List of best-selling music artists

List of best-selling music artists

Based on both sales claims and certified units, The Beatles are considered the highest-selling band. The more recent the artist, the higher the required percentage of certified units. The certified units of the newer artists may sometimes be higher than their listed claimed figures. Some singles and even albums get over certified by hundreds of thousands of units.

About List of best-selling music artists in brief

Summary List of best-selling music artistsBased on both sales claims and certified units, The Beatles are considered the highest-selling band. The more recent the artist, the higher the required percentage of certified units. The certified units of the newer artists may sometimes be higher than their listed claimed figures. This is because Recording Industry Association of America and almost all other certifying bodies count streaming towards Gold and Platinum thresholds. Some singles and even albums get over certified by hundreds of thousands of units. For example, Rihanna’s single \”We Found Love\”, which is certified at nine times Platinum by the RIAA, yet during the time of the certification, it had sold 5.

4 million downloads. Kanye West’s songs are examples of artists who are not included as the artists involved would have played minor roles in the songs. The list uses claimed figures that are closest to artists’ available certified units: inflated claimed Figures that meet the required certified units amount but are unrealistically high, are not used. All artists included on this list, which have begun charting on official albums or singles charts have their available claimed figures supported by at least 20% in certified Units.