List of best-selling music artists
ɫ 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 made claims to be amongst the top sellers.
Within their sales-bands, 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.
World's biggest seller
The actual biggest selling musician in the world will probably never be known. Records of sales in many countries, particularly in the developing world, are poor and date back less than 20 years. The Beatles, Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley are all, however, regularly cited as being the top sellers. Less common claims are made for ABBA and Alla Pugacheva.
Artists claimed to have sold 250 million records or more
Name Nationality Years Active Genre Source ABBA Sweden 70s-80s (1974-1982) Pop The Beatles UK 60-70s, 90s Pop/Rock Guinness estimate [2] [3] Bing Crosby US 1926-1977 Pop [4] Led Zeppelin UK 60s-80s (1968-1980) Rock [5] Madonna US 80s-90s-00s- Rock/Pop [6] Mariah Carey US 90s-00s- R&B/Pop [7] Nana Mouskouri Greece 60s- (1959-) Pop [8] Michael Jackson US 1969- R&B/Rock/Pop [10][11] Elvis Presley US 50s-70s Rock, Country [12] [13] Alla Pugacheva Russia 70s-00s (1976-) Rock/Pop [15] Cliff Richard UK 50s- (1958-2005) Rock/Pop [16] Frank Sinatra US 1939-1995 Vocal
Artists claimed to have sold 100 million records or more
 | This list of songs or music-related items is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. |
Name Nationality Years Active Genre Source AC/DC Australia 70s-00s Rock Aerosmith US 70s-00s Rock [18] Gene Autry US Country [19] Charles Aznavour France 50s-00s Pop [20] Bee Gees UK 60s-00s Pop Black Sabbath UK 70s-00s Heavy Metal [22] Bon Jovi US 80s-00s (1984-present) Rock [23] David Bowie UK 60s-00s (1969-2004) Rock [24] Garth Brooks US 80s-00s (1989-2001) Country [27] Chicago US 60s-00s (1967-) Rock [28] Phil Collins UK 80s-00s (1981-1998) Rock [29] Perry Como US 30s-00s Vocal [30] Neil Diamond USA 60s-80s Rock 'n' Roll [31] Celine Dion Canada 80s-00s (1990-) Rock/Pop [32] Enigma Germany 90-00s Sophisticated pop Fleetwood Mac UK/US 60s-00s (1975-1990) Rock [34] Genesis UK 70s-00s (1980-1997) Rock [35] Johnny Hallyday France 50s-00s Pop [36] Whitney Houston US 80s-00s (1985-) R&B/Pop [37] Janet Jackson US 80s-00s (1982-) R&B/Pop [38] Joni James US 50s-60s Traditional Pop [39] Julio Iglesias Spain 70s-00s (1969-) Latino Pop [40] Billy Joel US 70s-00s (1978-1983,1989-1993) Rock [41] [42] Sir Elton John UK 70s-00s (1970-1976,1989-1991,1997) Rock/Pop [43] Frankie Laine US 1944-2006 Jazz/Pop/Gospel/Country [44] Vicky Leandros Greece 1965 - 2006 Pop/Rock/International [45] [46] Brenda Lee US 50s-60s (1958-1963) Pop/Country [47] Mireille Mathieu France 60s-00s Pop [48] Johnny Mathis US 50s-00s Pop/Standards [49] Metallica US 80s-00s Heavy Metal [50] Modern Talking Germany 80s-00s (1985-1987,1998-2003) Pop [51] Ricky Nelson US 50s-80s (1958-1961) Pop/Country/Rock [52] Patti Page US 40s-2000s Pop/Country/Rock [53] [54] Dolly Parton US 60s-00s (1981-1983) Country [55] [56] [57] [58] Luciano Pavarotti Italy 60s-00s (1972-) Opera [59] [60] Pink Floyd UK 60s-00s (1966-2005) Progressive Rock [61] Queen UK 70s-00s (1971-) Rock A. R. Rahman India 90s-00s (1992-) Indian Film Music [64] Lionel Richie US 80s-00s (1981-1985) R&B [65] Kenny Rogers US 50s-00s (1977-) Country [66] Rod Stewart UK 60s-00s Rock/Pop [68] Rolling Stones UK 60s-00s (1964-1981) Rock [69] Donna Summer US 70s-90s (1977-1983) Disco [70] The Bee Gees Isle of Man/Australia 60s-00s (1975-1979) Rock [71] The Eagles US 70s-00s (1970-2005) Rock [72] The Royal Canadians Canada 30s-50s Big Band [73] The Jacksons US 60s-80s (1969-1988) R&B, Pop, Disco [74][75][76] U2 Ireland 80s-00s (1980-) Rock [77] Barry White US 70s-00s Pop/R&B/Disco [78] Wei Wei China 80s-00s (1986-) Pop [79] [80]
Artists claimed to have sold 50 million records or more
| This list of songs or music-related items is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. |
Name Nationality Years Active Genre Source Salvatore Adamo Belgium 60s-00s [81] Bryan Adams Canada 80s-00s Pop/Rock [82] A-ha Norway 80s-00s (1985-1993,2000-) Pop [83] [84] Alabama US 70s-00s Country [87] Paul Anka Canada 50s-00s Pop [88] Eddy Arnold US 40s-90s Country [89] Gene Austin US 20s-30s Pop/Crooner [90] B'z Japan 80s-00s Rock/Pop [91] Backstreet Boys US 90s-00s (1996-2000,2005-) Pop [92] Bay City Rollers UK 70s (1974-1976) Pop/Rock [93] Tony Bennett US 50s-00s Standards/Jazz [94] Michael Bolton US 80s-00s Pop [95] Boyz II Men US 80s-00s R&B/Pop [96] Adriano Celentano Italy 60s-00s Pop [97] Roberto Carlos Brazil 60s-00s [98] [99] Johnny Cash US 50s-00s Country [100] Nat King Cole US 30s-60s Jazz [101] Dalida France 50s-80s (1956-1987) [102] Def Leppard UK 80s-80s (1980-2004) Rock [103] John Denver US 60s-00s Folk/Rock [104] Depeche Mode UK 80s-00s) Rock [105] Destiny's Child US 90s-00s (1997-2001,2004-2005) R&B [106] Duran Duran UK 80s-00s (1981-Present) Pop/Rock [107] Bob Dylan US 60s-70s (1965-1976) Folk/Rock [108] Earth, Wind & Fire US 70s-00s (1975) R&B/Funk/Disco/Pop [109] Enya Ireland 80s-00s (1988-1991) New Age/Celtic [110] Eminem US 90s-00s (1996-) Rap [111] Gloria Estefan US 80s-00s (1988-1991) Latin Pop [112] Foreigner US/UK 70s-90s Rock/Pop [113] Iron Maiden UK 70s-00s Heavy Metal [114] Jean-Michel Jarre France 70s-00s (1976-1978) Synth Pop [115] Jethro Tull UK 60s-00s Rock [116] Journey US 70s-00s (1981) Rock/Pop [117] KISS US 70s-00s Rock [118] Andre Kostelanetz US 70s-00s Classic [119] Annie Lennox UK 90s-00s [120] Barry Manilow US 70s-00s Pop/Standards [121] Bob Marley Jamaica 70s Reggae [122] Meat Loaf US 70s-00s Rock [123] Luis Miguel Mexico 80s-00s Latin Pop [124] Mina Italy 50s-00s Pop [125] Kylie Minogue Australia 80s-00s Pop [126] Alanis Morissette Canada 90s-00s Rock [127] Olivia Newton-John Australia 70s-00s Country/Pop [128] Nirvana US 80s-90s (1987–1994) Grunge [129] Pearl Jam US 90s-00s Grunge [130] Linda Ronstadt US 60s-00s (1980-) Rock, Pop, Country [131] Roxette Sweden 80s-90s-00s Pop [132] Santana Mexico 60s-00s (1970-1972,1999-) Rock [133] Britney Spears US 90s-00s (1999-) Pop [134] Bruce Springsteen US 70s-00s (1980-1995,2002-) Rock [135] George Strait US 70s-00s Country [136] Barbra Streisand US 60s-00s (1963-1980) Pop [137] Hank Snow Canada 30s-90s Folk [138] The Carpenters US 60s-80s (1970-1975) Pop/Rock [139] The Doobie Brothers US 70s-00s Rock [140] The Doors US 60s-70s Rock [141] [142] The Police UK 70s-80s Rock [143] [144] The Seekers Australia 60s, 90s-00s Rock/Pop/Folk [145] The Ventures US 50s-00s (1959-) Rock [146] Hank Thompson US 40s-00s Country [147] Three Dog Night US 60s-70s Rock [148] Tupac US 90s (1991-1996) Rap [149] Tina Turner US 70s-00s R&B [150] Shania Twain Canada 90s-00s (1999-) Country/Pop [151] UB40 UK 80s-00s (1980-) Reggae Van Halen US 70s-00s (1978-2004) Rock [153] Stevie Wonder US 60s-00s (1972-1985) R&B [154]