Talk:Best-selling music artist

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Additional Information...
This is a section made to talk about the best selling artists and albums. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 104.219.190.70 (talk) 08:10, 9 March 2018 (UTC)

"I don't think it's fair to compare such sales as they were alive. You then discriminate by age - for example, Buddy Holly could have been more successful than either one of these, he had that chance to make great sales until his death at only 21 by plane crash, thus ending his musical career at such an early stage and time - only been doing music a couple of years too - and you're also not taking in the incredibly tedious procedures older generations had to do to sell their albums than newer generations' technology and widespread credibility.  Michael Jackson after Jackson 5, came at a time when TV more recent than both Elvis and The Beatles, and to this respect alone, you could argue that with the amount of sales they both did, both Elvis and The Beatles are more successful than Michael Jackson.  I think, also, not to include the Jackson 5 sales in with Michael Jackson's sales as a solo artist, they are both two different times. My thoughts." think Michael Jackson is pretty well covered, but if anyone has any additional information about The Beatles' or Elvis Preley's total sales, please add any credible, sourced and relevant information you have. Also, ABBA is sometimes called the biggest selling act ever. If anyone has information to support this claim, I think adding a section about ABBA would be good. If you want to add an ABBA section, structure it that same as Michael Jackson, Beatles and Elvis. That is, heading, image, intro (where they are from, when they were active, any records they hold, then go into detail about their sales. But I think ABBA should be the only other artist to be added to this list. I don't want it to turn into a big long list. Only add artists if they have been claimed by many sources as being the best-selling ever and they are well known for being one of the best-selling artists ever. Please limit it to Michael Jackson, The Beatles, Elvis Presley and maybe ABBA. Otherwise, it might as well be List of best-selling music artists. Street walker 16:35, 12 January 2006 (UTC)

Have re-worded article, too much "doubt" mentioned for Elvis and The Beatles, while Jacksons entry seemed to be an essay to convert us over to all beliving he was the number 1 artist.

Thank-you for doing that. You know, it's not that I was trying to make Jackson look good, it's that I knew more about the nature of his sales than the Beatles and Elvis. Sorry if it appeared otherwise. Street walker 03:43, 14 January 2006 (UTC)

Then it's funny how you keep removing words such as "sales claims" and such like from the Jackson article, as well as the disclaimer about the WMA's. It may also be mentioned at the top, but it is relevant to MJ, not Elvis and the Beatles. There is also a disclaimer at the top that also states sales are disputed and given by record companies, yet, that didn't stop you repeating it time and again in the articles of the Beatles and Elvis, if you're not trying to make MJ look good and the other two look bad, well, you could have fooled me!.

As a matter of fact, The BJP (Beatles/Jackson/Presley) are the best selling artists of all time. That is the reason why we do need all objective fans (from Beatles/Jackson/Presley) and other fans/non fans to fill any reliable information so as to rule this wikipedia page.Readerweb 12:47, 15 January 2006 (UTC)

There is no 'fact' on this at all. It is all speculation and guestimation. Why these artists have been singled out as the best sellers is because they have received awards for such ... and these awards are bogus to say the least. Without a doubt The Beatles and Elvis Presley stand supreme, but Michael Jackson is not the 'third biggest'. Bing Crosby appears to have sold more, and so do ABBA. With Mariah Carey now having 16 number 1 hits in the US, being 2 behind Elvis, and 4 behind the Beatles, I also wonder what her true figures are.

Bing Crosby sold more that Michael, He sole betwen 500 millons and 1 billon worldwide ,Crosby was very famous on the world, He should is un this list,Billboard said that Crosby sold more of 400 millons before of death. Sparcus97 (talk) 15:23, 17 August 2020 (UTC)

Crosby should be in the Second or Third Place. Sparcus97 (talk) 15:26, 17 August 2020 (UTC)

So Called "Sales List"
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has just published its updated list of the 150 highest selling artists ever. IFPI has finally come up with a list of the top-selling acts in History. Its about time.

The Top 9 is as follows: 01. The Beatles 40 400,000,000 UK 60s (1962-1970) Rock/Pop Guinness/EMI

02. Michael Jackson 14 350,000,000 US 70s-00s (1979-2009) Pop/R&B

03. Elvis Presley 150 300,000,000 US 50s-70s (1956-1977) Country/Rock

04. Madonna 16 275,000,000 US 80s-00s (1984-) Pop/ Dance and Techno

05. Cliff Richard 60 250,000,000 UK 50s-00s (1959-1969,1977-1979,1986-1999) Rock/Pop

06. The Rolling Stones 54 ~250,000,000 UK 60s-00s (1964-1981) Rock

07. Mariah Carey 14 230,000,000 US 90s-00s (1990-) Pop/R&B

08. Elton John 43 ~220,000,000 UK 70s-00s (1972-1976,1989-1991,1997-) Pop

09. Celine Dion 21 220,000,000 Canada 80s-00s (1990-) Pop Music/Pop

Source: IFPI http://mjtkop.com/home/ http://www.madonna.com/

It is quite intersting this. I'm not sure whetehr we should structure the page around their list, but it could well be worth at least a mention, perhaps its own section within the page. However, I can't find this anywhere on the IFPI's webiste. Indeed, the only place I can see it referred to is on madonna's website; I think we'd need something more concrete Robdurbar 10:28, 27 January 2006 (UTC)


 * AH, hang on a minute - I found a webiste that said 'the IFPI are the organization that provide the WMA with their figures'; so we'd have the same problem as we do with their figures Robdurbar 10:29, 27 January 2006 (UTC)


 * This list = fake, phony MJ fans propaganda. Itisnt even an IFPI list.

Why theres so many artist missing in the list like Patti Page, Shakira, and Enrique Igleasias? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 112.198.101.97 (talk) 04:52, 12 June 2016 (UTC)

So called IFPI Best selling artists of all time LIST probably not accurate
According to ESCTODAY (Eurovision Song Contest Today) which is refering to IFPI, here are the 20 (of 150) best selling artists of all time :
 * 1) 01.The Beatles 400,000,000 #02.Michael Jackson 350,000,000 #03.Elvis Presley 300,000,000 #04.Madonna 275,000,000 #05.Nana Mouskouri 250,000,000 #06.Cliff Richard 250,000,000 #07.The Rolling Stones 250,000,000 #08.Mariah Carey 230,000,000 #09.Elton John 220,000,000 #10.Celine Dion 220,000,000 #11.Pink Floyd 210,000,000 #12.Led Zeppelin 200,000,000 #13.Metallica 200,000,000 #14.Julio Iglesias 200,000,000 #15.Queen 180,000,000 #16AC/DC 180,000,000 #17Whitney Houston 180,000,000 #18.ABBA 160,000,000 #19.U2 150,000,000 #20.The Jacksons 150,000,000

This "independant" Eurovision site is reliable but there is something that bothered me though. The World Music Awards is always refering to IFPI so why did WMA awarded Mariah Carey as the World's Best-Selling Female Artist of the Millennium in 2000 as she's only number 8 and Madonna number 4? I don't think Madonna has sold 50 million records since 2000 and then outsold Mariah Carey within 5 or 6 years. Anyway, WMA is keeping secret on this list, except the Beatles news on their website (as best selling act of all time), why can't they provide the second, the third, ...? IFPI website is just providing certifications of the year. IMO it is too conflicting for both (WMA and IFPI) to publish officially a list of the best selling artists of all time (with figures) as Music Companies and Majors won't probably accept it (again, it's my opinion).Readerweb 20:23, 24 March 2006 (UTC)

I can answer the question about Mariah, according to a rep at the WMA, Madonna was offered this award first--however they never rec. a responce from her rep..Liz, they stated that since there was no responce they gave the award to another "deserving" artist.

Madonna has sold well over the 275 million albums stated above, none of COADF is accounted for in this number. Madonna's ablbum sales outside the USA were over 200 million in 2000. This was stated already, not including sales in the USA. The above IFPI sales totals are proven and accurate based on the time frame of up to mid year 2005.


 * Maddona hasn't sold that many in reality. She'sonly sold 130 million singles and albums by 2000. he has NOT sold another 175 million plus since then.

Hope this answers the question.

This is the same list thats been floating around wikipedia the last couple months. It is a fake list, and IFPI currently tracking down the source of it i believe. The fact that theres no indication of its existence on IFPI's official website should've already rung alarm bells.--Count Chocula 07:11, 25 March 2006 (UTC)


 * Yeah, I wouldnt trust anything until it is available on the IFPI's site itself Robdurbar 18:14, 25 March 2006 (UTC)

i dont know who changed my opinion on the page. Elvis presley is dead, The beatles are defunct so michael jackson is the highest selling artist ALIVE AND ACTIVE 59.92.95.181 09:08, 13 May 2006 (UTC) paul newman

So what? That dosen't mean anything. Jacksons sales include that of a defunct group. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr are both alive and active and have outsold Jackson! 74.65.39.59 02:17, 7 July 2006 (UTC) Oh great............if they go out and branch as solo acts then they are on their own.it is being said that michael jackson alone has sold 300 million copies as a solo act.i think we should include only tat.omit the jackson 5 part.now probing a little deeper i think we should have a seperate biggest selling page for the solo artists such as elvis presley, brooks , jackson etc. But heck with it......... its the music that matters not the sales......to me beatles are junk....elvis and jackson are the true kings.59.92.61.24 08:58, 12 July 2006 (UTC)Paul Newman

has AC/DC really sold more records than ABBA???? I don't know, since the WMA's are secretive about this sort of thing, I call it all into question.


 * The Beatles are not junk. "Yesterday" is much finer than "Wanna be starting something" by Wacko Jacko! 74.65.39.59 11:16, 6 August 2006 (UTC)


 * But on the other hand "She's Out of My Life" is finer than "Yellow Submarine"... Bab

Michael jckson has sold 350million and the Jacksons 150million so Michael Jackson has sold 350+150=500million=> so he is the real number one. And it's not finished...(actually it is)

The Jacksons/Jackson 5 sold 60 million not 150 million and if you actually add up Mjs album and singles sales it comes closer to 300 million.

UPDATE: Madonna has been confirmed by The Guinness Book of World Records and IFPI(International Federation of Phonographic Industry) as the top selling female artist of all time with certified sales of 182mil albums and 125mil singles, 305 mil records in total. The updated chart of the "United World Chart", the tracking authority which monitors the RIAA and SoundScan, lists Madonna at #5 in their "All Time Best Selling Album Artist" and she's the only female singer on the list(Mariah Carey, Celine Dion and Nana Mouskouri are not mentioned). Also, Madonna is the all time singles artist with 25 world-wide #1 songs, more than The Beatles, Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson. She's also the best selling singles and album artist in several markets including the USA, England, Spain, Germany, etc..

list of best-selling remix albums worldwide
Even though this is kinda off topic can someone help the new list of best-selling remix albums worldwide with its structure.

Bing Crosny
En la lista considero que Bing Crosby debería estar entre los 2 o 3 primeros puestos el fue el artista más vendido durante varias decadas no obstante aquí y claramente vendio mas Michael Jackson, aquí toman en consideracion la certificacion Riia pero en el caso de Crosby Decca no lo ha solicita y es injusto descartarlo de la lista. SALUDOS. Espindolacristian (talk) 17:03, 1 April 2020 (UTC)