Best-Selling Music Artists of All Time by Certified Record Sales
Ranks recording artists by their total claimed worldwide record sales (albums and singles combined) accumulated over their careers.
Fact-ranked — the numbers decide the order, not votes
What counts: Metric is total claimed worldwide sales in millions of units, using the figures most commonly cited by RIAA, IFPI-affiliated national bodies, record labels, and Guinness World Records; figures as commonly reported through 2024.
British rock band whose catalog remains the most commercially successful in recorded music history.
Claimed Sales: 600 M unitsCountry: United KingdomGenre: RockDebut Year: 1,962
added by IJRin 7 rankingsThe Beatles
The 'King of Rock and Roll' whose singles and albums sold in massive numbers across five decades.
Claimed Sales: 500 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: Rock and rollDebut Year: 1,954
added by IJRin 2 rankingsElvis Presley
Pop icon whose album 'Thriller' remains one of the best-selling records of all time.
Claimed Sales: 400 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: PopDebut Year: 1,969
added by IJRin 8 rankingsMichael Jackson
The best-selling female recording artist, with decades of chart-topping albums and singles.
Claimed Sales: 300 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: PopDebut Year: 1,983
added by IJRin 5 rankingsMadonna
British singer-songwriter with a decades-long run of hit albums and singles worldwide.
Claimed Sales: 300 M unitsCountry: United KingdomGenre: Pop/RockDebut Year: 1,969
added by IJRin 5 rankingsElton John
Rock band whose heavy, blues-influenced albums sold in huge volumes globally.
Claimed Sales: 300 M unitsCountry: United KingdomGenre: RockDebut Year: 1,968
added by IJRin 8 rankingsLed Zeppelin
British rock band known for anthemic hits and consistently strong catalog sales.
Claimed Sales: 300 M unitsCountry: United KingdomGenre: RockDebut Year: 1,973
added by IJRin 8 rankingsQueen
Barbadian singer with a string of global pop and R&B hits since the mid-2000s.
Claimed Sales: 250 M unitsCountry: BarbadosGenre: Pop/R&BDebut Year: 2,005
added by IJRin 3 rankingsRihanna
Progressive rock band whose conceptual albums, especially 'The Dark Side of the Moon', sold enormously.
Claimed Sales: 250 M unitsCountry: United KingdomGenre: Progressive rockDebut Year: 1,967
added by IJRin 6 rankingsPink Floyd
Long-running British rock band with a deep catalog of hit albums and singles.
Claimed Sales: 250 M unitsCountry: United KingdomGenre: RockDebut Year: 1,962
added by IJRin 7 rankingsThe Rolling Stones
American vocalist with one of the longest-running hit-making careers in pop music.
Claimed Sales: 245 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: Vocal popDebut Year: 1,963
added by IJRin 2 rankingsBarbra Streisand
American vocalist known for powerful ballads and record-breaking album sales.
Claimed Sales: 220 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: R&B/PopDebut Year: 1,985
added by IJRin 10 rankingsWhitney Houston
American singer with numerous multi-platinum albums and holiday classics.
Claimed Sales: 220 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: R&B/PopDebut Year: 1,990
added by IJRin 6 rankingsMariah Carey
American rapper with some of the best-selling hip hop albums in history.
Claimed Sales: 220 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: Hip hopDebut Year: 1,996
added by IJRin 5 rankingsEminem
Canadian vocalist known for global ballads and blockbuster soundtrack hits.
Claimed Sales: 220 M unitsCountry: CanadaGenre: PopDebut Year: 1,981
added by IJRin 2 rankingsCeline Dion
British-Australian trio whose disco-era hits sold in massive quantities.
Claimed Sales: 220 M unitsCountry: United KingdomGenre: Pop/DiscoDebut Year: 1,963
added by IJRin 2 rankingsBee Gees
Australian hard rock band whose album 'Back in Black' is among the best-selling ever.
Claimed Sales: 200 M unitsCountry: AustraliaGenre: Hard rockDebut Year: 1,975
added by IJRin 8 rankingsAC/DC
American singer-songwriter with a string of record-breaking pop and country-pop albums.
Claimed Sales: 200 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: Pop/CountryDebut Year: 2,006
added by IJRin 9 rankingsTaylor Swift
American vocalist with a long run of platinum solo albums following her Destiny's Child career.
Claimed Sales: 200 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: R&B/PopDebut Year: 1,997
added by IJRin 9 rankingsBeyoncé
Spanish crossover vocalist popular across Latin American, European, and Asian markets.
Claimed Sales: 200 M unitsCountry: SpainGenre: Latin popDebut Year: 1,968
added by IJRJulio Iglesias
American country singer who helped popularize country music on a mass commercial scale.
Claimed Sales: 170 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: CountryDebut Year: 1,989
added by IJRin 2 rankingsGarth Brooks
Canadian rapper with a dominant run of streaming-era hip hop and R&B hits.
Claimed Sales: 170 M unitsCountry: CanadaGenre: Hip hopDebut Year: 2,006
added by IJRin 6 rankingsDrake
British singer-songwriter known for acoustic-pop hits with massive global sales.
Claimed Sales: 150 M unitsCountry: United KingdomGenre: PopDebut Year: 2,011
added by IJRin 5 rankingsEd Sheeran
American musician known for genre-blending funk, rock, and pop hits.
Claimed Sales: 150 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: Funk/RockDebut Year: 1,978
added by IJRin 9 rankingsprince
Boston rock band known for hard rock hits and multi-decade career longevity.
Claimed Sales: 150 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: RockDebut Year: 1,973
added by IJRin 5 rankingsAerosmith
Country-pop crossover icon with numerous chart-topping hits.
Claimed Sales: 145 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: CountryDebut Year: 1,957
added by IJRKenny Rogers
British pop pioneer with a career spanning over six decades.
Claimed Sales: 140 M unitsCountry: United KingdomGenre: Pop/RockDebut Year: 1,958
added by IJRCliff Richard
American rock icon known for storytelling and blue-collar anthems.
Claimed Sales: 135 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: RockDebut Year: 1,973
added by IJRin 8 rankingsBruce Springsteen
New Jersey rock band famed for stadium anthems and arena rock hits.
Claimed Sales: 130 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: RockDebut Year: 1,984
added by IJRin 3 rankingsBon Jovi
One of the best-selling boy bands, defining late-90s pop.
Claimed Sales: 128 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: PopDebut Year: 1,993
added by IJRin 3 rankingsBackstreet Boys
Pioneering thrash metal band with massive global fanbase.
Claimed Sales: 125 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: Heavy MetalDebut Year: 1,981
added by IJRin 6 rankingsMetallica
Pop princess who defined turn-of-the-millennium pop culture.
Claimed Sales: 122 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: PopDebut Year: 1,998
added by IJRin 2 rankingsBritney Spears
Rock band celebrated for blending pop hooks with introspective lyrics.
Claimed Sales: 120 M unitsCountry: United Kingdom/United StatesGenre: RockDebut Year: 1,967
added by IJRin 7 rankingsFleetwood Mac
Canadian country-pop singer who redefined the genre's commercial reach.
Claimed Sales: 118 M unitsCountry: CanadaGenre: CountryDebut Year: 1,993
added by IJRin 2 rankingsShania Twain
Canadian pop sensation who rose to fame via early online videos.
Claimed Sales: 115 M unitsCountry: CanadaGenre: PopDebut Year: 2,009
added by IJRin 3 rankingsJustin Bieber
American rock band renowned for harmonized vocals and country-rock sound.
Claimed Sales: 112 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: RockDebut Year: 1,971
added by IJRin 5 rankingsEagles
American rock band known for blending horns with rock instrumentation.
Claimed Sales: 108 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: RockDebut Year: 1,967
added by IJRin 17 rankingsChicago
British singer known for raspy vocals and rock-pop crossover hits.
Claimed Sales: 105 M unitsCountry: United KingdomGenre: Rock/PopDebut Year: 1,964
added by IJRRod Stewart
American rock band famous for theatrical stage shows and makeup.
Claimed Sales: 102 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: RockDebut Year: 1,973
added by IJRin 2 rankingskiss
American singer-songwriter known for sentimental pop ballads.
Claimed Sales: 100 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: PopDebut Year: 1,973
added by IJRBarry Manilow
Australian pop star with a long international hitmaking career.
Claimed Sales: 98 M unitsCountry: AustraliaGenre: PopDebut Year: 1,987
added by IJRKylie Minogue
American singer-songwriter celebrated for emotive pop-rock anthems.
Claimed Sales: 92 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: PopDebut Year: 1,966
added by IJRNeil Diamond
Legendary American country singer known as the 'King of Country'.
Claimed Sales: 90 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: CountryDebut Year: 1,981
added by IJRGeorge Strait
Iconic American country artist with a decades-long chart presence.
Claimed Sales: 88 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: CountryDebut Year: 1,977
added by IJRin 2 rankingsReba McEntire
American country singer known for traditional honky-tonk sound.
Claimed Sales: 85 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: CountryDebut Year: 1,989
added by IJRAlan Jackson
American country music star with numerous chart-topping albums.
Claimed Sales: 82 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: CountryDebut Year: 1,993
added by IJRTim McGraw
American country singer known for patriotic and blue-collar themes.
Claimed Sales: 80 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: CountryDebut Year: 1,993
added by IJRToby Keith
Legendary country icon known for hits like 'Jolene' and 'I Will Always Love You', with a career spanning six decades.
Claimed Sales: 79 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: CountryDebut Year: 1,967
added by IJRin 5 rankingsDolly Parton
Motown legend who found massive solo success after leaving The Supremes.
Claimed Sales: 78 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: R&B/PopDebut Year: 1,970
added by IJRDiana Ross
Soft rock duo famous for romantic ballads that dominated charts in the late 70s and 80s.
Claimed Sales: 77 M unitsCountry: AustraliaGenre: Soft RockDebut Year: 1,975
added by IJRAir Supply
Boy band pioneers who set the stage for the genre's massive 1990s success.
Claimed Sales: 76 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: PopDebut Year: 1,986
added by IJRin 2 rankingsNew Kids on the Block
British girl group phenomenon that defined 'Girl Power' in the 1990s.
Claimed Sales: 75 M unitsCountry: United KingdomGenre: PopDebut Year: 1,994
added by IJRin 3 rankingsSpice Girls
Canadian rocker known for anthemic hits like '(Everything I Do) I Do It for You'.
Claimed Sales: 74 M unitsCountry: CanadaGenre: RockDebut Year: 1,980
added by IJRBryan Adams
New Wave band that became MTV-era superstars with a string of global hits.
Claimed Sales: 73 M unitsCountry: United KingdomGenre: New WaveDebut Year: 1,978
added by IJRin 2 rankingsDuran Duran
Smooth soul act led by the iconic voice of Sade Adu, blending jazz and R&B influences.
Claimed Sales: 72 M unitsCountry: United KingdomGenre: SoulDebut Year: 1,984
added by IJRin 2 rankingsSade
Smooth R&B balladeer and former Commodores frontman turned solo superstar.
Claimed Sales: 70 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: R&BDebut Year: 1,982
added by IJRLionel Richie
Cuban-American pop icon who brought Latin rhythms to mainstream American charts.
Claimed Sales: 69 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: PopDebut Year: 1,984
added by IJRGloria Estefan
German hard rock band famous for the anthem 'Wind of Change'.
Claimed Sales: 68 M unitsCountry: GermanyGenre: Hard RockDebut Year: 1,965
added by IJRin 2 rankingsScorpions
Pioneering hard rock band credited with shaping the heavy metal genre.
Claimed Sales: 67 M unitsCountry: United KingdomGenre: RockDebut Year: 1,968
added by IJRDeep Purple
Powerful vocalist known for soulful pop-rock ballads throughout the late 80s and 90s.
Claimed Sales: 65 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: PopDebut Year: 1,975
added by IJRMichael Bolton
Disco group behind enduring dance-floor classics like 'Y.M.C.A.'
Claimed Sales: 64 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: DiscoDebut Year: 1,977
added by IJRVillage People
Motown virtuoso whose innovative songwriting reshaped modern R&B and pop.
Claimed Sales: 63 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: R&BDebut Year: 1,962
added by IJRin 7 rankingsStevie Wonder
Boney M
Disco group known for global hits like 'Rasputin' and 'Daddy Cool'.
Claimed Sales: 62 M unitsCountry: GermanyGenre: DiscoDebut Year: 1,976
added by IJR
Solo pop superstar known for his smooth voice and chart-topping albums like 'Faith'.
Claimed Sales: 60 M unitsCountry: United KingdomGenre: PopDebut Year: 1,987
added by IJRGeorge Michael
80s pop icon known for her distinctive voice and hits like 'Girls Just Want to Have Fun'.
Claimed Sales: 59 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: PopDebut Year: 1,983
added by IJRin 2 rankingsCyndi Lauper
The 'Queen of Rock 'n' Roll' whose electrifying performances spanned decades.
Claimed Sales: 58 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: Rock/PopDebut Year: 1,958
added by IJRin 4 rankingsTina Turner
Powerhouse vocalist who rose to fame in the late 90s pop explosion.
Claimed Sales: 57 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: PopDebut Year: 1,999
added by IJRin 2 rankingsChristina Aguilera
Multi-talented performer blending pop, R&B, and Latin influences into chart success.
Claimed Sales: 56 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: PopDebut Year: 1,999
added by IJRJennifer Lopez
Latin pop sensation who helped bring Latin music to global mainstream audiences.
Claimed Sales: 55 M unitsCountry: Puerto RicoGenre: Latin PopDebut Year: 1,991
added by IJRRicky Martin
American-based Mexican guitarist and bandleader famed for fusing rock with Latin rhythms, highlighted by hits like 'Smooth'.
Claimed Sales: 54 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: Latin RockDebut Year: 1,969
added by IJRin 2 rankingsSantana
Iconic country singer-songwriter and outlaw-country pioneer with a decades-long career and countless hits.
Claimed Sales: 53 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: CountryDebut Year: 1,962
added by IJRin 3 rankingsWillie Nelson
Grammy-winning R&B/soul singer-songwriter and pianist known for hits like 'Fallin'' and 'No One'.
Claimed Sales: 52 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: R&BDebut Year: 2,001
added by IJRin 5 rankingsAlicia Keys
American R&B superstar known for smash hits such as 'Yeah!' and 'Confessions'.
Claimed Sales: 51 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: R&BDebut Year: 1,994
added by IJRin 4 rankingsUsher
Canadian progressive rock trio celebrated for intricate musicianship and albums like 'Moving Pictures'.
Claimed Sales: 50 M unitsCountry: CanadaGenre: Progressive RockDebut Year: 1,974
added by IJRin 5 rankingsRush
Country-pop singer who broke through as a teen with 'Blue' and has sustained a long recording career.
Claimed Sales: 49 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: CountryDebut Year: 1,996
added by IJRLeAnn Rimes
Country-pop vocalist known for crossover hits and duets with husband Tim McGraw.
Claimed Sales: 48 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: CountryDebut Year: 1,993
added by IJRFaith Hill
British heavy metal pioneers whose leather-clad image and twin-guitar attack shaped the genre.
Claimed Sales: 47 M unitsCountry: United KingdomGenre: Heavy MetalDebut Year: 1,974
added by IJRJudas Priest
Shock-rock pioneer famous for theatrical live shows and hits like 'School's Out'.
Claimed Sales: 46 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: RockDebut Year: 1,969
added by IJRAlice Cooper
Motown soul legend whose socially conscious 'What's Going On' remains a genre landmark.
Claimed Sales: 44 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: SoulDebut Year: 1,961
added by IJRin 5 rankingsMarvin Gaye
Soul singer renowned for his smooth vocal style and hits like 'Let's Stay Together'.
Claimed Sales: 43 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: SoulDebut Year: 1,967
added by IJRin 3 rankingsAl Green
Legendary Motown vocal group known for choreography and hits like 'My Girl'.
Claimed Sales: 42 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: SoulDebut Year: 1,960
added by IJRin 2 rankingsThe Temptations
Soul vocal group led by Gladys Knight, celebrated for hits like 'Midnight Train to Georgia'.
Claimed Sales: 41 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: SoulDebut Year: 1,961
added by IJRGladys Knight & the Pips
Motown singer-songwriter behind classics like 'The Tracks of My Tears' and countless hits for other artists.
Claimed Sales: 40 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: SoulDebut Year: 1,958
added by IJRin 2 rankingsSmokey Robinson
Neo-traditional country star who revitalized the genre in the 1980s with hits like 'Forever and Ever, Amen'.
Claimed Sales: 39 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: CountryDebut Year: 1,985
added by IJRRandy Travis
Country vocalist known for her powerful voice and hits such as 'She's in Love with the Boy'.
Claimed Sales: 38 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: CountryDebut Year: 1,991
added by IJRTrisha Yearwood
Soft-rock and soundtrack hitmaker famous for songs like 'Footloose' and 'Danger Zone'.
Claimed Sales: 37 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: RockDebut Year: 1,972
added by IJRKenny Loggins
Arena-rock band remembered for their multi-platinum debut album and hit 'More Than a Feeling'.
Claimed Sales: 36 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: RockDebut Year: 1,976
added by IJRin 10 rankingsBoston
Progressive rock band celebrated for the anthem 'Carry On Wayward Son'.
Claimed Sales: 34 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: Progressive RockDebut Year: 1,974
added by IJRin 3 rankingsKansas
Power-pop rockers best known for the live favorite 'I Want You to Want Me'.
Claimed Sales: 33 M unitsCountry: United StatesGenre: RockDebut Year: 1,977
added by IJRCheap Trick