Talk:List of best-selling music artists

Taylor swift certifications

Taylor’s Australian certs should be 25.295 million now. They got updated. 3,395,000 albums, 21,840,000 singles, 60,000 videos Ash12345Thomson (talk) 19:13, 9 March 2024 (UTC)

Updated with the following.

11× Platinum – 1989

8× Platinum – Fearless

6× Platinum – Lover

5× Platinum – Red

4× Platinum – reputation

3× Platinum – Speak Now

2× Platinum – Taylor Swift, folklore, Midnights

Platinum – evermore, Fearless (Taylor's Version), Red (Taylor's Version), 1989 (Taylor's Version)

Gold – Speak Now (Taylor's Version), The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection, Speak Now World Tour Live

18× Platinum – Shake It Off

13× Platinum – Blank Space, Love Story

11× Platinum – I Knew You Were Trouble.

9× Platinum – You Belong With Me, We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

8× Platinum – Bad Blood, Style, Wildest Dreams

7× Platinum – I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker), Anti-Hero

6× Platinum – Cruel Summer, Look What You Made Me Do, Lover

5× Platinum – …Ready For It?, Delicate, You Need to Calm Down,

4× Platinum – 22, cardigan, ME!

3× Platinum – Mine, Everything Has Changed, Out of the Woods, End Game, Don’t Blame Me, The Man, august, exile, willow, Lavender Haze, Karma,

2× Platinum – Our Song, Today Was a Fairytale, Back to December, Mean, Enchanted, Safe & Sound, Red, Welcome To New York, New Romantics, Getaway Car, Gorgeous, Paper Rings, the 1, champagne problems, Love Story (Taylor's Version), All Too Well (Taylor's Version), Bejeweled, Wildest Dreams (Taylor's Version),

Platinum – Teardrops On My Guitar, Picture to Burn, White Horse, Fifteen, Fearless, Speak Now, The Story of Us, Never Grow Up, Sparks Fly, Better Than Revenge, Both of Us, Begin Again, All Too Well, Highway Don’t Care, All You Had to Do Was Stay, How You Get the Girl, Clean, Wonderland, Call It What You Want, I Did Something Bad, King of My Heart, Dress, I Forgot That You Existed, I Think He Knows, Miss Americana & The Heartbreak Prince, Cornelia Street, The Archer, Death by a Thousand Cuts, London Boy, Afterglow, Only the Young, the last great american dynasty, my tears ricochet, mirrorball, seven, betty, this is me trying, illicit affairs, invisible string, Mr. Perfectly Fine, tolerate it, no body no crime, You Belong With Me (Taylor's Version), I Knew You Were Trouble. (Taylor's Version), We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together (Taylor's Version), Message in a Bottle, Maroon, Snow on the Beach, You’re on Your Own Kid, Midnight Rain, Vigilante ****, Sweet Nothing, Mastermind, Question…?, All the Girls You Loved Before, Is It Over Now?,

Gold – Tim McGraw, Should’ve Said No, Forever & Always, Crazier, Breathe, Dear John, Haunted, Last Kiss, Long Live, Ours, Half of My Heart, Eyes Open, State of Grace, I Wish You Would, This Love, I Know Places, You Are In Love, So It Goes…, Dancing With Our Hands Tied, This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things, New Year’s Day, Soon You’ll Get Better, False God, It’s Nice to Have a Friend, Daylight, Christmas Tree Farm, mad woman, epiphany, peace, hoax, the lakes, gold rush, ‘tis the damn season, happiness, coney island, dorothea, ivy, cowboy like me, long story short, marjorie, evermore, right where you left me, Fearless (Taylor's Version), The Way I Loved You (Taylor's Version), Red (Taylor's Version), 22 (Taylor's Version), I Bet You Think About Me, Nothing New, Run, The Very First Night, Labyrinth, The Great War, Bigger Than the Whole Sky, Paris, High Infidelity, Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve, Hits Different, Enchanted (Taylor's Version), I Can See You, ‘****!’, This Love (Taylor's Version), Now That We Don’t Talk

Total: 25,295,000 Everm4e (talk) 22:26, 9 March 2024 (UTC)

Thank you for your work. Taylor Swift's sales in Spain also need a considerable update. I'm working on it. If anyone notices that there is any market/country where Swift's certified sales are considerably outdated (figures more than 1 year outdated), please indicate it. Salvabl (talk) 03:57, 10 March 2024 (UTC)

> New Brazilian Certs (her first since 2018) can you add

>

> Long Live - 4× Diamond

> Blank Space - 3× Diamond

> WANEGBT - Diamond

> Wildest Dreams - 3×Platinum

> Love Story - 2× Platinum

> willow - 2× Platinum

> August - Platinum

> I Think He knows - Gold

> tolerate it - Gold Ash12345Thomson (talk) 21:55, 21 March 2024 (UTC)

Thank you very much for the information. I will check the figures of Taylor Swift's certifications in Brazil that have been included so far, and I will update the total figure. Salvabl (talk) 02:10, 23 March 2024 (UTC)

Thank you

it got updated again so if you have time also check

SINGLE] Safe & Sound Taylor Swift 2024 - Universal Music Gold

[SINGLE] the 1 Taylor Swift 2024 - Universal Music 1xP

[SINGLE] Bad Blood Taylor Swift 2024 - Universal Music 1xDiamond

[SINGLE] Shake It Off Taylor Swift 2024 - Universal Music 3xDiamond

[SINGLE] You Belong With Me Taylor Swift 2024 - Universal Music 2xP Ash12345Thomson (talk) 03:41, 23 March 2024 (UTC)

elvis is the highest selling solo artist in hx.

From sony records https://www.sony.com/content/sony/en/en_us/SCA/company-news/press-releases/sony-corporation-of-america/2017/sony-music-and-estate-of-michael-jackson-renew-their-landmark-deal.html32.209.183.254 (talk) 14:30, 14 February 2022 (UTC)

from a forbes article Elvis Is Back With New Money Maker As U.S. Album Certifications Total 146.5 Million Mark Beech

https://www.forbes.com/sites/markbeech/2018/04/07/elvis-is-back-with-new-money-maker-as-u-s-album-certifications-total-146-5-million/#:~:text=The%20Elvis%20cash%20machine%20is,solo%20artist%20of%20all%20time.14:30, 14 February 2022 (UTC)32.209.183.254 (talk) 161.11.160.60 (talk) 14:53, 11 March 2024 (UTC)

Since some time ago, no artist is labeled as "the highest-selling solo artist" (or similar labels) in this article, as it was agreed not to do so given the impossibility of verification of such claim, complying also with WP:BURDEN.

Regarding those two sources, both claim the figure of 1 billion records for Jackson and Presley, respectively. However, that figure disappeared from this list years ago as it was considered excessively inflated. Salvabl (talk) 16:45, 11 March 2024 (UTC)

Wrong

Sony records has stated elvis is the highest selling solo artist in hx 174.168.240.31 (talk) 20:32, 12 March 2024 (UTC)

Reliable sources that didn't come from his own record company cited that he only sold 260 million in his lifetime, and another 100 million in the 20 years following his death in 1977.

Since 1977, over 200 English-language books about Elvis have been published and 100 million copies of his records sold worldwide - The Irish Times (1997).

Presley - as the subject for his best known two-dimensional pop art. Disposable and untouchable. He leaves behind that image and leaves with it 400 songs and sales of over 260 million records - The Guardian (1977)

At the rate he was selling records (260 million in 23 years) (100 million in 20 years) his sales were gradually declining, at best we can estimate that he would have reached 400 million by 2000 with up to 500 million today assuming he continued to sell another 100 million over the next 20 years. Never17 (talk) 22:31, 19 March 2024 (UTC)

which surpasses michael jackson. Riaa doesnt even count all of his sales due to there rules. 161.11.160.60 (talk) 16:40, 25 March 2024 (UTC)

We should not mix two completely different things. RIAA's sales figures are for certified sales, while all those figures you are talking about are claimed sales figures. There are numerous claimed sales figures, some even claiming that Elvis sold 400M records the year after his death. Many of these figures are exaggerations for Presley, Jackson or The Beatles. A good example is the extremely inflated figure of 1 billion records, which is claimed for The Beatles, Jackson and Presley. The most appropriate thing to do is to focus on the amount of certified sales as well as on other parameters such as the possible "lost sales".

Apart from that, regarding the link to the Sony press conference you provided, it does not claim that Elvis is the best-selling solo music artist of all time. In fact, that press conference is about Jackson and not about Presley, nor does it claim that Jackson is the best-selling solo music artist. It is true that there are other press conferences by Sony (like this one) where it is stated that Jackson is the best-selling solo music artist of all time, but this should not be taken into account since no artist (Jackson, Presley...) has been labeled as "the highest-selling solo artist" (or similar labels) in this List for years, as it was agreed not to do so given the impossibility of verification of such claim. Salvabl (talk) 17:30, 25 March 2024 (UTC)

I think a 50% threshold of Certified sales for the claimed sales figure is the best way to go about this. For albums we use certified sales being within 30% of the claimed sales Never17 (talk) 17:51, 25 March 2024 (UTC)

wrong

gwr declares elvis the highest selling solo artist in hx

sony records as well.

The Elvis cash machine is spinning while his record company, Sony , says that his U.S. album sales alone have now exceeded 146.5 million. That figure is just part of the' more than a billion records sold worldwide, making him the best-selling solo artist of all time.' It seems we are still stuck on Elvis.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/markbeech/2018/04/07/elvis-is-back-with-new-money-maker-as-u-s-album-certifications-total-146-5-million/ 161.11.160.60 (talk) 16:48, 26 March 2024 (UTC)

The Elvis cash machine is spinning while his record company, Sony , says that his U.S. album sales alone have now exceeded 146.5 million. That figure is just part of the' more than a billion records sold worldwide, making him the best-selling solo artist of all time.' It seems we are still stuck on Elvis. 161.11.160.60 (talk) 16:51, 26 March 2024 (UTC)

Extended-confirmed-protected edit request on 15 March 2024

add a new entry in the 80-99million records group: Kylie Minogue > australia > 1987-present > pop > 80 million > 80 million

Multiple sources support these statistics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kylie_Minogue_albums_discography#cite_note-1 Iamlongy (talk) 22:12, 15 March 2024 (UTC)

 Not done: Wikipedia is not a reliable source. DrowssapSMM 22:17, 16 March 2024 (UTC)

Elvis is the highest selling solo artist in hx.

https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/music/1742006/Elvis-Presley-Michael-Jackson-Frank-Sinatra 174.168.240.31 (talk) 22:15, 16 March 2024 (UTC)

Beyoncé's Genre Listing

While only a minuscule point, it's only fitting that Beyoncé's genre pool be expanded to reflect the music she has created over the last 27 years. She has chart toppers in R&B, Dancehall, Hip-Hop, Pop, House, Adult Contemporary on the hot 100 and on Billboard specific charts not to mention the Afrobeats, Latin and Reggae songs she has in her arsenal. 190.80.24.46 (talk) 23:24, 16 March 2024 (UTC)

Extended-confirmed-protected edit request on 18 March 2024

Change Tim McGraw Claimed sales from 80 million to 90 million https://time.com/collection/person-of-the-week-podcast/6330694/tim-mcgraw-interview-person-of-the-week/ Duggiephresh (talk) 21:36, 18 March 2024 (UTC)

Elvis Presley has sold way over 500 million records. Please correct this Wikipedia entry error.

From 1956 to 1975, independent audited figures from RCA records had been established for Elvis Aaron Presley. More and into the point, RCA records announced by late 1975, and before Elvis Presley's death that he had surpassed the 500 million echelon mark in record sales or combined unit sales. This achievement was marked and tabulated by sales of LP's 8-track tapes, Cassettes, and other formats of music sales. Interestingly, after his death and from August 17, 1977, and toward the latter part of 1979, it is estimated, according to RCA, that Presley sold over 250 million units worldwide. Moreover, by late 1982, RCA records again formally announced that Presley had eclipsed the previous record tabulation in sales, and thus had reached the billion mark in unit sales. Furthermore, they were many press clippings circulating and factually divulging grammatically this Presley record sales milestone. As the years progressed, and with the advent of Compact Discs and other formats of music, Presley sold even more. In 1992, after new independent auditing figures were established for Presley in the United States, The RIAA presented the estate with the largest certification presentation in the history of recorded music. He was presented with 110 RIAA awards. More and into the point and presently, the RIAA has bestowed on his musical legacy the astronomical sum of 299 RIAA certificates in the United States alone; again, more than any other recording act in the history of recorded music. In closing, and without question, Presley is the highest selling artist of all time, notwithstanding the faulty computation methods of the RIAA which does not certify records or units that have not reached the 500,000-threshold mark essentially established by the RIAA to certify sales of singles and albums, which is another issue altogether. Case in point: Presley has over 279 albums that have not been certified. Many of these albums have sold over 300 thousand to 400 thousand units. We are hoping that Wikipedia can correct this obvious unequivocal error. Thank you for giving me an opportunity through this platform to state this grievance. 132.147.42.223 (talk) 21:02, 22 March 2024 (UTC)

Record companies & record labels are not reliable sources as they are notorious for inflating figures to prop up their respective artists. Never17 (talk) 21:22, 24 March 2024 (UTC)

Then with all due respect, many people like me are disputing the validity of Wikipedia and it's claimed sales figures for entertainers such as Elvis Presley who have sold so many units. My question then to you is what reliable sources are you the editors of Wikipedia using to calculate record sales computations? If you are not using Record Companies or Labels, who in essence, have factually invoke the sales data; what are you relying on? newspaper editors or writers whose knowledge leaves a lot to be desired? I hope not. Mr. Never 17 what logic reasoning are you using? All in all, the facts of the matter are in the musical pundits who have worked for the record companies, whose judgment you and the Wikipedia editors should abide by. Good day sir. 132.147.42.223 (talk) 22:45, 24 March 2024 (UTC)

Nobody has sold close to a billion, record companies are known to inflate sales figures by claiming their respective artist has sold up to or over 1 billion records. If anything the claimed sales are being generous, as Elvis's certified sales don't suggest anything beyond 500 million at best. Even if we were to simply take the claimed sales by reliable sources at face value, the list right now would look like this.

The band ABBA has gone on to sell over 400 million records worldwide, and once reportedly came only second to Volvo as one of Sweden’s biggest exports - CNBC (2022) (Bloomberg and Forbes also cite 400 million records sold)

Madonna has reportedly sold more than 400 million records — albums, singles and digital — during her 40-year music career - The Hollywood Reporter. (Yahoo also cites 400 million records)

Presley has sold more than 500 million records and holds the distinction for most songs charting on Billboard's Top 40 with 114 hits - Reuters (2022) (Yahoo also cites 500 million records sold)

The Fab Four has sold more than 600 million records, tapes and CDs since they exploded on the scene in the early 1960s - CNN (2009). (Forbes, CBC, IGN also cite 600 million records sold)

During his career, Jackson sold an estimated 750 million records worldwide, released 13 No.1 singles - CNN (2009) (Forbes, CBS, Reuters also cited 750 million records sold) Never17 (talk) 23:22, 24 March 2024 (UTC)

Again, I ask you what is your source to state your claims? First and foremost, Presley has over 250 albums and countless singles which have not been certified. Moreover, many of these albums and singles a total of 279 in albums (at last count) have sold upwards of 400 thousand units and below the 500 thousand thresholds needed to be certified; and most of these albums and singles have long since been deleted. Furthermore 9 times out of ten, even if you "Google" Presley's record all time sales numbers you will always get the grammatical response of over a billion records sold. Your grammatical rhetoric is factually inconsistent. And I state this with the utmost respect. You are divulging that "nobody has sold close to a billion". Again, what is your source in disputing this validity? Now you are comparing acts like Madonna, Abba and Michael Jackson to the Presley phenomenon in record sales. Most of the music historians and knowledgeable musical pundits will put Presley and perhaps the Beatles as the only acts to have reached this billion-mark milestone. In closing, countless books and periodicals (too much to list them all) will conclude with the fact that Presley is the only recording act to have reached that billion-mark sales plateau. 132.147.42.223 (talk) 01:22, 25 March 2024 (UTC)

Suggestion for the editors

I was thinking, for the best selling albums we have a threshold of (Certified sales must be within 30% of claimed sales), i think the threshold should be certifications being within 50% of claimed sales in regards to legacy artists. So for The Beatles their next claimed figure is 800 million, when their certifications reach 400 million they'd be within 50% of that figure which would make them eligible for a update, Michael Jackson would need 370 million certified before he goes up to the widely cited 750 million figure. Whereas Elvis would pass the threshold needed for 600 million when his certifications reach 300 million.

This is just a friendly suggestion to other editors as it's kind of difficult to calculate sales for artists who came up before the streaming age Never17 (talk) 21:49, 24 March 2024 (UTC)

Rhianna

is the number of sales correct? did she outsell the Beatles? if so, she should be at the top of the page 173.66.146.194 (talk) 02:58, 26 March 2024 (UTC)

I agree: More misinformation from Wikipedia's list of Best-selling Artist of all time. This is the reason that internet misinformation is so prevalent and cannot be taken seriously. Moreover, Eminen has 336.45 certified units, coupled along the same certified discrepancy levels of Drake who has 528.4 certifications. This is the reason that Presley's claimed sales of 500 million makes this best-selling list a fallacy of immense proportions. Certified levels should not be within any percentage level of claimed sales. Furthermore, the Wikipedia editors should get their factual sources of record sales through and from Record companies and reliable recording labels instead of going by "The Irish Times" citation of 1997, Yahoo, Forbes, CNN, Reuters and countless editorial citations who lacked credibility in their record sales tabulations. This best-selling list is a travesty, and it should be corrected or otherwise eradicated for good measure. It makes no sense. Elvis and the Beatles claimed sales should not be measure through any percentile of certification of sales. I hope this written message is read and the list corrected. The list should read Elvis and the Beatles at over a billion units sold with Michael Jackson at a distant third, with 750 million units sold. All other entertainers should also be properly and correctly tabulated in sales by their respective recording companies and labels. 132.147.42.223 (talk) 04:04, 26 March 2024 (UTC)