Image via Complex Original
Last Wednesday, November 28, Adele reached a milestone that's increasingly impossible these days because of declining album sales. Her sophomore album, the chart-crushing 21, surpassed 10 million copies sold and officially became certified diamond. This ends a drought for the industry that was approaching nine years in length.
It seems very likely that albums going diamond on a somewhat frequent basis is a trend that will never return. But back in the '80s and '90s? Forget about it. Everyone from boy bands to country groups to deceased rappers were rolling in the deep dough at a level not seen in the past decade.
So as a means of celebrating Adele's ongoing success and highlighting her new triumph, we took a look back at every album that's gone platinum. It's a roundup that reveals, among other things, that Garth Brooks is a very, very rich man. Click below to begin.
RELATED: Every No. 1 Song on the Billboard Hot 100 Since 2000
RELATED: A History of Songs That Debuted at No. 1
RELATED: A History of Albums That Went Platinum in One Week
RELATED: Pigeons & Planes - 10 Perfect Albums That Never Went Platinum
Patsy Cline, Patsy Cline's Greatest Hits
Release Date: March 13, 1967
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Release Date: June 1, 1967
Copies Sold: 11x Platinum
The Beatles, The Beatles (The White Album)
Release Date: Nov. 22, 1968
Copies Sold: 19x Platinum
The Beatles, Abbey Road
Release Date: Sept. 26, 1969
Copies Sold: 12x Platinum
Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II
Release Date: Oct. 22, 1969
Copies Sold: 12x Platinum
Elvis Presley, Elvis' Christmas Album
Release Date: Oct. 15, 1970
Copies Sold: 12x Platinum
Carole King, Tapestry
Release Date: Feb. 10, 1971
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin IV
Release Date: Nov. 8, 1971
Copies Sold: 23x Platinum
The Rolling Stones, Hot Rocks 1964–1971
Release Date: Dec. 20, 1972
Copies Sold: 12x Platinum
Simon & Garfunkel, Simon and Garfunkel's Greatest Hits
Release Date: June 14, 1972
Copies Sold: 14x Platinum
Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon
Release Date: March 1, 1973
Copies Sold: 15x Platinum
Led Zeppelin, Houses of the Holy
Release Date: March 28, 1973
Copies Sold: 11x Platinum
The Beatles, 1962-1966
Release Date: April 2, 1973
Copies Sold: 15x Platinum
The Beatles, 1967-1970
Release Date: April 2, 1973
Copies Sold: 17x Platinum
Elton John, Elton John's Greatest Hits
Release Date: Nov. 8, 1974
Copies Sold: 16x Platinum
Led Zeppelin, Physical Graffiti
Release Date: Feb. 24, 1975
Copies Sold: 16x Platinum
Eagles, Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975)
Release Date: Feb. 17, 1976
Copies Sold: 29x Platinum
Boston, Boston
Release Date: July 25, 1976
Copies Sold: 17x Platinum
Stevie Wonder, Songs in the Key of Life
Release Date: Sept. 28, 1976
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
The Doobie Brothers, Best of the Doobie Brothers
Release Date: November 1976
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
James Taylor, Greatest Hits
Release Date: Nov. 1, 1976
Copies Sold: 11x Platinum
Eagles, Hotel California
Release Date: Dec. 15, 1976
Copies Sold: 16x Platinum
Fleetwood Mac, Rumours
Release Date: Feb. 4, 1977
Copies Sold: 19x Platinum
Billy Joel, The Stranger
Release Date: Sept. 29, 1977
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Meat Loaf, Bat out of Hell
Release Date: Oct. 21, 1977
Copies Sold: 14x Platinum
Various Artists, Saturday Night Fever: The Original Movie Soundtrack
Release Date: Nov. 15, 1977
Copies Sold: 15x Platinum
Van Halen, Van Halen
Release Date: Feb. 19, 1978
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Steve Miller Band, Greatest Hits 1974–78
Release Date: November 1978
Copies Sold: 13x Platinum
Pink Floyd, The Wall
Release Date: Nov. 30, 1979
Copies Sold: 23x Platinum
Aerosmith, Greatest Hits
Release Date: October 1980
Copies Sold: 11x Platinum
AC/DC, Back in Black
Release Date: July 25, 1980
Copies Sold: 22x Platinum
Kenny Rogers, Greatest Hits
Release Date: Sept. 23, 1980
Copies Sold: 12x Platinum
Eagles, Eagles Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
Release Date: Nov. 13, 1982
Copies Sold: 11x Platinum
Michael Jackson, Thriller
Release Date: Nov. 30, 1982
Copies Sold: 29x Platinum
Def Leppard, Pyromania
Release Date: Jan. 20, 1983
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
ZZ Top, Eliminator
Release Date: March 23, 1983
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Lionel Richie, Can't Slow Down
Release Date: Oct. 11, 1983
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Madonna, Like a Virgin
Release Date: Nov. 12, 1984
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Van Halen, 1984
Release Date: Jan. 9, 1984
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Bob Marley & the Wailers, Legend
Release Date: May 8, 1984
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Prince, Purple Rain
Release Date: June 25, 1984
Copies Sold: 13x Platinum
Bruce Springsteen, Born in the U.S.A.
Release Date: June 4, 1984
Copies Sold: 15x Platinum
Phil Collins, No Jacket Required
Release Date: Jan. 25, 1985
Copies Sold: 12x Platinum
Whitney Houston, Whitney Houston
Release Date: Feb. 14, 1985
Copies Sold: 13x Platinum
The Doors, The Best of the Doors
Release Date: November 1985
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Billy Joel, Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II
Release Date: July 1, 1985
Copies Sold: 23x Platinum
Bon Jovi, Slippery When Wet
Release Date: Aug. 18, 1986
Copies Sold: 12x Platinum
Bruce Springsteen, Live/1975-85
Release Date: Nov. 10, 1986
Copies Sold: 13x Platinum
U2, The Joshua Tree
Release Date: March 9, 1987
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Def Leppard, Hysteria
Release Date: Aug. 3, 1987
Copies Sold: 12x Platinum
Various Artists, Dirty Dancing: Motion Picture Soundtrack
Release Date: Aug. 21, 1987
Copies Sold: 11x Platinum
George Michael, Faith
Release Date: Oct. 30, 1987
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Guns N' Roses, Appetite for Destruction
Release Date: July 21, 1987
Copies Sold: 18x Platinum
Journey, Greatest Hits
Release Date: Nov. 15, 1988
Copies Sold: 15x Platinum
Garth Brooks, Garth Brooks
Release Date: April 12, 1989
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
MC Hammer, Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em
Release Date: Feb. 12, 1990
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Garth Brooks, No Fences
Release Date: Aug. 27, 1990
Copies Sold: 17x Platinum
Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin (Boxed Set)
Release Date: Oct. 29, 1990
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Madonna, The Immaculate Collection
Release Date: Nov. 9, 1990
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Metallica, Metallica (The Black Album)
Release Date: Aug. 12, 1991
Copies Sold: 15x Platinum
Pearl Jam, Ten
Release Date: Aug. 27, 1991
Copies Sold: 13x Platinum
Garth Brooks, Ropin' the Wind
Release Date: Sept. 10, 1991
Copies Sold: 14x Platinum
Nirvana, Nevermind
Release Date: Sept. 24, 1991
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Eric Clapton, Unplugged
Release Date: Aug. 25, 1992
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Kenny G, Breathless
Release Date: Oct. 20, 1992
Copies Sold: 12x Platinum
Whitney Houston, The Bodyguard
Release Date: Nov. 17, 1992
Copies Sold: 17x Platinum
Mariah Carey, Music Box
Release Date: Aug. 31, 1993
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Greatest Hits
Release Date: Nov. 16, 1993
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Green Day, Dookie
Release Date: Feb. 1, 1994
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Various Artists, The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Release Date: May 31, 1994
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Various Artists, Forrest Gump
Release Date: June 28, 1994
Copies Sold: 12x Platinum
Hootie and the Blowfish, Cracked Rear View
Release Date: July 5, 1994
Copies Sold: 16x Platinum
Boyz II Men, II
Release Date: Aug. 30, 1994
Copies Sold: 12x Platinum
TLC, CrazySexyCool
Release Date: Nov. 15, 1994
Copies Sold: 11x Platinum
Garth Brooks, The Hits
Release Date: Dec. 13, 1994
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Shania Twain, The Woman in Me
Release Date: Feb. 7, 1995
Copies Sold: 12x Platinum
Jewel, Pieces of You
Release Date: Feb. 28, 1995
Copies Sold: 12x Platinum
Alanis Morissette, Jagged Little Pill
Release Date: June 13, 1995
Copies Sold: 16x Platinum
Mariah Carey, Daydream
Release Date: Oct. 3, 1995
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
No Doubt, Tragic Kingdom
Release Date: Oct. 10, 1995
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
The Smashing Pumpkins, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Release Date: Oct. 24, 1995
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Celine Dion, Falling Into You
Release Date: March 8, 1996
Copies Sold: 11x Platinum
Matchbox Twenty, Yourself or Someone Like You
Release Date: Oct. 1, 1996
Copies Sold: 12x Platinum
The Notorious B.I.G., Life After Death
Release Date: March 25, 1997
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Backstreet Boys, Backstreet Boys
Release Date: Aug. 12, 1997
Copies Sold: 14x Platinum
Celine Dion, Let's Talk About Love
Release Date: Nov. 14, 1997
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Various Artists, Titantic: Music from the Motion Picture
Release Date: Nov. 18, 1997
Copies Sold: 11x Platinum
Garth Brooks, Sevens
Release Date: Nov. 25, 1997
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Shania Twain, Come on Over
Release Date: Nov. 4, 1997
Copies Sold: 20x Platinum
Dixie Chicks, Wide Open Spaces
Release Date: Jan. 27, 1998
Copies Sold: 12x Platinum
NSYNC, NSYNC
Release Date: March 24, 1998
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Kid Rock, Devil Without a Cause
Release Date: Aug. 18, 1998
Copies Sold: 11x Platinum
2Pac, Greatest Hits
Release Date: Nov. 24, 1998
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Garth Brooks, Double Live
Release Date: Nov. 25, 1998
Copies Sold: 21x Platinum
Britney Spears, ...Baby One More Time
Release Date: Jan. 12, 1999
Copies Sold: 14x Platinum
Backstreet Boys, Millenium
Release Date: May 18, 1999
Copies Sold: 13x Platinum
Santana, Supernatural
Release Date: June 15, 1999
Copies Sold: 15x Platinum
Dixie Chicks, Fly
Release Date: Aug. 31, 1999
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Creed, Human Clay
Release Date: Sept. 28, 1999
Copies Sold: 11x Platinum
NSYNC, No Strings Attached
Release Date: March, 21, 2000
Copies Sold: 11x Platinum
Britney Spears, Oops!... I Did It Again
Release Date: May 16, 2000
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP
Release Date: May 23, 2000
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Linkin Park, Hybrid Theory
Release Date: Oct. 24, 2000
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
The Beatles, 1
Release Date: Nov. 13, 2000
Copies Sold: 11x Platinum
Norah Jones, Come Away With Me
Release Date: Feb. 26, 2002
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Eminem, The Eminem Show
Release Date: May 28, 2002
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Shania Twain, Up!
Release Date: Nov. 18, 2002
Copies Sold: 11x Platinum
Outkast, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
Release Date: Sept. 23, 2003
Copies Sold: 11x Platinum
Usher, Confessions
Release Date: March 23, 2004
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum
Adele, 21
Release Date: Jan. 19, 2011
Copies Sold: 10x Platinum