The top music artists in Japan include Japanese artists with claims of 15 million or more record sales or with over 2 million subscribers. Japan is the largest physical music market in the world and the second largest overall behind the United States, and the biggest in Asia, according to International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.

Sources that provide the sales an artist or record company claim via press release, rather than certified or reported by reliable third parties such as Oricon, are denoted by a "†".

Oricon Charts Oricon provides accumulated physical sales of all entries on its singles and albums charts (started in 1968 and 1970, respectively). Note that Oricon does not count sales of the records that did not enter or fell off of the charts, unlike Nielsen SoundScan. Therefore, it generally shows fewer numbers than reported sales via record labels, and may not reflect the real sales obtained by these artists. In addition, it excludes recording artists like Michiya Mihashi, Hibari Misora, Yujiro Ishihara, and Hachiro Kasuga who had garnered most of their commercial success before Oricon was established in the late 1960s. The reported numbers like Mihashi's 100 million and Misora's 68 million records, are highly doubtful and cannot be confirmed by Oricon and RIAJ.

The best-selling artist according to Oricon are B'z (more than 86 million), who is also the best-selling artist by a number of albums sold (46.5 million). The best-selling artists by number of singles sold are AKB48 (73 million), B'z (35.8 million) in second place, Mr. Children (28.45 million) in third place, and Southern All Stars (25.179 million) in fourth place. Ayumi Hamasaki holds the record for being the best-selling solo artist and being the only solo artist to sell more than 50 million in total.

The list excludes sales of albums or singles recorded by artists in collaboration with others as part of a singular artist or group's total.

Artists by sales

50 million or more records

Artist Years active Genre Sales B'z 1988–present Hard rock / Pop rock / Blues rock 86.25 million AKB48 2005–present J-pop / Electropop / Dance-pop 73.4 million Mr. Children 1989–1997, 1998–present Pop rock / Power pop / Progressive pop 60.01 million Ayumi Hamasaki 1998–present Pop / Dance / Electronic / Rock 50.708 million

40 million to 49 million records

Artist Years active Genre Sales Southern All Stars 1975–present Soft rock / Pop rock / Folk rock / Blues rock 48.8 million Dreams Come True 1988–present J-pop / R&B / New wave / City pop 44.94 million L'Arc-en-Ciel 1991-present Alternative Rock / Pop Rock / Post-punk 40 million†

30 million to 39 million records

Artist Years active Genre Sales Yumi MatsutoyaIncludes releases under her maiden name, Yumi Arai. 1968–present Pop rock / Jazz fusion / Folk rock / Kayōkyoku 39.39 million Glay 1988–present Pop rock / Power pop / Progressive rock 38.80 million Arashi 1999–2026 Pop / rock / R&B 38.44 million Zard 1991–2007 Pop rock / R&B / Soft rock / AOR 37.63 million Hikaru Utada 1998–2010, 2016–present J-pop / R&B / Dance / Electronica 37.34 million SMAP 1991–2016 J-pop / R&B 37.20 million Namie Amuro 1992–2018 Pop / R&B / Hip hop / EDM / Eurobeat 36.18 million Chage and Aska 1979–1996, 1999–2009 Folk rock / Soft rock 31 million X Japan 1982–1997, 2007–present Heavy metal 30 million†" Seiko Matsuda 1980–present Pop / Kayōkyoku 30 million†

20 million to 29 million records

Artist Years active Genre Sales Globe 1995–2018 Synthpop / Eurobeat / Trance 28.94 million KinKi Kids 1997–present Pop 28.38 million Koda Kumi 2000–presentJ-pop / pop / R&B 27.5 million Akina Nakamori 1982–present Pop / Kayōkyoku 25.34 million Tube 1985–present Power pop / Surf rock / Blues rock 24.55 million Masaharu Fukuyama 1990–present Pop / Rock 24.10 million Exile 2001–present J-pop / R&B / Dance / House 23.44 million Every Little Thing 1996–present Pop rock / Soft rock / Synthpop 22.72 million Maki Ohguro 1989–present Pop / Dance-pop / New Wave 22.67 million Morning Musume 1997–present J-pop / Electropop / Dance-pop 22.47 million Miyuki Nakajima 1975–present Kayōkyoku / Folk / Rock / Enka 21.96 million TRF 1993–present J-pop / Hi-NRG / Rave / Techno 21.71 million Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi 1977–present Rock / Folk 21.64 million Noriyuki Makihara 1990–present Pop 21 million Spitz 1987–present Alternative rock / Pop rock 20.68 million Speed 1996–2000, 2008–2012 Pop / Dance / R&B / Hip hop 20 million† Misia 1998–present R&B / Pop / Soul / Dance 20 million†

10 million to 19 million records

Artist Years active Genre Sales Hiroshi Itsuki 1965–present Enka / Pop 19.24 million" Kome Kome Club 1982–1997, 2006–present Pop rock / Psychedelic soul / Funk rock / Rakugo 18.66 million Pink Lady 1976–1981,1996–1997,2003–2005,2010–2017 Pop / Kayōkyoku / Disco 17 million Kanjani8 2004–present Pop / Rock / Enka / Kayōkyoku 17.00 million Toshinobu Kubota 1981–present R&B / Pop / Soul / Neo soul 16.33 million Kyosuke Himuro 1978–2016 Rock / Pop 16.25 million Momoe Yamaguchi 1973–1980 Pop / Kayōkyoku 16.22 million Dragon Ash 1996–Present Rap rock / Alternative rock 16 million Mariya Takeuchi 1978–Present Pop / Funk / Soul / Disco 16 million Yōsui Inoue 1969–present Rock / Folk 15.809 million Hiromi Gō 1972–present Pop / Kayōkyoku / R&B 15.78 million Kenji Sawada 1969–present Pop / Rock 15.71 million Mai Kuraki 1999–present Pop / R&B 15.5 million The Checkers 1981–1992 Rock 'n' roll / Rockabilly / Pop rock / Doo-wop 15.38 million Miki Imai 1986–present Pop 15.31 million Judy and Mary 1992–2001 Pop rock / Art punk / Alternative rock 15 million Puffy AmiYumi 1995–present Dance rock / Pop rock / Pop punk / Power pop 15 million Shizuka Kudo 1987–Present Pop / Kayōkyoku 15 million Miho Nakayama 1985–2024 Pop / Kayōkyoku 14.97 million Nogizaka46 2011–present Pop 14.60 million Mariah Carey 1988–present Pop / Soul / R&B / Dance 14.5 million Kyōko Koizumi 1982–present Pop 14.26 million Shinichi Mori 1966–present Enka / Kayōkyoku 14.10 million" Hideki Saijo 1972–2018 Pop 13.30 million Tomoyasu Hotei 1988–present Rock 12.71 million Misato Watanabe 1985–present Pop / Funk / Rock 12.70 million Toshihiko Tahara 1980–present Pop 12.70 million Masahiko Kondo 1980–present Pop / Kayōkyoku 12.67 million Hikaru Genji 1987–1996 Pop 12.22 million Tomomi Kahara 1995–2006, 2013–present Pop / Adult contemporary / Pop rock / Dance-pop 12.19 million V6 1995–2021 Pop / Rock 12.12 million Sandaime J Soul Brothers 2010–present J-Pop / Dance / R&B 11.15 million† Orange Range 2001–present Rap rock / Alternative rock / Pop rock / Power pop 11 million Princess Princess 1983–1996 J-pop / J-rock / Glam Rock 11 million" The Alfee 1974–present Pop rock / Hard rock / Punk rock 10+ million Luna Sea 1989–2000, 2010–present Progressive rock / Alternative rock / Hard rock / Punk rock 10+ million† Chemistry 2001–present J-pop / R&B 10 million MAX 1995–present J-pop 10 million Shiina Ringo 1998–present J-pop / J-rock 10 million KAT-TUN 2006–present J-pop 10 million aiko 1998–present J-pop 10 million Hiromi Iwasaki 1975–present Pop / Kayōkyoku 10 million

5 million to 9 million records

Artist Years active Genre Sales Goro Noguchi 1971–present Kayōkyoku / Pop 9.50 million Ami Suzuki 1998–2001, 2004–present Pop / Dance-pop / EDM / Electro house 8.83 million Hitomi 1992–present Rock / Pop / Electronic 8.70 million Tokio 1994–present Power pop / Pop rock 8.19 million SKE48 2008–present Pop 8.15 million KAT-TUN 1994–present Pop / Rock 8.05 million TVXQ 2003–present Pop / Dance / R&B / Electronic / Rock 7.80 million† BoA 2000–present K-pop / J-pop / Dance-pop / R&B 7.75 million Ketsumeishi 1993–present Hip hop / Reggae / R&B 7.60 million Wink 1988–1996 Pop 7.49 million NMB48 2011–present Pop 7.35 million Celine Dion 1981–present Pop / Rock7.150 million Da Pump 1996–present J-pop / EDM / Eurodance / Hip hop 7 million Ai Otsuka 2003–present Pop 6.60 million Naoko Kawai 1980–1996 Kayōkyoku 6.53 million Madonna 1979–present Pop / dance / electronica 6.45 million Avril Lavigne 1999–present Pop/Punk 6.4 million Perfume 2000–present Pop, Techno, Bitpop, Electropop, Dance-pop, Synthpop 6 million Mari Amachi 1971–1977, 1979–present Kayōkyoku 5.96 million Hiroko Yakushimaru 1978–present Kayōkyoku 5.85 million Whitney Houston 1985–2012 Pop, RnB,Gospel,EDM 5.71 million Gackt 1993–present Rock 5.70 million Yoko Minamino 1984–present Pop 5.63 million Shonentai 1985–present Pop 5.48 million Candies 1973–1978 Pop / Folk pop 5.45 million Shibugakitai 1982–1988 Pop 5.43 million Backstreet Boys 1993–present Pop / Dance-pop 5.4 million Lady Gaga 2008–present Pop 5.4 million Yōko Oginome 1983–present Kayōkyoku 5.38 million Yellow Magic Orchestra 1978–1984, 1992–1993, 2002–2004, 2007–2012 Electronic, Electro, Electropop, House, Synthpop, Techno million Crystal Kay 1999–present Pop, R&B 5.2 million Def Tech 2002–2007, 2010–present Jawaiian Reggae 5 million Rip Slyme 1994–present Hip hop 5 million Yui 2004–present Pop / Rock 5 million

Best-selling Western acts

The long-standing world's second biggest music market has seen record sales dominated by local music acts.

A selected group of Western acts have achieved certified units of over 4 million since Japan's music certification system inception by RIAJ in 1989. Prior RIAJ's certification system, various artists attained healthy sales. This include The Nolans whose sales were estimated at 12 million records, and French music conductor Paul Mauriat, with over 6 million records sold according to Billboard. Jeff Rovin wrote in Julio! (1985), that many of Julio Iglesias' albums sold over two million copies individually. In addition, Oricon's chart book (Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005) provides record sales.

+ Highest certified Western artists by RIAJ (1989–present)ArtistCertified sales(in millions)Mariah Carey14.5 millionCeline Dion*7.150 millionMadonna6.450 millionAvril Lavigne6.4 millionWhitney Houston5.710 millionBackstreet Boys5.4 millionLady Gaga5.4 millionThe Beatles4.950 millionMichael Jackson4.650 millionEnya4.6 millionBon Jovi4.4 million

‡Indicates a debutant artist prior RIAJ's certification program ( 1989)

Best-selling artist sales by year YearArtistAlbum salesSingle salesTotal sales 1999Hikaru Utada7,365,8305,383,77012,749,600 2000Ayumi Hamasaki5,267,3503,914,9209,182,270 2001Ayumi Hamasaki5,311,9505,067,91010,379,860 2002Hikaru Utada3,526,7802,410,9905,667,770 2003Ayumi Hamasaki2,774,4741,056,1483,830,622 2004Hikaru Utada3,537,845365,206 3,903,051 2005Orange Range3,479,5392,242,2575,721,796 2006Koda Kumi2,411,4701,281,0223,692,492 2007Koda Kumi1,318,072534,0351,852,107 2008Exile4,363,967678,4585,042,425 2009Arashi1,432,7812,213,4233,646,204 2010Arashi1,395,8073,778,3135,174,120 2011AKB48829,6456,871,2817,700,926 2012AKB481,029,9546,954,5997,984,553 2013AKB48 -5,961,2135,961,213 2014AKB481,041,3556,241,9877,283,342 2015AKB481,468,2795,062,1006,530,379 2016AKB48 -5,413,3285,413,328 2017AKB48632,6154,715,4155,348,030 2018AKB48611,0565,677,0956,288,151 2019Arashi2,100,438709,8132,810,251 2020Arashi822,4591,147,8651,970,3242021BTS2022BTS2023King & Prince1,399,2362024Snow Man

Notes

See also List of best-selling singles in Japan List of best-selling albums in Japan

References

Further reading

External links Yamachan Land (Japanese) — Japanese chart archives of selected best-selling artists (last updated December 2007)