Best-Selling Music Artists 1960~2020

This video shows the list of best-selling music artists from 1960 to 2020 worldwide. Numbers represent total certified units adjusted to twelve months trailing average. Certified units include sales of albums, singles (including digital downloads), videos and streaming services. Artists are dropped from the list when they stopped claiming certified units. As a result, Elvis Presley is considered the highest-selling individual artist based on sales claims and Drake is the highest-selling individual artist based on certified units. Watch the full video to check out!
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Source: RIAA, IFPI
#BestSelling #MusicArtists

[@marzieli]

When Michael entered the chart he was just about 14 He was at the top for about 30 damn years He remained in the chart for 38 years And he is the “most popular” and the “best selling” artist on earth He is the KING 👑

[@xxicentury2863]

Yo stayed at the past pls come here🖐🖐

[@marzieli]

@@xxicentury2863 he has still best selling album... lol

[@billymurray1687]

Beatles and elvis sold more

[@marzieli]

@@billymurray1687 Thriller is the best selling album dude!

[@billymurray1687]

@@marzieli beatles sold 1.6 billion records worldwide, that's michael Jackson's wet dream

[@Lida974]

Michael Jackson, his music will live on forever.

[@hugo2216]

the Beatles are still by far the biggest selling act EVER

[@darshin95]

Yeah it's strange they didn't reappear in 1973 and 2000 and how is MJ third in 1975? His solo career was a flop before Off The Wall. Smdh

[@meaninthemirror]

Even though they have no any significant remark besides being a "popular boy band".

[@cancerandaids3822]

@@meaninthemirror they weren’t a boyband

[@meaninthemirror]

@@cancerandaids3822 ok

[@gokuo_]

The Beatles Elvis Presley Michael Jackson Madonna Elton John

[@arturorangel1917]

The king of pop... The biggest

[@iswg4546]

MJ was truly a smooth criminal❤️

[@dark-tw3ys]

1:49 the power of elvis

[@defnotpawl]

Michael and Whitney!

[@Show_Me_The_Data]

Always!!

[@skg6196]

And Madonna!

[@wolfgangamadeusmozart8177]

*michael jackson won my vote*

[@johanaismael4022]

KING 👑 👏

[@catarinacosta2431]

Love how the stones just stood there from 1963 to 2009 ♡

[@magnusauslandstoresletten3786]

Thank you for the extremely great video!

[@RS2390.]

I will never be impressed with the numbers brought in by streaming services. I bet half of the top selling artists now will be no match to the selling power of the greats. Back in the day, peoole really need to put an effort to buy a record. Nowadays, people can go on shuffle a random playlist at the comfort of their own homes and will contribute to the sales of an artist they don't even know.

[@deanosmith7523]

I could say Elvis and the old timers were successful because of lack of competition. You were kind of forced to listen to certain artists in the old days because your options were limited. You have so many artists and options that for a current particular artist to sell in high volumes is more of an achievement now than it was in the 1950's and 1960's. Elvis was already done as a relevant artist by the 1970's.

[@davehum73]

@@deanosmith7523 then explain why elvis is still having number one albums over 40 years after his death

[@bestvocalsbyvocalists849]

@@davehum73 lol ikr

[@shubhamchiku8133]

1960: for whom am I watching? 1972: oh my king is here Love uh mj 😍😍 love uh so so much

[@Show_Me_The_Data]

In my statistics, everybody on earth loves the king👍

[@Henrique-ch3mn]

i didn't understand the formula you used in this video

[@yuliapolushina6147]

That speed the Beatles were gaining popularity and the difference in sales between the Beatles and other artists of their era is really impressive. A storm that shook the world so much that it is still shaking

[@agentshaw3158]

7:31 Michael Jackson only fell off of no.1 cuz he sadly died in 2009 if he lived he would have ruled the charts till now. RESPECT THE KING OF POP.

[@um773]

It makes me really sad to see The Beatles completely fall right down from the top in the 1970-1972 range. It wasn't even a slow decline it was an immediate crash down from world dominance.

[@akioaslan]

Michael, Madonna and Britney still have more sells than all those other artist in this top so i dont get this ranking.

[@I....l....I]

The Beatles, The eagles and Elvis Presley have sold more than Michael Jackson...

[@hans-peterbogner9516]

Sorry folks. Elvis the greatest recording Artist of all Time. Sold 1bilion Records.

[@I....l....I]

@@hans-peterbogner9516 if you want to talk record sales then that would make The Beatles the greatest of all time since they have sold more than anybody

[@dangerjangerfanger6522]

@@I....l....I no he didn’t thriller sold 66 million

[@83jdc1]

@@I....l....I the Beatles and Elvis yes, The eagles no. And Elvis only beats him if you don't count his sales with his brothers. The Beatles are the only ones who truly have him beat.

[@I....l....I]

When I saw the Beatles just drop off the whole chart that was kinda sad

[@Show_Me_The_Data]

It is 😥😥😥

[@cuatesanz5611]

why did that happened?

[@I....l....I]

Cuate Sanz because they broke up

[@johnpaulcruzgamboa9929]

@@cuatesanz5611 disbanded.

[@billymurray1687]

This whole list is stupid

[@DavidGigg]

You can’t remove the Beatles because they broke up, they still kept selling huge amounts.

[@ginasousabranco5637]

Right. I saw someone call Tom Petty "Dave Matthews" and it's at that point I understood why Anakin killed them kids

[@marilynpresley2am]

Yeah they also just took away Elvis in 1977, when he was in the top ten for more than a decade after he died

[@deanosmith7523]

But they no longer put out music. Queen still puts out music and performs since lead singer Freddie Mercury died.

[@DavidGigg]

@@deanosmith7523 Yes, but the title is best selling artists, so should include everyone. The Beatles have put out Music since they broke up too! Free as a Bird, Real Love , Anthology etc

[@xxicentury2863]

The beatles and elvis

[@hans-peterbogner9516]

Elvis the King forever Hans from Germany Elvis the greatest recording Artist of all Time. Sold 1bilion Records.

[@arcadesoldier1392]

The beatles are better than him!!!

[@hans-peterbogner9516]

@@arcadesoldier1392 without Elvis no Beatles.

[@bndkmclrn2789]

Much, but not a billion records. Not even half. Not The Beatles eather. These numbers are highly inflated.

[@hans-peterbogner9516]

@@bndkmclrn2789 Elvis is still the King. Sold 1bilion Records . Nobody is better. Without Elvis no Beatles.

[@bndkmclrn2789]

@@hans-peterbogner9516 Not 1 billion. There's no prof. Is "The King" for sure.

[@frombaku9419]

Elvis Presley first King and first Superstar

[@yuliapolushina6147]

Beatles *breaking up * Elvis: finally, I rule again

[@yuliapolushina6147]

Elvis *dies* Michael Jackson: The king is dead, long live the King!

[@user-zm6kz2ld3g]

How can you compare sales on physical media and steaming?🤔

[@ginasousabranco5637]

Madonna No 1s around the world: Japan: 25 Italy: 23 Canada: 21 Spain: 21 United States: 12 United Kingdom: 13 Belgium: 14 Australia: 11 Switzerland: 10 Germany: 4 France: 3 157 total No 1s in JUST 11 countries, serving universal domination

[@bobbygrujic]

One king ELVIS 🤴

[@nafannodaM]

MADONNA!!!! 👑👑👑❤❤❤

[@Show_Me_The_Data]

Yeeeeh👍👍

[@Rene-ek3hu]

O importante não é estar em primeiro lugar o tempo todo e sim permanecer no top 10 por 50 anos! E o único que ficou foi sir Elton Jhon,esse sim tem pedigree...Desde os anos 70, até hoje está no topo! Carreira impecável!!!

[@saritachuri7942]

This is totally wrong, Eminem ruled 00s and his sales started declining around 2008-09 due to Hiatus and releasing less music Here he makes 1st appearances around 2007, nonsense

[@vice2versa]

There was another video like this that was more avvurate and i cant freakin find it. It had eminem dominate the early 2000s.

[@MarkRogersVOCFB]

Why take Elvis off the board after he died? There is another one of these videos that shows Elvis stayed in the Top Ten until 1994.

[@andreabindolini7452]

Seems that all the artists/groups in this video are taken off the board after death, retirement, disbandment etc.

[@PR-yr4uy]

where the hell did you take the beatles????

[@Show_Me_The_Data]

The legend goes to our mind

[@cuckooclocker]

At 2020 Madonna and Mariah Carey ties as the seventh best selling artists of all time!

[@jeonjungkookie1209]

This is certified units though. They’re still the top female selling artists of all time in PURE RECORD SALES.

[@RonnieLeeDuck]

Wow. I think I'm pretty knowledgeable about music from this time period. But I had to Google Johnny Hallyday to find out who that was.

[@craigjb8740]

I don’t understand. So once they die they are off the list?

[@marilynpresley2am]

They just took Elvis off the list when he died in 1977, but he stayed in the top ten until 1994!

[@sautnababan7041]

Where is britney?

[@xxicentury2863]

I saw Elvis's "toe stand" and click

[@instagramofficial2438]

Me too

[@marilynpresley2am]

Same lol

[@David20092]

What represent colours styles?

[@Show_Me_The_Data]

It represents a type of video. ex) music, sports, money, and so on. Hope this helps😊

[@David20092]

@@Show_Me_The_Data So orange s intentionally rock music 😊?

[@Show_Me_The_Data]

Anonim Anonimowy oh I misunderstood😅 I thought you were asking thumbnail colors😅Colors represent a county in this video😄

[@David20092]

@@Show_Me_The_Data Ohh, Bros thanks You :) I have now another question : Could You make tstatistics for ctive users of Wikipedias through history based on statistics like such: stats.wikimedia.org/#/pl.wikipedia.org/contributing/active-editors/normal|table|2009-12-15~2020-01-08|page_type~content|monthly ? On the Interet there is a lot of historical ranking of Wikipedias by number of articles but I think focussion on active real users (just userds, not bots) would be much more interesing. Such statistics are incredibly interesing... What do Yu think about outgoning "numbr of Danish users" by "number of Greek users"? or comprable rivalry beetwen "Spanish users vs Japanese users"? I would like to You include even niche Wikipedias as there was even time when Swahili Wikipedia had 40 active users per months so more than usually Cebuano. I hope You will at least reconsider tahat idea, that would be cool. Best wishes! Cheers!

[@Show_Me_The_Data]

@@David20092 It will be very nice and fun. I will look up the website and work on it! 👍👍

[@antk00wsky42]

why everyone forgot that nirvana in 1991 or 92 was first

[@rodoyt9358]

Queen the best

[@OutrageousBSFan]

It doesn’t seem accurate at all because Britney has sold over 160, million records worldwide and she did not make the list once LOL

[@ChivaASMR]

Rihanna

[@johannazerna7659]

Michael Jackson stayed in 20+ years in BILLBOARD with Top1

[@CristianGarcia-kh6bl]

When drake appeared,all came falling apart!

[@rebeccagrace1509]

Um Yeah bc he had no competition (Cough, REAL rappers)... snoop n dre were retiring🤣🤣🤣 and he had Rihanna to cry about (75% of his "content")💩🤡🤣

[@ALENISRAEL]

RIHANNA ALBUMS 33 MILLIONS SINGLES 250 = 283 MILLIONS COPIES. MADONNA 205 MILLIONS ALBUMS SINGLES 150 = 350 MILLIONS COPIES.

[@fabiocastorino523]

The digital singles Rihanna sold were much cheaper than the physical singles Madonna sold in the 80s and 90s, so you can't compare the two. If in 1990 you could buy Vogue for 0.99$ without getting up from your bed, it would have sold 10 million copies.

[@ALENISRAEL]

@@fabiocastorino523 exactly MADONNA IS THE BEST.

[@JonBurrows3577]

I know these videos are not easy to make, but using date of break up or death as the end date of an artist is horribly inaccurate. I could understand some front loading of statistics by assuming most sales of an album usually occur within a certain period of the release date, but the way this was done just makes no sense.

[@thegaminggrapes6126]

The Beatles are the best!

[@Show_Me_The_Data]

"Hey Jude" is my favorite!

[@SM-ht7qf]

Shut the fuck up little kid, the beatles are for 12 year olds lmao

[@caiostrasser128]

@@SM-ht7qf shut up american.....

[@Vic-813]

@@SM-ht7qf nah they are old people listening to them

[@83jdc1]

Michael was number 1 from 1981 to 2009

[@declonmeaney1518]

This list is incorrect. The data is wrong. And 'Show Me The Data' knows that I speak the truth.

[@NexFandeer_]

Michael Jackson's death broke the whole world even internet, dang if there would be a way to sabe him *sigh*

[@thelostbonsai5820]

Michael is the KING

[@Show_Me_The_Data]

So sad that we lost our KING, QUEEN, and PRINCE

[@thelostbonsai5820]

Show Me The Data ik 😔 RIP legends

[@Show_Me_The_Data]

@@thelostbonsai5820 😔😔😔😔😔

[@AntonioCollenzo]

Elvis Presley sold more then 500.000.000 records in the early `70s He got from RCA an award for it and RCA claIms that Elvis sold more 1`5 billion records.Your list is totally wrong.ElvIs is the king of music.PERIOD.

[@brandontoddrocks]

It's true Elvis was the first rock star

[@Capy1337]

it doesnt make sense that the sales drop of if the band brakes up or the artist dies btw why are queen there till the end? xD

[@deanosmith7523]

Because the band still tours and sells music. The band didn't quit when Freddie died.

[@matrix5000100]

Elvis Presley two billion albums to date. Michael Jackson 500 million albums to date. As early as 1997, the record industry officially said that Elvis Presley was the "king of music" with 1.6 billion albums sold. In 1977/1978 alone (the first 12 months after Elvis' death) Elvis Presley sold 200 million albums. the companies that made records back then confirmed that Elvis record company RCA/Sony rented all of these companies back then so that enough Elvis albums could be produced.

[@TezWint1974]

I don't like the way they've done this video, they remove an act as soon as they've split up or died.. That doesn't make any sense, just because a band has split up or a solo artist has died it doesn't mean that their records stop selling...after the Beatles split in 1970 they still sold lots of records and after Elvis died he still sold lots of records.. Just because they don't exist anymore it doesn't mean that their sales just stop.. Lol

[@soucentelha]

Rihanna is big Lol

[@Show_Me_The_Data]

😊😉😊😊

[@michaelbrandovillacrucis6668]

Where is Lady Gaga? Lady Gaga sold 101 million records including SPS in the United States alone.

[@ginasousabranco5637]

She had two hit albums and a soundtrack - that’s literally it. Impact found dead in 2012.

[@coolkid1629]

miss taylor swift pop titan, the music industry, queen of country pop

[@ginasousabranco5637]

Madonna has 38 top 10 hits on The Billboard Hot 100 (most of any other female artist). Madonna has 180 #1 WW hits. She´s the best selling female artist ff all time, and the biggest top touring solo artist

[@bndkmclrn2789]

@@ginasousabranco5637 Depends on how one count the units together. If we just put all albums, singles, physical, digital as one, results will be Rihanna and Taylor Swift on top. It was clearly harder on the physical era than the digital.

[@ginasousabranco5637]

All Hail Queen Madonna, Queen of Pop, Music, & Reinvention, Master of Controversy, Khaleesi of Touring, Pioneer of Autonomy, Protector of the Charts, Lady Regent of Guinness World Records, Breaker of Barriers, and Mother of Pop Culture

[@Show_Me_The_Data]

and beauty of voice😊

[@androditas]

Her sales need to be updated

[@allthingsmusic2024]

@@Show_Me_The_Data 👁️👄👁️

[@manethmahesha5145]

Michael is best of my

[@ingridfaurschou]

Where is Britney Spears?

[@Victor-cr3xi]

Apparently she didn’t make the cut.

[@ingridfaurschou]

@@Victor-cr3xi I know it's just kinda surpising I mean I would have thought she would at least make it with Baby one more time

[@Niniogorila]

Where is The Monkees?

[@kolehiyolo]

wrong data

[@caosblue8389]

No Gaga, Janet, Beyoncé? Meh… okay.

[@nayafacts965]

Where's BTS?

[@Show_Me_The_Data]

They are coming

[@nayafacts965]

@@Show_Me_The_Data As they should 😍 'Map Of The Soul: 7' is the BEST SELLING ALBUM OF THE YEAR in the US, S.Korea, Japan and WORLDWID WITH NO BUNDLES 😍🔥 THE ORGANIC LEGENDS, BTS should definitely be on top of the list 💜 Thank you for replying 😊

[@Show_Me_The_Data]

Nardjes Yasmine El Hamzaoui Yes, they are already one of the highest earned musician worldwide !!

[@PR-yr4uy]

@@nayafacts965 X D How the hell they should be top on the list??? They've just sold 20-30 m records.................

[@gabrielinterior1679]

Fucking bts is sucks

[@ricardocourbis2273]

Deberias hacer las ventas acumulativas hasta la fecha y no ir sacando a los artistas!!

[@jhonelllerin9971]

-i think they missed the Backstreet Boys

[@marilynpresley2am]

Elvis died in 1977 😭😭😭😭

[@henriquemercez]

It doesn't make any sense. Where is Britney? Christina? Shania..?

[@MrSimonBG]

This is about record sales. it is much easier to get single sales now, that's why there are so many current artists flooding this list. However they have shit album sales compared to the true best selling artists (like MJ,Madonna,Rolling Stones,AC/DC etc) So basically this list is a bit inaccurate since it puts album sales and singles sales on equal terms, which is not the case in sales climate.

[@egletv6016]

Justin Bieber is only little girls fans. Example where is Prodigy, Rammstein, Metallica?

[@nataliezapata5054]

Where’s Rick Astley?

[@neurons4708]

WRONG DATA

[@allthingsmusic2024]

Lmao Mimi and Madonna tie

[@elotroladodelarealidadjr8470]

That's USA

[@cesarcamacho2643]

This chart is wrong. The Bee Gees outselling Madonna in the 80's??? Yeah right.

[@mariochong686]

The info is incorrect and totally wrong

[@BoccanNino]

Not even closely accurate - you fudged so many facts ,

[@blackanth2179]

Mj king

[@mercedesrosasnieves6015]

Madonna is the best

[@darshin95]

how is MJ third in the 70s? Ahead of Pink Floyd in the 70's? Yeah Michael and Me was selling more than Dark Side of the Moon, what a joke. His solo career was a flop before Off The Wall. Smdh

[@andreabindolini7452]

How depressing. Anyway, I've no clue who Drake is.

[@saintelmosfire85]

How can u believe this stupid list when Michael Jackson entered the charts in 1972? He wasn't a solo artist back then! He was part of Jackson 5! Then, the Beatles completely gone out of the charts after the early 70s. Dear, they're still selling by the bucket loads even during the 80s. Then, Madonna & Whitney Houston even after the released of their first 2 albums didn't enter the charts?!?! Are u effing kidding me?? That's why this video has a very low number of views because it's a complete rubbish! LOL

[@marilynpresley2am]

Yeah and Elvis stayed in the top ten until 1994, but they took him off in 1977 when he died!

[@TalentedTwin]

I’m not even familiar at all with Drake, though I hate rap.

[@billymurray1687]

Oasis? the sex pistols? This is nonsense

[@rebeccagrace1509]

I got kinda sad when one would just fall off🤣 see how fast Riri jumped? Boom! Dum ass drake... only made it bc 80% his music is crying about HER🤣🤣🤣

[@cliffordputnam4197]

Don't think this is altogether correct.

[@magnusauslandstoresletten3786]

The Rolling Stones BEATS The Beatles in The ass!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🤟🏻

[@juliemnm8273]

You wish.....Rolling Stones never made it to number 1. Look again and You will find that the Beatles had the number 1 spot in all their years of performing and selling records.

[@kingofpop488]

Who in God's name made this list..get your data correct before you make a video😒😒😒..

[@aek5072]

Where is BTS!?!!?

[@allthingsmusic2024]

Uhm sorry, they aren't the best selling.

[@aek5072]

@@allthingsmusic2024 ok)

[@allthingsmusic2024]

But don't worry, they're the best selling artist in Korea.

[@shua.6718]

What dumb formula and information did you use? Mariah Carey sold 100 million copies in just 5 years of her career! She is the best female selling artist of all time.

[@allthingsmusic2024]

Mariah already sold 76m in 1995, 100million in 1998, 200million in 2017, and now, 207 million in 2021.

[@glenisclaribelcastilloguer6321]

Madonna Is the Best selling female artist of all time.

[@polskityton6062]

fake list

[@Tifanny.StephanieRose]

Fake

[@arunabudazapova9142]

Где bts??

[@Show_Me_The_Data]

Tell me about it!!

[@arunabudazapova9142]

@@Show_Me_The_Data я не говорю по английски I do not speak English but this is the most popular Kpop group on an equal footing with Billie Eilish and Drake

[@allthingsmusic2024]

@@arunabudazapova9142 they never outsold Drake lol. They're just 60 million (chartmasters)

[@billymurray1687]

This is bollocks

[@rahatfarooq811]

Bts?????

[@rodoyt9358]

😴

[@allthingsmusic2024]

They're not the best selling lol

[@bradhuskers]

The list is BOGUS because they combined the sales of the Jackson five with the solo artist Michael Jackson This makes the list A FRAUD.

[@osamabinladen8450]

Mj king

[@Show_Me_The_Data]

The King! The Queen! The Prince! :D