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RIAA Top Selling Artist

R

royal

Rising Star
Registered
We have the assumption that the RIAA is at least 95% accurate.
A lot of artist I love on this list but I'm only highlighting the black and rap artist, i may have missed some.



Again this is the RIAA not Nielsen SoundScan, this is US sales, and there are several other factors...you might go to another site and they say Michael Jackson has sold over 200 million records (because they can include all songs he's been apart of, singles, International sales, group albums, soundtracks, etc...).



i can see the Beatles and Elvis but i still find it hard to believe Garth Brooks and Billy Joel sold more than Michael, but aye....



http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinum.php?content_selector=top-selling-artists



[
B]Million​
[/B]

BEATLES, THE 177
PRESLEY, ELVIS 134.5
BROOKS, GARTH 128
LED ZEPPELIN 111.5
EAGLES 100
JOEL, BILLY 81.5
JACKSON, MICHAEL 75
PINK FLOYD 74.5
JOHN, ELTON 72
AC/DC 71.5
STREISAND, BARBRA 71.5
STRAIT, GEORGE 68.5
ROLLING STONES, THE 66.5
AEROSMITH 66.5
SPRINGSTEEN, BRUCE 64.5
MADONNA 64.5
CAREY, MARIAH 63.5
METALLICA 62
HOUSTON, WHITNEY 57
VAN HALEN 56.5
U2 51.5
ROGERS, KENNY 51
DION, CELINE 50
FLEETWOOD MAC 48.5
DIAMOND, NEIL 48.5
TWAIN, SHANIA 48
KENNY G 48
JOURNEY 47
ALABAMA 46
GUNS N' ROSES 44.5
JACKSON, ALAN 43.5
SANTANA 43.5
SEGER, BOB AND THE SILVER BULLET BAND 42.5
CLAPTON, ERIC 42.5
MC ENTIRE, REBA 41
PRINCE 39.5
CHICAGO 38.5
2 PAC 38.5
SIMON & GARFUNKEL 38.5
STEWART, ROD 38
FOREIGNER 37.5
MCGRAW, TIM 37
DYLAN, BOB 37
BACKSTREET BOYS 37
DEF LEPPARD 35
EMINEM 35"the white boy blossomed after dre endorsed him" lol, i had to throw that in.
NELSON, WILLIE 35
QUEEN 34.5
SPEARS, BRITNEY 34
BON JOVI 34
MATTHEWS, DAVE BAND 33.5
KELLY, R. 33.5
COLLINS, PHIL 33.5
DENVER, JOHN 33
TAYLOR, JAMES 33
DOORS, THE 32.5
PEARL JAM 31.5
BOSTON 31
DIXIE CHICKS 30.5
RONSTADT, LINDA 30
PETTY, TOM 29
OSBOURNE, OZZY 28.75
MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER 28.5
PETTY, TOM & THE HEARTBREAKERS 28.5
LYNYRD SKYNYRD 28
'N SYNC 28
BOLTON, MICHAEL 28
MELLENCAMP, JOHN 27.5
MANILOW, BARRY 27.5
BROOKS & DUNN 27.5
BOYZ II MEN 27
JAY-Z 27
SINATRA, FRANK 27
BEE GEES 26.5
ENYA 26.5
CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL 26
JACKSON, JANET 26
HILL, FAITH 25.5
CHESNEY, KENNY 25.5
VANDROSS, LUTHER 25
NIRVANA 25
CREED 25
RUSH 25
ZZ TOP 25
MILLER, STEVE BAND 24.5
CARPENTERS, THE 24.5
KEITH, TOBY 24.5
GREEN DAY 24
GILL, VINCE 24
MOTLEY CRUE 23.5
SADE 23.5
CARS, THE 23.5
EARTH, WIND & FIRE 23.5
KID ROCK 23.5
RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS 23
RICHIE, LIONEL 23
BUFFETT, JIMMY 23
HENDRIX, JIMI 22.5
BEACH BOYS, THE 22.5
HEART 2




USHER 22.5
POLICE, THE 22.5
TLC 22
DOOBIE BROTHERS 22
R.E.O. SPEEDWAGON 22
BEASTIE BOYS 22
OUTKAST 22
NICKELBACK 21.5
CASH, JOHNNY 21.5
GENESIS 21.5
WHO, THE 21
MEAT LOAF 21
NELLY 21
MORISSETTE, ALANIS 20.5
HOOTIE & THE BLOWFISH 20
LINKIN PARK 20
BLIGE, MARY J. 20
R.E.M. 20
KISS 20
SMASHING PUMPKINS 19.75
BRAXTON, TONI 19.5
WILLIAMS, HANK, JR. 19.5
WONDER, STEVIE 19.5
SWIFT, TAYLOR 19.5
STING 18.5
RASCAL FLATTS 18.5
BROWNE, JACKSON 18.5
MC LACHLAN, SARAH 18.5
JEWEL 18.5
MATCHBOX TWENTY 18.5
GRATEFUL DEAD 18.5
GROBAN, JOSH 18.5
TRAVIS, RANDY 18
MONKEES, THE 18
CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG 18
DESTINY'S CHILD 17.5
STONE TEMPLE PILOTS 17.5
STYX 17.5
YOUNG, NEIL 17.5
MATHIS, JOHNNY 17
RAITT, BONNIE 17
NOTORIOUS B.I.G. 17
ADAMS, BRYAN 17
GRANT, AMY 17
JONES, NORAH 17
RIMES, LEANN 16.5
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK 16.5
LIMP BIZKIT 16.5
MARLEY, BOB & THE WAILERS 16.5
KORN 16.5
CONNICK, HARRY, JR. 16
HAMMER 16 "hammer time" :dance:
CROW, SHERYL 16
ISLEY BROTHERS 15.5
ESTEFAN, GLORIA 15.5
MC CARTNEY, PAUL 15.5
BOCELLI, ANDREA 15.5
DIRE STRAITS 15.5
JOPLIN, JANIS 15.5
STEVENS, CAT 15.5
KEYS, ALICIA 15.5
KANSAS 15.5
BAD COMPANY 15.5
CLINE, PATSY 15
BLACK SABBATH 15
MICHAEL, GEORGE 15
NO DOUBT 15
INXS 15
FOGELBERG, DAN 15
KING, CAROLE 14.5
OFFSPRING 14.5
AGUILERA, CHRISTINA 14.5
POISON 14.5
CRANBERRIES, THE 14.5
MURRAY, ANNE 14.5
NUGENT, TED 14
DMX 14
MCBRIDE, MARTINA 14
NEWTON-JOHN, OLIVIA 14
LENNON, JOHN 14
MONTGOMERY, JOHN MICHAEL 14
TEMPTATIONS, THE 13.5
SIMON, PAUL 13.5
JEFFERSON AIRPLANE/STARSHIP 13.5
COLE, NATALIE 13.5
YES 13.5
DANIELS, CHARLIE BAND 13.5
ETHERIDGE, MELISSA 13
PINK 13
UNDERWOOD, CARRIE 13
SWEAT, KEITH 13
HALL & OATES 13
CHAPMAN, TRACY 13
WHITESNAKE 12.5
LEWIS, HUEY & THE NEWS 12.5
BENATAR, PAT 12.5
BLACK, CLINT 12.5
SNOOP DOGG 12.5
BONE THUGS 'N HARMONY 12.5
CHER 12.5




L.L. COOL J 12.5
LUDACRIS 12.5
YEARWOOD, TRISHA 12.5
COLDPLAY 12.5
ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA 12
LIVE 12
SMITH, WILL 12
MIDLER, BETTE 12
ADELE 12
COLE, NAT KING 12
TRITT, TRAVIS 12
BAKER, ANITA 12
WEBBER, ANDREW LLOYD 12
ALICE IN CHAINS 12
DURAN DURAN 12
COUNTING CROWS 12
3 DOORS DOWN 12
ABDUL, PAULA 11.5
JENNINGS, WAYLON 11.5
HENLEY, DON 11.5
50 CENT 11.5
VAUGHAN, S.R. & DOUBLE TROUBLE 11.5
LOPEZ, JENNIFER 11
YOAKAM, DWIGHT 11
GRAND FUNK RAILROAD 11
WHITE, BARRY 11
LOVERBOY 11
SPICE GIRLS 11
URBAN, KEITH 11
STEELY DAN 11
YANNI 11
JETHRO TULL 11
MAYER, JOHN 11
NINE INCH NAILS 10.5
NICKS, STEVIE 10.5
CYRUS, BILLY RAY 10.5
DEPECHE MODE 10.5
MARTIN, RICKY 10.5
BUSH 10.5
KRAVITZ, LENNY 10.5
SCORPIONS 10.5
SMITH, MICHAEL W. 10.5
HARRISON, GEORGE 10.5
BRANDY 10.5
JUDDS, THE 10.5
ABBA 10.5
WILLIAMS, ANDY 10.5
LAVIGNE, AVRIL 10.25
 
Last edited:
World B Free said:
Where's Bob Marley?
Click to expand...


he is there...16.5....


seems low....i call bullshit....


Legend alone probably sold that much....:hmm:


41HlVwvkW5L.jpg
 
slam said:
he is there...16.5....


seems low....i call bullshit....


Legend alone probably sold that much....:hmm:


41HlVwvkW5L.jpg
Click to expand...

U know they bullshitin'......U fuckin' hear BOB MARLEY wherever u fuckin' go ....in the mall, commercials, out car windows......shit is ubiquitous
 
Are these #'s US or worldwide. Beyonce has sold over 10 million in US so I'm thinking these #'s are dated.
 
World B Free said:
U know they bullshitin'......U fuckin' hear BOB MARLEY wherever u fuckin' go ....in the mall, commercials, out car windows......shit is ubiquitous
Click to expand...

U know who Bob Marley is before you even know who he is. Ur right. His music is embedded in your consciousness its so ubiquitous.

ON another note, I didn't see Beyonce on there either. Forgive me for typing her name so closely to Bob Marleys.
 
Black Radical said:
U know who Bob Marley is before you even know who he is. Ur right. His music is embedded in your consciousness its so ubiquitous.

ON another note, I didn't see Beyonce on there either. Forgive me for typing her name so closely to Bob Marleys.
Click to expand...

....yeah, mon, Bob is in the People of Earth's DNA....NO record company MONEY CHANGER can change that....
 
shaddyvillethug said:
Where is Ti
Click to expand...


he's probably hanging around the 8 to 10 million mark. Why isn't dr. dre on the list? because his only solo albums Chronic and 2001...i think those 2 albums together are probably 8 to 10 million, which wouldn't be enough to make the list.





World B Free said:
Where's Bob Marley?
Click to expand...




World B Free said:
Those bastards are just playing with STATS, I don't believe their BULLSHIT
Click to expand...

they have him at 16.5 million....i'm scratching my head, i can't say i'm a historian on this legend but i'd think he'd be higher on the list. I love his music, I just don't know how his albums did on the US Charts back then, since I wasn't even alive in his prime. Maybe International because international sales aren't included on this list? maybe the label that owns his music hasn't had certain albums certified in a while? i don't know bro, I know Legends sold 11 million but i'm not sure how his other albums did on the US Charts.
 
Last edited:
A few things to know about the RIAA and how sales work. Motown artists didn't get RIAA certifications for all their sales hence Stevie Wonder is at 19 million even thou he sold 50 million albums in US. Also MJ has certifications of 75 million in US but he has sold over 240 million worldwide which puts him 2nd or 3rd depending on who's list you believe. Here is a list of top 20 selling worldwide singers.

THE BEATLES 360,000,000
MICHAEL JACKSON 242,000,000
ELVIS PRESLEY 235,600,000
PINK FLOYD 204,700,000
MADONNA 196,000,000
THE ROLLING STONES 190,300,000
ELTON JOHN 180,200,000
QUEEN 178,700,000
LED ZEPPELIN 171,400,000
U2 169,400,000
CELINE DION 168,000,000
AC/DC 158,300,000
FRANK SINATRA 156,000,000
THE EAGLES 153,900,000
MARIAH CAREY 147,700,000
ROD STEWART 147,000,000
BARBRA STREISAND 146,900,000
WHITNEY HOUSTON 138,200,000
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 135,900,000
GARTH BROOKS 132,000,000
 
You haven't stated over what period of time this is?
Lifetime overall sales, or sales of the last few years?
Also where? USA or Worldwide?
 
julian said:
A few things to know about the RIAA and how sales work. Motown artists didn't get RIAA certifications for all their sales hence Stevie Wonder is at 19 million even thou he sold 50 million albums in US. Also MJ has certifications of 75 million in US but he has sold over 240 million worldwide which puts him 2nd or 3rd depending on who's list you believe. Here is a list of top 20 selling worldwide singers.

THE BEATLES 360,000,000
MICHAEL JACKSON 242,000,000
ELVIS PRESLEY 235,600,000
PINK FLOYD 204,700,000
MADONNA 196,000,000
THE ROLLING STONES 190,300,000
ELTON JOHN 180,200,000
QUEEN 178,700,000
LED ZEPPELIN 171,400,000
U2 169,400,000
CELINE DION 168,000,000
AC/DC 158,300,000
FRANK SINATRA 156,000,000
THE EAGLES 153,900,000
MARIAH CAREY 147,700,000
ROD STEWART 147,000,000
BARBRA STREISAND 146,900,000
WHITNEY HOUSTON 138,200,000
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 135,900,000
GARTH BROOKS 132,000,000
Click to expand...
there we go.
 
julian said:
A few things to know about the RIAA and how sales work. Motown artists didn't get RIAA certifications for all their sales hence Stevie Wonder is at 19 million even thou he sold 50 million albums in US. Also MJ has certifications of 75 million in US but he has sold over 240 million worldwide which puts him 2nd or 3rd depending on who's list you believe. Here is a list of top 20 selling worldwide singers.

THE BEATLES 360,000,000
MICHAEL JACKSON 242,000,000
ELVIS PRESLEY 235,600,000
PINK FLOYD 204,700,000
MADONNA 196,000,000
THE ROLLING STONES 190,300,000
ELTON JOHN 180,200,000
QUEEN 178,700,000
LED ZEPPELIN 171,400,000
U2 169,400,000
CELINE DION 168,000,000
AC/DC 158,300,000
FRANK SINATRA 156,000,000
THE EAGLES 153,900,000
MARIAH CAREY 147,700,000
ROD STEWART 147,000,000
BARBRA STREISAND 146,900,000
WHITNEY HOUSTON 138,200,000
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 135,900,000
GARTH BROOKS 132,000,000
Click to expand...

correct just like Tupac's All Eyes On Me hasn't been certified since 98. Also some artist who we love and we know had some hit records.....they may have had a couple of albums that were hits on the radio, may have been 1 of the top albums of that year but the overall numbers don't add up. I don't think I saw Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, or Gladys Knight on that list. All 3 of those women had some monster hits, but looking back at a whole, how many other monster hits did they have? They have plenty of good music that I love, they have plenty of jams on the radio and they all sellout huge venues but I can see them all hanging around that 10 million mark.


Somebody mentioned beyonce, half of her sales were with Destiny's Child so that wouldn't count for her solo work, also a couple of her biggest hits were on soundtracks, that wouldn't count for this list, but on other list you might see Beyonce has sold over 50 million records because they'd be counting Destiny's Child, soundtracks, singles, etc.... It's sort of like Forbes might say so and so has a net worth of 500 million but they may only have 140 mil in the bank because that net worth is including everything their name is branded with.
 
TEN said:
You haven't stated over what period of time this is?
Lifetime overall sales, or sales of the last few years?
Also where? USA or Worldwide?
Click to expand...


lifetime sales up to 2013, riaa US only, not including works they've done with a group (Michael Jackson doesn't include Jackson 5, We are the World, etc...Destiny's Child doesn't include beyonce's solo work, etc...). Not including albums that haven't be re-certified....as someone stated Motown hasn't certified some of their joints, death row stopped certifying when suge was locked up, then with all the other cats who've owned it looks i guess nobody else ever wanted that audit.



keone said:
i sold more than the beatles
Click to expand...

:hmm: :lol:
 
julian said:
A few things to know about the RIAA and how sales work. Motown artists didn't get RIAA certifications for all their sales hence Stevie Wonder is at 19 million even thou he sold 50 million albums in US. Also MJ has certifications of 75 million in US but he has sold over 240 million worldwide which puts him 2nd or 3rd depending on who's list you believe. Here is a list of top 20 selling worldwide singers.

THE BEATLES 360,000,000
MICHAEL JACKSON 242,000,000
ELVIS PRESLEY 235,600,000
PINK FLOYD 204,700,000
MADONNA 196,000,000
THE ROLLING STONES 190,300,000
ELTON JOHN 180,200,000
QUEEN 178,700,000
LED ZEPPELIN 171,400,000
U2 169,400,000
CELINE DION 168,000,000
AC/DC 158,300,000
FRANK SINATRA 156,000,000
THE EAGLES 153,900,000
MARIAH CAREY 147,700,000
ROD STEWART 147,000,000
BARBRA STREISAND 146,900,000
WHITNEY HOUSTON 138,200,000
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN 135,900,000
GARTH BROOKS 132,000,000
Click to expand...

I see MJ leaving Elvis in the dust. A new MJ fan is born everyday...Elvis not so much. He is kind of being propped up by the baby boomers right now who are dying out. The Beatles probably wont be caught but MJ owns their catalog anyhow....
 
Kwame Coltrane said:
I see MJ leaving Elvis in the dust. A new MJ fan is born everyday...Elvis not so much. He is kind of being propped up by the baby boomers right now who are dying out. The Beatles probably wont be caught but MJ owns their catalog anyhow....
Click to expand...

I don't think MJ owns the Beatles catalog anymore..
 
ugk said:
I don't think MJ owns the Beatles catalog anymore..
Click to expand...

His estate owns half of the entire Sony ATV catalog which includes the Beatles discography. So technically he owns at least half. He also had a another publishing company which owned a bunch of classic rock songs called "mijac" publishing which was merged with Sony ATV that was worth a couple hundred mill, so rumors are that Mjs stake is more than half. But who knows.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony/ATV_Music_Publishing
 
They didn't. The Beatles lost control of Northern Songs (their music publishing company) in 1969, after their publisher (Dick James) and his partner sold their interest in the company to ATV. ATV bought enough other shares (Northern Songs was a public company, traded on the London Stock Exchange) to become the majority shareholders. John Lennon and Paul McCartney "cashed out" at that point, selling their stock to ATV also. (George Harrison and Ringo Starr kept their shares, totaling about 1.8% ownership of the company. Each had already started their own publishing companies, independent of Northern Songs.)

Northern Songs went up for sale in 1985. McCartney and Jackson were friends and collaborators at that point, and McCartney encouraged Jackson to invest in music publishing (which he had done in the 1970s, and prospered), never expecting Jackson to outbid him for Northern Songs. Afterwards, McCartney pointed out that his and Lennon's writer's royalties had never been increased (they were young and naive when they signed the initial contracts, and weren't paid what they easily could have been), and asked for an increase. When Jackson turned him down, it was the end of their friendship.

:dance::dance: MJ motherfuckers!!
 
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