The world's best-selling music artists cannot
be listed officially, as there is no organization
that has recorded global music sales in the manner that
the RIAA does in the United States. 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
typically fan sites, record labels, newspaper
articles or manual addition of figures from various official sources.
This means that these figures should
be considered claims, not facts.
Main article: Best-selling music artist
The best-selling musical act in history can not be accurately
determined. U.S. sales data before 1952 areincomplete.
International sales, particularly in the developing world,
continue to be poorly tracked, andsales data before the 1980s
is rare or dubious. The Beatles, Michael Jackson, and Elvis
Presley have allbeen given the title by various sources.
Claims are made for a number of less common artists.
Artists Reputed Sales
500 million records or more
Artist Country Period Genre Source
The Beatles UK 60s-70s Rock / Arena Rock / Pop / Psychedelic Rock
Bing Crosby U.S. 20s-70s Jazz / Swing / Vocal / Easy Listening / Pop
Michael Jackson U.S. 60s-00s Pop / R&B / Rock / Disco / Gospel
Elvis Presley U.S. 50s-70s Rock / R&B / Gospel / Blues / Pop / Country
Frank Sinatra U.S. 30s-90s Pop / Easy Listening / Vocal / Jazz / Swing
250 million records or more
Artist Country Period Genre Source
ABBA Sweden 70s-80s Pop / Disco
Alla Pugacheva Soviet Union 60s-00s Russian pop
Cliff Richard UK 50s-00s Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary
Elton John UK 60s-00s Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary
Julio Iglesias Spain 60s-00s Latin Pop
Mariah Carey U.S. 90s-00s R&B / Pop
Led Zeppelin UK 60s-80s Hard Rock / Blues Rock / Heavy Metal
Madonna U.S. 80s-00s Pop / Dance / Electronica
Nana Mouskouri Greece 50s-00s Pop / Folk / Jazz
Pink Floyd UK 60s-90s Progressive Rock / Psychedelic Rock / Hard Rock
Queen UK 70s-00s Hard Rock / Glam Rock / Heavy Metal
Tino Rossi France 30s-80s Swing
100 million records or more/less
Artist Country Period Genre Source
A. R. Rahman India 90s-00s Film score / Soundtrack
Aretha Franklin U.S. 50s-00s Pop / Disco / R&B / Soul
AC/DC Australia 70s-00s Hard Rock / Heavy Metal
Aerosmith U.S. 70s-00s Hard Rock / Heavy Metal
Backstreet Boys U.S. 90s-00s Pop / Rock / R&B / Soul
Barbra Streisand U.S. 60s-00s Pop / Adult Contemporary / Classical /
Easy listening / Showtunes
Barry White U.S. 70s-00s Pop / Disco / R&B
The Beach Boys U.S. 60s-00s Rock / Pop
The Bee Gees Australia/UK 60s-00s Pop / Disco / Adult Contemporary /
Blues / Blue-eyed Soul
Billy Joel U.S. 60s-00s Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary
Black Sabbath U.K. 60s-90s Heavy Metal
Bon Jovi U.S. 80s-00s Hard Rock / Glam Rock
Boney M Germany 70s-90s Pop / Disco
Brenda Lee U.S. 50s-00s Country]
Bruce Springsteen U.S. 70s-00s Rock
The Byrds UK 60s-00s Rock / Folk / Country
The Carpenters U.S. 60s-80s Pop / Country / Adult Contemporary
Celine Dion Canada 80s-00s Pop / Chanson / Rock / Adult Contemporary
Charles Aznavour France 30s-00s Pop / Chanson
Cher U.S. 60s-00s Pop / Dance / Disco / Rock / Folk /
Country / Adult Contemporany
Chicago U.S. 60s-00s Rock / Blues / Jazz / Adult Contemporary
Creedence Clearwater Revival U.S. 60s-70s Rock [48]
Dalida France/Italy 50s-80s Pop / Disco [49]
David Bowie UK 60s-00s Pop / Rock / Folk Rock / Glam Rock /
Hard Rock / Soul / Funk / Dance / Electronica
David Pomeranz U.S. 70s-00s Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary
Deep Purple UK 60s-00s Hard Rock / Heavy Metal
Diana Ross U.S. 60s-00s Pop / R&B / Soul / Disco / Funk
Dionne Warwick U.S. 60s-00s Pop / R&B / Soul / Adult Contemporary
Dire Straits UK 70s-90s Rock [56]
Dolly Parton U.S. 50s-00s Pop / Country / Folk / Bluegrass
Donna Summer U.S. 70s-00s Pop / Disco / R&B / Dance
Duane Eddy U.S. 50s-80s Rock
The Eagles U.S. 70s-00s Rock / Country
Engelbert Humperdinck UK/U.S. 50s-00s Pop / Easy Listening / Vocal
Fats Domino U.S. 40s-00s Rock / R&B
Fleetwood Mac UK/U.S. 60s-00s Rock / Blues
Frankie Laine U.S. 40s-00s Jazz / Gospel / Country
Garth Brooks U.S. 80s-00s Country
Gene Autry U.S. 30s-70s Country
Genesis UK 60s-00s Progressive Rock / Pop Rock
Gheorghe Zamfir Romania 70s-00s Instrumental
Iron Maiden U.K. 80s-00s Heavy Metal / NWOBHM
The Jackson 5 U.S. 60s-90s Pop / Disco / Funk / R&B
Janet Jackson U.S. 80s-00s R&B / Soul / Dance / Pop
John Denver U.S. 60s-90s Folk / Pop / Country
Johnny Hallyday France 50s-00s Traditional Pop
Johnny Mathis U.S. 50s-00s Jazz / Po
Joni James U.S. 50s-60s Rock
Kenny Rogers U.S. 50s-00s Country / Pop
Lionel Richie U.S. 60s-00s Pop / R&B / Soul / Disco / Dance /
Adult Contemporary
Luciano Pavarotti Italy 60s-00s Opera
Mireille Mathieu France 60s-00s Pop
Modern Talking Germany 80s-00s New Wave
Neil Diamond U.S. 60s-00s Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary
Patti Page U.S. 40s-00s Country
Perry Como U.S. 30s-00s Pop / Swing / Easy Listening
Phil Collins UK 80s-00s Rock / Pop
Prince U.S. 70s-00s Pop / Funk / R&B / Rock / Soul
R. Kelly U.S. 90s-00s Pop R&B / Soul / New Jack Swing
Ricky Nelson U.S. 50s-80s Pop
Roberto Carlos Brazil 60s-00s Latin
Rod Stewart UK 60s-00s Rock
The Rolling Stones UK 60s-00s Rock / Hard Rock / Arena Rock
Tina Turner U.S. 60s-00s Pop / R&B / Rock / Soul / Dance
Status Quo UK 60s-00s Rock
Stevie Wonder U.S. 60s-00s Pop / R&B / Disco / Soul / Funk
Tommy James U.S. 60s-00s Rock
U2 Ireland 70s-00s Rock
Wei Wei China 80s-00s Pop
Whitney Houston U.S. 80s-00s Pop / R&B / Adult Contemporary /
Soul / Gospel / Dance
The Who UK 60s-00s Rock / Arena Rock / Hard Rock /
Heavy Metal / Art Rock
75 million records or more/less
Artist Country Period Genre Source
Adamo Belgium 60s-00s Pop
Adriano Celentano Italy 60s-00s Pop
Alabama U.S. 70s-00s Country
Air Supply Australia/U.S. 70s-00s Rock / Adult Contemporary
The Andrews Sisters U.S. 30s-50s Swing
B'z Japan 80s-00s Rock / Hard Rock
Barry Manilow U.S. 70s-00s Pop / Easy Listening /
Adult Contemporary
Bob Dylan U.S. 60s-00s Folk / Rock / Country
Bobby Vinton U.S. 60s-90s Pop
Bonnie Tyler UK 70s-00s Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary
Britney Spears U.S. 90s-00s Pop
Bryan Adams Canada 80s-00s Rock / Pop / Adult Contemporary
Christina Aguilera U.S. 90s-00s Pop / Jazz / Latin / Hip-Hop
Depeche Mode UK 80s-00s New Wave / Synthpop / Alternative Dance
Donny Osmond U.S. 70s-00s Pop
Duran Duran UK 80s-00s Pop / New Wave
The Doors U.S. 60s-70s Rock
Earth, Wind & Fire U.S. 70s-00s Pop / R&B / Disco / Soul / Funk
Eddy Arnold U.S. 40s-00s Country
Eminem U.S. 90s-00s Hip-Hop
Eurythmics UK 80s-00s Pop / Rock / New Wave
Fairuz Lebanon 40s-00s Pop
Gene Austin U.S. 20s-30s Country
George Michael {and Wham!} UK 80s-00s Pop
Gloria Estefan U.S. 80s-00s Latin / Dance
Guns N' Roses U.S. 80s-00s Hard Rock / Glam Metal
Hank Snow Canada 30s-90s Country
Jean Michel Jarre France 70s-00s New Age
Journey U.S. 70s-00s Rock
Kenny G U.S. 80s-00s Instrumental / Jazz
Kiss U.S. 70s-00s Rock
Linda Ronstadt U.S. 60s-00s Country / Pop
Marvin Gaye U.S. 50s-80s Pop / R&B / Disco / Funk / Soul
Metallica U.S. 80s-00s Heavy Metal / Thrash Metal / Hard Rock
Mina Italy 50s-00s Pop
Neil Young Canada/U.S 60s-00s Folk / Rock / Country
Oasis UK 90s-00s Rock
The Osmonds U.S. 70s-00s Rock
R.E.M. U.S. 80s-00s Rock
Roxette Sweden 80s-00s Pop / Rock
Santana Mexico/U.S. 60s-00s Rock / Blues
Scorpions Germany 70s-00s Hard Rock
Sonny & Cher U.S. 60s-70s Pop / Rock
Shania Twain Canada 90s-00s Country / Pop
Van Halen U.S. 70s-00s Hard Rock
The Ventures U.S. 50s-00s Instrumental Rock
Tupac Shakur U.S. 90s-00s Hip-Hop
Victor Silvester UK 30s-80s Dance
Willie Nelson U.S. 50s-00s Country
50 million records or more/less
Artist Country Period Genre Source
a-ha Norway 80s-00s Pop / New Wave
Alanis Morissette Canada 90s-00s Alternative / Folk Rock
Alice Cooper U.S. 60s-00s Hard Rock / Heavy Metal /
Shock Rock / Glam Rock
Andre Kostelanetz U.S. 40s-70s Easy Listening
Andrea Bocelli Italy 90s-00s Opera / Classical
Anne Murray Canada 60s-00s Pop / Country
Annie Lennox UK 90s-00s Rock / Soul
Ayumi Hamasaki Japan 90s-00s Pop / Trance
B.J. Thomas U.S. 60s-00s Country
Blondie U.S. 70s-00s New Wave
Bob Marley Jamaica 60s-80s Reggae
Bob Seger U.S. 60s-00s Rock
Boyz II Men U.S. 80s-00s R&B / Soul
Camilo Sesto Spain 60s-00s Latin
Cat Stevens UK 60s-00s Folk / Pop
Charlie Daniels U.S. 70s-00s Country / Rock
The Corrs Ireland 90s-00s Rock
Culture Club UK 70s-00s Pop / New Wave / New Romantic Rock
Def Leppard UK 70s-00s Hard Rock / Heavy Metal / NWOBHM
Destiny's Child U.S. 90s-00s Pop / R&B / Dance
The Diamonds Canada 50s-70s R&B
The Doobie Brothers U.S. 70s-00s Rock
Don Cornell U.S. 50s-90s Pop
Enya Ireland 80s-00s New Age / Celtic
Foreigner U.S./UK 70s-00s Rock / Arena Rock
Four Tops U.S. 50s-00s R&B
George Strait U.S. 70s-00s Country
Green Day U.S. 90s-00s Rock / Punk / Alternative
Heino Germany 60s-00s Country
Hank Thompson U.S. 40s-00s Country
Herb Alpert U.S. 50s-90s Instrumental Pop / Easy Listening
James Brown U.S. 50s-00s Rock / Soul / Disco
James Last Germany 60s-00s Instrumental / Classical
Jethro Tull UK 60s-00s Progressive Rock / Hard Rock /Rock
Jennifer Lopez U.S. 90s-00s Pop / R&B / Dance / Latin
Johnny Cash U.S. 50s-00s Country
KC & The Sunshine Band U.S. 70s-00s Pop / Disco / R&B /
Adult Contemporary
Kenny Loggins U.S. 80s-00s Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary
Kylie Minogue Australia 80s-00s Pop / Dance
Kool & The Gang U.S. 60s-00s Pop / Disco / Soul / Funk / R&B
Luis Miguel Mexico 80s-00s Latin
Linkin Park United States 90s-00s Rock / Metal / Hip-Hop
Little River Band Australia/U.S. 70s-00s Rock / Adult Contemporary
Meat Loaf U.S. 70s-00s Rock / Hard Rock
Michael Bolton U.S. 80s-00s Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary
Mills Brothers U.S. 30s-70s Pop
Mötley Crüe U.S. 80s-00s Hard Rock / Heavy Metal / Glam Metal
The Monkees U.S. 60s-90s Pop / Rock
Mr. Children Japan 80s-00s 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
Oasis UK 90s-00s Rock
Olivia Newton-John Australia 70s-00s Country / Pop /
Adult Contmporary
Orhan Gencebay Turkey 60s-00s Arabesque / Folk
Paul Anka Canada 50s-00s Pop / Easy Listening
Paul Revere & The Raiders USA 60s-00s Pop
Pearl Jam U.S. 90s-00s Grunge / Rock / Hard Rock
Petula Clark UK 50s-00s Pop
The Dave Clark Five UK 60s-70s Rock
The Police UK 70s-80s, 00s Pop / New Wave / Rock
Raphael Spain 60s-00s Latin
Ray Conniff U.S. 50s-00s Pop / Easy Listening
Reba McEntire U.S. 70s-00s Country
Red Hot Chili Peppers U.S. 80s-00s Funk Rock / Alternative Rock]
REO Speedwagon U.S. 70s-00s Rock / Arena Rock
Richard Clayderman France 60s-00s Easy Listening / Instrumental Pop
Ricky Martin Puerto Rico 90s-00s Latin Pop / Dance
Rocío Dúrcal Spain 60s-00s Pop
Sade UK 80s-00s R&B
The Seekers Australia 60s, 90s-00s Folk / Rock
Shakira Colombia 90s-00s Latin / Pop
Simon & Garfunkel US 60s-70s Folk Rock
Simply Red UK 80s-00s Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary
Spice Girls UK 90s-00s Pop / Dance / R&B
Supertramp UK 60s-00s Rock / Adult Contemporary
The Supremes U.S. 60s-70s Pop / R&B / Soul
Three Dog Night U.S. 60s-70s Rock
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers U.S. 70s-00s Rock
Tony Bennett U.S. 50s-00s Jazz
The Turtles U.S. 60s Rock
UB40 UK 80s-00s Reggae
Vernon Dalhart U.S. 10s-40s Country
Vicky Leandros Greece 60s-00s Pop
ZZ Top U.S. 70s-00s Hard Rock / Blues-Rock
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