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This list documents the world's best-selling music artists alphabetically as well as by record sales. This page lists those artists who have had claims of over 50 million or more records in sales. The list is divided into numerous record-sales brackets within each of which, artists are listed in alphabetical order, rather than by number of records sold. The artists on the list are supported by third-party reliable sources, the sales-figures within which should represent a total number of sold albums, singles, compilation-albums, music videos as well as downloads of singles and full-length albums.

Constraints

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Although the criteria for the following list are intended to be expansive (including comparisons for total-sales for all recording artists) there are certain limitations and constraints that may limit the conclusions that can be derived from these data.

Such constraints include:

• Bias towards acts who have had success in a specific country or region.

• Bias towards older artists. There is a broader genre spectrum of music to listen to now which limits the number of listeners.

• Bias towards modern artists. Comparatively fewer successful pre-modern artists will have sold more records, as both global spending power and population have increased. In 1950, the world's population was 2.5 billion; by 2000 it had risen to 6 billion. Also, older artists suffer from bias as their record sales are less likely to have been accurately tracked, and estimates of their early sales are likely to be more vague.

• Fan sites, press articles and record labels have been known to inflate record sales claims.

• Inflated claims for artists who performed in different acts during their careers. Sometimes all of the sales data is attributed to an individual artist. For the purposes of this list, an effort is made to separate the individual acts (e.g., the sales figures for The Beatles and Paul McCartney & Wings are mutually exclusive).

• Inconsistencies between the sources of the various statistics. For example in some cases world sales are compared to US (RIAA certifies US sales only).

Artists by reputed sales

500 million to 1 billion records

300 million to 499 million records

200 million to 299 million records

100 million to 199 million records

75 million to 99 million records

50 million to 74 million records

See also

• List of best-selling music artists in the United States
• List of best-charting U.S. music artists
• List of best-selling albums worldwide

References

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72. "Janet Jackson taken to hospital minutes before Montreal concert". The Daily Telegraph. 2008-11-30.
73. "Janet Jackson 'leaves her label'". BBC News. 2008-11-23.
74. "Janet Jackson Returns to #1 with Her IDJ Debut, "Discipline"". Universal Music Group. 2008-03-05.
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89. "Crooner Perry Como dies". BBC News. 2001-05-13.
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91. "Phil Collins casually serves notice of his retirement". The Times. 2008-04-25.
92. The New Tork Times on Roberto Carlos
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95. The Times on Status Quo
96. The LA Times on Stevie Wonder
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98. Tina Turner on boston.com
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107. "Britney Spears launches her comeback on X Factor". The Times. 2008-11-29.
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114. "Journey". About.com.
115. "Luis Miguel returns with the topics of Manuel Alejandro" (in Spanish). JR Medios. 2008-03-25.
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122. The Times on Andrea Bocelli
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124. "Japanese pop singer Ayumi Hamasaki deaf in left ear". BBC News Agency. January 7, 2008. Retrieved January 7, 2008.
125. "Ozzy Osbourne Goes 'On the Record'". Fox News. 2007-05-25.
126. "Barbra Streisand: A star is reborn". The Independent.
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141. "George Strait crowned country artist of the decade". CBC News. 2008-10-31.
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145. "Hibari Misora, Japanese Singer, 52". The New York Times. 1989-06-25.
146. "SFTW in Paris with Iron Maiden". The Sun. 2008-10-31.
147. The Times on Jay-Z
148. "Jean Michel Jarre: Toujours Jarre". The Independent. 2008-02-18.
149. "Interview with Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson". BBC Wiltshire.
150. BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Cash musical heading for Broadway
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152. "Picks and Pans Main: Song". People (magazine). 2002-10-07.
153. The Times on Kylie Minogue
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155. "Meat Loaf's epic to be honoured". BBC. 2008-09-29.
156. The Ledger Independent on Michael Bolton
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158. "After years of chaos, Motley Crue still no "Saints"". Reuters. 2008-07-08.
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163. "Kurt Cobain's ashes stolen, says his 'suicidal' widow Courtney Love". The Advertiser (Adelaide). 2008-06-02.
164. "Live!". The Washington Post. 2008-12-18.
165. "Biography: Pearl Jam" (in German). Sony/BMG Switzerland.
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170. "Post-Swing Leader Ray Conniff Dies". CBS News. 2002-10-14.
171. "Reba McEntire: Reba plays the Reno Hilton with guest Jessica Andrews". Fox News. 2008-10-17.
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174. "R.E.M. floored it to make 'Accelerate'; left 'overthinking' in dust" (Press release). 2008-04-01.
175. "Richard Clayderman". Masterworks. Sony/BMG.
176. "Fans shriek as Ricky Martin gets his star". MSNBC. 2007-10-16.
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178. "Tack Gud för att jag lever (Thank God I'm, alive)" (in Swedish). Svenska Dagbladet. 2005-10-30.
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181. "Shania thanks fans for helping heal her 'broken heart'". CBC.ca. 2008-06-068. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
182. BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Spice Girls announce reunion tour
183. "Tom Petty Interview - Tom Petty Biography - Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers:2005 Century Award". Billboard. 2005.
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185. "The death of a glam rock idol". Chronicle Live. 2007-09-15.
186. "UB40 reveal new lead singer: Ali Campbell's brother Duncan". Times Online. 2008-04-30.
187. "Billboard: Vicente Fernandez". Billboard.
188. "Glenn Hughes; Disco Singer Was Biker in Village People". Los Angeles Times. 2001-03-18.
189. "Willie on The Soft Path". Rolling Stone. 2008-12-25.

• Best sellers
• Lists of musicians