Nielsen SoundScan released their 2003 year-end sales data report which accounts for CD sales tracked by the company from January 1st, 2003 through December 28th, 2003. 

The organization also released a list of the biggest selling CDs since the SoundScan system was implemented in 1991, as well as a genre sales report which showed rock sales in a positive trend while rap and R&B sales dropped from 2002. 

2003 Top Ten Selling CDS 

(Position – artist – cd – units sold)
01 -50 Cent – "Get Rich Or Die Tryin'" - 6,535,809
02 -Norah Jones – "Come Away With Me" - 5,137,468
03 -Linkin Park – "Meteora" - 3,478,361
04 -Evanescence – "Fallen" - 3,364,738
05 -Outkast – "Speakerboxx-Love" - 3,089,849
06 -Beyonce - "Dangerously In Love" - 2,527,485
07 -R -Kelly – "Chocolate Factory" - 2,439,536
08 -Hilary Duff – "Metamorphosis" - 2,405,544
09 -Toby Keith – "Shock N Y'all" 2,324,437
10 -Coldplay – "Rush Of Blood To The Head" - 2,183,997

Top Ten Selling CDs Of Soundscan Era 

(Position – artist – cd – units sold)
01 -Shania Twain – "Come On Over" - 14,896,911
02 -Alanis Morisette – "Jagged Little Pill" - 14,200,822
03 -Metallica – "Metallica" - 13,803,308
04 -Backstreet Boys – "Millennium" - 12,056,675
05 -Various – "Bodyguard" (Soundtrack) - 11,741,779
06 -Santana – "Supernatural" - 11,333,627
07 -Creed – "Human Clay" - 11,291,067
08 -N Sync – "No Strings Attached" - 11,069,789
09 -Celine Dion – "Falling Into You" - 10,614,005
10 -Britney Spears – "Baby One More Time" - 10,472,878

2003 Genre CD Sales Report

(genre – units sold 2003 – units sold 2002) 
Alternative - 128,375,000  (2003) -- 126,375,000 (2002)
Classical - 18,853,000  (2003) -- 21,527,000  (2002)
Country - 69,311,000  (2003) -- 76,905,000  (2002)
Jazz - 23,060,000  (2003) -- 22,642,000  (2002)
Latin - 27,401,000  (2003) -- 23,742,000  (2002)
Metal - 73,816,000  (2003) -- 74,677,000  (2002)
R&B - 150,789,000  (2003) -- 161,927,000  (2002)
Rap - 77,162,000  (2003) -- 84,553,000  (2002)
Christian/Gospel: 47,083,000  (2003) -- 49,664,000  (2002)
Soundtrack: 32,623,000  (2003) -- 36,817,000  (2002)
New Age: 5,662,000 (2003) -- 7,145,000  (2002)
 

.