List of best-selling music artists in the United States

This is the list of the top 100 best-selling music artists in the United States only based on certifications of albums by the RIAA.[1] (The list may contain more than 100, when the final slot is a tie.)

The RIAA does not deal in sales of albums, only certifications of shipped units. Therefore this best-selling list is based on total accumulated certifications given per artist and may not reflect the true physical sales obtained by these artists.

The RIAA began its certifications in 1958. This list; therefore, excludes artists like Bing Crosby whose sales in the 1930s-1950s were not certified. The list also excludes certifications of albums recorded by artists in collaboration with others as part of a singular artist or group's total.

Number Name Nationality Years Active Genre Certification
in millions
1 Cher U.S 60s-Present Pop 177
2 Elvis Presley U.S. 50s-70s Rock and roll / Pop / Country / Gospel 133.5
3 Garth Brooks U.S. 80s-10s Country 128
4 Jackie Evancho U.S 2010-Present Classical,Christmas 111.5
5 Eagles U.S. 70s-10s Rock / Country rock 100
6 Billy Joel U.S. 60s-00s Rock 79.5
7 Pink Floyd UK 60s-90s Progressive rock / Psychedelic rock / Space rock 74.5
8 Elton John UK 60s-10s Pop / Rock 72
9 Barbra Streisand U.S. 60s-10s Pop 71.5
10 AC/DC Australia 70s-10s Hard rock 71
11 Michael Jackson U.S. 70s-00s Pop / R&B / Rock 70.5
12 George Strait U.S. 80s-10s Country 68.5
13 Aerosmith U.S. 70s-10s Hard rock / Heavy Metal / Blues rock 66.5
14 The Rolling Stones UK 60s-10s Rock / Blues rock 66
15 Bruce Springsteen U.S. 70s-10s Rock / Folk 64.5
16 Madonna U.S. 80s-10s Pop / Dance 64
17 Mariah Carey U.S. 90s-10s R&B / Pop / Hip-Hop 63.5
18 Metallica U.S. 80s-10s Heavy metal 60
19 Van Halen U.S. 70s-10s Hard rock 56.5
20 Whitney Houston U.S. 80s-10s R&B/Pop 55
21 U2 Ireland 70s-10s Rock 51.5
22 Kenny Rogers U.S. 50s-00s Pop / Rock / Country 51
23 Celine Dion Canada 80s-10s Pop 50
24 Fleetwood Mac UK/U.S. 60s-00s Rock 48.5
Neil Diamond U.S. 60s-10s Pop 48.5
26 Shania Twain Canada 90s-10s Pop country 48
Kenny G U.S. 80s-10s Smooth Jazz 48
28 Journey U.S. 70s-10s Pop / Rock 47
29 Alabama U.S. 70s-10s Country rock 46
30 Guns N' Roses U.S. 80s-10s Hard rock / Heavy Metal 44.5
31 Santana Mexico/U.S. 60s-10s Latin / Rock 43.5
Alan Jackson U.S. 80s-10s Country 43.5
33 Eric Clapton UK 60s-10s Blues / Blues rock / Rock 42.5
34 Reba McEntire U.S. 70s-10s Country 41
Bob Seger U.S. 60s-00s Rock 41
36 Prince U.S. 70s-10s R&B / Rock / Funk 39.5
37 Chicago U.S. 60s-00s Pop / Rock 38.5
Simon and Garfunkel U.S. 60s-70s Folk / Pop 38.5
2Pac U.S. 90s Hip-Hop/Rap 38.5
40 Foreigner U.S./UK 70s-10s Rock 37.5
41 Rod Stewart UK 60s-10s Pop / Rock 37
Bob Dylan U.S. 60s-10s Folk / Rock 37
Backstreet Boys U.S. 90s-10s Pop / Dance 37
44 Tim McGraw U.S. 90s-10s Country 36.5
45 Def Leppard UK 70s-00s Hard rock / Heavy Metal 35
Willie Nelson U.S. 50s-10s Country 35
Eminem U.S. 90s-10s Hip-Hop/Rap 35
Bon Jovi U.S. 80s-10s Hard Rock / Glam Metal 35
49 Phil Collins UK 70s-10s Pop / R&B 33.5
R. Kelly U.S. 90s-10s R&B / Soul 33.5
51 Britney Spears U.S. 90s-10s Pop / Dance 33
James Taylor U.S. 60s-10s Folk / Pop 33
John Denver U.S. 60s-90s Pop / Country 33
54 The Doors U.S. 60s-70s Rock / Psychedelic Rock 32.5
Queen UK 70s-00s Pop rock / Hard rock 32.5
56 Dave Matthews Band U.S. 90s-10s Rock 32
57 Pearl Jam U.S. 90s-00s Grunge / Alternative rock 31.5
58 Boston U.S. 70s-00s Rock / Hard rock 31
59 Dixie Chicks U.S. 80s-00s Pop country 30.5
60 Linda Ronstadt U.S. 60s-00s Rock/ Pop 30
61 Julio Iglesias Spain 70s-10s Latin 29.5
62 Tom Petty U.S. 70s-10s Rock 29
63 Ozzy Osbourne UK 60s-10s Hard Rock / Heavy metal 28.75
64 Mannheim Steamroller U.S. 70s-10s New Age / Christmas 28.5
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers U.S. 70s-10s Rock 28.5
66 'N Sync U.S. 90s-00s Pop 28
Michael Bolton U.S. 80s-10s Pop 28
Lynyrd Skynyrd U.S. 60s-00s Southern rock 28
69 John Mellencamp U.S. 70s-10s Rock 27.5
Brooks & Dunn U.S. 90s-00s Country 27.5
Barry Manilow U.S. 70s-10s Pop 27.5
72 Boyz II Men U.S. 90s-00s R&B 27
Frank Sinatra U.S. 30s-90s Traditional pop 27
Jay-Z U.S. 80s-10s Hip-Hop/Rap 27
75 Enya Ireland 80s-00s New Age / Celtic 26.5
76 Janet Jackson U.S. 80s-10s R&B / Pop 26
Creedence Clearwater Revival U.S. 60s-70s Country / Rock 26
Bee Gees UK/Australia 60s-00s Pop/ Disco 26
79 Faith Hill U.S. 90s-00s Country 25.5
80 Rush Canada 70s-10s Hard rock / Progressive rock 25
Nirvana U.S. 80s-90s Grunge / Alternative rock 25
ZZ Top U.S. 70s-00s Rock / Blues rock / Hard rock 25
Luther Vandross U.S. 60s-00s R&B 25
Creed U.S. 90s-00s Post-grunge / Hard rock 25
85 The Carpenters U.S. 60s-80s Pop 24.5
Steve Miller Band U.S. 60s-10s Rock 24.5
Kenny Chesney U.S. 90s-10s Country 24.5
88 Toby Keith U.S. 90s-10s Country 24
Vince Gill U.S. 70s-00s Country 24
90 Earth, Wind & Fire U.S. 70s-10s Funk / R&B / Disco 23.5
The Cars U.S. 70s-10s Rock / New wave 23.5
Mötley Crüe U.S. 80s-00s Hard rock / Heavy Metal 23.5
Sade UK 80s-10s R&B / Pop 23.5
94 Green Day U.S. 80s-10s Pop Punk / Alternative Rock 23
Jimmy Buffett U.S. 60s-10s Rock / Pop / Country 23
Kid Rock U.S. 90s-10s Rock / Rap / Country 23
97 The Police UK 70s-80s Pop / New wave 22.5
Jimi Hendrix U.S. 60s-70s Psychedelic rock 22.5
Usher U.S. 90s-10s R&B / Pop 22.5
Heart U.S. 70s-10s Rock 22.5

References

  1. ^ http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinum.php?content_selector=top-selling-artists 'Top Artists' web page at RIAA.co]

See also