TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2017 IN U.S.
Artist, Title T. Units Album Sales TEA Units* SEA Units*
Ed Sheeran, (Divide) 2,764,000 1,102,000 581,000 1,081,000
Kendrick Lamar, DAMN. 2,747,000 910,000 217,000 1,620,000
Taylor Swift, Reputation 2,336,000 1,903,000 153,000 280,000
Drake, More Life 2,227,000 363,000 149,000 1,715,000
Bruno Mars, 24K Magic 1,626,000 710,000 320,000 597,000
Post Malone, Stoney 1,564,000 128,000 174,000 1,262,000
Migos, Culture 1,438,000 134,000 156,000 1,149,000
The Weeknd, Starboy 1,408,000 275,000 189,000 945,000
Soundtrack, Moana 1,254,000 709,000 197,000 348,000
Khalid, American Teen 1,220,000 147,000 124,000 950,000
Source: Nielsen Music, for the tracking period Dec. 30, 2016 through Dec. 28, 2017.
*A track equivalent album (TEA) is a term used to describe the sale of music downloads or singles. A track equivalent album is equal to 10 tracks, or 10 songs. TEAs became very important with the rise of the internet, as huge portions of music are now sold as single downloads rather than whole albums.
*Stream equivalent albums (SEA’s) is a term use to describe account for streaming services like Pandora. 1,500 SEA’s is considered to equal one album.
If there is any doubt in your mind that music recycles itself compare Ed Sheeran who had his first major hit at 26 yrs old last year to Michael James Hucknall (Simply Red) who had his first hit in the mid-eighties at 24 yrs old (now pushing sixty).