That's not surprising. That's been happening for a long time.

Better artist does not necessarily equal highest selling.

That doesn't surprise me. Shitney Houston and Mariah Scarey watered down their music to reach as many people possible.

What a bogus list! There's no way in hell Prince has sold 120 million

and how about these

Barry White ~100,000,000 US 70s-00s Pop/R&B/Disco
Deep Purple ~100,000,000 UK 60s-00s Hard Rock
Lionel Richie ~100,000,000 US 80s-00s Pop/R&B
Dolly Parton ~100,000,000 US 60s-00s Country
Donna Summer ~100,000,000 US 70s-90s Disco

Those are all highly suspicious

mynameisnotsusan said:

It is not just suspicious but totally unreliable.

Some well-intentioned souls endeavoured to estimate worldwide sales of albums and singles. Because there's no reliable source for worldwide figures, they relied on all sorts of information, from regional charts to claims made on the artists' web sites or in press releases. The list was "corrected" multiple times because at first it listed people like Leonard Cohen selling over 200 million albums and singles. That indicates that the authors didn't even have a rudimentary idea of what went on in the music world in the last 30 years. If they can be persuaded Cohen sold so many records, then I'm surprised Kelly Clarkson didn't end up ahead of the Beatles.

Those figures are bogus. Only if they include singles, maybe Michael Jackson has hit 9 figures. I would guess Prince's sales at about 65,000,000 (20 mil singles and 45mil albums).
These figures should not be taken seriously for these reasons.
1. No source is quoted
2. What are they, albums or singles, bootlegs, DVD's, Pirates, Videos, tapes wax cylinders.
3. Not very precise lots of zeroes few numbers.
4. Is it just the artist or all the songs and albums they had a hand in such as 4 Prince we include the Time, Vanity 6 etc.
Apparently Frank Sinatra, Elvis, MJ and Bing crosby would head such a list, Bing Crosby had hits from 1925 right up to 1960, and he dominated music in the 40's. These artists would have easily moved 500,000,000 between them (remember records were more fragile than tapes and CD's.

4 Prince I would suggest these figures would be accurate.

Depending on who you read, most agree Purple Rain sold about 14-17,000,000 copies worldwide with US figure reaching 10 mil. It was the largest selling album and in the Top 15 of all time. The singles added about 5 more million to the total, of these WDC got at least 2 mil, and Lets go crazy and Purple Rain moved a million each.I would die 4 u about 500,000 and the Sheila E and Time singles another million perhaps (Glamorous life got to #8 and went gold)

After that the next biggest album was Diamonds and Pearls at around 6-7 million, singles added 1.5-2 million to it. After that ATWIAD and 1999 were about 3 million each. Symbol, Parade and S.O.T and Lovesexy were at 2 million at least. Most other albums moved at least a million. Sales of 4 U and Dirty Mind reached the low 6 figures , but picked up over 1 million in the post P.R era. The Hits sold about 5 million or a bit less. Added to the equation are 2 for 1 albums popular 10 years ago. Prince has a inbuilt buying core of about a million worldwide


My figures seem conservative, but still how many people do u know could sell 65,000,000 albums and singles?

Purple Rain had to sell atleast 20 million.

Some numbers do seem a bit odd. Madonna sold more than Michael. Tina Turner is way down on the list. Depeche Mode got on it but the other big electronic act Nine Inch Nails is nowhere mentioned. And am I blind or in James Brown nowhere on the list?
[Edited 10/29/05 21:22pm]

fluid said:

It seems odd, but there are wildly inflated numbers out there. I have read many sources about "Thriller" actual sale. I have seen estimates as high as 70,000,000 and as low as 30,000,000, but hes actually got an award for 50 mil, and a 100 mil plaque from his company.
I believe 20 mil is on the high side, but possible if u included sales 2 the present. Still I would like to stick to 17 million, which 10 million stateside, 5 million world and 2 million from 1986 to the present. Including all the singles and offshoot albums by the Time, Apollonia 6 and even Sheila E the total would top 30,000,000

Prince has sold more that 30 million.

fluid said:

My figure was just for the Purple Rain stuff and its spinoffs, not the other shit. My actual figure was 65,000,000

WOW their charts must be off cause Depeche Mode sold 70 million oaccording to them.