Here is a list of the 100 highest-ranked albums on Acclaimed Music that have not yet received any certification from the RIAA. The minimum certification an album can get from the RIAA is gold, which accounts now for 500,000 units shipped.

1. The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) AM #4
2. Patti Smith - Horses (1975) AM #19
3. Television - Marquee Moon (1977) AM #25
4. Massive Attack - Blue Lines (1991) AM #32
5. Ramones - Ramones (1976) AM #37
6. James Brown - Live at the Apollo (1963) AM #40
7. Joy Division - Closer (1980) AM #41
8. Stevie Wonder - Innervisions (1973) AM #42
9. Love - Forever Changes (1967) AM #49
10. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica (1969) AM #54
11. The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses (1989) AM #55
12. Otis Redding - Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul (1965) #61
13. David Bowie - Hunky Dory (1972) AM #62
14. Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures (1979) AM #64
15. Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation (1989) AM #72
16. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless (1992) AM #74
17. Lou Reed - Transformer (1972) AM #78
18. The Stooges - Funhouse (1970) AM #83
19. The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy (1986) #84
20. Primal Scream - Screamadelica (1991) AM #85
21. David Bowie - Low (1977) AM #89
22. Iggy & The Stooges - Raw Power (1973) AM #90
23. DJ Shadow - Endtroducing... (1996) AM #91
24. Kraftwerk - Trans-Europa Express (1977) AM #92
25. Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones (1983) AM #100
26. Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis (1969) AM #103
27. Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure (1973) AM #107
28. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (2005) AM #110
29. Stevie Wonder - Talking Book (1972) AM #111
30. Tom Waits - Rain Dogs (1985) AM #114
31. Bob Marley & The Wailers - Natty Dread (1974) AM #117
32. Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel (1974) AM #122
33. Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted (1992) AM #124
34. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion (2009) AM #128
35. New York Dolls - New York Dolls (1973) AM #136
36. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver (2007) AM #137
37. Neil Young - Tonight's the Night (1975) AM #142
38. The Wailers - Catch a Fire (1973) AM #144
39. Air - Moon Safari (1998) AM #147
40. Gang of Four - Entertainment! (1979) AM #148
41. Tricky - Maxinquaye (1995) AM #149
42. Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left (1969) AM #151
43. Pulp - Different Class (1995) AM #153
44. T. Rex - Electric Warrior (1971) AM #154
45. The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin (1999) AM #155
46. The Flying Burrito Brothers - The Gilded Palace of Sin (1969) AM #161
47. Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967) AM #162
48. Blur - Parklife (1994) AM #164
49. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006) AM #165
50. The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground (1969) AM #172
51. The Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968) AM #174
52. PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love (1995) AM #175
53. The Stooges - The Stooges (1969) AM #181
54. Suicide - Suicide (1977) AM #184
55. Kate Bush - Hounds of Love (1985) AM #186
56. The Kinks - The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (1968) AM #187
57. Lou Reed - Berlin (1973) AM #188
58. The Velvet Underground - White Light/White Heat (1968) AM #190
59. MC5 - Kick Out the Jams (1969) AM #191
60. The Smiths - The Smiths (1984) AM #192
61. The Modern Lovers - The Modern Lovers (1976) AM #193
62. The Specials - Specials (1979) AM #194
63. Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom (1974) AM #196
64. Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On (1973) AM #202
65. Roxy Music - Roxy Music (1972) AM #203
66. Husker Du - Zen Arcade (1984) AM #204
67. The Mothers of Invention - We're Only in It for the Money (1968) AM #205
68. Public Image Ltd. - Metal Box/Second Edition (1979) AM #208
69. Frank Zappa - Hot Rats (1969) AM #209
70. The Velvet Underground - Loaded (1970) AM #211
71. Eno - Another Green World (1975) AM #212
72. Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come (Soundtrack) (1972) AM #213
73. The Streets - Original Pirate Material (2002) AM #215
74. Antony & The Johnsons - I Am a Bird Now (2005) AM #218
75. Can - Tago Mago (1972) AM #220
76. Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994) AM #223
77. David Bowie - "Heroes" (1977) AM #224
78. Nick Drake - Bryter Layter (1970) AM #225
79. Pere Ubu - The Modern Dance (1978) AM #226
80. The Jam - All Mod Cons (1978) AM #227
81. Prefab Sprout - Two Wheels Good (1985) AM #228
82. The Byrds - Younger Than Yesterday (1967) AM #229
83. Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun (1999) AM #232
84. The Replacements - Let It Be (1984) AM #233
85. Belle & Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister (1996) AM #234
86. The Mothers of Invention - Freak Out! (1966) AM #236
87. The Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man (1965) AM #239
88. Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Imperial Bedroom (1982) AM #240
89. Wire - Pink Flag (1977) AM #241
90. The Byrds - The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968) AM #242
91. The Pogues - Rum Sodomy & the Lash (1985) AM #248
92. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (2008) AM #249
93. The Who - The Who Sings My Generation (1966) AM #251
94. Iggy Pop - Lust for Life (1977) AM #256
95. The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs (1999) AM #260
96. Burial - Untrue (2008) AM #261
97. Kraftwerk - The Man-Machine (1978) AM #262
98. The Who - The Who Sell Out (1967) AM #269
99. Nick Drake - Pink Moon (1972) AM #270
100. Joanna Newsom - Ys (2006) AM #271

Innervisions didn't sell 500,000 copies?

No doubt it has, and probably much more. In fact, I'm guessing alot of these have sold more than 500,000 copies. The RIAA, especially for older releases prior to SoundScan technology (before 1991) the actual sales data for any record is suspect. The certification process is actually very complicated, because you need to remember that RIAA certs are for SHIPPED, not SOLD albums. When you go to the ol' Walmart and see 100 copies of Nickelback and Taylor Swift, those are counted as shipped copies, and count when assessing gold/platinum records. These certifications are not really for the artist, they are about RECORD LABEL VANITY. The way you apply for gold/platnium record is for the record label to provide detailed financial records indicating how many units of an album shipped to retailers, something that must be verified at the record company's OWN EXPENSE. When Arcade Fire had Funeral and The Suburbs both certified gold I was amazed because I didn't think Merge would be the willing to pay up to check on something like that. Its not something the RIAA just does on their own. This leads to alot of albums being uncercertified. Now, there are some albums that are OVERcertified when comparing their shipped/sold rate (think boy bands/teenybop stuff from the late 90s and Christmas albums) but ever since the CD market imploded, record companies don't ship nearly as much bulk product and are much more efficient in how they give albums to retailers.

If the artist is not pressuring the record label to audit their shipped total, then it won't happen. This also comes into play whenever you hear about record companies being sued by artists over unpaid royalties. Some don't pressure at all (Stevie Wonder, The Who by looking at the list) and other artists are well known for doing it (Garth Brooks, The Beatles, Michael Jackson.) Obviously things have changed rapidly in the past 5 years due to online retail and digital distribution (leading to much more accurate singles certification) but most music is still sold physically. And the further we get away from those artist's heydays, the less likely is will be for the companies to provide accurate data for the certification process (if they already haven't lost it.)

So list can be broken down in a few ways. You have the undercertified albums by major artists:

1. The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) AM #4
2. Patti Smith - Horses (1975) AM #19
5. Ramones - Ramones (1976) AM #37
6. James Brown - Live at the Apollo (1963) AM #40
8. Stevie Wonder - Innervisions (1973) AM #42
12. Otis Redding - Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul (1965) #61
13. David Bowie - Hunky Dory (1972) AM #62
21. David Bowie - Low (1977) AM #89
26. Dusty Springfield - Dusty in Memphis (1969) AM #103
29. Stevie Wonder - Talking Book (1972) AM #111
31. Bob Marley & The Wailers - Natty Dread (1974) AM #117
37. Neil Young - Tonight's the Night (1975) AM #142
38. The Wailers - Catch a Fire (1973) AM #144
51. The Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968) AM #174
64. Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On (1973) AM #202
72. Jimmy Cliff - The Harder They Come (Soundtrack) (1972) AM #213
77. David Bowie - "Heroes" (1977) AM #224
82. The Byrds - Younger Than Yesterday (1967) AM #229
87. The Byrds - Mr. Tambourine Man (1965) AM #239
90. The Byrds - The Notorious Byrd Brothers (1968) AM #242
93. The Who - The Who Sings My Generation (1966) AM #251
98. The Who - The Who Sell Out (1967) AM #269

Big names, all with a big back catalogue. Putting VU & Nico on this list is a judgement call on my part, along with all of the Byrd albums (they were way too big at one point to not sell that amount, unless all these records were taken out of print and replaced with a standard Greatest Hits package.) Same thing with Bob Marley (Legend takes up all Marley sales.)

Then you have the smaller-scale classics:

3. Television - Marquee Moon (1977) AM #25
9. Love - Forever Changes (1967) AM #49
10. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica (1969) AM #54
17. Lou Reed - Transformer (1972) AM #78
18. The Stooges - Funhouse (1970) AM #83
22. Iggy & The Stooges - Raw Power (1973) AM #90
25. Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones (1983) AM #100
30. Tom Waits - Rain Dogs (1985) AM #114
32. Gram Parsons - Grievous Angel (1974) AM #122
35. New York Dolls - New York Dolls (1973) AM #136
42. Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left (1969) AM #151
44. T. Rex - Electric Warrior (1971) AM #154
46. The Flying Burrito Brothers - The Gilded Palace of Sin (1969) AM #161
47. Leonard Cohen Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967 AM #162
50. The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground (1969) AM #172
53. The Stooges - The Stooges (1969) AM #181
54. Suicide - Suicide (1977 AM #184
57. Lou Reed - Berlin (1973) AM #188
58. The Velvet Underground - White Light/White Heat (1968 AM #190
59. MC5 - Kick Out the Jams (1969) AM #191
61. The Modern Lovers - The Modern Lovers (1976) AM #193
63. Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom (1974) AM #196
67. The Mothers of Invention - We're Only in It for the Money (1968 AM #205
69. Frank Zappa - Hot Rats (1969) AM #209
70. The Velvet Underground - Loaded (1970) AM #211
78. Nick Drake - Bryter Layter (1970) AM #225
79. Pere Ubu - The Modern Dance (1978 AM #226
86. The Mothers of Invention - Freak Out! (1966) AM #236
88. Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Imperial Bedroom (1982) AM #240
94. Iggy Pop - Lust for Life (1977 AM #256
99. Nick Drake - Pink Moon (1972) AM #270

Most of these artists are well known for being low-selling, but highly influential. That isn't to say some could have sold enough (maybe MC5, Zappa, and Costello) but otherwise they were never that big in the American public consciousness.

Then you have the "British" albums:

4. Massive Attack - Blue Lines (1991) AM #32
7. Joy Division - Closer (1980) AM #41
11. The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses (1989) AM #55
14. Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures (1979) AM #64
16. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless (1992) AM #74
19. The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy (1986) #84
20. Primal Scream - Screamadelica (1991) AM #85
27. Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure (1973) AM #107
40. Gang of Four - Entertainment! (1979) AM #148
41. Tricky - Maxinquaye (1995) AM #149
43. Pulp - Different Class (1995) AM #153
48. Blur - Parklife (1994) AM #164
49. Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006) AM #165
52. PJ Harvey - To Bring You My Love (1995) AM #175
55. Kate Bush - Hounds of Love (1985) AM #186
56. The Kinks - The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society (1968 AM #187
60. The Smiths - The Smiths (1984) AM #192
62. The Specials - Specials (1979) AM #194
65. Roxy Music - Roxy Music (1972) AM #203
68. Public Image Ltd. - Metal Box/Second Edition (1979) AM #208
71. Eno - Another Green World (1975) AM #212
73. The Streets - Original Pirate Material (2002) AM #215
80. The Jam - All Mod Cons (1978 AM #227
81. Prefab Sprout - Two Wheels Good (1985) AM #228
85. Belle & Sebastian - If You're Feeling Sinister (1996) AM #234
89. Wire - Pink Flag (1977) AM #241
91. The Pogues - Rum Sodomy & the Lash (1985) AM #248
96. Burial - Untrue (2008 AM #261

This list is full of artists that are very big in the UK, but barely make a dent in the US. Sure, some are very well known, but they just never resonated across the pond, as it were. Nick Drake could probably fit in this section too.

Then you have the albums made in non-English speaking countries:

39. Air - Moon Safari (1998 AM #147
75. Can - Tago Mago (1972) AM #220
83. Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun (1999) AM #232
24. Kraftwerk - Trans-Europa Express (1977) AM #92
97. Kraftwerk - The Man-Machine (1978) AM #262

I wonder why these didn't sell?

And lastly, a collection of old & new indie classics:

15. Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation (1989) AM #72
23. DJ Shadow - Endtroducing... (1996) AM #91
28. Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (2005) AM #110
33. Pavement - Slanted and Enchanted (1992) AM #124
34. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion (2009) AM #128
36. LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver (2007) AM #137
45. The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin (1999) AM #155
66. Husker Du - Zen Arcade (1984) AM #204
74. Antony & The Johnsons - I Am a Bird Now (2005) AM #218
76. Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994) AM #223
84. The Replacements - Let It Be (1984) AM #233
92. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (2008 AM #249
95. The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs (1999) AM #260
100. Joanna Newsom - Ys (2006) AM #271

I know that some of these have sold very well, FOR AN INDIE ALBUM. The Sufjan, LCD, Sonic Youth, Fleet Foxes, Flaming Lips, & Animal Collective albums are all around the 300-400K range. For most of them, if they continue to have success in this decade, those albums may get certified, because whenever they release something new it perks up interest in their supposed "best" album. The others, well, yeah, those aren't gonna break any time soon.

These are new sales as well. I bet even some of those smaller scale albums have hit 500K with used sales.

this list is very interesting. So these are the most acclaimed critic favorite albums...

I remember a few years ago,Songs in the Key Of Life was certified like 10x platinum or something crazy like that,but it had never received any certification before. I'd imagine Innervisions would have sold several million as well. Live At The Apollo MUST have sold in the millions. It was his biggest album and he had many SINGLES that were reported to have sold over 1 million copies.