Best Selling Music Artists of All-Time

The list of best selling music artists includes artists with claims of 75 million or more record sales in multiple third-party reliable sources. The claimed sales figures and the total certified sales figures (for each country) within the provided sources include sales of albums, singles, compilation-albums, music videos as well as downloads of singles and full-length albums. The artists in the following tables are listed with both their claimed and certified sales figures and are ranked in descending order, with the highest claimed sales at the top. Artists with the same claimed sales are then ranked by certified units. Sales figures, such as those from Soundscan, which are sometimes published by Billboard magazine, have not been included in the certified units column. Currently, The Beatles are listed at the top of the list as they are considered the highest-selling band based both on sales claims and certified units. Elvis Presley, who is listed the second on the list is considered the highest-selling individual artist based both on sales claims and certified units.

All artists included on this list, which have begun charting on official albums/singles charts have their available claimed figure(s) supported by at least 20% in certified units. That is why Cliff RichardDiana RossCharles AznavourBing CrosbyNana MouskouriDeep PurpleIron MaidenTom JonesThe Jackson 5Dionne WarwickThe Andrews Sisters,Luciano Pavarotti and others have not been included on this list. The percentage amount of certified sales needed increases the newer the artist is, meaning, artists such as Rihanna are expected to have their claimed figures supported by over 60% in certified units. The certified units are sourced from available online databases of local music industry associations. Note that all certified units are converted from Gold/Platinum/Diamond certification awards based on criteria provided by certifying bodies.

The requirements of certified sales are designed to avoid inflated sales figures, which are frequently practiced by record companies for promotional purposes.

The claimed figures are sourced to articles that use the term records (singles, albums, videos) and not albums. However, if all available sources for an artist/band say albums, such sources can only be used if the certified album units of the said artist meet the required percentage amount. Note that this list uses claimed figures that are closer to artists’ available certified sales. In other words, inflated claimed figures that will meet the required certified sales amount but are unrealistically high from available certified sales, will not be used.

Best Selling Music Artists of All-Time

  • The Beatles Best Selling Music Artists of All-Time with Rhode Island Wedding DJ

    The Beatles

The Beatles United Kingdom 1960–1974
1962
Rock / Pop

600 million
Michael Jackson Best Selling Music Artists of All-Time with Rhode Island Wedding DJ

Michael Jackson

 

Michael Jackson
United States 1964–2009
1971
Pop / Rock / Dance /R&B

400 million
350 million
300 million
  • Madonna Best Selling Music Artists of All-Time with Rhode Island Wedding DJ

    Madonna

Madonna United States 1979–present
1982
Pop / Rock / Dance

300 million
275 million
  • Led Zeppelin Best Selling Music Artists of All-Time with Rhode Island Wedding DJ

    Led Zeppelin

    Led Zeppelin United Kingdom 1968–1980
    1969
    Hard rock / Heavy metal

    300 million
    200 million

    I am not surprised The Beatles are #1 but am a bit so that Elvis Presley is ahead of Michael Jackson, due to Michael Jackson’s global appeal. It is somewhat amazing that Led Zeppelin can be this high on Best Selling Music Artists of All-Time without a long history of hit singles, based solely on the strength of their album sales. These have been the most consistent hit producers of Pop Music and deserve their ranking. All are great artists for any professional Wedding DJ or Party DJ.

    is there any artist(s) that you thought would be in the top five Best Selling Music Artists of All-Time that did not reach this level of sales?

    DJ Mystical Michael New jersey DJ & Boston DJ

    973.908.8147

Madonna Material Girl

It was June 30, 1985. America was in transition from the laid-back feeling of the 60’s and 70’s to an electronic culture with a new generation focused on different things than equality, peace and love. They were the beginning of the generation of ‘me’.  And the ‘me’ generation had their owns interests and agendas, one of them in the front of the train was money and material possessions. So who better to write and place this in the face for all to see than Madonna Material Girl?

 

Her hit, Madonna Material Girl, marked this shift in cultural focus clearly with no apologies or excuses. She was bold enough to make a video demonstrating just who she and this new generation were in diamonds and glitter. It is hard to know whether she was writing about herself specifically or just making a statement but either way we all knew that the times has changed and money was now was the goal and direction of the country and individual. President Reagan had done his thing and we were an economically strong country, affluence was the norm not the exception among certain racial and cultural groups.

 

I am not certain the same video or song would hold the same impact and weight today as it did then. Affluence has been such an undercurrent that it is accepted as how we exist now. The days of sharing and leaving doors unlocked have been replaced by SAT prep classes and parents writing high school students college personal statements and having them proofed by a college entrance application proofreader.  Today education is focused on tests, not learning. Students volunteer for resumes, not service today. Madonna forecasted this. Enjoy Madonna Material Girl!

DJ Mystical Michael Rhode Island DJ & NY DJ