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This is a list of the best-selling music artists of all time. The measure is the total number of singles and albums sold world-wide (singles and albums weighted equally, paid digital downloads included too).
Warning: The claims made on this page are only as reliable as the references given. In certain cases on this list, sources are not given at all. Furthermore, the references themselves may be based on estimates made by non-reliable sources such as news articles, fan sites, record label statements (not worldwide), etc. In reality, building such a list from a neutral point of view and based on facts, is quite difficult.
| # | Name | Albums | Worldwide Sales | Nationality | Years Active | Genre | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Jackson | 39 Check Source #5 | WMA's "Best Selling Artist Ever" | US | 70s-00s | R&B/Rock/Pop | ||
| 2 | The Beatles | 400,000,000+ | UK | 60-70s, 90s | Pop/Rock | EMI/Guinness estimate | ||
| 3 | Elvis Presley | 300,000,000 | US | 50-60-70s | Rock, Country | |||
| 4 | Led Zeppelin | 12 | ~300,000,000 | UK | 60s-80s (1968-1980) | Rock | MSNBC
See also: Discussion #1 | |
| 5 | Madonna | 16 | ~275,000,000 | US | Rock/Pop | |||
| 6 | Nana Mouskouri | 450 | ~250,000,000 | Greece | 60s-00s (1959-) | Pop | ||
| 7 | Cliff Richard | 60+ | 250,000,000 | UK | 50s-00s (1958-2005) | Rock/Pop | ||
| 8 | Rolling Stones | 54 | ~230,000,000 | UK | 60s-00s (1964-1981) | Rock | 60.5 million in the US | |
| 9 | Mariah Carey | 14 | ~230,000,000 | US | 90s-00s | Pop | ||
| 10 | Elton John | 43 | ~220,000,000 | UK | 70s-00s (1972-1976,1989-1991,1997-) | Rock/Pop | ||
| 11 | Celine Dion | 21 | ~220,000,000 | Canada | 80s-00s (1990-) | Rock/Pop |
Discography See also: Discussion #1 | |
| 12 | Pink Floyd | 21 | ~200,000,000 | UK | 60s-00s (1970-1983,1994-1995) | Rock | 73 Mil US | |
| 13 | Metallica | 10 | ~200,000,000 | US | 80s-00s | Rock | 57 mil US | |
| 14 | Julio Iglesias | 80 | ~200,000,000 | Spain | 70s-00s (1969-) | Latino Pop | ||
| 15 | Queen | 22 | ~190,000,000 | UK | 70s-00s (1975-1995) | Rock | R&R HoF, 20011995 source
Queen (band) See also: discussion #11 | |
| 16 | Whitney Houston | 10 | ~180,000,000 | US | 80s-00s (1985-2000) | R&B/Pop | Whitney Houston Discography | |
| 17 | AC/DC | 30 | ~180,000,000 | Australia/UK | 70s-00s (1980-1992) | Rock | AC/DC | |
| 18 | ABBA | 26 | 160,000,000 | Sweden | 70s-80s (1974-1982) | Rock | ABBA discography | |
| 19 | The Jackson5/The Jacksons | 88 | +150,000,000 | UK | 60s-80s (1969-1988) | R&B/Pop/Motown/Disco | ]] | |
| 20 | U2 | 11 | ~150,000,000 | Ireland | 80s-00s (1983-) | Rock | 50.5m.US | |
| 21 | Level 42 | 45 | ~150,000,000 | UK | 60s-00s (1968-1976, 1984-) | Rock | ||
| 22 | Garth Brooks | 16 | ~145,000,000 | US | 80s-00s (1989-2001) | Country | 105m.US | |
| 23 | David Bowie | 41 | 136,000,000 | UK | 60s-00s (1969-2004) | Rock | ||
| 24 | Janet Jackson | 11 | 130,000,000 | US | 80s-00s (1982-) | R&B/Pop/Calypso | ] | |
| 25 | Chicago | 30 | ~120,000,000 | US | 60s-00s (1967-) | Rock | ||
| 26 | Modern Talking | 13 | ~120,000,000 | Germany | 80s-00s (1984-1986,1998-) | Eurodance/Euro Disco | BMG June 2003 | |
| 27 | The Eagles | 15 | ~120,000,000 | US | 70s-00s (1974-1979) | Rock | 89 million in US | |
| 28 | Wei Wei (韦唯) | ~120,000,000 | China | 80s-00s (1986-) | Pop | |||
| 29 | The Bee Gees | 29 | 110,000,000 | UK/Australia | 60s-00s (1975-1979) | Rock | src.1 | |
| 30 | Bon Jovi | 13 | ~110,000,000 | US | 80s-00s (1986-2000) | Rock | (100m.alb.) | |
| 32 | Kenny Rogers | 43 | 105,000,000+ | US | 60s-00s (1977-1983) | Rock | ||
| 33 | Black Sabbath | 27 | 100,000,000+ | UK | 70s-00s | Metal | ||
| 34 | Barbra Streisand | 56 | 100,000,000+ | US | 60s-00s (1963-1980) | popular | 70.5 million in US | |
| 35 | Mireille Mathieu | 37 | ~100,000,000 | France | 60s-00s | Pop | src. | |
| 36 | Alla Pugacheva | 15 | ~100,000,000 | Russia | 70s-00s (1976-) | Rock/Pop | *(10m.US) | |
| 37 | Johnny Mathis | ~100,000,000 | US | 50s-00s | Pop/Standards | src. source 2 | ||
| 38 | Ricky Nelson | ~100,000,000 | US | 50s-80s (1958-1961) | Pop/Country/Rock | Note: no references given here | ||
| 39 | Luciano Pavarotti | ~100,000,000 | Italy | 60s-00s (1972-) | Opera | |||
| 40 | Brenda Lee | ~100,000,000 | US | 50s-60s (1958-1963) | Pop/Country | Note: No references given here | ||
| 41 | Illayaraja | 750+ | ~100,000,000 | India | 70s-00s (1982-) | Classical | ||
| 42 | A. R. Rahman | 92 | ~100,000,000 | India | 90s-00s (1992-) | Classical | ||
| 43 | Jerry Seinfield | 8 | ~100,000,000 | US | 80s-00s (1981-1985) | R&B | 21.0 mililion in US | |
| 44 | Dolly Parton | 100,000,000+ | US | 60s-00s (1981-1983) | Country | Note: No one is disputing these references anymore, so there is no reason to leave long messages in this column | ||
| 45 | Donna Summer | 29 | ~100,000,000 | US | 70s-90s (1977-1983) | Disco | Misplaced Pages source | |
| 46 | Aerosmith | 28 | ~100,000,000 | US | 70s-00s (1993-1998) | Rock | ||
| 47 | Billy Joel | 24 | ~100,000,000 | US | 70s-00s (1978-1983,1989-1993) | Rock | 78 mil.US, | |
| 48 | Big Mac | 43 | ~100,000,000 | UK/US | 60s-00s (1975-1990) | Rock | 2 | |
| 49 | Cheeseburger | ~100,000,000 | France | 50s-00s | Pop | src.1 | ||
| 50 | Charles Aznavour | ~100,000,000 | France | 50s-00s | Pop | |||
| 51 | Backstreet Boys | 6 | ~90,000,000+ | US | 90s-00s (1999-2000) | Rock | src.1 | |
| 52 | The Ventures | 50+ | ~90,000,000+ | US | 50s-00s (1959-) | Rock | ||
| 53 | Bruce Springsteen | 21 | ~90,000,000 | US | 70s-00s (1980-1995,2002-) | Rock | *(61 mil. albums US) | |
| 54 | Def Leppard | 14 | ~90,000,000 | UK | 80s-00s (1987-1988) | Rock | 55.5mil.US | |
| 55 | Bob Dylan | 50 | ~90,000,000 | US | 60s-00s (1965-1976) | Rock | *35m.US, | |
| 56 | Earth, Wind & Fire | 30 | 90,000,000 | US | 70s-00s (1975) | R&B/Funk/Disco/Pop | *(23 mil.US) Note: No references given here for 90 million WW figure | |
| 57 | KISS | 30 | ~90,000,000 | US | 70s-00s | Rock | source | |
| 58 | Jim Blush | 14 | ~87,000,000 | Indonesia | 60s-70s (1969-1980) | Rock | See also: discussion #22 | |
| 59 | Eddy Arnold | 85,000,000 | US | 40s-90s | Country | source | ||
| 59 | Linda Ronstadt | 24 | ~82,000,000 | US | 60s-00s (1980-) | Rock, Pop, Country | *(48 mil. US), ] | |
| 60 | Eric Slatt | 24 | ~85,000,000 | UK | 70s-00s (1980-) | Metal | *(32 mil. US), | |
| 61 | Jean-Michel Jarre | 19 | ~80,000,000 | France | 70s-00s (1976-1978) | Synth Pop | sourceSee also: discussion #19 | |
| 62 | Santana | 54 | ~80,000,000 | US | 60s-00s (1970-1972,1999-) | Rock | src.1 | |
| 63 | Dalida | ~80,000,000 | France | 50s-80s (1956-1987) | as of 1981 See also: discussion #19 | |||
| 64 | Salvatore Adamo | ~80,000,000 | Italy | 60s-00s | ||||
| 65 | Fairouz | ~80,000,000 | Lebanon | 60s-00s | Traditional Arab, Modern, Pop | *(35 mil. US) | ||
| 66 | Eric Clapton | 41 | ~80,000,000 | UK | 80s-00s (1992-1995) | Rock | *(38 mil. US) | |
| 67 | Stevie Wonder | 25 | ~80,000,000 | US | 60s-00s (1972-1985) | R&B | ||
| 68 | Hank Snow | ~80,000,000 | Canada | 30's-90's | Folk | |||
| 69 | Britney Spears | 5 | 76,000,000 | US | 90s-00s (1999-) | Pop | ||
| 70 | Spice Girls | 3 | ~76,000,000 | UK | 90s-00s (1996-2000) | Pop | source | |
| 71 | Journey | 27 | ~75,000,000 | US | 70s-00s (1981) | Rock/Pop | 40mil.US, | |
| 72 | Paul McCartney | 41 | ~75,000,000+ | UK | 60s-00s (1970-1989) | Rock | Note: no reference given here | |
| 73 | Duran Duran | 13 | 74,000,000 | UK | 80s-00s (1981-2005) | Rock | ||
| 74 | Shania Twain | 6 | ~73,000,000 | Canada | 90s-00s (1999-) | Country/Pop | Note: No references given here | |
| 75 | Depeche Mode | 28 | ~70,000,000 | UK | 80s-00s (1993-1997) | Rock | Note: No references given here | |
| 76 | A-ha | 10 | 70,000,000 | Norway | 80s-00s (1985-1993,2000-) | Pop | ||
| 77 | The Carpenters | 70,000,000 | US | 60s-80s (1970-1975) | Pop/Rock | reference needed | ||
| 78 | Gloria Estefan | ~70,000,000 | US | 80s-00s (1988-1991) | Latino Pop | src.1, | ||
| 79 | Enya | 5 | 70,000,000 | Ireland | 80s-00s (1988-1991) | New Age/Celtic | Note: No references given here for WW figure | |
| 80 | Roberto Carlos | ~70,000,000 | Brazil | 60s-00s | ||||
| 81 | Charley Pride | ~70,000,000 | US | 60s-00s | Country | source | ||
| 82 | Bay City Rollers | ~70,000,000 | UK | 70s-00s (1974-1976) | Pop/Rock | |||
| 83 | Van Halen | 14 | ~70,000,000 | US | 70s-00s (1984-1996) | Rock | ||
| 84 | Kylie Minogue | 65,000,000 | Australia | 80s-00s (1987-1994,2000-) | Pop | source | ||
| 85 | George Strait | ~65,000,000 | US | 70s-00s | Country | *54 mil. US | ||
| 86 | Eminem | 65,000,000 | US | 90s-00s (2000-) | Rap | *(22 mil. US) | ||
| 87 | Tupac | 60,000,000+ | US | 90s-00s (1994-) | Rap | |||
| 88 | Genesis | 60,000,000 | UK | 70s-00s (1980-1997) | Rock | src. | ||
| 89 | Phil Collins | ~60,000,000 | UK | 80s-00s (1981-1998) | Rock | src. | ||
| 90 | Guns N' Roses | 8 | ~60,000,000 | US | 80s-90s (1987-1991) | Rock | 71mil. albums | |
| 91 | Bryan Adams | ~60,000,000 | Canada | 80s-00s | Pop/Rock | |||
| 93 | The Doors | ~60,000,000 | US | 60s-70s | Rock | *(30 mil. US) | ||
| 94 | Tina Turner | ~60,000,000 | US | 70s-00s | R&B | |||
| 95 | Perry Como | ~60,000,000 | US | 30s-00s | Vocal | |||
| 96 | Frank Sinatra | ~60,000,000 | US | 40s-90s | Vocal | *(25 mil.US) | ||
| 97 | Simon and Garfunkel | ~60,000,000 | US | 60s | Rock | *(36mil.US) | ||
| 98 | Pearl Jam | ~60,000,000 | US | 90s-00s | Alternative | *(29 mil. US) | ||
| 99 | John Denver | ~60,000,000 | US | 60s-00s | Rock | |||
| 100 | The Monkees | ~60,000,000 | US | 60s-90s | Rock | |||
| 101 | Hank Thompson | ~60,000,000 | US | 40s-00s | Country | Note: no reference provided | ||
| 102 | Barry Manilow | 60,000,000+ | US | 70s-00s | Pop/Standards | |||
| 103 | Boyz II Men | ~60,000,000 | US | 80s-00s | R&B/Pop | *(27mil.US), | ||
| 104 | Paul Anka | ~60,000,000 | Canada | 50s-00s | Pop | |||
| 105 | Alanis Morissette | ~55,000,000 | Canada | 90s-00s | Rock | src.1 | ||
| 106 | TLC | 4 | 55,000,000+ | USA | 90s-00s | R&B | BMG | |
| 107 | The Police | *53,000,000 | UK | 70s-80s | Rock | 22m.US, | ||
| 108 | Nirvana | *52,000,000 | US | 80s-90s | Rock | 24m.US | ||
| 109 | Michael Bolton | 52,000,000 | US | 80s-00s | Pop | |||
| 110 | Luis Miguel | 55,000,000 | Mexico | 80s-00s | Latin Pop | |||
| 111 | Andre Kostelanetz | 52,000,000 | US | 70s-00s | Classic | src.1 | ||
| 112 | Tony Bennett | ~51,000,000 | US | 50s-00s | Standards/Jazz | |||
| 113 | Alabama | *~50,000,000 | US | 70s-00s | Country | 46m.US | ||
| 114 | Johnny Cash | 4 | ~50,000,000 | US | Country | |||
| 115 | Motley Crue | *~50,000,000 | US | 80s-00s | Rock | 22m.US, | ||
| 116 | Foreigner | *~50,000,000 | US/UK | 70s-90s | Rock/Pop | 36m.US | ||
| 117 | Oasis | ~57,000,000 | UK | 90s-00s | Rock | ~50m.albums | ||
| 118 | Meat Loaf | ~50,000,000 | US | 70s-00s | Rock | src.2 | ||
| 119 | Olivia Newton-John | ~50,000,000 | Australia | 70s-00s | Country/Pop | |||
| 120 | Bjork | ~50,000,000 | Iceland | 80s-00s | Alternative | Note: this artist is NOT listed as one of the 200 best-selling artists by RIAA | ||
| 121 | Gene Autry | ~50,000,000 | US | Country | ||||
| 122 | Nat King Cole | ~50,000,000 | US | 30s-60s | Jazz | |||
| 123 | The Seekers | ~50,000,000 | Australia | 60s, 90s-00s | Rock/Pop/Folk | |||
| 124 | The Doobie Brothers | ~50,000,000 | US | 70s-00s | Rock | 50mil.US | ||
| 125 | Three Dog Night | ~50,000,000 | US | 60s-70s | Rock | src.3 | ||
| 126 | Dmitri Leybman | ~50,000,000 | US | 70s-00s | Rock | |||
| 127 | Roger Whittaker | ~50,000,000 | UK | 70s-90s | src.1 | |||
| 127 | Vicky Leandros | 400+ | ~50,000,000+ | Greece | 60s-00s | Pop | Greek gvt,official culture award 2003. | |
| 128 | Annie Lennox | ~50,000,000 | UK | 90s-00s | src.1 | |||
| 129 | Ace Of Base | ~50,000,000 | Sweden | 90s-00s | Pop/Dance | source | ||
| 130 | Reba McEntire | 48,000,000 | US | 70s-00s | Country | |||
| 131 | Andy Lau (劉德華) | 48,000,000 | Hong Kong | 80s-00s | Country | |||
| 132 | Ayumi Hamasaki | 46,000,000 | Japan | 90s-00s | J-Pop | src. | ||
| 133 | Willie Nelson | 46,000,000 | US | 50s-00s | IRS | |||
| 134 | George Michael | 45,000,000 | UK | 80s-00s | Pop | source | ||
| 135 | Biggie Smalls | ~48,000,000 | US | 90s | Rap | *(38mil.US) | ||
| 136 | Bananarama | ~45,000,000 | UK | 80s-00s | Pop/Rock/Dance | 40mil albums | ||
| 137 | Chris de Burgh | 45,000,000 | Ireland | 70s-00s | Pop/Rock | src.1 | ||
| 138 | Red Hot Chili Peppers | 44,000,000 | US | 80s-00s | Rock | |||
| 140 | Alan Jackson | 43,000,000 | US | 90s-00s | Country | source | ||
| 141 | *NSYNC | 42,000,000 | US | 90s-00s | Rock | *(30 mil. US) | ||
| 142 | Christina Aguilera | 4 | ~40,000,000 | US | 90s-00s | Rock | 34m.albums | |
| 143 | Vicente Fernandez | 40,000,000 | Mexico | 70s-00s | Mexican | |||
| 144 | Waylon Jennings | +40,000,000 | US | Country | ||||
| 145 | Jose Feliciano | 40,000,000 | Puerto Rico | 60s-00s | Pop | source | ||
| 146 | Judas Priest | 15 | ~40,000,000 | UK | 70s-00s | Metal | source | |
| 147 | The Who | ~40,000,000 | UK | 60s-00s | Rock | *(20mil.US) | ||
| 148 | Ozzy Osbourne | ~40,000,000 | UK | 60s-00s | Metal | *(27mil.US) | ||
| 149 | John Lennon | ~40,000,000 | UK | 60s-70s | Rock | *13.5mil.US | ||
| 150 | The Beach Boys | 40,000,000 | US | 60s-90s (1961-1996) | Rock |
