The Best Selling Artist of All time?

URANUS · #1 13th May 2005, 01:59 AM

Hi guys. I have been wondering just now who the best selling artist of all time is. I have heard from people that it's either Michael Jackson, George Michael, Madonna, or the Beatles. So who do you think is the best selling artist of the music history? Is there even a chart?

DerrickRocks · #2 13th May 2005, 02:32 AM

barbra streisand

Raleigh · #3 13th May 2005, 03:33 AM

^ nahh..o.O; certainly not her. Probably someone big like the Beatles or Madonna.

Coelacanth · #4 13th May 2005, 03:46 AM

I'm pretty sure it's Michael Jackson... He has been around since he was 9 and has the best (or I think second best now) selling album of all-time.

PickleCookies · #5 13th May 2005, 03:52 AM

Top 5 artists:

Quote:

http://www.riaa.com

Artist - Certified Units (in millions)
Beatles, The - 166.5
Presley, Elvis - 117.5
Led Zeppelin - 106.0
Brooks, Garth - 105.0
Eagles - 88.0

Qt Mashi · #6 13th May 2005, 03:53 AM

wow forgotten about Elvis

URANUS · #7 13th May 2005, 05:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PickleCookies

Top 5 artists:

But that's just the American top selling artists. I'm asking about the whole world, which includes the UK etc.

sxesven · #8 13th May 2005, 11:19 AM

The Beatles and Led Zeppelin are from the UK actually, even if this list is from the RIAA.

AyuGAME · #9 13th May 2005, 12:02 PM

B'z and ayu is one of them i think
and thanks for the link

DerrickRocks · #10 14th May 2005, 04:10 AM

Mecha Barbra Streisand!!!! then

Joel · #11 14th May 2005, 05:00 AM

Go Streisand! lol

DerrickRocks · #12 15th May 2005, 07:47 AM

seriously isn't Barbra Streisand one of the most selling female singers of all time i heard?

ges-hu · #13 15th May 2005, 10:23 AM

it's the beatles.

ges-hu · #14 15th May 2005, 10:24 AM

hmm... what about the rolling stones?

**Cyria** · #15 15th May 2005, 10:34 AM

I checked Barbra's official site and it says "With forty-nine gold albums, she is second in the all-time charts, ahead of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, exceeded only by Elvis...Her thirty platinum albums, according to the Recording Industry Association of America, exceeds all other female singers".

I think the position of artists/bands can change, depending on how sales are determined.

sxesven · #16 15th May 2005, 10:43 AM

Perhaps that's about the number of hit records she had rather than the sales numbers, it seems to be anyway.

**Cyria** · #17 15th May 2005, 11:22 AM

It seems it is. I now found this:

"Based on Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Albums 1955-1996 and subsequent RIAA certifications, these artists have the most gold and platinum albums (each album is counted only once even if the album was certified gold, platinum, and multi-platinum):

1. Elvis Presley (80)
2. Barbra Streisand (46) [the female with the most multi-platinum titles]
3. The Beatles (39)
4. The Rolling Stones (38)
5. Neil Diamond (37)
6. Elton John (32)
7. Kenny Rogers/First Edition (28)
8. Frank Sinatra(26)
9. Bob Dylan (28) [two with the Band]
10. Willie Nelson (24)
11. George Strait (24) [all 24 have gone gold and platinum]
12. Kiss (23)
13. Rush (22)
14. Alabama (22) "

I really wish I could find actual sales. Whitney/Celine/Mariah would be doing well there. I think I once saw Barbra listed after Mariah/ahead of Whitney and Celine in sales.

Raleigh · #18 15th May 2005, 12:38 PM

Yeah true since Celine Dion is one of the most known artists worldwide but then I donno. Oddly enough Queen aren't listed either.. wonder why

Aisha_Angel · #19 15th May 2005, 04:07 PM

Celine Dion is the biggest in female sales, I know that for a fact. She was on Oprah a couple of months ago trying to talk about her baby & all Oprah could say was, "Your the biggest selling female in THE WORLD! How does it feel?"

I don't know about the male, though...

mlkrepublic · #20 16th May 2005, 03:42 PM

the biggest selling female artist in history is Mariah Carey