as far as i know Linkin Park is a nu metal band (if that counds) in which they sold to date, about 19 million copies of Hybrid Theory and about 11 million copies of Meteora so in total it would be about 30 MILLION copies to date!

Metallica has sold approximately 90 million copies to date . That would seem to put them way ahead of most metal bands. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metallica

iron maiden have sold over 100million albums world wide an each album is usually allways in the top ten with each single also in the top ten. the new album matter of life and death is in the top 10 in over 30 countries. not bad for a band thats been around thirty years

"Bon Jovi - Bon Jovi has sold more than 33 million albums in the United States, and over 110 million albums worldwide. Slippery When Wet sold over 12 million copies alone." Source: http://www.metaljesusrocks.com/archives/81

Arguably Metallica's heaviest album, the glorious RIDE THE LIGHTNING comes in at #3rd best selling metal album! This was the album that really started getting Metallica recognized around the world. It was followed up with MASTER OF PUPPETS ( Just listen to "Damage Inc." or "Battery" and even today they still stand up against what has come along.)which is really what put them on the map.Master of puppets is the #1 selling metal album of all time. However, the impact of RIDE THE LIGHTNING was definitely felt with "hits" like "Fade To Black", and "For Whom The Bell Tolls" to lesser hailed (but equally memorable) tracks like "Escape" and "Creeping Death".Metallica is a band that opened many doors for a lot of fans/bands. They also opened many doors and provided a lot of listeners with a gateway to other more extreme bands. Sadly, much of their material post "the black album" hardly qualifies as heavy metal. The second best selling album of all time is "Number of Beasts". Culling fans from all areas of the metal spectrum, Iron Maiden, clearly are one of the true innovators in heavy metal. The intro to the track "Number of the Beast" has become one of the "prayers" of heavy metal with just about every fan knowing it word for word.Iron Maiden's POWERSLAVE is a monster of an album. After the success of NUMBER OF THE BEAST and its follow up PIECE OF MIND, Iron Maiden was hard pressed to deliver an album that would match its predecessors. They would not disappoint as POWERSLAVE, with its instant classic tracks including "2 Minutes to Midnight" and the epic "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" would cement Iron Maiden at the forefront of the metal world and spawn the massive and seemingly never-ending World Slavery Tour.making for the third entry in the top ten best selling albums with piece of mind, Maiden forever will be a classic of the metal genre..

I should think its the old 3/4" Galvanised one..

AC/DC or are they hard rock?? I would have to say Metallica.

metallica pink floyd's-"dark side of the moon" was one of the highest selling records and my fav then MJ threw a monkey wrench with "thriller" sold more copies then anyother CD "album" ever

I think Metallica, but I think they're neck and neck with Iron Maiden now. Obviously Maiden has been around more, and has alot more albums out. However, Metallica gets probably the most air play of any metal band ( ever since releasing one off the Justice album) Metallica has always had consistant airplay, and commericalism going for them. I'm not saying they sold out. I'm a Metallica fan, but I think Maiden has proven more with their #'s. More albums and I think the last Video I saw of Maiden on MTV was Can I play with Madness (released in 88'). The last song I heard on the radio was "Wickerman" off their 2001 release Brave New World, and it was played only to plug the concert that was coming to town. I think Maiden deserves alot more respect. They sold more than a 100 Million basically by word of mouth from fans. That's awesome!

I know that Cannibal Corpse is the best selling death metal band of all time, but i'm not sure about all metal.

if you're talking from a marketing stand point i would say "KISS" are the kings!

Metallica. But, it depends on how you define "metal".

Metallica

im going to be really sad if its not ACDC

I would say Metallica