Shania Twain's 1997 release "Come On Over" further entrenched itself this month as the top-selling country music album of all time. Meanwhile, ‘NSync logged the top-selling album of 2000, and the Beatles received certification for most album sales in 2000, according to the Recording Industry Association’s year-end statistics.

“Come On Over” (Mercury Nashville) was certified for sales of more than 18 million in December, and is tied with Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumors” as the sixth-best selling U.S. album of all time. Twain's follow-up, 1999's "The Woman in Me," was certified 12-times platinum in December, according to the RIAA.

Jive Records capped a very successful year with five new multi-platinum certifications. Britney Spears' 1999 debut, "...Baby One More Time," hit the RIAA's 13-million mark in December, and her May 2000 release, "Oops ... I Did It Again," was certified eight times platinum. 'NSync's "No Strings Attached" picked up a diamond certification--representing sales of 10 million--in December, while rival boy group Backstreet Boys reached the 8-million mark with "Black & Blue." Jive artist R. Kelly's "TP2.com" was certified for sales of two million units in December.

'NSync, Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys combined to sell 31 million albums for Jive in 2000, according to the RIAA. ‘NSync’s “No Strings Attached” sold more than 10 million copies, earning RIAA honors as the top selling album of 2000. After factoring in albums by R. Kelly, Mystikal, Aaron Carter and others, the Jive label was found on nearly 40 million recordings sold in 2000.

"Forty million records in a single year for an independent label is astounding and is a testament to both their marketing savvy and true understanding of their audience," RIAA president and CEO Hilary Rosen said in a statement.

The second-best selling album of 2000 was Santana’s “Supernatural,” according to the RIAA. Eminem’s “The Marshall Mathers LP” (Interscope) came in third. Dr. Dre’s “2001” (Aftermath) and Creed’s “Human Clay” (Wind-Up) round out the year’s top 5.

Despite the fact that the group broke up more than 30 years ago, the Beatles received RIAA certification for the sales of more than 18 million albums in 2000, making them the highest-certified artist of 2000. The latest greatest hits collection “1” (Capitol) was certified for sales of 5 million copies in December, and eight Beatles albums in the Capitol Records catalog received RIAA certification upgrades in 2000. With 156 million albums sold in the U.S., the RIAA ranks the Beatles as the top-selling artist of all time.

December highlights

Limp Bizkit, DMX and Godsmack--all artists who toured under the Anger Management Tour banner in 2000--each picked up platinum or multi-platinum certifications in December, according to the RIAA. Limp Bizkit’s “Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water” (Interscope) was certified for sales of more than 4 million, and Godsmack’s “Awake” (Republic/Universal) hit the one-million sales mark.

DMX picked up certifications for two Def Jam releases--“Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood” (3 million) and “It’s Dark and Hell is Hot” (4 million)--in December.

Dixie Chicks’ 1999 release “Fly” (Monument), Christina Aguilera’s self-titled RCA Records debut, and Creed’s “Human Clay” (Wind-Up) were each certified for sales of 8 million in December. Faith Hill’s “Breathe” (Warner Bros.), Creed’s “My Own Prison” (Wind-Up) and Nelly’s “Country Grammar” (Universal) hit the 5-million mark.

Other multi-platinum certifications went to 3 Doors Down for “The Better Life” (4 million), Lonestar’s “Lonely Grill” (3 million), Pink’s “Can’t Take Me Home” (2 million), Sade’s “Lovers Rock” (2 million), Ricky Martin’s “Sound Loaded” (2 million), and Jay-Z’s “The Dynasty: Roc-La-Familia (2 million).