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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Petergriffin9901 (talk | contribs) at 16:24, 14 May 2020 (→‎Nicky Minaj (100 million units?)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Former FLCList of best-selling music artists is a former featured list candidate. Please view the link under Article milestones below to see why the nomination was archived. Once the objections have been addressed you may resubmit the article for featured list status.
Article milestones
DateProcessResult
October 27, 2005Articles for deletionNo consensus
November 13, 2005Articles for deletionKept
June 4, 2006Articles for deletionSpeedily kept
September 2, 2006Peer reviewReviewed
June 23, 2011Featured list candidateNot promoted
January 4, 2012Peer reviewReviewed
May 28, 2012Featured list candidateNot promoted
Current status: Former featured list candidate

New Zealand certifications

Hello, is there any chance to see album and single certifications in New Zealand. Currently, i can only see certifications from Chartnztop40.co.nz. How can i see older and non-charted album and single certifications?

Thank you Esambuu (talk) 05:36, 30 April 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Extended-confirmed-protected edit request on 8 May 2020

Why is not Nana Mouskori on this list a all??? 213.161.248.106 (talk) 11:07, 8 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

She lacks the required amount of certified sales.--Harout72 (talk) 12:59, 8 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Alan Jackson

Harout, I think Alan Jackson is deserved to be on the list. If 80m is too much for him, I think 75m is okay. This is the source https://www.ky3.com/content/news/Country-star-Alan-Jackson-announces-concert-stop-in-Springfield-Mo--565699811.html from KYTV (TV). He has more than 45m in certified sales, and his career begin since 1987. We should add him with 75m claim. Need your help. Thanks Politsi (talk) 03:53, 11 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

He's actually begun charting on the US album chart in 1990, so he's required to have his claims supported by 64% certified sales. That's 48 million certified units required for 75 million claim, but he's got only 47.2 million. We should also bare in mind that Alan Jackson has never gained much success outside of the US. He doesn't have a single certification coming from the UK, just some from Australia and very small amount from Canada. So even if in the future he meets his required certified sales amount, we should only add him to the list with 75 million claim when he's well over 60 million with the certified units.--Harout72 (talk) 13:30, 11 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]
Okay. Thanks. Well in that case, is it needed if we remove Reba McEntire from the list? her certified sales only around 42m, 41m from U.S and 800.000 from Canada. I agree if it makes this list more reliable.Politsi (talk) 02:55, 12 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]
Yup, to be consistent we can remove her. Clearly she could not have sold 75 million records, when her certified sales are under 43 million and she's never experienced success outside the US.--Harout72 (talk) 04:16, 12 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Unreliable source

This website is unreliable, doesn't meet the standard news organizations and highly regarded music industry related organizations.

"Nicki Minaj becomes first female rapper to sell more than 5 million copies of all her albums". RJRNews. April 3, 2018. Retrieved September 6, 2019.

Cornerstonepicker (talk) 05:31, 12 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Do you have a better reliable source? we will welcome if you have a better one. Minaj already has more than 122m in her certified sales. Clearly 100m claim is reliable for her. RJR News is still quite reliable ONLY for temporary, we will replace that source immediately if a better cource come. Meanwhile, let use that source and still put 100m claim in Minaj's Wikibio. Politsi (talk) 09:29, 12 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]
RJR News seems "obscure" at least for music sales industry. Despite being a Minaj's fan, "temporary reference" to be quite honest, it's like making a primary source. Maybe we can perfectly wait, even if she meets criteria since only 20 million of her 122M certified units are outside USA. Today an important portion of USA certifications in most artists are streamings. We can see more examples of artists like Taylor Swift, with 212 million certified units worlwide, but 181M as of today are USA sales and many of her albums are "over-certified", e.g Fearless with Diamond status vs 7 million units. She looks like almost a "Garth Brooks example", with exceptions of UK, CAN and AUS markets but highly low in the rest of the world, at least in certifications. --Apoxyomenus (talk) 16:51, 12 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]
Large portion of Gold/Platinum certifications are streaming generated in many markets not just in the States, with an exception of the Japanese market (where 70% of the music sales are based on physical). RJR News is ok for temporary use, but we can also place Nicki Minaj back in the section of 80 - 99 million, where her 85 million sales claim was supported by The Guardian (Nigeria). Anyways, Minaj's actual sales can't possibly be more than 85 million (singles/albums combined).--Harout72 (talk) 17:20, 12 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]
Agree with that change. Yes, I mean "streaming" sales/certifications in the level of United States, the big market that isn't compared to Danish or Spanish e.g. --Apoxyomenus (talk) 17:26, 12 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Okay then, I support decision for Minaj back again to 80m list. Politsi (talk) 03:16, 13 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Extended-confirmed-protected edit request on 12 May 2020

Please can you update Lady GaGa's total sales. The source used is almost 5 years old. Her record sales have now surpassed over 330 million EAS. The system used to calculate the best selling artists also needs updating to include SPS and EAS. 'Shallow' alone has sold over 10 million standard copies and almost 23.5 million single units. Please update accordingly.

In sources, I have found her estimated STANDARD record sales are 200 million. Her EAS sales are 330 million.

Thanks. 2A02:C7F:9E4E:CD00:5C96:7FCF:AFF5:92FD (talk) 18:20, 12 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

You might want to read the Definitions on the main page.--Harout72 (talk) 18:57, 12 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Nicky Minaj (100 million units?)

Harout. Please look at this source https://www.abc15.com/entertainment/nicki-minaj-announces-shes-retiring-from-music from KNXV-TV. Inside it's said that she has sold 100 million units. Is this source usable to bring her back to 100m list?. Thanks. Politsi (talk) 04:52, 13 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

That's not a bad source, but the part that says "to sell 100 million units across her albums, singles and features as certified by the Recording Industry Association of America" makes it unclear whether or not the source speaks of the US sales only based on RIAA certifications. What do others think?--Harout72 (talk) 05:47, 13 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]
I think it's okay since the source mention all of her records (albums, singles, and features) sold 100 million units and it doesn't stated only sell around U.S and of course KNXV-TV is a reliable source. If there is no complaining within a day. I will bring Minaj back to 100m list. Politsi (talk) 06:08, 13 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]
I wouldn't be comfortable with this addition without more support from other reputable sources.--PeterGriffin • Talk2Me 14:49, 13 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]
Source is clearly talking about her RIAA certified units. Cornerstonepicker (talk) 20:20, 13 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

I will put this source on Minaj's wikibio and let's see. If there is no new source with more reliable sales claim for her and her certified sales already pass 130m. I will use this source to bring her back to 100m list. Politsi (talk) 01:52, 14 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

That would just make minor websites use the 100M sales as a fact.. Like it was said, there's no need for temporary refs when we can wait. Cornerstonepicker (talk) 03:01, 14 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]
No need to wait. I will put her at 100 million list by using this source https://www.timeslive.co.za/tshisa-live/tshisa-live/2019-09-06-nicki-minaj-quits-the-rap-game-ive-decided-to-retire-have-my-family/ from The Times (South Africa). Politsi (talk) 03:29, 14 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]
Why come to the talk page if your intention is to do what you want anyway? We already have a majority opinion here. Wait or be reverted, here or her bio page.--PeterGriffin • Talk2Me 16:24, 14 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Update of Lady GaGa sales from 124 million to 170 million

Hi guys. As I am unable to edit myself. Can I please make a request to update GaGa's sales? The certified unites stand at 140 million yet the claimed sales which are where she sits in the table are at only 124 million? Surely it should be 140 million?

That aside, the source for certified total sales is almost 10 years old (2011), and the claimed sales 5 years old (2015).

With the Star Is Born era, her sales have increased dramatically. Also, why the success of Joanne was less impactful, sales from Joanne era total almost 5 million in the US alone. The Star Is Born cycle has included 10.2 million worldwide singles sales of Shallow as stated by the IFPI - https://www.ifpi.org/bestsellers-and-global-artist.php

The Star Is Born album has also sold over 4 million units in the US alone. This figure is 6 million worldwide according to Billboard - https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8517526/a-star-is-born-soundtrack-certified-double-platinum-us

However, this figure has recently changed. RIAA has recently (March 27th, 2020) released an update of her certified sales. Please see here - https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=lady+gaga#search_section.

These include an increase of: The Fame (album) - 3 million units Born This Way (album) - 2 million units Applause (single) - 1 million units Just Dance (single) - 1 million units The Fame Monster (album) - 4 million units Million Reasons (single) - 2 million units

That is an increase of 13 million units in the US ALONE. Including the 6 million units sold of The Star Is Born soundtrack and 10.2 copies of 'Shallow', that increases GaGa's sales by a minimum of 30 million. Therefore totalling AT LEAST 170 million. This, of course, is not including updates from various other worldwide sales sources since 2011 and 2015 respectively. For side note, the RIAA records were also updated in Feb 2016, Oct 2017, Feb 2018 and again in July 2019. All of which are post the two sources used for her claimed and certified sales. These figures are (not including the March singles above) an increase of another 10 million at least. But there is fine-tuning to be done in terms of updating her figures worldwide. They are probably now in excess of 180 million.

Side edit - having just checked both the BPI and ARIA on GaGa sales updates, in 2020, she has had an increase of another 3 million sales between the two countries. (Of course, this includes the Star Is Born WW sales above, but also includes recent hits such as Stupid Love. My point stands that there is likely to be a mammoth increase possible hitting the 180 - 190 million mark.

Thanks. JediRapture (talk) 09:07, 13 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Have you gone over the "Definitions" on the main page? It provides quite a bit of explanation as to why newer artists can have higher certified sales than their claims are. As for Lady Gaga's detailed certified sales, refer to this file.--Harout72 (talk) 15:18, 13 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks - that document proves incredibly useful and is clearly up to date. I understand the point about certified sales and claimed sales, however with artists like Drake having almost 150 million discrepancy it is a little insane!

It may be worth noting, that in 'Definitions' it claims that articles are far more reliable than inflated certified sales. On GaGa's Spotify bio (presumably neutral, non-biased, and reliable) the claims of her sales are 30 million albums and 150 million singles. Totaling 180 million. Perhaps something to investigate. Thanks again for your input. Although without being fickle, I would definitely argue without question that her WW sales are far above 124 million! — Preceding unsigned comment added by JediRapture (talk • contribs) 16:47, 13 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Drake's music is largely streamed and not purchased. And as you already know Gold/Platinum programs all across the globe count streaming towards certification awards. Therefore, it should not surprise readers/editors that his certified sales are more than twice his claimed figure. As for Lady Gaga, I would not believe those inflated figures tossed about by her record company for promotional purposes. While only 25% of Lady Gaga's certified sales are streaming generated, the available certified sales amount combined for all the markets, do not suggest her actual sales to be higher than 120 million units maximum (albums/singles/videos combined).--Harout72 (talk) 17:30, 13 May 2020 (UTC)[reply]
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