MickyDolenz said:

What happened to Nana Mouskouri?

Her sales are infinitesimal compared to those of Zamfir, Master of the Pan Flute.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

I'm going to say that it's inaccurate because I'm pretty damn sure without even looking that The Beatles and Elvis have sold more than a BILLION records each, respectively.

Haven't read much about Beatles sales but if they aren't over a billion I'd guess it's because there are few reissues - small catalog, tightly controlled.

Elvis, you're highly likely correct. Best available evidence shows a majority of his sales have been outside the U.S., at least post-army to (particularly) present day. Also well known via some obvious gaps in RIAA awards that Presley sales are still undercounted - lots of product consistently in print with little or no sales data ever submitted or foreign sales royalties w/out U.S. certification etc.

Someone mentioned Crosby and Sinatra - agree they should be high on the list. Such lists have been mainly initiated by rock era publications so they've historically been left off and consequently remain overlooked.

I can't believe they changed the list! Michael Jackson listed at 400 million instead of the 750 million he had before?

[Edited 2/1/13 8:48am]

Bester24 said:

I can't believe they changed the list! Michael Jackson listed at 400 million instead of the 750 million he had before?

[Edited 2/1/13 8:48am]

they decided to make a list of more realistic.

750 million for MJ - it was a joke, just like 1 billion for Elvis and the Beatles.

Beatles - best selling music act of all time ..... by far.
but still they sold much less than billion.

Eileen said:

MickyDolenz said:

What happened to Nana Mouskouri?

Her sales are infinitesimal compared to those of Zamfir, Master of the Pan Flute.

I read years ago that Nana is supposed to be the biggest selling female singer in history.

MickyDolenz said:

Eileen said:

Her sales are infinitesimal compared to those of Zamfir, Master of the Pan Flute.

I read years ago that Nana is supposed to be the biggest selling female singer in history.

well, according this list she is one of

IFPI (2007):

1 The Beatles 40+ 400,000,000 UK 60s (1962-1970) Rock/Pop Guinness/EMI

2. Michael Jackson 14 350,000,000 US 70s-00s (1979-) Pop/R&B MJ Stats

3. Elvis Presley 150+ 300,000,000 US 50s-70s (1956-1977) Country/Rock

4. Madonna 16 275,000,000 US 80s-00s (1984-) Pop WBR [1]

5. Nana Mouskouri 450 250,000,000 Greece 60s-00s (1959-) Pop [2][3]

6. Cliff Richard 60+ 250,000,000 UK 50s-00s (1959-1969,1977-1979,1986-1999) Rock/Pop [4]

7. The Rolling Stones 54 ~250,000,000 UK 60s-00s (1964-1981) Rock 60.5 million in the US [5]

8. Mariah Carey 14 230,000,000 US 90s-00s (1990-) Pop/R&B

9. Elton John 43 ~220,000,000 UK 70s-00s (1972-1976,1989-1991,1997-) Pop [6]

10. Celine Dion 21 220,000,000 Canada 80s-00s (1990-) Pop Music/Pop Discography

11. Pink Floyd 21 ~210,000,000 UK 60s-00s (1970-1983,1994-1995) Prog Rock 73 Mil US

12. Led Zeppelin 9/12 200,000,000+ UK 60s-70s (1969-1979) Rock/Blues MSNBC

13. Metallica 10 ~200,000,000 US 80's-00's (1991-1997) Hard Rock 57 mil US

14. Julio Iglesias 80 ~200,000,000 Spain 70s-00s (1969-) Latino Pop [7] [8]

15. Queen 22 180,000,000 UK 70s-00s (1975-1995) Rock R&R

16. AC/DC ~180,000,000 Australia/UK 70s-00s (1980-1992) Hard Rock AC/DC

17. Whitney Houston 10 ~180,000,000 US 80s-00s (1985-2000) R&B/Pop Discography

18. ABBA 160,000,000 Sweden 70s-80s (1974-1982) Disco/Pop ABBA discography

19. U2 ~150,000,000 Ireland 80s-00s (1983-) Rock/Pop 50m.US

20. The Jacksons 150,000,000 US 60s-80s (1969-1980) R&B 71m.US

MickyDolenz said:

Eileen said:

Her sales are infinitesimal compared to those of Zamfir, Master of the Pan Flute.

I read years ago that Nana is supposed to be the biggest selling female singer in history.

The infomercials, they lied? I swoon. The seductive Pan Flute of the fraud Zamfir shall not be heard within these walls again!