- List of best-selling music artists in the United States
This is the list of best selling music artists in the
United States only as of November 2007 as based on certifications of albums by theRIAA . The list therefore excludes large selling artists likeBing Crosby whose sales in the 30s-50s was not certifiable as RIAA began in 1952. Also artists such asFrank Sinatra , who although they were successful after 1952, were also best-selling prior to 1952. Therefore their positions in the chart reflect certifications from 1952 onwards.The source for the information on total sales was taken from the [http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=tblTopArt RIAA 'Top Artists' web page] .
A "U.S. studio album" is defined here as an album:
*where the majority of tracks were recorded in a studio
*with at least one previously unreleased track (otherwise it's considered a compilation)
*released in the United States at some point in time:{| class="wikitable" ! Number !! Name !! Nationality !! Years Active !! Genre !! Certification
in millions
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1 ||The Beatles || U.K. || 60s-70s || Beat/Rock'N'Roll/Pop/Psychedelic Rock|| 170
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2 ||Garth Brooks || U.S. || 80s-00s || Country || 128
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3 ||Elvis Presley || U.S. || 50s-70s || Rock'N'Roll/Pop/Country/Gospel || 118.5
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4 ||Led Zeppelin || U.K. || 60s-80s || Hard Rock/Blues Rock || 111.5
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5 ||The Eagles || U.S. || 70s-00s || Rock/Country/Folk Rock || 100
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6 ||Billy Joel || U.S. || 60s-00s || Piano Rock || 79.5
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7 ||Pink Floyd || U.K. || 60s-00s || Rock || 74.5
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8 ||Barbra Streisand || U.S. || 60s-00s || Pop || 71
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9 ||Elton John || U.K. || 70s-00s || Piano Rock || 69.5
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10 ||AC/DC ||Australia || 70s-00s || Hard Rock || 69
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11 ||George Strait || U.S. || 80s-00s || Country || 67
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12 ||Aerosmith || U.S. || 70s-00s || Rock || 66.5
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13 ||Rolling Stones || U.K. || 60s-00s || Rock || 66
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14 ||Madonna || U.S. || 80s-00s || Dance Pop || 63.5
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15 ||Bruce Springsteen || U.S. || 70s-00s || Rock || 63.5
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16 ||Mariah Carey || U.S. || 90s-00s || Pop/R&B || 63
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17 ||Michael Jackson || U.S. || 60s-00s || Pop/R&B/Rock/Soul || 60.5
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18 ||Metallica || U.S. || 80s-00s || Heavy Metal/Thrash Metal || 57
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19 ||Van Halen || U.S. || 70s-00s || Rock || 56.5
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20 ||Whitney Houston || U.S. || 80s-00s || Pop/R&B || 54
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21 ||Kenny Rogers || U.S. ||50s-00s || Country || 51
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22 ||U2 ||Ireland || 80s-00s || Rock || 50.5
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23 ||Celine Dion ||Canada || 80s-00s || Pop || 50
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24 ||Fleetwood Mac || U.K./U.S. || 60s-00s || Rock || 48.5
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25 ||Neil Diamond || U.S. || 60s-80s || Pop || 48
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26 ||Kenny G || U.S. || 80s-00s || Jazz || 48
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27 ||Shania Twain ||Canada || 90s-00s || Country/Pop || 48
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28 || Alabama || U.S. || 70s-00s || Country/Country Rock || 46
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29 || Journey || U.S. || 70s-00s || Rock/Pop || 45
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30 || Santana ||Mexico || 60s-00s || Rock/Blues || 43
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31 ||Eric Clapton || U.K. || 60s-00s || Rock/Blues || 42.5
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32 ||Alan Jackson || U.S. || 80s-00s || Country || 42
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33 ||Reba McEntire || U.S. || 80s-00s || Country || 40.5
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34 ||Bob Seger || U.S. || 60s-00s ||Rock || 40
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35 || Prince || U.S. || 70s-00s || Pop/R&B/Funk || 39.5
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36 ||Simon and Garfunkel || U.S. || 50s-80s || Pop/Rock || 38.5
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37 ||Guns N' Roses ||US || 80s-00s || Hard rock || 38.5
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38 || Chicago || U.S. || 60s-00s || Pop || 38
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39 || Foreigner || U.S./U.K. || 70s-00s || Rock/Pop || 37.5
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40 ||Rod Stewart || U.K. || 60s-00s || Pop/Rock/Disco || 37
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41 ||Bob Dylan || U.S. || 60s-00s || Folk/Rock || 37
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42 ||Backstreet Boys || U.S. || 90s-00s || Pop || 37
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43 ||2Pac || U.S. || 90s-00s || Rap || 36.5
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44 ||Def Leppard || U.K. || 70s-00s || Hair Metal || 35
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45 ||Willie Nelson || U.S. || 50s-00s || Country || 35
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46 ||Bon Jovi || U.S. || 80s-00s || Hair Metal || 34
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47 ||Phil Collins || U.K. || 80s-00s || Soft Rock/Progressive Rock || 33.5
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48 ||R. Kelly || U.S. || 90s-00s || R&B || 33
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49 ||James Taylor || U.S. || 70s-00s || Folk/Rock || 32.5
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50 ||John Denver || U.S. || 60s-00s || Folk/Rock || 32.5
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51 || Queen || U.K. || 70s-00s || Arena/Glam/Heavy Metal/Progressive Rock || 32.5
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52 ||The Doors || U.S. || 60s-70s || Psychedelic Rock || 32
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53 ||Tim McGraw || U.S. || 90s-00s || Country || 32
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54 ||Selena || U.S. || 90s-00s || Pop/Latin || 31.5
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55 ||Dave Matthews Band || U.S. || 90s-00s || Rock || 31
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56 ||Britney Spears || U.S || 90s-00s || Pop || 31
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57 || Boston || U.S. || 70s-00s || Rock || 31
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58 ||Dixie Chicks || U.S. || 80s-00s || Country || 30.5
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59 ||Pearl Jam || U.S. || 90s-00s || Rock (Grunge) || 30
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60 ||Linda Ronstadt || U.S. || 60s-00s || Country/Pop || 30
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61 ||Ozzy Osbourne || U.K. || 60s-00s || Heavy metal || 28.75
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62 ||Tom Petty || U.S. || 60s-00s || Rock || 28.5
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63 ||Mannheim Steamroller || U.S. || 70s-00s || Classical Rock || 28
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64 ||Lynyrd Skynyrd || U.S. || 60s-00s || Southern Rock || 28
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65 ||'N Sync || U.S. || 90s-00s || Pop || 28
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66 ||Michael Bolton || U.S. || 80s-00s || Pop || 28
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67 ||Barry Manilow || U.S. || 70s-00s || Pop || 27.5
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68 ||John Mellencamp || U.S. || 70s-00s || Rock || 27.5
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69 ||Boyz II Men || U.S. || 90s-00s || R&B || 27
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70 ||Eminem || U.S. || 90s-00s || Rap || 27
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71 ||Brooks & Dunn || U.S. || 90s-00s || Country || 26.5
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72 ||Creedence Clearwater Revival || U.S. || 50s-70s || Rock || 26
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73 ||The Bee Gees || U.K.|| 60s-00s || Pop/Disco || 26
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74 ||Janet Jackson || U.S. || 80s-00s || Pop/R&B || 26
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75 ||Jay-Z || U.S. || 80s-00s || Rap || 26
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76 ||Enya ||Ireland || 80s-00s || New Age (Celtic) || 26
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77 ||Frank Sinatra || U.S. || 30s-90s || Pop (Traditional) || 25.5
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78 ||No Doubt || U.S. || 90s-2000s || Rock/Ska || 25
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79 ||Faith Hill || U.S. || 90s-00s || Country || 25
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80 ||ZZ Top || U.S. || 70s-00s || Rock || 25
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81 || Nirvana || U.S. || 80s-90s || Rock (Grunge) || 25
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82 || Rush ||Canada || 60s-00s || Rock || 25
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83 ||Luther Vandross || U.S. || 60s-80s || R&B || 24.5
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84 ||The Carpenters || U.S. || 60s-80s || Pop || 24.5
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85 || Steve Miller || U.S. || 60s-90s || Rock || 24.5
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86 ||Vince Gill || U.S. || 70s-00s || Country || 24
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87 || Creed || U.S. || 90s-00s || Rock || 24
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88 ||Earth, Wind & Fire || U.S. || 70s-00s || R&B/Disco/Pop || 23.5
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89 ||Mötley Crüe || U.S. || 80s-00s || Rock || 23.5
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90 ||The Cars || U.S. || 70s-80s || Rock || 23.5
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91 ||Jimmy Buffett || U.S. || 60s-00s || Country || 23
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92 || Sade || U.K. || 80s-00s || Soul/R&B/Jazz || 22.5
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93 ||Kenny Chesney || U.S. || 90s-00s || Country || 22.5
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94 ||Jimi Hendrix || U.S. || 60s-70s || Rock || 22.5
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95 ||The Police || U.K. || 70s-80s || Rock || 22.5
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96 || TLC || U.S. || 90s-00s || R&B/Hip-Hop/Pop/Dance || 22/ 55 in 2004
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97 ||Toby Keith || U.S. || 90s-00s || Country || 22
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98 ||Outkast || U.S. || 90s-00s || R&B/Hip-Hop/Pop/Dance || 22
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99 ||Beastie Boys || U.S. || 80s-00s || Punk/Rap || 22
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100 ||The Doobie Brothers || U.S. || 60s-90s || Rock || 22
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