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List of best-selling music artists
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Cite This SourceThe world's best-selling music artists cannot be listed officially, as there is no organization that has recorded global music sales. This page lists those artists who have had claims made to be among the top sellers. Within their sales brackets, artists are listed in alphabetical order, rather than by number of records sold. Equal weight is given to album and single sales, as well as paid downloads. Sources are record labels, newspaper articles or manual addition of figures from various official sources. This means that these figures should be considered claims, not facts.
Constraints in establishing best-selling status
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 this data.
Such constraints include:
- Bias towards acts who have had success in a specific country or region.
- Bias towards older artists. There is now a broader genre spectrum of music to listen to now which limits the number of listeners.
- Bias towards modern artists. Comparatively less successful 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.
- Bias towards older artists. Particularly, those artists who began their recording careers since 1990 may have experienced some loss in sales from illegal downloading of tracks.
- Fan sites, press articles, certification authorities and record companies 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).
World's best seller
The best-selling musical act in history cannot be accurately determined. However Michael Jackson, The Beatles, and Elvis Presley have been given the title by various sources.
Artists by reputed sales
500 million records or more
Artist Country Period Genre Source The Beatles United Kingdom 1960–1970 Rock / Pop / Psychedelic / Experimental Bing Crosby U.S. 1926–1977 Jazz / Vocal / Pop Elvis Presley U.S. 1954–1977 Rock / R&B / Gospel / Blues / Rockabilly / Pop / Country Frank Sinatra U.S. 1935–1995 Pop / Easy Listening / Vocal / Jazz / Swing Michael Jackson U.S. 1967–Present Pop / R&B / Rock / Soul / Dance/ Disco / Motown / Funk / swing 200 million to 500 million records
Artist Country Period Genre Source A. R. Rahman India 1992–Present Film Score / World Music ABBA Sweden 1972–1982 Pop / Disco Alla Pugacheva Russia 1965–Present Pop The Bee Gees United Kingdom 1958–2003 Pop / Disco / Adult Contemporary / R&B Celine Dion Canada 1981–Present Pop / Chanson / Rock / Adult Contemporary Cher USA 1964–Present Pop / Dance / Rock / Disco / Folk / Country / Adult Contemporary Cliff Richard United Kingdom 1958–Present Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary Elton John United Kingdom 1964–Present Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary Julio Iglesias Spain 1968–Present Latin Led Zeppelin United Kingdom 1968–1980 Hard Rock / Blues / Heavy Metal / Folk Rock Madonna U.S. 1982–Present Pop / Dance / Electronica Nana Mouskouri Greece 1958–Present Pop / Folk / Jazz Pink Floyd United Kingdom 1964–Present Progressive Rock / Psychedelic / Hard Rock Queen United Kingdom 1970–Present Hard Rock / Glam Rock / Pop / Heavy Metal / Progressive Rock Rod Stewart United Kingdom 1962–Present Rock / Pop The Rolling Stones United Kingdom 1962–Present Rock / Hard Rock / Pop Tino Rossi France 1929–1982 Swing Wei Wei China 1986–Present Pop 100 million to 200 million records
Artist Country Period Genre Source AC/DC Australia 1973–Present Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Adriano Celentano Italy 1957–Present Pop Aerosmith U.S. 1970–Present Hard Rock / Blues Rock Backstreet Boys U.S. 1993–Present Pop Barry White U.S. 1972–2003 R&B / Soul / Disco The Beach Boys U.S. 1961–1996 Rock / Pop Billy Joel U.S. 1964–Present Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary Bon Jovi U.S. 1983–Present Hard Rock / Glam Metal Boney M. Germany 1975–Present Pop / Disco Brenda Lee U.S. 1957–Present Pop The Carpenters U.S. 1967–1983 Pop / Adult Contemporary Charles Aznavour France 1936–Present Pop / Chanson / Jazz Chicago U.S. 1967–Present Rock / Blues / Jazz / Adult Contemporary Dalida France 1956–1987 Pop / Disco Dave Clark Five United Kingdom 1964–1970 Rock Deep Purple United Kingdom 1968–Present Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Dionne Warwick U.S. 1962–Present Pop / R&B / Soul / Adult Contemporary Dolly Parton U.S. 1964–Present Pop / Country / Folk / Bluegrass Donna Summer U.S. 1971–Present Pop / Disco / R&B / Dance Duane Eddy U.S. 1958–1986 Rock The Eagles U.S. 1971–Present Rock / Country Electric Light Orchestra United Kingdom 1970–1988 Progressive Rock / Pop Rock / Electronica Engelbert Humperdinck United Kingdom/U.S. 1956–Present Pop / Easy Listening / Vocal Fats Domino U.S. 1949–Present Rock / R&B Fleetwood Mac United Kingdom/U.S. 60s-00s Rock / Blues Garth Brooks U.S. 1989–Present Country Gene Autry U.S. 1931–1964 Country Genesis United Kingdom 1967–Present Progressive Rock / Pop Rock Gheorghe Zamfir Romania 1964–Present Instrumental Herbert von Karajan Austria 1943–1989 Classical Iron Maiden United Kingdom 1975–Present Heavy Metal James Last Germany 60s-00s Instrumental / Classical Janet Jackson U.S. 1977–Present R&B / Soul / Dance / Pop Johnny Hallyday France 1957–Present Rock / Pop Johnny Mathis U.S. 1956–Present Jazz / Pop Joni James U.S. 1952–1964 Rock KC and the Sunshine Band U.S. 1973–Present Pop / Disco / Funk Kenny Rogers U.S. 1958–Present Country / Pop Lionel Richie U.S. 1968–Present Pop / R&B / Soul / Adult Contemporary Luciano Pavarotti Italy 1963–2006 Opera Mariah Carey U.S. 1990–Present Pop / R&B Michiya Mihashi Japan 1955–1995 Enka Mireille Mathieu France 1950–Present Pop Modern Talking Germany 1984–2003 Disco / Synthpop Neil Diamond U.S. 1966–Present Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary Patti Page U.S. 1948–Present Country Perry Como U.S. 1933–1998 Pop / Swing / Easy Listening Pet Shop Boys United Kingdom 1981–Present Synthpop / Electronica Phil Collins United Kingdom 1980–Present Rock / Pop Prince U.S. 1978–Present Pop / Funk / R&B / Rock / Soul Ricky Nelson U.S. 1957–1985 Pop Roberto Carlos Brazil 1950–Present Latin Status Quo United Kingdom 1967–Present Rock Tina Turner U.S. 1955–Present Pop / R&B / Rock / Soul / Dance Tommy James U.S. 1971–Present Rock U2 Ireland 1976–Present Rock Valeriya Russia 1991–Present Pop Whitney Houston U.S. 1977–Present Pop / R&B / Adult Contemporary / Gospel / Dance The Who United Kingdom 1964–Present Rock / Hard Rock 75 million to 100 million records
Artist Country Period Genre Source a-ha Norway 1982–Present Pop / New Wave Adamo Belgium 1966–Present Pop The Andrews Sisters U.S. 1937–1951 Swing B'z Japan 1988–Present Rock / Pop / Hard Rock Barry Manilow U.S. 1973–Present Pop / Easy Listening / Adult Contemporary Bobby Vinton U.S. 1967–1991 Pop Britney Spears U.S. 1999–Present Pop Carlos Santana Mexico 1966–Present Rock / Blues Donny Osmond U.S. 1961–Present Pop The Doors U.S. 1965–1973 Rock / Psychedelic Rock / Blues Rock Earth, Wind & Fire U.S. 1969–Present Pop / R&B / Disco / Soul / Funk Eddy Arnold U.S. 1946–Present Country Fairuz Lebanon 1949–Present Pop Gloria Estefan U.S. 1977–Present Latin / Pop / Dance Guns N' Roses U.S. 1985–Present Hard Rock Hank Snow Canada 1936–Present Country Hibari Misora Japan 1949–1989 Enka Jean Michel Jarre France 1971–Present New Age Kenny G U.S. 1987–Present Instrumental / Jazz Kiss U.S. 1973–Present Metal Metallica U.S. 1981–Present Heavy Metal / Thrash Metal / Hard Rock Mina Italy 1958–Present Pop Peter Wolf Austria 1968–Present Pop / Rock Scorpions Germany 1969–Present Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Van Halen U.S. 1972–Present Hard Rock / Heavy Metal The Ventures U.S. 1959–Present Instrumental Rock 50 million to 75 million records
Artist Country Period Genre Source Alanis Morissette Canada 90s-00s Alternative / Folk Rock Alabama U.S. 70s-00s Country Alice Cooper U.S. 60s-00s Hard Rock / Heavy Metal / Shock Rock / Glam Rock Andre Kostelanetz U.S. 40s-70s Easy Listening Anne Murray Canada 60s-00s Pop / Country Barbra Streisand U.S. 1960–Present Pop / Adult Contemporary / Classical / Easy listening / Showtunes B.J. Thomas U.S. 60s-00s Country Black Sabbath United Kingdom 1968–Present Heavy Metal Blondie U.S. 70s-00s New Wave Bob Dylan U.S. 50s-00s Folk / Rock / Blues / Country Bob Marley Jamaica 60s-80s Reggae Bob Seger U.S. 60s-00s Rock Boyz II Men U.S. 90s-00s R&B / Soul Bruce Springsteen U.S. 60s-00s Rock / Folk Rock / Heartland Rock Bryan Adams Canada 1977–Present Rock / Pop / Adult Contemporary Cat Stevens United Kingdom 60s-00s Folk / Pop Charlie Daniels U.S. 70s-00s Country / Rock The Corrs Ireland 90s-00s Rock Def Leppard United Kingdom 70s-00s Hard Rock / Heavy Metal Depeche Mode United Kingdom 1980–Present New Wave / Synthpop Dreams Come True Japan 80s-00s Pop / Jazz The Diamonds Canada 50s-70s R&B The Doobie Brothers U.S. 70s-00s Rock Don Cornell U.S. 50s-90s Pop Duran Duran United Kingdom 1981–Present New Wave / Synthpop / Rock Enya Ireland 80s-00s New Age / Celtic Four Tops U.S. 50s-00s R&B George Michael United Kingdom 80s-00s Pop George Strait U.S. 70s-00s Country Herb Alpert U.S. 50s-90s Instrumental Pop / Easy Listening James Brown U.S. 1956–2006 Soul / R&B / Funk Jethro Tull United Kingdom 60s-00s Progressive Rock / Hard Rock /Rock Johnny Cash U.S. 50s-00s Country Kazuhiro Moriuchi Japan 70s-00s Enka Kylie Minogue Australia 80s–Present Pop / Dance Linda Ronstadt U.S. 1967–Present Rock / Pop / Country Linkin Park U.S. 90s-Present Alternative Rock/ Nu Metal Luis Miguel Mexico 80s-00s Latin Meat Loaf U.S. 70s-00s Rock / Hard Rock Mills Brothers U.S. 30s-70s Pop Mr. Children Japan 80s-Present Pop / Rock Nat King Cole U.S. 30s-60s Jazz / Vocal / Pop Nelson Gonçalves Brazil 40s-90s Samba New Kids on the Block U.S. 80s-90s Pop Nirvana U.S. 80s-90s Grunge / Alternative Rock 'N Sync U.S. 90s -00s Pop/Dance Oasis United Kingdom 90s-Present Britpop / Alternative Rock Olivia Newton-John Australia 70s-00s Adult Contemporary / Pop Orhan Gencebay Turkey 60s-00s Arabesque / Folk The Osmonds U.S. 1970–Present Rock Ozzy Osbourne United Kingdom 80s–Present Heavy Metal Pearl Jam U.S. 1990–Present Grunge / Rock / Hard Rock Petula Clark United Kingdom 50s-00s Pop The Police United Kingdom 70s-80s Rock / New Wave Ray Conniff U.S. 50s-00s Pop / Easy Listening Reba McEntire U.S. 70s-00s Country Richard Clayderman France 60s-00s Easy Listening / Instrumental Pop Robbie Williams United Kingdom 80s-00s Pop Roxette Sweden 1986–Present Pop / Rock Sade United Kingdom 80s-00s R&B / Soul / Jazz Shakira Colombia 90's-00s Pop / Latin Shania Twain Canada 90's-00s Pop / Country The Seekers Australia 60s, 90s-00s Folk / Rock Spice Girls United Kingdom 90s-00s Pop / Dance Stevie Wonder U.S. 1961–Present R&B / Soul / Funk Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers U.S. 70s-00s Rock The Turtles U.S. 60s Rock UB40 United Kingdom 80s-00s Reggae Vernon Dalhart U.S. 10s-40s Country Willie Nelson U.S. 1956–Present Country References
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Last updated on Wednesday March 12, 2008 at 00:39:34 PDT (GMT -0700)
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