201922,931,648[44]
Jay ChouGreatest Works of Art202220,000,000+[45]

10 million or more units

Artist Single/EP Year Sales
Wang YiboNo Feelings201917,585,162[46]
Wang YiboThe Rules of My World202015,451,449[47]
Cai XukunYoung201914,505,045[48]
Jay ChouWon't Cry201910,917,586[49]

5 million or more units

Artist Single/EP Year Sales
Jay ChouMojito20209,170,315[50]
JJ LinNo Turning Back20206,855,776[51]
Liu YuxinEpsilon20215,874,069[52]
Eason ChanKeep Me By Your Side20165,771,018[53]
JJ LinThe Story Of Us20195,637,031[54]
Jay ChouStill Wandering20225,000,000+[55]
Jay ChouCold Hearted20225,000,000+[56]

3 million or more units

Artist Single/EP Year Sales
LayHoney20194,858,957[57]
JJ LinDust and Ashes20234,000,000+[58]
Jay ChouPink Ocean20224,000,000+[59]
Zhang ZhehanSurround20213,873,937[60]
Lu HanXplore20163,664,318[61]
Lu HanΠ-volume.120193,477,798[62]
Li YuchunYe (first EP of Growing Wild)20163,418,553[63]
Roy WangSong For You20183,263,963[64]
Lu HanReloaded20153,358,873[65]
JJ LinLight of Sanctuary20203,282,802[66]
Kris Wu620173,215,357[67]
BlackpinkHow You Like That20203,088,581<--2,519,737(QQ Music) + 649(music.163) + 532,877 (Kugou) + 35,320 (Kuwo)-->[68]
Zhu ZhengtingThe Winter Light20193,078,866[69]
Lu Hanπ-volume.320203,009,225[70]
1KJust Forget It20223,000,000+[71]
LBISummer in a Small Town20223,000,000+[72]
Jay ChouReflection20223,000,000+[73]
Jay ChouYou Are the Firework I Missed20223,000,000+[74]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Global Music Report 2019: Annual State of the Industry . International Federation of the Phonographic Industry . May 17, 2019 .
  2. Web site: RIAJ: Yearbook 2007, IFPI 2005 Report (Page 24). Recording Industry Association of Japan. https://web.archive.org/web/20071015185641/http://www.riaj.or.jp/e/issue/pdf/RIAJ2007E.pdf. dead. October 15, 2007. March 19, 2017.
  3. Web site: "Greatest Works Of Art" sales. July 19, 2022. saoju.net. Chinese.
  4. Web site: "Going to Powerfully Burst"-R1SE sales. June 9, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  5. Web site: "Lit"-Lay Zhang sales. June 9, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  6. Fung. Anthony. Western style, Chinese Pop: Jay Chou's Rap and Hip-Hop in China. Asian Music. In China the official figure reached 2.6 million units, a stunning figure that no other Chinese artist has attained.. 2008. 39. 69–80. 10.1353/amu.2007.0047. 191532050. March 19, 2017.
  7. Reference for sales:

    Reference for album titles and release dates:

  8. Book: Cheng, Chu-yuan. China's Economic Development, 1950-2014: Fundamental Changes and Long-Term Prospects. Lexington Books. 2014. 978-0739186565. 95. Google Books. November 2, 2022.
  9. Web site: "Jay Chou's Bedtime Stories"-Jay Chou sales. June 9, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  10. A Wave of Nostalgia Is Sweeping Taiwanese Artists Back Into the Chinese Limelight. Liu. Hsiuwen. Billboard. December 21, 2022. September 25, 2023. subscription. September 25, 2023. https://archive.today/20230925185130/https://www.billboard.com/pro/taiwanese-music-artists-popularity-boost-mainland-china/.
  11. News: Pop goes China's taste in music. The Straits Times. 8. December 27, 1988. November 1, 2022.
  12. Asia Falling Under the Influence Of Taiwan's Rock Records. Billboard. Adam. White. 38. August 6, 1994. 0006-2510. November 2, 2022.
  13. A History Of Rock Records. Billboard. R-8. January 22, 2000. November 3, 2019.
  14. Billboard Vol. 110, No. 25. White. Adam. The Sony Classical soundtrack album to the movie is now reported to have sold more than 1 million legitimate copies in the People's Republic of China. Billboard. June 20, 1998. March 19, 2017.
  15. Web site: 中国唱片销量最高的十大歌手, 张学友只排第二,她第一销量 .
  16. Web site: Southeast Asian Personalities of Chinese Descent: Biographical dictionary. Suryadinata. Leo. Leo Suryadinata. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. 2012. September 11, 2023. 1019.
  17. Everyone Gets Involved. Burpee. Geoff. APQ-6. Billboard. August 23, 1997. November 2, 2022.
  18. Fat Sales, Slim Profit. APQ-4. Billboard. March 1, 1997. November 2, 2022.
  19. Web site: The last rock star in China. December 10, 1995. June 9, 2024. subscription. South China Morning Post. Jasper. Becker. The best-selling album in China was Michael Jackson's Bad and that only sold 500,000 copies in a country of 1.2 billion.
  20. News: Band Hits Sour Note in China. Pomfret. John. The Washington Post. Within five months, meanwhile, Sony had sold 500,000 copies of the "Meteor Rain" album and estimated that another 5 million pirated versions had flooded the market.. June 10, 2002. March 19, 2017.
  21. Book: Tan, Kevin. Southeast Asian Personalities of Chinese Descent: A Biographical Dictionary, Volume I & II. Suryadinata. Leo. over 500,000 copies in China in the first week. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. 1020. 2012. 9789814345217. March 19, 2017.
  22. Korean Culture No. 2: K-pop Beyond Asia. Korean Culture and Information Service. Total sales of Rain's new album throughout Asia reached over one million: 100,000 in Japan, 500,000 in China, 70,000 in Taiwan, 150,000 in Thailand, 50,000 in Indonesia, and 154,000 in Korea…. 42. 2015. July 23, 2017.
  23. News: Chinese aim to build a great wall of sound. Far Eastern Economic Review. The Guardian. May 23, 2003. March 19, 2017.
  24. Web site: The making of a star. November 13, 1991. The Straits Times. August 28, 2023. 6.
  25. Web site: "迷"-Cai Xukun sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  26. Web site: "Going to Powerfully Burst"-R1SE sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  27. Web site: MADE . August 24, 2022 . y.saoju.net.
  28. Web site: "Lit"-Lay Zhang sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  29. Web site: "Jay Chou's Bedtime Stories"-Jay Chou sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  30. Web site: "Lover"- Taylor Swift sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  31. Web site: "Wow"- Li Yuchun sales. July 19, 2022. saoju.net. Chinese.
  32. Web site: "New World"- Hua Chenyu sales. July 19, 2022. saoju.net. Chinese.
  33. Web site: "1989"- Taylor Swift sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  34. Web site: "Reputation"- Taylor Swift sales. July 19, 2022. saoju.net. Chinese.
  35. Web site: "Kwon Ji Yong"- G-Dragon sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  36. Web site: "The Album"- BLACKPINK sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  37. Web site: "To the Nines"- Nine Percent sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  38. Web site: "Liu Xing"- Li Yuchun sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  39. Web site: "folklore"- Taylor Swift sales. July 19, 2022. saoju.net. Chinese.
  40. Web site: "Namanana"- Lay sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  41. Web site: "Message in a Bottle"- JJ Lin sales. July 19, 2022. saoju.net. Chinese.
  42. Web site: "Sheep"- Lay sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  43. Web site: "Light"- Xiao Zhan sales. July 19, 2022. saoju.net. Chinese.
  44. Web site: "I Really Want Love This World"- Hua Chenyu sales. July 19, 2022. saoju.net. Chinese.
  45. Web site: 周杰伦 - 最伟大的作品. April 11, 2024. tencentmusic.com. Chinese.
  46. Web site: "No Feelings"- Wang Yibo sales. July 19, 2022. saoju.net. Chinese.
  47. Web site: "The Rules of My World"- Wang Yibo sales. July 19, 2022. saoju.net. Chinese.
  48. Web site: "Young"- Cai Xukun sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  49. Web site: "Won't Cry"- Jay Chou sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  50. Web site: "Mojito"- Jay Chou sales. July 19, 2022. saoju.net. Chinese.
  51. Web site: "No Turning Back"- JJ Lin sales. July 19, 2022. saoju.net. Chinese.
  52. Web site: "EPSILON"- Liu Yuxin sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  53. Web site: "Keep Me By Your Side"- Eason Chan sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  54. Web site: "The Story Of Us"- JJ Lin sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  55. Web site: 周杰伦 - 还在流浪. April 11, 2024. tencentmusic.com. Chinese.
  56. Web site: 周杰伦 - 红颜如箱. April 11, 2024. tencentmusic.com. Chinese.
  57. Web site: "Honey"- Lay sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  58. Web site: 林俊杰 - 原与愁. April 11, 2024. tencentmusic.com. Chinese.
  59. Web site: 周杰伦 - 粉色海洋. April 11, 2024. tencentmusic.com. Chinese.
  60. Web site: "Surround"- Zhang Zhehan sales. July 19, 2022. saoju.net. Chinese.
  61. Web site: "Xplore"- Lu Han sales. July 19, 2022. saoju.net. Chinese.
  62. Web site: "Π-volume.1"- Lu Han sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  63. Web site: "Ye"- Li Yuchun sales. July 19, 2022. saoju.net. Chinese.
  64. Web site: "Song For You"- Roy Wang sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  65. Web site: "Reloaded"- Lu Han sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  66. Web site: "Light of Sanctuary"- JJ Lin sales. July 19, 2022. saoju.net. Chinese.
  67. Web site: "6"- Kris Wu sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  68. Web site: "How You Like That"- BLACKPINK sales. May 21, 2023. saoju.net. Chinese.
  69. Web site: "The Winter Light"- Zhu Zhengting sales. November 23, 2021. saoju.net. Chinese.
  70. Web site: π-volume.3 . August 24, 2022 . y.saoju.net.
  71. Web site: 1K - 就忘了吧. April 11, 2024. tencentmusic.com. Chinese.
  72. Web site: LBI利比 - 小城夏天. April 11, 2024. tencentmusic.com. Chinese.
  73. Web site: 周杰伦 - 倒影. April 11, 2024. tencentmusic.com. Chinese.
  74. Web site: 周杰伦 - 错过的烟火. April 11, 2024. tencentmusic.com. Chinese.