Talk:List of best-selling music artists

The Beach Boys

They've sold over 100 million records. Why are they not on the list? http://www.osceola.org/index.cfm?lsFuses=department/OsceolaOrg/32554 —Preceding unsigned comment added by Strangebrownbag (talk • contribs) 17:48, 17 February 2010 (UTC)

I just finished going over The Beach Boys' available certified sales; although, RIAA has 24.5 million in certified sales for them, their sales outside the US seems to have been not as strong. The following are The Beach Boys' certified sales:

• US certified Sales: 24.6 million
• Canadian certified sales: 100,000
• UK certified sales: 1.4 million
• German certified sales: 250,000
• French certified sales: 200,000 (albums), 200,000 (singles)
• Dutch certified sales: 50,000

Finland, the database of which stretches all the way back when The Beach Boys have begun their career, doesn't contain a single certification for them. Although, The Beach Boys' US actual sales could reach 30-35 million, they haven't done (sales wise) well enough abroad to suggest that they have sold 100 million records, perhaps 50 or 60 million worldwide, but 100 million is an awfully big stretch.--Harout72 (talk) 19:02, 17 February 2010 (UTC)

"According to Billboard, in terms of singles and album sales, The Beach Boys are the No.-1-selling American band of all time." http://www.recordresearch.com/record_setters.php?id=1 What we talking about? They sold over 100 million copyes in worldwide... —Preceding unsigned comment added by Morden112 (talk • contribs) 15:40, 5 April 2010 (UTC)

Michael Jackson

The LA Times, June 26th, claims half a billion, so I put this on there.

I believe the other sources are equally as not reputable. The source does not have to be from the Internet.Facial (talk) 21:19, 19 February 2010 (UTC)

Yes, sources don't have to be online materials but they have to be verifiable. In the case of your entry, it is absolutely not verifiable as it's not only missing such details as page numbers and the name of the author but it's also missing the ID number. Refer to WP:Citations and also WP:Citation templates. Regards.--Harout72 (talk) 22:19, 19 February 2010 (UTC)

What is the DOI for the LA Times? How can I look it up? Facial (talk) 00:05, 24 February 2010 (UTC)

You should refer to the folks at WP:RSN, they should be able to give you some useful tips on all of that. --Harout72 (talk) 03:09, 24 February 2010 (UTC)

Juan Gabriel

Not in the list, are many singers. One of them Juan Gabriel has sold more than 100 million records according to [1]. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 188.101.10.117 (talk) 12:01, 22 February 2010 (UTC)

According to RIAA's Oro y Platino, Juna Gabriel has 4.6 million in US certified sales, and accodring to Mexico's AMPROFON, Gabriel (since 1999) has 1.5 million in Mexican certified sales. Gabriel doesn't seem to have any major sales in Brazil (at least not since 1990), nor has he had any major sales in Argentina (just 30,000 in certified sales). Based on the number of the certifications, it's fair to say that Gabriel doesn't seem to have sold as much as 100 million records. I'm afraid to say, he should not be added to the list due to lack of his certified sales.--Harout72 (talk) 05:07, 23 February 2010 (UTC)

Madonna

Madonna has sold at least 300 million records (albums+singles+videos). The source on this list, IFPI, mentioned that she sold 200 million albums, not records. The sources has been also out of date (2006). Well, in the United States alone Madonna has MORE gold & platinum singles than any other female artist. She has even beaten The Beatles for most Gold-singles since "Hung Up" (2005). In the UK, she has more than 60 top-ten singles. I believe she sold more than 200 million albums and at least 300 million records. 114.126.176.42 (talk) 12:37, 22 February 2010 (UTC)

Please support your statements with reliable sources, otherwise you're not helping at all, anybody could come here and claim anything they want about any artists without providing sources. I personally, have gone over Madonna's certified-sales, which doesn't suggest anything close to 300 million records, perhaps 250 million. But then again, we'd need a highly reliable source backing that figure.--Harout72 (talk) 18:31, 22 February 2010 (UTC)

Alla Pugacheva

Alla Pugacheva - Russian superstar had sold more 250 million records
[Encyclopedia Britannica]:
"By 1997 Russian pop idol Alla Pugacheva had reportedly sold as many as 250 million records--perhaps more than the amount sold by U.S. pop star Michael Jackson--but they were nearly all in Russia and the other countries of the former Soviet Union. Widely admired at home, she was still little known elsewhere.

Given that the population of the former USSR was 270 million, and declining by the 1990s, it must mean that about 93% of households purchased one of her records, which is hard to believe. You must also cite the certified sales, to be at least on par with ABBA and Queen to rank up there. Alla did not sell more than Michael Jackson - because the lower limit for his estimate is 300 million, with the upper estimate of 750 million.Facial (talk) 00:10, 24 February 2010 (UTC)

In the Encyclopedia Britannica states 250 million. Such staid could publish unverified information. (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/482973/Alla-Borisovna-Pugacheva)

I agree that to believe such a figure is difficult. Yet it is so. Can you even harder to believe that in this vast country, only one singer - Alla Pugacheva sang songs about love (not patriotic or about the war like everyone else). In the Soviet Union was no one to listen to just has been an information vacuum and the music was "iron curtain". We do not know what kind of music sung in the world. We all sang only songs that were politically reconciled. Pugacheva refused to sing such songs. It is thus extremely popular.

USSR had an impact countries such as Poland, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, East Germany and others. These countries have also performed Pugachev, knew her and released records. In addition to these countries, it drives out in: Korea, Japan, Finland, Sweden and other countries. It is a prize winner of the "Golden Microphone" firm "Dinakord" (1981); golden disks «Track Music» (Finland, 1984), the All-Union firm "Melody" (1985), firm Ampeks "for the album" Alla Pugacheva in Stockholm "(1989 ).

In Sweden, the name Pugaevoy called steam. In Russia, out shoes under the brand name "Alla Pugacheva". And in Russia (Ukraine and Moldova) operates radio stations in its name - "Radio Alla '(under the direct supervision of Alla Pugacheva). Unprecedented case in world music. No more musicians, whose names are called the radio station. Students of many Russian cities are listening to the radio only to hear the songs Pugacheva.

The musicians group "ABBA" wrote his famous musical "Chess" for Pugacheva. They planned that she would sing it the party of his wife of chess. But Pugacheva was unable to do so - it is not released then from the country (such at that time we were orders)

These 250 million announced firm "Melody". This is the only company in the USSR, which dealt with the release of records. After the collapse of the Soviet Union to sell discs is impossible to calculate because in Russia a lot of titles printed "pirates".

In the Soviet Union was even anecdote: "Brezhnev - a small figure era Alla Pugaevoy". In modern Russia, said: "We have three P: Pushkin, Putin, Pugacheva"

[Shoes "Alla Pugacheva [(http://www.econika-style.ru/model.xgi?&brand_id=74)]]

[Radio "ALLA" [2]] --Ермолаев (talk) 11:44, 24 February 2010 (UTC)

Finland's certification database seems to contain evidence of only some 25,000 for Pugachova. 250 million in sales is a serious figure, which could not have been generated with only former Soviet Union's non-existent economy. I'm having a hard time believing that they (in former Soviet Union) even had the capability of being able to press as many vinyls (or cassettes) as you're suggesting, equally, I'm finding it hard to believe that east Europeans would buy tons of records coming from Soviets whom they (east Europeans) desliked intensely. Britannica has had no way of verifying the so-called 250 million submitted by Russians, who have tried to make an impression or tried to compete with an impressive sales generated by some of US artists. Even highly reliable news services publish outrageous sales figures sometimes, so seeing Britannica claiming a ludicrous figure of that kind for Pugacheva is no surprise. I'm entirely against having Pugacheva on the list.--Harout72 (talk) 16:53, 24 February 2010 (UTC)

Higher Backstreet Sales

This group has now sold 130 million albums http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=552734&publicationSubCategoryId=70 Their total record sales are higher but their total record sales aren't exact, there are just other sources saying in the region of 200 million. And they formed in 1993.—Preceding unsigned comment added by Music Realist (talk • contribs) 00:33, 25 February 2010 (UTC)

We accept highly reliable sources only at this page, the source above is not.--Harout72 (talk) 02:18, 25 February 2010 (UTC)

Still, their year needs to be canged to 93 —Preceding unsigned comment added by Music Realist (talk • contribs) 13:09, 25 February 2010 (UTC)

I have corrected the year they have formed.--Harout72 (talk) 15:58, 25 February 2010 (UTC)

Led Zeppelin

Led has sold over 300 million records, in their official myspace, there are two biographys one that says they sold 200 million records and the other that says they've sold 300 million records, i have two source that said that they've sold 300 million records, look at this pages

http://new.music.yahoo.com/led-zeppelin/news/led-zeppelin-returns-with-rocking-london-reunion--53590296 and http://new.music.yahoo.com/led-zeppelin/news/led-zeppelin-returns-with-rocking-london-reunion--53590296. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 190.188.147.251 (talk) 18:16, 1 March 2010 (UTC)

Prince mention???

Wikipedia itself says Prince has sold more than 100 million records, so shouldn't he be on the list? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Mauri96 (talk • contribs) 01:16, 4 March 2010 (UTC)

I could not find any sales claims at Prince's wikipedia page. Could you provide the source which is supporting that claim? Thanks.--Harout72 (talk) 02:02, 4 March 2010 (UTC)

I realize that, and here is what you posted on September 17:

"Here is what Prince's figures look like in the following countries: US: 47 million UK: 4.3 million Germany: 1.7 million France: 3 million Canada: 1 million The Netherlands: 610,000 So 82 million for US and Canada is about 15-20 million exaggerated. Prince's worldwide total should not go any farther than 80-90 million.--Harout72 (talk) 00:09, 17 September 2009 (UTC)"

So I think NOW we can change it. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Mauri96 (talk • contribs) 00:14, 23 March 2010 (UTC)

Change it to what? I don't follow you.--Harout72 (talk) 04:08, 23 March 2010 (UTC)

Madonna: She Shoud be on top of the page alongside MJ, The Beatles etc.

• Madonna: 9,500,000

• Like a Virgin: 21,000,000

• True Blue: 24,000,000

• Who's that Girl: 5,500,000

• You Can Dance: 6,000,000

• Like a Prayer: 14,500,000

• Breathless: 6,000,000

• The Immaculate Collection: 26,000,000

• Erotica: 6,500,000

• Bedtime Stories: 7,000,000

• Something to Remember: 9,000,000

• Evita: 8,000,000

• Ray of Light: 16,000,000

• Music: 11,000,000

• American Life: 4,000,000

• Remixed & Revisited: 500,000

• Confessions on a Dancefloor: 9,000,000

• Confessions Tour: 1,500,000

• I'm Going to Tell You a Secret: 800,000

• Hard Candy: 3,600,000

• Celebration: 2,000,000 (so far, shipped/sold)

Total Album Sales: 191,400,000 (based on existing Certifications)

Single Sales: 120,000,000 (based on worldwide certifications and data from all the official singles charts)

TOTAL RECORD SALES: 311,400,000

DVD Sales: 5,000,000+

('Record Sales including DVD's: 316,400,000+')

Madonna is by miles the most commercially successful female artist of all time in terms of record sales. IFPI announced ALBUM sales (a figure which does not include single sales) of over 200,000,000 copies in 2006 (before Hard Candy & Celebration). Therefore, including singles, Madonna is above the 300,000,000 mark without a doubt, not only based on common sense, since anyone can figure that out if he/she adds Madonna's record sales, but also according to IFPI's reports.

Moreover, there are countless sources that support that Madonna is way above the 300,000,000 mark.

For example, this source => [[3]] <= claims that. I can post as many sources as you wish later. I believe that Madonna should be included in the top of the page alongside the likes of Michael Jackson, the Beatles, Elvis Presley etc.

Thank you,

"Mysterious Spy" or simply Elias. :D

--Mysterious Spy (talk) 00:26, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

I've personally gone over Madonna's available certified sales and it's 157 million (albums, singles and videos combined). And the provided source above is not reliable. We accept highly reliable sources only for this page. I believe, Madonna's actual sales is somewhere around 225 million but then we'd need a highly reliable source in order to update her.--Harout72 (talk) 06:36, 8 March 2010 (UTC)

• Her certified album sales are of over 190,000,000 and including singles, her record sales are over 250,000,000 according to certifications only. Her actual sales stand at well over 320,000,000 copies, though, and if you did some thorough research, you would figure that out yourself.

Also, both sources that support "200 million copies sold by Madonna" in this page, actually talk about 200,000,000 million ALBUMS sold (the IFPI source in 2006 clearly claims that she has sold 200 million albums, not including singles). Including singles, her RECORD sales are at over 300 million copies, whether you like it or not.

Madonna's single sales are enormous. She has sold about 115 - 120 million singles and that SHOULDN'T be ignored, as single sales are included for artists like ABBA, Michael Jackson or even Mariah Carey and Celine Dion in this Wikipedia page. If you want to make this list accurate, then Madonna's sales must be updated. I can even provide you with several sources that support what I'm saying.

Thank you.

--Mysterious Spy (talk) 13:38, 29 March 2010 (UTC)

If I were you, I'd try and support my arguments with reliable sources rather than simply saying that she's sold this much or that much. As I've stated above, Madonna's certified sales is only at 157 million including Singles, Albums, Videos, and that is not enough to suggest over 300 million in actual sales.--Harout72 (talk) 15:32, 29 March 2010 (UTC)

DVD's

Does this list, and more importantly maybe, should this list, included DVD sales/certifications? — R² 15:48, 15 March 2010 (UTC)

Yes it does. DVDs are calculated as well.--Harout72 (talk) 23:59, 15 March 2010 (UTC)

britney spears

I believe there has been an editing mistake when I saw her name next to it were sales of 8 million, this can't be true because that would mean Britney would not be on this list at all. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Flicka1996 (talk • contribs) 18:25, 21 March 2010 (UTC)

It's been reverted.--Harout72 (talk) 02:20, 22 March 2010 (UTC)

What about Bing Crosby?

He was once featured in this list among the top 5 selling artists and now is not even mentioned. His Billboard biography states that he has sold over half a billion albums and was the top selling artists until the rock era. --LoЯd ۞pεth 03:20, 22 March 2010 (UTC)

I'm afraid that artists on this list need to have significant number of Certification-awards to support the claimed figures. And in the case of Crosby, his available certified sales does not suggest any major sales. We've had some very long discussions on Crosby in the past, please see the following archived discussions: [4], [5].--Harout72 (talk) 03:59, 22 March 2010 (UTC)

Edit request

Please change Iron Maidens album sales to 80 million, and up to the next box. Source: http://www.whatrecords.co.uk/iron-maiden.asp

89.240.244.184 (talk) 16:27, 26 March 2010 (UTC)

That's not a reliable source. We only accept highly reliable sources for this page.--Harout72 (talk) 16:34, 26 March 2010 (UTC)

Edit request from Stevie28, 1 April 2010

{{editsemiprotected}}

Oasis has sold 70 million records, not 50. Stevie28 (talk) 03:25, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

 Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. --JokerXtreme (talk) 08:56, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

Please refer to this archived discussion on Oasis which covers why 70 million in sales for Oasis is inflated.--Harout72 (talk) 15:36, 1 April 2010 (UTC)

Constraints

The following subsection was in the article, but I removed it as original research, having been tagged as such since Oct '09 - as 'meta information', not factual, and not supported by reliable sources which infers that the rules for the article differ from the standard policies and guidelines.  Chzz  ►  05:23, 5 April 2010 (UTC)

Constraints

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 these data.

Such constraints include:

• Bias involving acts who have had success in a specific country or region.

• Bias involving older artists; there is a broader genre spectrum of music to listen to in the 2000s which limits the number of listeners.

• Bias involving modern artists. Comparatively fewer successful pre-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.

• Fan websites, press articles and record labels 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).

While I'm not able to locate sources for most of the claims within the section Constraints, I managed to find two reliable sources to support the claims for record-sales-inflation that record companies are famous for. I re-inserted this claim simply adding it to the lead of the article. I felt that it was very important to have this statement in the article because most editors are not familiar with the basic promotional tools that record companies normally use to boost sales.--Harout72 (talk) 01:50, 6 April 2010 (UTC)

Sales of what?

What kind of recrods are being sold? Singles, albums, or both? 169.233.58.181 (talk) 15:05, 9 April 2010 (UTC)

This list includes all records, inclduing albums, physical singles, digital singles and ringtones. Hitthat (talk) 20:55, 9 April 2010 (UTC)

Lady GaGa ...

I have seen,yesterday,that Lady Gaga ha sold 55 milion records and was written at the last table(50 to 75 milion) ... why she isn't written on the table now? AriandaGAGA (talk) 21:15, 12 April 2010 (UTC) AriandaGAGA

She was removed because her claim was backed up by her own wikipedia page. As these pages are prone to having inflated figures added in by the fans of the music artist they cannot be used for this. You can see the box at the top of the page for more information about what sort of sources can be used for this page.Hitthat (talk) 21:20, 12 April 2010 (UTC)

Tank you for the answer ... but can someone do a research about what have she really sold worldwide? AriandaGAGA (talk) 06:08, 13 April 2010 (UTC) AriandaGAGA

Just looking at her Cert's on her page, I would say that 25 million records would be realistic. Due to the type of artist she is her fans tend to buy digital singles rather than albums, which gives a large boost to her record sales. Hitthat (talk) 10:21, 13 April 2010 (UTC) wow ... thank you! well ... now i'll pray one day she will be written here AriandaGAGA (talk) 12:32, 13 April 2010 (UTC) AriandaGAGA

Vicky Leandros

Hasn't she sold over 50 million albums and been on the list before? Source: [6] —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.183.235.90 (talk) 06:08, 15 April 2010 (UTC)

Leandros doesn't seem to have a single certification listed in any of the databases available above at the top of this page. All artists should have significant number of Gold/Platinum certifications to support their claimed sales-figures.--Harout72 (talk) 16:58, 15 April 2010 (UTC)

Michael Jackson worldwide sales

Ive updated Michael Jackson worldwide album sales from 750 million to 780 million world wide. Another editor (Harout72) has undone it and decides that this should be discussed on the talk page. Thats fair. ill just present the facts.

its estimated that Mj sold over 750 million before he died.

Since he died he has sold an estimated 31 million albums worldwide since he died which would bring the total to over 780 million albums, here are the facts. everyone from the wall street Journal to CBS News supports it.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704588404575124023860735864.html

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/100316/entertainment/entertainment_us_music_jackson_sony?printer=1

http://www.hollywood.com/news/Sony_Enters_7_Year_250M_Deal_with_Jackson_Estate/6833897

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/mar/16/entertainment/la-et-michael-jackson16-2010mar16

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/michael-jackson-estate-makes-biggest-recording-deal/story?id=10118364

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/03/15/entertainment/main6302318.shtml

just a few of many credible sources

Buffaloxoldiar (talk) 00:54, 18 April 2010 (UTC)

Ok...while you do have reliable sources supporting your cliam that MJ has sold 31 million since his death, none of the sources (or at least the ones that are considered reliable for the purposes of this article, as they were the only ones I checked) claim that MJ has actually sold 780 million. Without that, such an edit is considered original research; we will need a reliable source claiming 780 million before we can upgrade the figure. Hitthat (talk) 07:25, 18 April 2010 (UTC)

Why would he need an article to verify 780 million sold if its a known fact that Jackson has an estimated sales of over 750 million pre-demise and credible articles verify another 31 million sold since death all you have to do is add both estimated numbers that comes from credible sources and figure out that its over 780 million sorry hithat but that reason you gave is invalid all the evidence points to final tally over 780 million. same difference. Ill have agree with buffaloxoldiar anything else seems biased as the evidence clearly supports the fact of 780 million plus. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Hubbletelescope2 (talk • contribs) 08:41, 18 April 2010 (UTC)

While it is very possible that Jackson has sold 31 million records after his death as stated by some of the prestigious news services as Wall Street Journal and LA Times for example, it is important to note that none of those highly reliable sources above does actually mention a total worldwide sales. It should also be noted that because we have used CNN's article supporting the 750 million estimated figure within Jackson's table, it does not immediately mean that Jackson, in fact, has sold 750 million and not 350 million (the latter of which is much closer to his certified sales), meaning that Jackson's worldwide, adding the 31 million on the top of already estimated worldwide sales, could equally translate into 380 million. The inclusion of the 750 million was the result of the long and tiring discussion that took place in the mid of 2009, which was only done to bring editors of two sides (those that leaned towards 350 million and those that leaned towards 750 million in sales) to consensus and nothing more. In case anyone has missed the discussion which I'm referring to, feel free to go over it here and please do not start similar discussions here again. Thanks.--Harout72 (talk) 15:53, 18 April 2010 (UTC)

I just read both sides of this discussion and i gotta say i find it odd that this is even being discussed, seriously. If CNN has confirmed that Michael sold 750 million and The Wall Street Journal says he sold another 31 million since death why would you need another credible source to confirm that the estimated sales is over 780 million.If you add two credible sources sales figure in this case 750 + 31 it makes it a credible 780 million plus, thats simple mathematics. Regardless of how much he sold, wether it be an estimated 300 million copies 31 million would be added to that, same for 350 million 31 million added to that or 750 million 31 million added to that . What he sold since death has to be added to what he sold before death, from what ive read he was the largest selling artist of the last year. it would be disingenuous. We are editors not politicians lets not take something this straight forward and make it complicated, that's congress job.