The world's Best-selling Music Artists
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 are
incomplete. International sales, particularly in the developing world, continue to be poorly tracked, and
sales data before the 1980s is rare or dubious. The Beatles, Michael Jackson, and Elvis Presley have all
been 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 [1] [2]
Bing Crosby U.S. 20s-70s Jazz / Swing / Vocal / Easy Listening / Pop [3]
Michael Jackson U.S. 60s-00s Pop / New Jack Swing / R&B / Rock / Funk / Disco / Gospel [4]
Elvis Presley U.S. 50s-70s Rock / R&B / Gospel / Blues / Rockabilly / Pop / Country [5]
Frank Sinatra U.S. 30s-90s Pop / Easy Listening / Vocal / Jazz / Swing [6]
250 million records or more
Artist Country Period Genre Source
ABBA Sweden 70s-80s Pop / Disco [7] [8]
Alla Pugacheva Soviet Union 60s-00s Russian pop [9]
Cliff Richard UK 50s-00s Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary [10]
Elton John UK 60s-00s Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary [11]
Julio Iglesias Spain 60s-00s Latin Pop [12]
Mariah Carey U.S. 90s-00s R&B / Pop [13]
Led Zeppelin UK 60s-80s Hard Rock / Blues Rock / Heavy Metal / Folk Rock [14]
Madonna U.S. 80s-00s Pop / Dance / Electronica [15]
Nana Mouskouri Greece 50s-00s Pop / Folk / Jazz [16]
Pink Floyd UK 60s-90s Progressive Rock / Psychedelic Rock / Art Rock / Hard Rock [17][18][19]
Queen UK 70s-00s Hard Rock / Glam Rock / Heavy Metal [20]
Tino Rossi France 30s-80s Swing [21]
100 million records or more/less
Artist Country Period Genre Source
A. R. Rahman India 90s-00s Film score / Soundtrack [22]
Aretha Franklin U.S. 50s-00s Pop / Disco / R&B / Soul
AC/DC Australia 70s-00s Hard Rock / Heavy Metal [23][24]
Aerosmith U.S. 70s-00s Hard Rock / Heavy Metal [25]
Backstreet Boys U.S. 90s-00s Pop / Rock / R&B / Soul [26][27]
Barbra Streisand U.S. 60s-00s Pop / Adult Contemporary / Classical / Easy listening / Showtunes [28]
Barry White U.S. 70s-00s Pop / Disco / R&B [29]
The Beach Boys U.S. 60s-00s Rock / Pop [30]
The Bee Gees Australia/UK 60s-00s Pop / Disco / Adult Contemporary / Blues / Blue-eyed Soul [31]
Billy Joel U.S. 60s-00s Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary [32][33]
Black Sabbath U.K. 60s-90s Heavy Metal [34]
Bon Jovi U.S. 80s-00s Hard Rock / Glam Rock [35]
Boney M Germany 70s-90s Pop / Disco [36] [37][38]
Brenda Lee U.S. 50s-00s Country [39]
Bruce Springsteen U.S. 70s-00s Rock [40]
The Byrds UK 60s-00s Rock / Folk / Country
The Carpenters U.S. 60s-80s Pop / Country / Adult Contemporary [41][42][43]
Celine Dion Canada 80s-00s Pop / Chanson / Rock / Adult Contemporary [44]
Charles Aznavour France 30s-00s Pop / Chanson [45]
Cher U.S. 60s-00s Pop / Dance / Disco / Rock / Folk / Country / Adult Contemporany [46]
Chicago U.S. 60s-00s Rock / Blues / Jazz / Adult Contemporary [47]
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 [50][51][52]
David Pomeranz U.S. 70s-00s Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary
Deep Purple UK 60s-00s Hard Rock / Heavy Metal [53]
Diana Ross U.S. 60s-00s Pop / R&B / Soul / Disco / Funk [54]
Dionne Warwick U.S. 60s-00s Pop / R&B / Soul / Adult Contemporary [55]
Dire Straits UK 70s-90s Rock [56]
Dolly Parton U.S. 50s-00s Pop / Country / Folk / Bluegrass [57][58]
Donna Summer U.S. 70s-00s Pop / Disco / R&B / Dance [59]
Duane Eddy U.S. 50s-80s Rock [60]
The Eagles U.S. 70s-00s Rock / Country [61]
Engelbert Humperdinck UK/U.S. 50s-00s Pop / Easy Listening / Vocal [62]
Fats Domino U.S. 40s-00s Rock / R&B [63]
Fleetwood Mac UK/U.S. 60s-00s Rock / Blues [64]
Frankie Laine U.S. 40s-00s Jazz / Gospel / Country [65]
Garth Brooks U.S. 80s-00s Country [66]
Gene Autry U.S. 30s-70s Country [67]
Genesis UK 60s-00s Progressive Rock / Pop Rock [68]
Gheorghe Zamfir Romania 70s-00s Instrumental [69][70]
Iron Maiden U.K. 80s-00s Heavy Metal / NWOBHM [71]
The Jackson 5 U.S. 60s-90s Pop / Disco / Funk / R&B [72]
Janet Jackson U.S. 80s-00s R&B / Soul / Dance / Pop [73]
John Denver U.S. 60s-90s Folk / Pop / Country
Johnny Hallyday France 50s-00s Traditional Pop [74]
Johnny Mathis U.S. 50s-00s Jazz / Pop [75]
Joni James U.S. 50s-60s Rock [76]
Kenny Rogers U.S. 50s-00s Country / Pop [77][78]
Lionel Richie U.S. 60s-00s Pop / R&B / Soul / Disco / Dance / Adult Contemporary [79]
Luciano Pavarotti Italy 60s-00s Opera [80][81]
Mireille Mathieu France 60s-00s Pop [82]
Modern Talking Germany 80s-00s New Wave [83]
Neil Diamond U.S. 60s-00s Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary [84]
Patti Page U.S. 40s-00s Country [85][86]
Perry Como U.S. 30s-00s Pop / Swing / Easy Listening [87]
Phil Collins UK 80s-00s Rock / Pop [88]
Prince U.S. 70s-00s Pop / Funk / R&B / Rock / Soul [89]
R. Kelly U.S. 90s-00s Pop R&B / Soul / New Jack Swing
Ricky Nelson U.S. 50s-80s Pop [90]
Roberto Carlos Brazil 60s-00s Latin [91]
Rod Stewart UK 60s-00s Rock [92]
The Rolling Stones UK 60s-00s Rock / Hard Rock / Arena Rock [93]
Tina Turner U.S. 60s-00s Pop / R&B / Rock / Soul / Dance [94]
Status Quo UK 60s-00s Rock [95]
Stevie Wonder U.S. 60s-00s Pop / R&B / Disco / Soul / Funk [96][97]
Tommy James U.S. 60s-00s Rock [98]
U2 Ireland 70s-00s Rock [99]
Wei Wei China 80s-00s Pop [100]
Whitney Houston U.S. 80s-00s Pop / R&B / Adult Contemporary / Soul / Gospel / Dance [101]
The Who UK 60s-00s Rock / Arena Rock / Hard Rock / Heavy Metal / Art Rock [102]
75 million records or more/less
Artist Country Period Genre Source
Adamo Belgium 60s-00s Pop [103][104]
Adriano Celentano Italy 60s-00s Pop [105]
Alabama U.S. 70s-00s Country [106]
Air Supply Australia/U.S. 70s-00s Rock / Adult Contemporary
The Andrews Sisters U.S. 30s-50s Swing [107]
B'z Japan 80s-00s Rock / Hard Rock [108]
Barry Manilow U.S. 70s-00s Pop / Easy Listening / Adult Contemporary [109]
Bob Dylan U.S. 60s-00s Folk / Rock / Country [110][111]
Bobby Vinton U.S. 60s-90s Pop [112]
Bonnie Tyler UK 70s-00s Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary [113]
Britney Spears U.S. 90s-00s Pop [114]
Bryan Adams Canada 80s-00s Rock / Pop / Adult Contemporary [115]
Christina Aguilera U.S. 90s-00s Pop / Jazz / Latin / Hip-Hop [116]
Depeche Mode UK 80s-00s New Wave / Synthpop / Alternative Dance [117][118]
Donny Osmond U.S. 70s-00s Pop [119]
Duran Duran UK 80s-00s Pop / New Wave [120]
The Doors U.S. 60s-70s Rock [121]
Earth, Wind & Fire U.S. 70s-00s Pop / R&B / Disco / Soul / Funk [122]
Eddy Arnold U.S. 40s-00s Country [123]
Eminem U.S. 90s-00s Hip-Hop [124]
Eurythmics UK 80s-00s Pop / Rock / New Wave [125]
Fairuz Lebanon 40s-00s Pop [126]
Gene Austin U.S. 20s-30s Country [127]
George Michael {and Wham!} UK 80s-00s Pop [128]
Gloria Estefan U.S. 80s-00s Latin / Dance [129]
Guns N' Roses U.S. 80s-00s Hard Rock / Glam Metal [130]
Hank Snow Canada 30s-90s Country [131]
Jean Michel Jarre France 70s-00s New Age [132]
Journey U.S. 70s-00s Rock [133]
Kenny G U.S. 80s-00s Instrumental / Jazz [134]
Kiss U.S. 70s-00s Rock [135]
Linda Ronstadt U.S. 60s-00s Country / Pop [136]
Marvin Gaye U.S. 50s-80s Pop / R&B / Disco / Funk / Soul
Metallica U.S. 80s-00s Heavy Metal / Thrash Metal / Hard Rock [137]
Mina Italy 50s-00s Pop [138]
Neil Young Canada/U.S 60s-00s Folk / Rock / Country
Oasis UK 90s-00s Rock [139]
The Osmonds U.S. 70s-00s Rock [140]
R.E.M. U.S. 80s-00s Rock [141]
Roxette Sweden 80s-00s Pop / Rock [142]
Santana Mexico/U.S. 60s-00s Rock / Blues [143]
Scorpions Germany 70s-00s Hard Rock [144]
Sonny & Cher U.S. 60s-70s Pop / Rock [145]
Shania Twain Canada 90s-00s Country / Pop [146]
Van Halen U.S. 70s-00s Hard Rock [147]
The Ventures U.S. 50s-00s Instrumental Rock [148]
Tupac Shakur U.S. 90s-00s Hip-Hop [149]
Victor Silvester UK 30s-80s Dance [150]
Willie Nelson U.S. 50s-00s Country [151]
50 million records or more/less
Artist Country Period Genre Source
a-ha Norway 80s-00s Pop / New Wave [152]
Alanis Morissette Canada 90s-00s Alternative / Folk Rock [153]
Alice Cooper U.S. 60s-00s Hard Rock / Heavy Metal / Shock Rock / Glam Rock [154]
Andre Kostelanetz U.S. 40s-70s Easy Listening [155]
Andrea Bocelli Italy 90s-00s Opera / Classical [156]
Anne Murray Canada 60s-00s Pop / Country [157]
Annie Lennox UK 90s-00s Rock / Soul [158]
Ayumi Hamasaki Japan 90s-00s Pop / Trance [159]
B.J. Thomas U.S. 60s-00s Country [160]
Blondie U.S. 70s-00s New Wave [161]
Bob Marley Jamaica 60s-80s Reggae [162]
Bob Seger U.S. 60s-00s Rock [163]
Boyz II Men U.S. 80s-00s R&B / Soul [164]
Camilo Sesto Spain 60s-00s Latin [165]
Cat Stevens UK 60s-00s Folk / Pop [166]
Charlie Daniels U.S. 70s-00s Country / Rock [167]
The Corrs Ireland 90s-00s Rock [168]
Culture Club UK 70s-00s Pop / New Wave / New Romantic Rock
Def Leppard UK 70s-00s Hard Rock / Heavy Metal / NWOBHM [169]
Destiny's Child U.S. 90s-00s Pop / R&B / Dance [170]
The Diamonds Canada 50s-70s R&B [171]
The Doobie Brothers U.S. 70s-00s Rock [172]
Don Cornell U.S. 50s-90s Pop [173]
Enya Ireland 80s-00s New Age / Celtic [174]
Foreigner U.S./UK 70s-00s Rock / Arena Rock
Four Tops U.S. 50s-00s R&B [175]
George Strait U.S. 70s-00s Country [176]
Green Day U.S. 90s-00s Rock / Punk / Alternative [177]
Heino Germany 60s-00s Country [178]
Hank Thompson U.S. 40s-00s Country [179]
Herb Alpert U.S. 50s-90s Instrumental Pop / Easy Listening [180]
James Brown U.S. 50s-00s Rock / Soul / Disco
James Last Germany 60s-00s Instrumental / Classical [181]
Jethro Tull UK 60s-00s Progressive Rock / Hard Rock /Rock [182]
Jennifer Lopez U.S. 90s-00s Pop / R&B / Dance / Latin
Johnny Cash U.S. 50s-00s Country [183]
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 [184]
Kool & The Gang U.S. 60s-00s Pop / Disco / Soul / Funk / R&B
Luis Miguel Mexico 80s-00s Latin [185]
Linkin Park United States 90s-00s Rock / Metal / Hip-Hop [186]
Little River Band Australia/U.S. 70s-00s Rock / Adult Contemporary
Meat Loaf U.S. 70s-00s Rock / Hard Rock [187]
Michael Bolton U.S. 80s-00s Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary
Mills Brothers U.S. 30s-70s Pop [188]
Mötley Crüe U.S. 80s-00s Hard Rock / Heavy Metal / Glam Metal [189]
The Monkees U.S. 60s-90s Pop / Rock [190]
Mr. Children Japan 80s-00s Rock [191]
Nat King Cole U.S. 30s-60s Jazz / Vocal / Pop [192]
Nelson Gonçalves Brazil 40s-90s Samba [193]
New Kids on the Block U.S. 80s-90s Pop [194]
Nirvana U.S. 80s-90s Grunge / Alternative Rock [195]
Oasis UK 90s-00s Rock [196]
Olivia Newton-John Australia 70s-00s Country / Pop / Adult Contmporary
Orhan Gencebay Turkey 60s-00s Arabesque / Folk [197]
Paul Anka Canada 50s-00s Pop / Easy Listening
Paul Revere & The Raiders USA 60s-00s Pop [198]
Pearl Jam U.S. 90s-00s Grunge / Rock / Hard Rock [199]
Petula Clark UK 50s-00s Pop [200]
The Dave Clark Five UK 60s-70s Rock [201]
The Police UK 70s-80s, 00s Pop / New Wave / Rock [202][203]
Raphael Spain 60s-00s Latin
Ray Conniff U.S. 50s-00s Pop / Easy Listening [204]
Reba McEntire U.S. 70s-00s Country [205]
Red Hot Chili Peppers U.S. 80s-00s Funk Rock / Alternative Rock [206]
REO Speedwagon U.S. 70s-00s Rock / Arena Rock
Richard Clayderman France 60s-00s Easy Listening / Instrumental Pop [207]
Ricky Martin Puerto Rico 90s-00s Latin Pop / Dance [208]
Rocío Dúrcal Spain 60s-00s Pop [209]
Sade UK 80s-00s R&B [210]
The Seekers Australia 60s, 90s-00s Folk / Rock [211]
Shakira Colombia 90s-00s Latin / Pop [212]
Simon & Garfunkel US 60s-70s Folk Rock [213][214]
Simply Red UK 80s-00s Pop / Rock / Adult Contemporary [215]
Spice Girls UK 90s-00s Pop / Dance / R&B [216]
Supertramp UK 60s-00s Rock / Adult Contemporary [217]
The Supremes U.S. 60s-70s Pop / R&B / Soul
Three Dog Night U.S. 60s-70s Rock [218]
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers U.S. 70s-00s Rock [219]
Tony Bennett U.S. 50s-00s Jazz [220]
The Turtles U.S. 60s Rock [221]
UB40 UK 80s-00s Reggae [222]
Vernon Dalhart U.S. 10s-40s Country [223]
Vicky Leandros Greece 60s-00s Pop [224]
ZZ Top U.S. 70s-00s Hard Rock / Blues-Rock [225]