Based mainly on data from September 1993, collected by Minneapolis Star-Tribune journalist Jon Bream , with additional data from Billboard, Rolling Stone and Time Magazine:

Album = Worldwide sales in 1993 (RIAA certification till 1993 end; US estimated sales till 1993 end; some specific countries MINIMUM sales till 1993) (m=million)

For You = 800k (not RIAA certified; in US at least 400k sold)

Prince = 1.75m (RIAA P=1m)

Dirty Mind = 1.8m (RIAA G=500k)

Controversy = 2.3m (RIAA P=1m)

1999 = 5m (RIAA 3xP=3m; 2.3m sales in US when "Purple Rain" was released)

Purple Rain = 14.7m (RIAA 10xP=10m; US sales at more than 12m, Canada=600k, UK=600k, Germany=500k, Japan=130k)

Around The World In A Day = 4.35m (RIAA 2xP=2m, but Jon Bream says 3.4m in US, shipped 2.7m in US at release week; UK=100k, Japan=75k)

Parade = 3.5m (RIAA P=1m, J.B. says 1.9m; UK=300k, France=300k, Germany=250k, Netherlands=80k, Japan=50k)

Sign Of The Times = 3.75m (RIAA P=1m, J.B. says 1.8m; UK=300k, Germany=250k, France=200k, Netherlands=80k, Australia=35k, Japan=20k)

Lovesexy = 2.65m (RIAA G=500k, J.B. says 990k; shipped 700k in US at release week; UK=300k, Germany=250k, France=200k, Japan=45k, Netherlands=40k)

Batman = 4.6m (RIAA 2xP=2m; UK=300k, France=300k, Germany=250k, Japan=175k, Netherlands=40k)

Graffiti Bridge = 2m (RIAA G=500k; UK=100k, Japan=75k)

Diamonds And Pearls = 5.8m (RIAA 2xP=2m; Warner 2.5 US + 3.3 INT; France=450k , UK=300k, Germany=250k, Netherlands=80k, Japan=60k)

Symbol = 3.45m (RIAA P=1m; UK=300k, Japan=85k)

From Jon Bream data we have

Worldwide sales = 55.5m

Now, some RIAA awards were given some time after 1993, so some data must be added:

i would say:
1999 from 5m to 5.5m (RIAA 4xP=4m in 1999)
Purple Rain from 14.7 to a minimum of 17m (this album according to Billboard sold within a year of release 4.5m outside US and RIAA 13xP=13m in 1996)

this means more 3m ... new total = 58.5m

Following albums, a kind of rough calculation:

The Hits/The B-Sides , global sales above half-million, let's say a maximum of 750k
The Hits 1 + The Hits 2 = at least a combined 2m from US and a probable combined international minimum of at least combined 1.5m
Come, 1m worldwide (US=500k, UK=100k, Japan=80k)
The Gold Experience, also 1m worldwide
Emancipation, EMI said 1million triple albums worldwide (US=700k shipped, Japan=95k)
The Black Album, around 750k worldwide (350k in US and 60k in Japan)
The Crystal Ball, 300k worldwide
New Power Soul, i would say 500k
Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic, no more than 1m
The Very Best Of Prince, 1.5m (800k in US, UK=300k)

This last sales = estimated 12.2m

1) Total estimated global sales (albums only) = 70.7 = roughly 71m (around 42.5m in US) (MINIMUM number)

And singles?
A quick estimation (NOT official), global sales

When Doves Cry = 3m
Purple Rain, Kiss, Batdance = 2m each
Let's Go Crazy, Gett Off, The Most Beautiful Girl In The World = 1.5m each
I Wanna Be Your Lover, 1999, Thieves In The Temple, Cream = 1m each
Raspberry Beret, Sign Of The Times, Alphabet Street, Sexy MF, 7 = 750k each
Little Red Corvette, U Got The Look, Diamonds And Pearls = 500k

2) Estimated total for more succeful singles = 22m (only in US from RIAA = 9.5m)

3) Estimated total albums+singles Prince sold in carreer = 93m

4) If we count discs inside albums we should add roughly more 12m

5) Total final estimated RECORDS sold by Prince since 1978 = 105m
[This message was edited Mon Apr 26 4:44:38 2004 by Edu]

For You = 800k (not RIAA certified; in US at least 400k sold)

1999 = 5m (RIAA 3xP=3m; 2.3m sales in US when "Purple Rain" was released)

Around The World In A Day = 4.35m (RIAA 2xP=2m, but Jon Bream says 3.4m in US, shipped 2.7m in US at release week; UK=100k, Japan=75k)

Parade = 3.5m (RIAA P=1m, J.B. says 1.9m; UK=300k, France=300k, Germany=250k, Netherlands=80k, Japan=50k)

Sign Of The Times = 3.75m (RIAA P=1m, J.B. says 1.8m; UK=300k, Germany=250k, France=200k, Netherlands=80k, Australia=35k, Japan=20k)

Diamonds And Pearls = 5.8m (RIAA 2xP=2m; Warner 2.5 US + 3.3 INT; France=450k , UK=300k, Germany=250k, Netherlands=80k, Japan=60k)


The Hits 1 + The Hits 2 = at least a combined 2m from US and a probable combined international minimum of at least combined 1.5m




cheers man im a right sales nerd. so the albums above are the ones i'd say that need updating from the RIAA.
For you needs to go gold (or has it been done post 93, i dont think so).
1999 needs to go to 4x plat at least. - is this counted as double disc now its all on one cd?!
around the world in a day needs 3x at least.
parade should be at least 2x
sign should be 3 or 4 (double disc)
D&P i imagine should be 3x plat
the hits 2 has US sales of 1.5 million as of last week, so its possible that could be 2x plat.

so thats up to 5 million extra shipped units, not to mention musicology is going to go platinum at least...so im sure that would push prince up on the most shipped artists ever notch!

and also lovesexy from gold to platinum!

The Very Best Of Prince, 1.5m (800k in US, UK=300k)


oh and this should go platinum too. it must have more than 200k copies shipped to stores!

ok ill stop now.

All these albums need new certifications, if a minimum of 60million had sold by 1993, we have had 11 years where nothing has been recertified, Purple Rain must have sold another 5million in that time! Think of all the new fans or original fans that may have repurchased those albums in the 90s, from cassette/lp to cd for example. Then if u count the 10million he sold during the symbol era, the two or three million during the NPGMC, i would say p has sold close to 100million records throughout his career! Who knows "musicology" may bump that figure up to 110million!

FunkyBrotha said:

i actually think princes back catalogue has not sold that heavily throughout the symbol era. his albums certainly havent been on the pop catalogue charts in the past 4 years, and on there albums average about 10k a week, so thats a million every couple of years. so i doubt any album has. i think basically his album were certified in a few months, then left, take d&p for instance. its supposedly sold 2.4 million in the us, but was only ever certifed for 2 abit after its release. so he will need new certifications for alot of his albums, but probably not more than an extra platinum. the exception might be sign, which sold 1.3 in the us, so it should be 3 times platinum instead of one. plus his early stuff that might not have been updated since the mid 90s or whatever.

i highly doubt purple rain has sold 5 million since 1993. i think its actually been updated in the past 4 years for 13x platinum in the us, and now its rising on the pop catalogue charts selling 6000 a year, that means its only going to sell 1 million every 4 years at present rate (and bear in mind its been rising with recent press) so thats still only 2 odd million in the past 2 years, and oddly the certifications reflect this.

however, i think all of princes albums will still far better this decade than the last, as he is appreciated alot more and it seems things are being repromoted alot more and stuff. he's certainly owed a few updates on the certification front though!