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[MelMel]

Adele?s 25 and Drake?s Views are the most popular albums of 2016. But which came out on top? That?s a surprisingly complicated question. Adele?s 25 has sold more copies than any other album this year, though Views pulls ahead if you factor in digital track sales and streaming activity ? what the music industry calls ?equivalent units.?

Here are the 15 best-selling albums in 2016, in terms of traditional album sales, according to Nielsen Music. At the end of each entry, I indicate the album?s rank on the year?s Track Equivalent Albums (TEA) chart. That chart factors in sales of digital tracks from the album.

15. Metallica, ?Hardwired ? to Self-Destruct?
432,000

Metallica has placed an album in the year-end top 10 four times. TEA rank: No. 26.

14. David Bowie, ?Blackstar?
448,000 copies

TEA rank: No. 25.

13. Prince & The Revolution, ?Purple Rain?
487,000

It?s the year?s top-selling soundtrack. TEA rank: No. 17.

12. Panic! at the Disco, ?Death of a Bachelor?
506,000

This is the band?s highest ranking on a year-end chart. Its previous highest rank came in 2006, when 'A Fever You Can?t Sweat Out' ranked at No. 26. TEA rank: No. 13.

11. Blake Shelton, ?If I?m Honest?
522,000

This is the second time that Shelton has had an album in the year?s top 15. 'Based on a True Story?' was No. 9 for 2013. TEA rank: No. 12.

10. Justin Bieber, ?Purpose?
543,000 (1,269,000 million in 2015, when it ranked No. 3 for the year)

This is the fifth time that Bieber has had one of the year?s top 10 albums. TEA rank: No. 7.

9. Rihanna, ?Anti?
591,000

Surprisingly, this marks the first time that Rihanna has had one of the year?s top 10 albums. Her previous highest ranking on a year-end chart was in 2008, when 'Good Girls Gone Bad' ranked No. 16. TEA rank: No. 6.

8. Pentatonix, ?A Pentatonix Christmas?
639,000

This is the second time that the vocal group has had an album in the year?s top 10. 'That?s Christmas to Me' was No. 4 for 2014. This is the third consecutive year that Pentatonix has had the year?s top Christmas album. Nobody else has taken that title three years in a row in the Nielsen Music era. TEA rank: No. 11.

7. Prince, ?The Very Best of Prince?
660,000 (more than 2 million prior to this year)

This is the highest ranking for an album by an artist who had died since 2009, when Michael Jackson?s 'Number Ones' was the year?s No. 3 album. TEA rank: No. 8.

6. Twenty One Pilots, ?Blurryface?
678,000 (592,000 in 2015, when it ranked No. 19 for the year)

This is the highest ranking for an album by a rock artist since 2013, when Imagine Dragons? 'Night Visions' was the year?s No. 4 album. It?s the highest ranking for an album by a duo since 2013, when Florida Georgia Line?s 'Here?s to the Good Times' was the year?s No. 6 album. TEA rank: No. 5.

5. ?Hamilton? Original Cast Album
739,000 (169,000 in 2015, when it ranked No. 110 for the year)

This is by far the highest ranking for a Broadway cast album in the Nielsen Music era. TEA rank: No. 10.

4. Chris Stapleton, ?Traveller?
1,042,000 (685,000 it sold in 2015, when it ranked No. 14 for the year)

This is the highest ranking for a country album since 2013, when Luke Bryan?s 'Crash My Party' was the year?s No. 3 album. This was Stapleton?s first solo album; it?s the year?s top debut album. TEA rank: No. 4.

3. Beyonc?, ?Lemonade?
1,527,000

This is the eighth time Beyonc? has had an album in the year?s top 10 (counting two albums she recorded with Destiny?s Child). She?s the only artist in the Nielsen Music era who can make that claim. This is Beyonc??s highest ranking to date. Her former personal best was shared by 'Dangerously in Love' (No. 6 for 2003) and 'Beyonc?' (No. 6 for 2014). TEA rank: No. 3.

2. Drake, ?Views?
1,579,000

This is the fifth time that Drake has had an album in the year?s top 10. Among hip-hop artists, only Eminem has had more years with an album in the year?s top 10 (six). This is Drake?s highest year-end ranking to date, topping 'If You?re Reading This It?s Too Late,' which finished No. 5 for 2015. This is the highest ranking for a rap album since 2013, when Eminem?s 'The Marshall Mathers LP 2' was the year?s No. 2 album. It?s the highest ranking for an album by a Canadian artist since 2011, when Michael Bubl??s 'Christmas' was the year?s No. 2 album. TEA rank: No. 1.

1. Adele, ?25?
1,684,000 (7,441,000 in 2015, when it also ranked No. 1 for the year)

This is the fourth time that Adele has had the year?s top-selling album. Her previous album, '21,' was No. 1 for both 2011 and 2012. No other artist has had the year?s top-seller more than twice. TEA rank: No. 2.

https://www.yahoo.com/music/top-15-albums-2016-slideshow-wp-000902015.html

[Nine]

9. Rihanna, ?Anti?
591,000

3. Beyonc?, ?Lemonade?
1,527,000

[FRANCE]

So anti did 1.591...fantastic!!

[GRAND]

Wtf

[CHOKE]

Nav'?

[FlowerBomb]

kkkkkk the way choke POPS up

[Nine]

So anti did 0.591...fantastic!!

[MelMel]

This is the eighth time Beyonc? has had an album in the year?s top 10 (counting two albums she recorded with Destiny?s Child). She?s the only artist in the Nielsen Music era who can make that claim.

Surprisingly, this marks the first time that Rihanna has had one of the year?s top 10 albums. Her previous highest ranking on a year-end chart was in 2008, when 'Good Girls Gone Bad' ranked No. 16.

[CHOKE]

This is the eighth time Beyonc? has had an album in the year?s top 10 (counting two albums she recorded with Destiny?s Child). She?s the only artist in the Nielsen Music era who can make that claim.

Surprisingly, this marks the first time that Rihanna has had one of the year?s top 10 albums. Her previous highest ranking on a year-end chart was in 2008, when 'Good Girls Gone Bad' ranked No. 16.

[Nine]

This is the eighth time Beyonc? has had an album in the year?s top 10 (counting two albums she recorded with Destiny?s Child). She?s the only artist in the Nielsen Music era who can make that claim.

Surprisingly, this marks the first time that Rihanna has had one of the year?s top 10 albums. Her previous highest ranking on a year-end chart was in 2008, when 'Good Girls Gone Bad' ranked No. 16.

I'm giggling

[CHOKE]

591

[KING BENTLEY.]

@ Adele with 9 mill in a year

[BAPHOMET.]

This is the eighth time Beyonc? has had an album in the year?s top 10 (counting two albums she recorded with Destiny?s Child). She?s the only artist in the Nielsen Music era who can make that claim.

Surprisingly, this marks the first time that Rihanna has had one of the year?s top 10 albums. Her previous highest ranking on a year-end chart was in 2008, when 'Good Girls Gone Bad' ranked No. 16.

[RAY7]

Come through with the REAL numbers then Soundscan!

[MelMel]

let me get my scissors to cut these damn curls off.