× ▁plat in um ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁Ph on ographic ▁Indust ry ▁( B PI ) ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁and ▁has ▁sold ▁ 2 , 1 3 8 , 0 3 0 ▁copies , ▁landing ▁at ▁number ▁fifty - three ▁on ▁the ▁list ▁of ▁UK ' s ▁ 1 0 0 ▁best - s elling ▁albums ▁of ▁all ▁time , ▁announced ▁by ▁The ▁Official ▁UK ▁Ch arts ▁Company ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁In ▁Japan , ▁it ▁was ▁cert ified ▁ 2 × ▁million ▁by ▁the ▁Rec ording ▁Indust ry ▁Association ▁of ▁Japan ▁( RI A J ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁a ▁foreign ▁artist ▁achieved ▁that ▁fe at ▁in ▁Japanese ▁music ▁history , ▁and ▁eventually ▁became ▁the ▁best - s elling ▁foreign ▁album ▁with ▁ 2 . 8 ▁million ▁copies ▁sold . ▁The ▁record ▁was ▁later ▁broken ▁by ▁Maria h ▁Care y ' s ▁# 1 ' s , ▁cert ified ▁ 3 × ▁million ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁In ▁Germany , ▁the ▁album ▁has ▁sold ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 . 7 ▁million , ▁ear ning ▁ 3 × ▁plat in um ▁awards ▁by ▁the ▁Bundes verband ▁Musik indust rie ▁( B VM I ). ▁In ▁addition , ▁it ▁ ▁was ▁awarded ▁Diam ond ▁for ▁the ▁sales ▁of ▁over ▁ 1 ▁million ▁in ▁both ▁France ▁and ▁Canada . ▁It ▁was ▁cert ified ▁ 3 × ▁plat in um ▁in ▁Brazil , ▁becoming