Best-selling albums of 1961

According to the BSA Ranking, the best-selling album released in1961 is the soundtrack to WEST SIDE STORY, with over 5.46 million copies sold. The sales figures throughout this ranking include physical album sales as well as digital track downloads and audio and video streaming, converted into album-equivalent units using industry-standard formulas. For more information, see the certification criteria used in different countries.

★ Highlights:
WEST SIDE STORY is the best-selling soundtrack album released in 1961.
BLUE HAWAII by ELVIS PRESLEY is the best-selling male solo album released in 1961, with over 3.06 million copies sold.
The best-selling compilation album released in 1961 is JOHNNY HORTON'S GREATEST HITS by JOHNNY HORTON, with over 1.12 million copies sold.
JOAN BAEZ, VOLUME 2 by JOAN BAEZ leads both the female solo and live categories among albums released in 1961, with over 500,000 copies sold.

Please note that this ranking reflects the cumulative sales of albums released in 1961, from their original release to date. It does not represent the best-selling albums during the calendar year itself. For annual worldwide best-seller lists, see the IFPI Global Album Charts, published since 2001.

№	Album	Total Sales	BSA Ranking
1	WEST SIDE STORY SOUNDTRACK 1961	5,465,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 1 16 617
2	BLUE HAWAII (SOUNDTRACK) ELVIS PRESLEY 1961	3,065,800	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 2 33 1,436
3	JOHNNY HORTON'S GREATEST HITS JOHNNY HORTON 1961	1,125,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 3 88 4,501
4	MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL RAY CONNIFF 1961	1,000,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 4 181 6,878
5	MY FAVORITE THINGS JOHN COLTRANE 1961	501,547	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 5 234 10,127
6	BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S (SOUNDTRACK) HENRY MANCINI 1961	500,500	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 6 236 10,142
7	EBB TIDE EARL GRANT 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 7 572 13,574
8	SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY ELVIS PRESLEY 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 8 573 13,575
9	JUMP-UP-CALYPSO HARRY BELAFONTE 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 9 574 13,576
10	JOAN BAEZ, VOLUME 2 JOAN BAEZ 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 10 575 13,577
11	JUDY AT CARNEGIE HALL JUDY GARLAND 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 11 576 13,578
12	CALCUTTA ALBUM LAWRENCE WELK 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 12 577 13,579
13	HAPPY TIMES SING ALONG MITCH MILLER & THE GANG 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 13 578 13,580
14	HOLIDAY SING ALONG WITH MITCH MITCH MILLER & THE GANG 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 14 579 13,581
15	STRANGER ON THE SHORE ACKER BILK 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 15 580 13,582
16	PERRY COMO SINGS MERRY CHRISTMAS MUSIC PERRY COMO 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 16 581 13,583
17	THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS AT THE PURPLE ONION SMOTHERS BROTHERS 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 17 582 13,584
18	EXODUS SOUNDTRACK 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 18 583 13,585
19	FLOWER DRUM SONG (ORIGINAL CAST) SOUNDTRACK 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 19 584 13,586
20	MY FAVORITE CHOPIN VAN CLIBURN 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 20 585 13,587
21	BRENDA LEE BRENDA LEE 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 21 586 13,588
22	ITALIAN FAVORITES CONNIE FRANCIS 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 22 587 13,589
23	ALL THE WAY FRANK SINATRA 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 23 588 13,590
24	RING-A-DING DING FRANK SINATRA 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 24 589 13,591
25	MAKE WAY KINGSTON TRIO 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 25 590 13,592
26	SINSATIONAL RUSTY WARREN 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 26 591 13,593
27	UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN SOUNDTRACK 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 27 592 13,594
28	STAN FREBERG PRESENTS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA VOL. I STAN FREBERG 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 28 593 13,595
29	THE FOUR PREPS ON CAMPUS THE FOUR PREPS 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 29 594 13,596
30	GREAT MOTION PICTURE THEMES VARIOUS ARTISTS 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 30 595 13,597
31	OLDIES BUT GOODIES VOL 1 OLDIES BUT GOODIES SERIES 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 31 596 13,598
32	STARS FOR A SUMMER NIGHT VARIOUS ARTISTS 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 32 597 13,599
33	Golden Piano Hits FERRANTE & TEICHER 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 33 598 13,600
34	Love Themes FERRANTE & TEICHER 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 34 599 13,601
35	The World s Greatest Themes FERRANTE & TEICHER 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 35 600 13,602
36	Two Steps from the Blues BOBBY BLAND 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 36 601 13,603
37	Basin Street East PEGGY LEE 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 37 602 13,604
38	77 Sunset Strip Don Ralke 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 38 603 13,605
39	The Swingin's Mutual George Shearing 1961	500,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 39 604 13,606
40	MOENDO CAFÉ POLY 1961	250,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 40 657 18,343
41	ABISMO DE ROSAS/ D.REIS DILERMANO REIS 1961	100,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 41 714 32,765
42	NATAL EM FAMÍLIA POLY 1961	100,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 42 715 32,766
43	THE SHADOWS THE SHADOWS 1961	100,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 43 716 32,767
44	POPULAR MUSIC THAT WILL LIVE FOREVER VARIOUS ARTISTS 1961	70,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 44 725 35,293
45	Nat King Cole Story NAT KING COLE 1961	60,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 45 743 39,474
46	EXPLORATIONS BILL EVANS 1961	39,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 46 756 46,514
47	EL SEÑOR BING BING CROSBY 1961	30,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 47 772 49,851
48	RUSSISCHE LIEDER DON KOSAKEN 1961	25,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 48 778 51,863
49	MUSIK IN DER KLOSTERKIRCHE EINSIEDELN (DIRIGENT DANIEL MEIER) VARIOUS ARTISTS 1961	25,000	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 49 779 51,864
50	AL HIRT GREATEST HORN IN THE WORLD AL HIRT 1961	0	Rank in 1961 Rank in 1960s Overall rank 50 1,102 74,904

1961 albums ranked by sales