20 Albums That Charted Higher Outside the U.S.

Making a great album is one thing. Getting people to buy it is another. And sometimes, an album that barely makes a dent in the American charts ends up finding a much more enthusiastic audience somewhere else. Music tastes don't always translate across borders, and neither do album sales, radio airplay, or an artist's popularity.

Some of the biggest names in music have experienced this firsthand. Tina Turner remained an international powerhouse even when her American chart positions began to slip. David Hasselhoff became a legitimate recording star in German-speaking Europe. Meanwhile, bands like Radiohead and the Ramones initially enjoyed stronger chart positions overseas than they did at home.

These 20 albums reached higher positions on at least one foreign album chart than they did on the U.S. Billboard 200. That doesn't necessarily mean they sold more copies overseas, since chart sizes and markets vary considerably. Still, the differences offer a fascinating look at how differently the same music can be received around the world.

• Artist: Ramones
• Release Date: April 23, 1976
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: No. 111
• Overseas Chart Peak: Sweden (No. 48)

It's hard to imagine punk rock without the Ramones, but their debut album wasn't exactly flying off American record store shelves in 1976. Despite introducing songs like "Blitzkrieg Bop" and "Judy Is a Punk," the record stalled at No. 111 on the Billboard 200. Sweden gave the album a better reception, where it reached No. 48. Of course, neither position tells the whole story. The album eventually became one of punk's most influential recordings, proving that commercial success and musical importance aren't always the same thing.

• Artist: Arcade Fire
• Release Date: September 14, 2004
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: No. 123
• Overseas Chart Peaks: Ireland (No. 16), Portugal (No. 16), Canada (No. 23), Norway (No. 27)

Few debut albums have earned the kind of lasting admiration that Arcade Fire's "Funeral" enjoys. Released in 2004, the record became a defining release of the indie-rock movement, although its initial American chart performance was considerably more modest than its reputation might suggest. It peaked at No. 123 on the Billboard 200, compared with No. 16 in Ireland and Portugal. The Canadian band's debut also reached No. 23 in its home country. Eventually, American listeners caught on, and the album earned gold certification in the United States.

• Artist: Billy Idol
• Release Date: June 29, 1993
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: No. 48
• Overseas Chart Peaks: Austria (No. 5), Finland (No. 5), Australia (No. 12), Germany (No. 13), Switzerland (No. 15), Hungary (No. 18)

Billy Idol embracing electronic music and cyberpunk culture probably wasn't what everyone expected from the man behind "Rebel Yell." His 1993 album was an ambitious attempt to reinvent himself, complete with futuristic imagery, synthesizers, and a very different sound from his earlier work. American audiences were largely unconvinced, and "Cyberpunk" peaked at No. 48. European listeners were considerably more receptive. The album reached No. 5 in Austria and Finland, while also cracking the top 15 in Australia, Germany, and Switzerland. Commercially, the experiment landed quite differently depending on where you lived.

• Artist: The Buggles
• Release Date: November 1981
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: No. 161
• Overseas Chart Peaks: Netherlands (No. 26), Sweden (No. 50)

The Buggles will forever be associated with "Video Killed the Radio Star," the song famously featured in MTV's very first music video broadcast. Their second album, however, didn't enjoy anything close to that level of recognition. Released after Geoff Downes had become involved with Yes, "Adventures in Modern Recording" leaned heavily on Trevor Horn's production talents. American listeners pushed the album only to No. 161, while it performed substantially better in the Netherlands, reaching No. 26. Horn would eventually become one of the most successful producers of the decade, working with artists ranging from Yes to Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

• Artist: The Beach Boys
• Release Date: August 28, 1989
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: No. 46
• Overseas Chart Peaks: Australia (No. 10), Austria (No. 12), Switzerland (No. 25), Germany (No. 26)

The Beach Boys enjoyed an unexpected comeback during the late 1980s, largely thanks to the success of "Kokomo," which reached No. 1 on the American singles chart. Their follow-up album, "Still Cruisin'," combined newer recordings with several familiar Beach Boys classics. Although it reached a respectable No. 46 on the Billboard 200, audiences overseas gave the record an even stronger chart showing. It climbed to No. 10 in Australia and No. 12 in Austria. Not bad for a band whose first major hits had arrived more than 25 years earlier.

• Artist: Creedence Clearwater Revival
• Release Date: April 11, 1972
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: No. 12
• Overseas Chart Peaks: Netherlands (No. 2), Finland (No. 2), Japan (No. 3), Italy (No. 4)

Creedence Clearwater Revival's final studio album is a perfect example of why chart positions don't always reflect critical reception. "Mardi Gras" reached No. 12 in the United States, which sounds perfectly respectable until you consider the band's remarkable run of earlier releases. The album was recorded after Tom Fogerty's departure, with Stu Cook and Doug Clifford taking on larger songwriting and vocal roles. Critics were largely unimpressed, but overseas audiences still responded. It reached No. 2 in both Finland and the Netherlands and No. 3 in Japan. The band broke up later that year.

• Artist: Katy Perry
• Release Date: September 20, 2024
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: No. 6
• Overseas Chart Peaks: Australia (No. 2), Spain (No. 3), Scotland (No. 4)

On paper, a No. 6 debut doesn't sound like a disappointing result. For Katy Perry, however, "143" represented a considerably different level of commercial success from the blockbuster albums that made her one of pop music's defining stars. The album spent just two weeks on the Billboard 200, despite its top-ten debut. Internationally, its initial showing was stronger in several markets, including No. 2 in Australia and No. 3 in Spain. Those positions didn't necessarily translate into a lengthy chart run, but they did demonstrate that Perry's international audience was still willing to show up for a new release.

• Artist: Drake Bell
• Release Date: April 22, 2014
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: No. 182
• Overseas Chart Peak: Mexico (No. 5)

Most Americans know Drake Bell from Nickelodeon's "Drake & Josh," but his music career developed a particularly enthusiastic following in Mexico. His 2014 album, "Ready Steady Go!," blended rockabilly, classic rock, and pop influences, with Stray Cats guitarist Brian Setzer serving as executive producer. The album barely registered on the Billboard 200, peaking at No. 182, but it reached No. 5 on Mexico's albums chart. Bell's success south of the border illustrates just how differently an entertainer's career can develop depending on the audience.

• Artist: Radiohead
• Release Date: March 13, 1995 (UK)
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: No. 88
• Overseas Chart Peaks: United Kingdom (No. 4), Scotland (No. 7), New Zealand (No. 8)

Before Radiohead became one of the most celebrated alternative-rock bands in the world, they were still trying to escape the shadow of their breakthrough single, "Creep." Their second album, "The Bends," helped accomplish that, delivering songs such as "Fake Plastic Trees," "High and Dry," and "Street Spirit (Fade Out)." British audiences embraced the record relatively quickly, sending it to No. 4. American listeners took longer to catch on, with the album eventually reaching No. 88 on the Billboard 200 in 1996. Today, it's widely regarded as one of the defining alternative-rock albums of the 1990s.

• Artist: Pat Benatar
• Release Date: April 1991
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: No. 37
• Overseas Chart Peaks: Finland (No. 17), Canada (No. 22), New Zealand (No. 30)

Pat Benatar built her career on powerful rock anthems, so recording a blues-oriented album in 1991 was a fairly substantial change of direction. Working with longtime musical partner Neil Giraldo and members of the Roomful of Blues, Benatar moved away from the polished rock sound associated with hits like "Hit Me with Your Best Shot." American audiences gave "True Love" a moderate reception, with the album reaching No. 37. Finland responded more enthusiastically, sending it to No. 17, while Canada placed it at No. 22. It remains one of the more unexpected stylistic detours in Benatar's catalog.

• Artist: Thirty Seconds to Mars
• Release Date: September 15, 2023
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: No. 76
• Overseas Chart Peaks: Scotland (No. 6), Switzerland (No. 7), Australia (No. 9)

Thirty Seconds to Mars has never been particularly shy about reinventing its sound, and its 2023 album continued the band's move toward a more electronic, pop-oriented style. With Jared and Shannon Leto at the center of the project, the record produced a relatively modest No. 76 peak on the American Billboard 200. Overseas, however, the album received a stronger chart reception. It reached No. 6 in Scotland, No. 7 in Switzerland, and No. 9 in Australia. The contrast reflected the band's continuing international reach, even as its American album-chart performance declined from earlier releases.

• Artist: David Hasselhoff
• Release Date: June 21, 1989
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: Did not chart
• Overseas Chart Peaks: Switzerland (No. 3), Germany (No. 5), Austria (No. 5)

David Hasselhoff's music career might sound like a punchline to some American listeners, but Germans took the former "Knight Rider" star much more seriously as a singer. His 1989 album "Looking for Freedom" never entered the Billboard 200, yet it reached No. 3 in Switzerland and No. 5 in both Germany and Austria. The title song itself became an enormous European hit, topping the singles charts in all three countries. Hasselhoff famously performed the song near the Berlin Wall on New Year's Eve in 1989, weeks after the border had opened. The album's overseas popularity was anything but imaginary.

• Artist: David Hasselhoff
• Release Date: February 2, 2004
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: Did not chart
• Overseas Chart Peaks: Austria (No. 11), Germany (No. 27)

Fifteen years after "Looking for Freedom," David Hasselhoff was still finding an audience for his music in German-speaking Europe. His 2004 album "David Hasselhoff Sings America" featured interpretations of familiar American songs, including "Rhinestone Cowboy" and "City of New Orleans." The record didn't register on the American Billboard 200, but it reached No. 11 in Austria and No. 27 in Germany. Those aren't blockbuster numbers, but they demonstrate just how durable Hasselhoff's European music career had become. In America, he was primarily a television personality. Overseas, he was also a recording artist with an established following.

• Artist: Tina Turner
• Release Date: April 1, 1996 (Europe)
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: No. 61
• Overseas Chart Peaks: Switzerland (No. 1), Germany (No. 2), Italy (No. 2), United Kingdom (No. 4)

Tina Turner's international popularity was extraordinary, and "Wildest Dreams" provides some pretty convincing evidence. Released in Europe in April 1996, the album featured "GoldenEye," the theme from the James Bond film of the same name, along with contributions from artists including Sting and Barry White. In the United States, the record peaked at No. 61, a relatively modest showing for a performer of Turner's stature. Across Europe, it was another story. "Wildest Dreams" topped the Swiss albums chart, reached No. 2 in Germany and Italy, and climbed to No. 4 in the United Kingdom.

• Artist: Tina Turner
• Release Date: October 28, 1999 (Europe)
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: No. 21
• Overseas Chart Peaks: Switzerland (No. 1), Germany (No. 3), Austria (No. 5), United Kingdom (No. 9)

Tina Turner followed "Wildest Dreams" with another album that demonstrated her remarkable staying power overseas. Released in Europe in late 1999 and in the United States in early 2000, "Twenty Four Seven" reached No. 21 on the Billboard 200. That's hardly a disaster, particularly for an artist who had been recording for decades. However, the album did considerably better across much of Europe, topping the Swiss albums chart and reaching No. 3 in Germany. It also earned platinum certification in the United Kingdom. Turner would support the release with an enormously successful world tour, reinforcing her reputation as one of music's great live performers.

• Artist: Sixto Rodriguez
• Release Date: March 1970
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: Did not chart
• Overseas Chart Peaks: Denmark (No. 4), Australia (No. 11), South Africa (No. 16), primarily on later chart runs

Few stories in music are quite as remarkable as that of Sixto Rodriguez. His 1970 debut album, "Cold Fact," failed to find a significant American audience, and his recording career appeared to end almost before it began. Unbeknownst to Rodriguez, however, his music developed a devoted following in South Africa and Australia. Decades later, the documentary "Searching for Sugar Man" introduced his extraordinary story to a much wider audience. The album subsequently charted internationally, reaching No. 4 in Denmark and No. 11 in Australia in the 2010s. It's an important distinction: those chart positions came long after the album's original release.

• Artist: The Dandy Warhols
• Release Date: September 13, 2005
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: No. 89
• Overseas Chart Peaks: Norway (No. 18), Australia (No. 19)

Portland's Dandy Warhols had already developed a respectable international following by the time "Odditorium or Warlords of Mars" arrived in 2005. Best known for songs like "Bohemian Like You," the band continued exploring its psychedelic and alternative-rock influences on an album that wasn't particularly concerned with following commercial trends. The record peaked at No. 89 in the United States, but performed substantially better in Norway and Australia, where it reached No. 18 and No. 19, respectively. It was another reminder that American alternative-rock bands could develop stronger chart followings overseas than in their own country.

• Artist: Alyssa Milano
• Release Date: May 21, 1991 (Japan)
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: Did not chart
• Overseas Chart Peak: Japan (No. 19)

American audiences grew up watching Alyssa Milano on "Who's the Boss?" and later "Charmed," but many never realized she also enjoyed a recording career in Japan. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Milano released several pop albums aimed largely at the Japanese market. "Locked Inside a Dream" was one of them, reaching No. 19 on Japan's Oricon albums chart in 1991. The record didn't register on the U.S. Billboard 200, and Milano ultimately became far better known for her acting. Still, her Japanese music career was considerably more substantial than many American fans might expect.

• Artist: Nicole Scherzinger
• Release Date: October 2014
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: Did not chart
• Overseas Chart Peaks: United Kingdom (No. 17), Scotland (No. 19), Ireland (No. 39)

As the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, Nicole Scherzinger enjoyed enormous international success. Her solo career, however, followed a rather different path depending on the market. "Big Fat Lie," her second solo studio album, was released in several countries in 2014 but did not receive a comparable American release at the time. It reached No. 17 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 19 in Scotland, while failing to appear on the Billboard 200. Even those overseas results were relatively modest compared with her earlier popularity, but they reflected the stronger solo profile she had developed outside the United States.

• Artist: Faith No More
• Release Date: March 1995
• U.S. Billboard 200 Peak: No. 31
• Overseas Chart Peaks: Australia (No. 2), New Zealand (No. 3), United Kingdom (No. 5)

Faith No More had already established itself as one of alternative metal's most inventive bands when "King for a Day... Fool for a Lifetime" arrived in 1995. The album featured a new guitarist, Trey Spruance, and continued the band's unpredictable mixture of metal, funk, alternative rock, and other influences. In the United States, it reached No. 31 on the Billboard 200, a respectable but unspectacular result. Internationally, the album performed substantially better, climbing to No. 2 in Australia, No. 3 in New Zealand, and No. 5 in the United Kingdom. For Faith No More, some of the most enthusiastic chart audiences were thousands of miles from home.