List of best-selling music artists

The following list of best-selling music artists includes musical artists from the 20th century to the present with claims of 75 million or more record sales worldwide. The tables list artists in descending order by claimed sales; artists with equal claimed sales are ranked by certified units.

The claimed-sales and certified-unit figures include sales of albums, singles, compilation albums, and music videos as well as downloads of singles and full-length albums. Sales figures, such as those from SoundScan, which are sometimes published by Billboard, are not included in the certified-units column.

Definitions

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and almost all other certifying bodies count streaming towards gold and platinum thresholds required for certification. The RIAA counts 10 downloads of individual tracks as well as 1,500 audio/video streams as an equivalent to one unit of album, including those from singles released before the album release. Theoretically, if one song were streamed 1.5 billion times on YouTube, the single would be certified diamond and its album could be certified platinum, thus generating a combined total of 11 million certified units.

Issued certifications for songs which have been recorded by multiple artists, including featured artists, are added to each artist's total amount of certified units, as all the artists would have played a significant part in a song. For example, "This Is What You Came For" include Rihanna and Calvin Harris, while "Where Them Girls At" include Flo Rida and Nicki Minaj, so the certifications issued for these songs are added to the total amount of certified units for all involved artists. However, the certifications issued for songs that have been recorded by four or more artists are not included, as the artists involved would have played minor roles; examples include Kanye West's "Monster" and "All Day".

By reputed sales

Over 250 million

Artist Country Period active Release-year of first charted record Genre Total certified units(from available markets) Claimed sales The Beatles United Kingdom 1960–1970 1962 Rock / pop 600 million500 million Michael Jackson United States 1964–2009 1971 R&B / pop500 million400 million Elvis Presley United States 1953–1977 1956 Rock / pop / country / gospel 500 million Madonna United States 1979–present 1982 Pop 400 million300 million Elton John United Kingdom 1962–present 1970 Pop / rock300 million250 million Queen United Kingdom 1971–present 1973 Rock / pop 300 million250 million Led Zeppelin United Kingdom 1968–1980 1969 Rock 300 million200 million Rihanna Barbados 2003–present 2005 R&B / pop 250 million230 million Pink Floyd United Kingdom 1965–1996, 2005, 2012–2014 1967 Rock250 million200 million

Over 200 million

Artist Country Period active Release-year of first charted record Genre Total certified units(from available markets) Claimed sales Eminem United States 1996–present 1999 Hip-hop 220 million Mariah CareyUnited States 1988–present1990R&B / pop 220 million Whitney Houston United States 1977–2012 1984 R&B / pop / gospel220 million Taylor Swift United States 2003–present 2006 Pop / country / folk 200 million170 million Beyoncé United States 1997–present 2002 R&B / pop 200 million160 million Ed Sheeran United Kingdom 2004–present 2011 Pop 200 million AC/DC Australia 1973–present 1975 Rock 200 million Eagles United States 1971–1980, 1994–present 1972 Rock 200 million Celine Dion Canada 1981–present 1981 Pop / world200 million The Rolling Stones United Kingdom 1962–present 1963 Rock / blues200 million

Over 120 million

Artist Country Period active Release-year of first charted record Genre Total certified units(from available markets) Claimed sales Drake Canada 2001–present 2009 Hip-hop / R&B / pop 170 millionColdplay United Kingdom 1997–present 1999 Rock / pop 170 million Garth Brooks United States 1989–present 1989 Country 170 million U2 Ireland 1976–present 1980 Rock170 million Kanye West United States 1996–present 2003 Hip-hop / pop / gospel 160 million Billy Joel United States 1964–present 1971 Pop / rock160 million Katy Perry United States 2001–present 2008 Pop 151 million Justin Bieber Canada 2008–present 2009 Pop / R&B 150 million Bruno Mars United States 2004–present 2010 Pop / R&B 150 million Britney Spears United States 1998–present 1998 Pop 150 million Metallica United States 1981–present 1983 Metal / rock 150 million Bruce Springsteen United States 1972–present 1973 Rock / folk 150 million Aerosmith United States 1970–present 1973 Rock 150 million Phil Collins United Kingdom 1980–2011, 2015–present 1981 Pop / rock 150 million Barbra Streisand United States 1960–present 1963 Pop 150 million ABBA Sweden 1972–1982, 2016–2022 1972 Pop / world150 million Julio Iglesias Spain 1968–present 1968 Latin / pop 150 million Frank Sinatra United States 1935–1971, 1973–1995 1940 Easy listening / pop / jazz150 million Chris Brown United States 2005–present 2005 R&B / hip-hop / pop 140 million Jay-Z United States 1996–present 1996 Hip-hop 125 million Lady Gaga United States 2005–present 2008 Pop / electronic 124 million Lil Wayne United States 1996–present 1999 Hip-hop 120 million Maroon 5 United States 1994–present 2002 Pop / rock 120 million Adele United Kingdom 2006–present 2008 Pop 120 million Red Hot Chili Peppers United States 1983–present 1987 Rock 120 million Bon Jovi United States 1983–present 1983 Metal / rock 120 million Fleetwood Mac United KingdomUnited States 1967–present 1968 Rock / pop 120 million Rod Stewart United Kingdom 1964–present 1969 Rock / pop 120 million Bee Gees United Kingdom Australia 1963–20032009–2012 1963 Rock / pop120 million Dire Straits United Kingdom 1977–1995 1978 Rock 120 million Roberto Carlos Brazil 1961–present 1963 Latin / pop / rock 120 million

Over 100 million

Artist Country Period active Release-year of first charted record Genre Total certified units(from available markets) Claimed sales Nicki Minaj Trinidad and Tobago 2007–present 2010 Hip-hop / pop 100 million Linkin Park United States 1996–present 2000 Metal / rock 100 million George Strait United States 1981–present 1984 Country 100 million Journey United States 1973–present 1975 Rock 100 million Pink United States 1995–present 2000 Pop / rock / R&B 100 million Guns N' Roses United States 1985–present 1987 Rock 100 million United States 1993–present 1998 Pop / R&B100 million Shania Twain Canada 1993–present 1993 Country / pop 100 million B'z Japan 1988–present 1988 Rock / pop / world 100 million Backstreet Boys United States 1993–present 1995 Pop 100 million Eric Clapton United Kingdom 1962–present 1970 Rock / blues 100 million Neil Diamond United States 1966–present 1966 Pop / rock100 million Prince United States 1976–2016 1978 R&B / rock / pop 100 million Paul McCartney United Kingdom 1960–present 1970 Rock / pop / electronic 100 million Janet Jackson United States 1982–present 1982 R&B / pop100 million Kenny Rogers United States 1958–2020 1975 Country / pop 100 million The Doors United States 1965–1973 1967 Rock 100 million Santana United States 1966–present 1969 Rock / Latin 100 million Simon & Garfunkel United States 1956–2004 1964 Pop / folk / rock 100 million The Beach Boys United States 1961–present 1962 Rock / pop 100 million George Michael United Kingdom 1981–2016 1984 Pop / R&B 100 million Foreigner United StatesUnited Kingdom 1976–present 1977 Rock 100 million Bob Dylan United States 1959–present 1963 Rock / folk / blues / gospel / pop 100 million Chicago United States 1967–present 1969 Rock100 million Cher United States 1964–present 1965 Pop / rock / folk 100 million Meat Loaf United States 1968–2022 1977 Rock100 million The Carpenters United States 1969–1983 1969 Rock / pop / easy listening 100 million Earth, Wind & Fire United States 1969–present 1971 R&B / pop 100 million David Bowie United Kingdom 1962–2016 1967 Rock / pop / electronic 100 million Def Leppard United Kingdom 1977–present 1979 Metal / rock 100 million Stevie Wonder United States 1961–present 1962 R&B / pop / gospel100 million Genesis United Kingdom 1967–19992006–20072020–2022 1969 Rock100 million Gloria Estefan United States 1975–present 1984 Latin / pop 100 million Tina Turner United States 1958–2009 1960 R&B / rock / pop 100 million Mötley Crüe United States 1981–present 1983 Pop / rock 100 million James Taylor United States 1968–present 1970 Rock / pop / folk 100 million Olivia Newton-John United KingdomAustralia 1966–2022 1966 Pop / country 100 million Linda Ronstadt United States 1967–2011 1968 Rock / folk / pop / country 100 million Donna Summer United States 1968–2012 1974 R&B / pop 100 million Diana Ross United States 1959–present 1970 R&B / pop 100 million The Supremes United States 1959–1977 1962 R&B / pop 100 million

Over 80 million

Artist Country Period active Release-year of first charted record Genre Total certified units(from available markets) Claimed sales Shakira Colombia 1988–present 1995 Latin / pop 95 million Ariana Grande United States 2008–present 2013 Pop / R&B 90 million Alicia Keys United States 1996–present 2001 R&B / pop 90 million Tim McGraw United States 1990–present 1994 Country 90 million Lionel Richie United States 1968–present 1981 R&B / pop90 million Andrea Bocelli Italy 1982–present 1994 Operatic pop 90 million Johnny Cash United States 1954–2003 1956 Country / folk / rock / gospel / blues 90 million Justin Timberlake United States 1992–present 2002 Pop / R&B 88 million Pearl Jam United States 1990–present 1991 Rock85 million R.E.M. United States 1980–2011 1983 Rock85 million Kelly Clarkson United States 2002–present 2002 Pop / rock 82 million Post Malone United States 2013–present 2015 Pop / hip-hop 80 million Flo Rida United States 2007–present 2007 Hip-hop / pop 80 million Usher United States 1991–present 1994 R&B / pop 80 million The Black Eyed Peas United States 1995–present 1998 Hip-hop / pop / R&B 80 million Van Halen United States 1978–2020 1978 Rock 80 million Ayumi Hamasaki Japan 1998–present 1998 Pop / electronic / world 80 million Tom Petty United States 1976–2017 1977 Rock 80 million Johnny Hallyday France 1957–2017 1960 Rock / pop / world 80 million

Over 75 million

Artist Country Period active Release-year of first charted record Genre Total certified units(from available markets) Claimed sales The Weeknd Canada 2010–present 2013 R&B / pop 75 million Imagine Dragons United States 2008–present 2012 Rock / pop 75 million Luke Bryan United States 2001–present 2007 Country 75 million Tupac Shakur United States 1991–1996 1991 Hip-hop 75 million Nirvana United States 1987–1994 1990 Rock 75 million Oasis United Kingdom 1991–20092024–present 1994 Rock 75 million Green Day United States 1987–present 1994 Rock 75 million Alabama United States 1972–present 1980 Country / rock 75 million R. Kelly United States 1989–2019 1991 R&B / hip-hop / pop 75 million Robbie Williams United Kingdom 1990–present 1996 Pop75 million Bob Seger United States 1961–present 1967 Rock 75 million Kenny G United States 1982–present 1984 Jazz / easy listening 75 million Enya Ireland 1982–present 1987 New-age / world 75 million Bryan Adams Canada 1979–present 1979 Rock 75 million Bob Marley Jamaica 1962–1981 1975 Reggae 75 million The Police United Kingdom 1977–19862007–2008 1978 Rock 75 million Barry Manilow United States 1973–present 1973 Pop 75 million Kiss United States 1972–2023 1974 Rock 75 million Aretha Franklin United States 1956–2018 1961 R&B / gospel / jazz / pop 75 million

See also

List of best-selling albums List of best-selling albums by country List of best-selling singles List of best-selling singles by country Best-selling artists by nationality List of best-selling Belgian music artists List of biggest-selling British music artists List of estimated best-selling Italian music artists List of best-selling Swedish music artists Best-selling artists by territory List of best-selling music artists in Brazil