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MUSIC
Sales
Best-Selling Artists (claimed)
This list features the best-selling artists of all time based on claimed sales.
RANK | MUSICIAN | CERTIFIED SALES | PERIOD ACTIVE |
1 | The Beatles | 500–600 million | 1960–1970 |
2 | Elvis Presley | 500 million | 1953–1977 |
3 | Michael Jackson | 400–500 million | 1964–2009 |
4 | Elton John | 250–300 million | 1962–present |
5 | Madonna | 250–300 million | 1979–present |
6 | Queen | 250–300 million | 1971–present |
7 | Led Zeppelin | 200–300 million | 1968–1980 |
8 | Rihanna | 230–250 million | 2003–present |
9 | Pink Floyd | 200–250 million | 1965–1996, 2005, 2012–2014 |
10 | The Rolling Stones | 200–250 million | 1962–present |
11 | Eminem | 220 million | 1996–present |
12 | Mariah Carey | 220 million | 1988–present |
13 | Whitney Houston | 220 million | 1977–2012 |
References
ChartMasters (2024) Best-selling artists of all time. [online] Available at: https://chartmasters.org/best-selling-artists-of-all-time/ [Accessed 1 December 2025].
Business Insider (2016) Best-selling music artists of all time. [online] Available at: https://www.businessinsider.com/best-selling-music-artists-of-all-time-2016-9 [Accessed 1 December 2025].
Wikipedia (2024) List of best-selling music artists. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_music_artists [Accessed 1 December 2025].
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