Greatest Selling Musicians Of All Time

[Lincoln]

The Beatles are the most successful recording act of all time with 106 million albums sold in the U.S. alone.
Garth Brooks is the most successful solo artist (100 million sold), followed by Elton John, Billy Joel, Barbara Streisand, and then - in fifth place - Elvis (Uh, thank yuh, thank yuh very mush).
The cast album to Oklahoma, sung by Gordon Macrae, received the first-ever Gold album award in 1958.
Michael Jackson's Thriller became the best-selling album of all-time in 1984 - and held that title until 1999.

Source: http://musicians.about.com/library/qna/blqnaawards.htm

[West Coast Veteran]

Isnt' Thriller still the #1 album from world wide sales at 50 million or something? I know the Eagles oversold him in the U.S.

[Shallow]

Actually this info is a little old. Beatles are still at 1 with 166 million in the US. Then after years of not paying for certification Elvis's family and Co. decided to go through with it and he is now way ahead of Zep and Garth in number 2 with 117 million. Then the Eagles, Billy Joel, Pink Floyd and Streisand come right after Zep and Brooks. Elton John and and Aerosmith finish up the top ten.

http://www.riaa.com/gp/bestsellers/topartists.asp


Worldwide it's Thriller with 54 million (I think). Of course Back in Black at 42 million has been gaining fast as of late, and Shaniah Twin's Come on Over at 35 million came has 15 years less years of selling and is also still moving. I think anyone of these three could be at number 1 next decade. A lot of people also have to realize the availability and the price. Thriller was released in a lot more countries and promoted a lot more than the other two worldwide. It also sold 40 million of the 54 when it was priced at 4 dollars US. AC/DC only sold about 10 mil world wide for 4 dollars US, and the rest of the 32 million came in at between 7 and 15 dollars. Shania sold about each album at about 13 to 15 dollars US, but it also had a lot of promotion. If you were to look at generated revenue and profit I think AC/DC, Led Zeppelin 4, and Dark side of the Moon are way ahead of big promotionm albums like Thriller, Come On Over, Saturdy Night Fever, and The Bodygaurd Soundtrack. People have to remember that it's better to make 50 million dollars of a project that costs 3 million, then to make 100 million of a project that costs 75 million. This is why a 5x platinum Backstreet Boys album is flop while a 5 times platinum Mobb Deep album would be the biggest success in the world.