[ad_1]
-
The best-selling musicians of all time include Taylor Swift, Tim McGraw, and Whitney Houston.
-
RIAA ranked the best-selling musicians of all time based on total album units sold in the US.
-
Swift, Drake, and Beyoncé are among the newest artists to make the cut.
You might feel like Taylor Swift is the biggest musician of all time thanks to the number of albums she’s recorded, the tickets she’s sold, and the headlines she’s generated.
In fact, she hasn’t cracked the top 20.
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) lists the best-selling musicians of all time, based on total certified album units sold in the US. It also includes streaming figures.
Artists from multiple different genres — pop, country, instrumental jazz, rap, metal — have earned their spots on this list.
Keep scrolling to see the 50 best-selling music artists of all time in the US by album sales.
John Lynch, Travis Clark, and Will Gendron contributed to a previous version of this post.
50. Bob Dylan — 36 million units
Val Wilmer/Redferns/Getty Images
49. Tupac Shakur — 36.5 million
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images
47 (tie). Beyoncé — 37 million units
Beyoncé performs onstage during the “RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR” at PGE Narodowy on June 27, 2023 iKevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood/Getty Images
47 (tie). Backstreet Boys — 37 million units
Paul Bergen/Redferns/Getty Images
45 (tie). Rod Stewart — 38 million units
Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images
45 (tie). Foreigner — 38 million units
Terry Wyatt/Getty Images
43 (tie). Simon & Garfunkel — 38.5 million units
Hulton Archive/Getty Images
43 (tie). Britney Spears — 38.5 million
Britney Spears performs during Now! 99.7 Triple Ho Show 7.0 at SAP Center on December 3, 2016Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images
42. Chicago — 39 million units
Ian Showell/Keystone/Getty Images
41. Eric Clapton — 40 million units
Phil Dent/Redferns/Getty Images
38 (tie). Tim McGraw — 41 million units
Michael Hickey/Getty Images
38 (tie). Reba McEntire — 41 million units
Jason Kempin/Getty Images
38 (tie). Bon Jovi — 41 million units
Jon Bon Jovi of the band Bon Jovi performs on stage during Rock In Rio day 3 at Cidade do Rock on September 29, 2019 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images
37. Queen — 43 million units
Fin Costello/Redferns/Getty Images
36. Santana — 43.5 million units
Guitarist Carlos Santana performs at The Beacon Theater on October 18, 1996 in New York CityAl Pereira/Getty Images
33 (tie). Guns N’ Roses — 44.5 million units
Axl Rose, Slash, and Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses perform onstage during the Power Trip music festival at Empire Polo Club on October 06, 2023 in Indio, California.Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Power Trip
33 (tie). Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band — 44.5 million units
Scott Legato/WireImage/Getty Images
33 (tie). Alan Jackson — 44.5 million units
Rick Diamond/Getty Images
31 (tie). Kenny Rogers — 47.5 million units
David Redfern/Redferns/Getty Images
31 (tie). Drake — 47.5 million units
Prince Williams/Wireimage/Getty Images
29 (tie). Shania Twain — 48 million units
Shania Twain performs onstage during the 2019 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on November 24, 2019Kevin Mazur/AMA2019/Getty Images for dcp
29 (tie). Kenny G — 48 million units
Getty
28. Alabama — 49 million units
David Redfern/Redferns/Getty Images
27. Neil Diamond — 49.5 million units
Singer Neil Diamond performs onstage at Pre-GRAMMY Gala and Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Debra Lee at The Beverly Hilton on February 11, 2017Lester Cohen/WireImage/Getty Images
26. U2 — 52 million units
Sergione Infuso/Corbis/Getty Images
25. Journey — 52.5 million units
Michael Putland/Getty Images
24. Celine Dion — 53 million units
Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
23. Fleetwood Mac — 55.5 million units
Photo of Stevie NICKS and FLEETWOOD MAC; Stevie Nicks performing live onstageRichard E. Aaron/Redferns/Getty Images
22. Van Halen — 56.5 million units
David Tan/Shinko Music/Getty Images
21. Taylor Swift — 57 million units
Taylor Swift performs during her “Eras Tour.”AP Photo/George Walker IV
20. Whitney Houston — 61 million units
American singer and actress, Whitney Houston, performs at the Pine Knob Music Theater during her “Moment of Truth” world tour, on July 31, 1987Icon and Image/Getty Images
19. Eminem — 61.5 million units
Getty
18. Metallica — 63 million units
Paul Bergen/Redferns/Getty Images
17. Madonna — 65.5 million units
Madonna performs onstage during the 2019 Billboard Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 1, 2019Ethan Miller/Getty Images
16. The Rolling Stones — 66.5 million units
Getty
15. Barbra Streisand — 68.5 million units
Barbra Streisand performs onstage at Madison Square Garden on August 03, 2019 in New York CityKevin Kane/Getty Images for BSB
13 (tie). George Strait — 69.5 million units
Jason Kempin/Getty Images
13 (tie). Aerosmith — 69.5 million units
Lisa Lake/Getty Images
12. Bruce Springsteen — 71 million units
Jemal Countess/Getty Images
10 (tie). Pink Floyd — 75 million units
MJ Kim/Getty Images
10 (tie). Mariah Carey — 75 million units
Mariah Carey performs onstage for “Merry Christmas One And All!” at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel on November 15, 2023Kevin Mazur/WireImage for MC/Getty Images
9. Elton John — 81 million units
Leon Neal/Getty Images
8. AC/DC — 84 million units
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Power Trip
7. Billy Joel — 86 million units
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
6. Michael Jackson — 89 million units
Michael Jackson performs in concert circa 1986KMazur/WireImage/Getty Images
5. Led Zeppelin — 112.5 million units
Jay Dickman/CORBIS/Corbis/Getty Images
4. Eagles — 120 million units
Fotos International/Getty Images
3. Elvis Presley — 146.5 million units
Rock and roll musician Elvis Presley performing on the Elvis comeback TV special on June 27, 1968.Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
2. Garth Brooks — 162 million units
Getty
1. The Beatles — 183 million units
Getty
Read the original article on Business Insider
[ad_2]
Source link
