Top-Selling Debut Albums by Female Artists

Olivia Rodrigo's 'SOUR' and Alanis Morissette's 'Jagged Little Pill' are among the most impactful debut albums by female artists, setting significant sales and critical benchmarks.

The top 3

1. Olivia Rodrigo's 'SOUR' Breaks Streaming Records: Olivia Rodrigo's debut album 'SOUR' achieved massive commercial success, becoming the second best-selling album of 2021 and topping charts in 18 countries. It holds the global Spotify record for the biggest opening week for an album by a female artist and was the first debut album to produce two number-one debuts on the US Billboard Hot 100 with 'Drivers License' and 'Good 4 U'.
2. Alanis Morissette's 'Jagged Little Pill' Global Phenomenon: Alanis Morissette's 'Jagged Little Pill', released in 1995, sold over 33 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time and the best-selling solo album and best-selling debut album of all time by a female artist. It topped charts in 13 countries and was the best-selling album globally in 1996.
3. Other Legendary Female Debut Albums: Whitney Houston's self-titled debut album (1985) remains the biggest-selling debut album of all time by a solo artist. Norah Jones's 'Come Away with Me' (2002) is also among the best-selling debut albums by a female artist, with over 27 million copies sold worldwide.

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