I remember reading somewhere that it was Bing Crosby.

I knew that Elvis and the Beatles out do the likes of Mike Jackson on being the biggest selling act ever, but Mike is the Best selling artist of all time cause his album (Thriller) is the biggest selling album of all time (Best Seller). Thats the difference. His name is up there with those greats in some way or another most of the time anyway.
[Edited 1/10/05 11:16am]
[Edited 1/10/05 11:19am]

Spats said:

Actually, the only people who the official Guiness Book Of World Records register as having shifted over a billion records are The Beatles.

thesexofit said:

This 1 billion mark is a big lie and has never been stated by any official organism.According to official audit statisics and certifications, here are Elvis' sales worldwide:

Elvis Presley

01) (1956) [0.5] Elvis Presley – (0.5 m) US, (33,000) Japan
02) (1956) [0.5] Elvis – (0.5 m) US
03) (1957) [1] Peace In The Valley – (1 m) US
04) (1957) [0.5] Loving You – (0.5 m) US
05) (1957) [1] Loving You, Vol. II – (1 m) US
06) (1957) [1] Love Me Tender – (1 m) US
07) (1957) [--] Just For You
08) (1957) [3] Elvis’ Christmas Album – (3 m) US
09) (195 [6.1] Elvis’ Golden Records – (6 m) US, (0.1 m) Canada
10) (195 [0.5] King Creole – (0.5 m) US
11) (1959) [--] For LP Fans Only
12) (1959) [--] A Date With Elvis
13) (1960) [1] 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong – Elvis’ Gold Records, Volume 2 – (1 m) US
14) (1960) [0.5] Elvis is Back! – (0.5 m) US
15) (1960) [1] G.I. Blues – (1 m) US
16) (1960) [--] Elvis’ Christmas Album
17) (1961) [1] His Hand In Mine – (1 m) US
18)(1961) [0.5] Something For Everybody – (0.5 m) US
19) (1961) [2.1] Blue Hawaii – (2 m) US, (50,000) Canada, (16,000) Japan
20) (1962) [--] Elvis’ Christmas Album – (0.1 m) Canada
21) (1962) [--] Pot Luck
22) (1962) [0.5] Girls! Girls! Girls! – (0.5 m) US
23) (1962) [--] Elvis’ Christmas ALbum
24) (1963) [--] It Happened At The World’s Fair
25) (1963) [1] Elvis’ Golden Records, Volume 3 – (1 m) US
26) (1963) [--] Fun in Acapulco
27) (1964) [--] Dissin’ Cousins
28) (1964) [0.5] Roustabout – (0.5 m) US
29) (1965) [0.5] Girl Happy – (0.5 m) US
30) (1965) [--] Elvis For Everyone
31) (1965) [--] Harum Scarum
32) (1966) [--] Frankie And Johnny
33) (1966) [--] Paradise, Hawaiian Styel
34) (1966) [--] Spinout
35) (1967) [2] How Great Thou Art – (2 m) US, (1,000) Japan
36) (1967) [--] Double Trouble
37) (1967) [--] Clambake
38)(196 [0.5] Elvis’ Gold Records, Volume 4 – (0.5 m) US
39) (196 [--] Speedway
40) (196 [1] Elvis – (1 m) US
41) (1969) [0.5] Elvis sings Flaming Star – (0.5 m) US
42) (1969) [0.5] From Elvis In Memphis – (0.5 m) US
43) (1969) [0.5] From Memphis To Vegas/From Vegas To Memphis – (0.5 m) US, (76,000) Japan
44) (1970) [0.5] Let’s Be Friends – (0.5 m) US
45) (1970) [1.1] On Stage-February, 1970 – (1 m) US, (0.103 m) Japan
46) (1970) [2] Worldwide 50 Gold Award Hits, Vol. 1 – (2 m) US
47) (1970) [--] Almost In Love
48) (1970) [--] Elvis Back In Memphis
49) (1970) [0.8] Elvis- That’s The Way It Is – (0.5 m) US, (0.290) Japan
50) (1971) [0.5] Elvis Country – (0.5 m) US
51) (1971) [1] You’ll Never Walk Alone – (1 m) US
52) (1971) [--] Love Letters From Elvis – (11,000) Japan
53) (1971) [--] C’mon Everybody
54) (1971) [--] The Other Sides – Worldwide Gold Award Hits, Vol. 2
55) (1971) [--] I Got Lucky – (0.1 m) UK
56) (1971) [3] Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas – (3 m) US
57) (1972) [0.5] Elvis Now – (0.5 m) US
58) (1972) [1] He Touched Me – (1 m) US
59) (1972) [3] Elvis As Recorded At Madison Square Garden – (3 m) US, (33,000) Japan
60) (1972) [--] Elvis sings hits from his movies, volume 1
61) (1972) [1] Burning Love and hits from his movies, volume 2 – (1 m) US, (22,000) Japan
62) (1973) [0.6] Separate Ways – (0.5 m) US, (0.1 m)UK
---) (1973) [--] Elvis On Toru – (57,000) Japan
62) (1973) [3.3] Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite – (3 m) US, (0.2 m) Canada, (0.106 m) Japan
64) (1973) [--] Elvis – (9,000) Japan
65) (1973) [--] Raised On Rock/For Ol’ Times Sake
---) (1974) [0.3] 40- Greatest Hits – (0.3 m) UK
66) (1974) [2] Elvis-A Legendary Performer, Volume 1 – (2 m) US, (2,000) Japan
67) (1974) [--] Good Times
68) (1974) [0.5] Elvis Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis – (0.5 m) US, (11,000) Japan
69) (1974) [--] Having Fun With Elvis On Stage
---) (1974) [0.5] Elvis Forever – (0.5 m) Germany
70) (1975) [--] Promised Land – (7,000) Japan
---) (1975) [--] Elvis Special 24 – (28,000) Japan
---) (1975) [--] Rock ‘N’ Roll – (15,000) Japan
71) (1975) [--] Today
72) (1976) [2] Elvis-A Legendary Performer, Volume 2 – (2 m) US
73) (1976) [--] The Sun Sessions
---) (1976) [--] Elvis Christmas Album – (60,000) UK
74) (1976) [0.5] From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee – (0.5 m) US
---) (1977) [0.1] The Elvis Presley Collection – (0.1 m) UK
75) (1977) [1] Welcome To My World – (1 m) US
---) (1977) [0.1] Way Down – (0.1 m) UK
--) (1977) [--] My Way – (60,000) UK
76) (1977) [2.2] Moody Blue – (2 m) US, (0.2 m) Canada, (14,000) Japan
77) (1977) [1.2] Elvis In Concert – (1 m) US, (0.2 m) Canada, (4,000) Japan
78) (197 [0.5] He Walks Beside Me – (0.5 m) US
---) (197 [0.1] The US Male – (0.1 m) UK
---) (197 [0.1] Easy Come, Easy Go – (0.1 m) UK
79) (197 [--] Elvis sings for Children and Grownups Too!
80) (197 [0.2] Elvis-A Canadian Tribute – (0.2 m) Canada
81) (1979) [0.5] Elvis-A Legendary Performer, Volume 3 – (0.5 m) US, (50,000) Canada
82) (1979) [0.5] Our Memories of Elvis – (0.5 m) US
83) (1979) [--] Our Memories of Elvis, Volume 2
---) (1980) [--] Love Songs – (0.3 m) UK, (0.25 m) Germany
---) (1980) [0.3] Inspirations – (0.3 m) UK
84) (1980) [1] Elvis Aron Presley – (1 m) US
85) (1981) [--] Guitar Man
--) (1981) [0.1] The Ultimate Performance – (0.1 m) UK
86) (1981) [--] This Is Elvis
87) (1981) [--] Elvis-Greatest Hits, Volume One
88) (1982) [2] Pure Gold – (2 m) US, (50,000) Canada
89) (1982) [--] The Elvis Medley
90) (1983) [--] I Was The One
91) (1984) [--] Elvis: The First Live Recordings
92) (1984) [--] Elvis-A Golden Celebration
93) (1984) [--] Rocker
94) (1985) [--] A Valentine Gift For You
95) (1985) [--] Elvis’ Christmas Album
--) (1985) [0.1] Ballads – (0.1 m) UK
96) (1987) [2] The Number One Hits – (2 m) US, (50,000) Canada
97) (1987) [3] The Top Ten Hits – (3 m) US
---) (1987) [0.1] The All Time Greatest Hits – (0.1 m) UK
98) (1992) [1.1] The King Of Rock ‘N’ Roll- The Complete 50’s Masters – (1 m) US, (0.1 m) Canada, (6,840) Japan
---) (1992) [0.1] From The Heart – (0.1 m) UK
---) (1992) [--] Mega Elvis Essential Collection – (0.145 m) Japan
---) (1992) [--] Elvis Ballads – (40,900) Japan
---) (1992) [--] My Favourite Elvis Songs – (90,860) Japan
99) (1992) [0.8] Blue Christmas – (0.5 m) US, (0.3 m) Canada
---) (1993) [--] The Essential 60’s Masters – (50,000) Canada
100) (1994) [0.5] If Every Day Was Like Christmas – (0.5 m) US
---) (1995) [--] The Essential Collection Elvis – (1 m) Europe, (50,000) Canada
---) (1996) [0.1] All Time Greatest Hits – (0.14 m) Australia
101) (1997) [--] Platinum: A Life In Music
---) (1997) [0.3] Always On My Mind – (0.3 m) UK
102) (1999) [--] Artist Of The Century
---) (1999) [--] Elvis Presley’s Greatest Hits – (0.14 m) Australia
---) (1999) [--] Elvis The Legend Lives On – (0.1 m) UK, (35,000) Australia
103) (1999) [--] It’s Christmas Time
104) (2000) [--] Peace In The Valley: The Complete Gospel Recordings (box set)
105) (2000) [--] The Elvis Presley Collection – Country
106) (2001) [--] Live In Las Vegas (box set)
107) (2001) [0.6] The 50 Greatest Love Songs – (0.6 m) UK, (35,000) Australia
108) (2001) [--] White Christmas
109) (2002) [--] Elvis: The Very Best Of Love
110) (2002) [--] Elvis: Today, Tomorrow & Forever (box set)
---) (2002) [--] Love Songs – (70,000) Australia
111) (2002) [6.4] Elvis: 30 #1 Hits – (3 m) US, (3 m) Europe, (0.28 m) Australia, (0.146 m) Japan
112) (2003) [--] Elvis 56
113) (2003) [--] Close Up (box set)
114) (2003) [1] 2nd To None – (1 m) US, (35,000) Australia, (14,420) Japan
115) (2003) [--] Christmas Peace

(117.5 m) US, (4 m) Europe, (3.02 m) UK, (1.7 m) Canada, (1.294 m) Japan, (0.75 m) Germany, (0.735 m) Australia, racking up 140.6 million.

Biggest Seller: Elvis: 30 #1 Hits – 6.4 million
140.6 million in his career

From the data I gathered based on certifications, here is the
list for albums sales only.

Now, the same for Michael Jackson:

Michael Jackson

1) (1972) [----] Got To Be There
2) (1972) [----] Ben
3) (1973) [----] Music & Me
4) (1975) [----] Forever, Michael
5) (1975) [----] The Best Of Michael Jackson
6) (1979) [12] Off The Wall – (7 m) US, (1.8 m) UK, (0.3 m) France, (0.28 m) Australia, (0.17 m) Japan, (0.1 m) Canada, (75,000) NZ, racking up 9.725 million worldwide.
7) (1980) [----] The Best Of Michael Jackson – (60,000) UK
8)(1981) [----] One Day In Your Life
9) (1982) [46] Thriller – (26 m) US, (3.3 m) UK, (2.5 m) France, (2.2 m) Canada & Japan, (1.5 m) Germany, (0.84 m) Australia, (0.64 m) Netherlands, (0.5 m) Argentina & Spain, (0.25 m) Mexico, (0.15 m) NZ, racking up 40.58 million worldwide.
10) (1983) [----] Great Songs And Performances That Inspired The Motown
11) (1984) [0.3] 18 Greatest Hits – (0.3 m) UK
12) (1984) [----] Farewell My Summer Love 1984 – (0.1 m) UK.
13) (1984) [----] Michael Jackson And The Jackson 5 – 14 Greatest Hits
14) (1987) [25] Bad – (8 m) US, (3.9 m) UK, (2 m) Germany, (1 m) Japan, (0.7 m) Canada, (0.6 m) France, (0.5 m) Spain, (0.35 m)Australia, (0.12 m) NZ, racking up 17.17 million worldwide.
15) (1987) [0.3] Love Songs – (0.3 m) UK
16) (1987) [0.3] The Michael Jackson Mix – (0.3 m) UK
17) (1991) [17] Dangerous – (7 m) US, (2 m) Germany, (1.8 m) UK, (0.6 m) Canada & France & Japan, (0.56 m) Australia, (75,000) NZ, racking up 13.24 million worldwide.
18) (1995) [13] HIStory: Past, Present And Future – Book 1 – (3.5 m) US, (6 m) Europe, (0.75 m) Japan, (0.5 m) Canada, (0.49 m) Australia, (0.12 m) NZ, racking up 11.36 million worldwide.
19) (1997) [5] Blood On The Dance Floor – (1 m) US, (2 m) Europe, (79,000) Japan, (50,000) Canada. (7,500) NZ.
20) (2001) [5] Invincible (2.1 m) US, (2 m) Europe, (0.14 m) Australia, (0.12 m) Japan, (7,500) NZ.
21) (2001) [1] Greatest Hits – HIStory Volume 2 – (0.67 m) US,
22) (2001) [1] Special Edition: Off The Wall, Thriller, Bad, Dangerous – (0.62 m) US
23) (2003) [2] Number Ones – (0.5m) US, (1 m) Europe, (0.14 m) Australia & Japan, (30,000) NZ

(52.5 m) US, (11.86 m) UK, (11 m) Europe, (5.5 m) Germany, (4 m) France, (3.95 m) Canada, (3.64 m) Japan, (2.8 m) Australia, (0.555 m) NZ, racking up 95.8 million.

Biggest Seller: 46 million - Thriller
128 million in his career

Michael Jackson, as a solo artist has almost equivalent certified sales than Presley, who released far more records during over 50 years.

The reason is that during Elvis' heyday, album sales were almost non-existant. In the 50's, having the best selling album ever meant to barely cross the 1 million mark.

Apart of the US and Uk, most of the other western countries (notably in Europe) were listening to their own local artists ( barely 20 % of europeans had a gramophone at that time). The shipment for export music was difficult, so many countries designed to cover popular american tunes by their own local artists.
On the other hand, Asia or South America didn't have yet legitimate record markets while the Communism block abdicated western popular music.
Since the 80's and Michael Jackson(s heyday, Popular music is universal and crosses boundaries: satellite broadcast MTV all over the world, the communism has fallen apart, bringing western culture to their own lives.

In conclusion, by combining his sales effort with the Jackson 5 and the Jacksons, Michael Jackson has indeed sold more albums than Elvis.

The only artist who's outsold Jackson is Paul Mc Cartney.

speeddemon said:

Way to miss the point.

The above analysis between Elvis and MJ is totally wrong!! To state that Off the Wall has only sold nine million worldwide is ludicrous, at its last certification in the mid 90s it was at 17million, so with the re releases in 2001 its probably sold an additional few million worldwide!

Also ur Thriller numbers are completely wrong as you only include the sales figures from 11 countries, missing out half of Europe and Asia, the Netherlands, even Ireland, Sony has stated that it has sold 52million worldwide, however, this was at its last certification in 2001, its now racked in an additional 500,000 units in the US alone according to Soundscan!

The official sales of Bad worldwide are 28million, 17million is complete rubbish its the number two biggest selling album in Europe and has sold 4.5million copies in the UK alone.

Dangerous actually sold more worldwide than Bad due to increasing economic stability and wealth and also due to the massive Tour which even visited 3rd world countries. Official sales 29million.

History sold 18million , which actually equates to 36million CDs since it was a box set and priced as two cds!

Also to state that number ones has only sold 2million worldwide is a nonsense, Sony UK have just announced that it is back in the UK album charts and has sold 1.8million copies in the UK alone (with sales still strong). The album has also gone gold in the US with sales over half a million.

On top of all this, you include the figures from about ten countries here and there and then come to a final figure missing out another 100 or more countries where MJ albums have charted or sold.


The problem with Elvis is that he has released so many albums, with a lot of GH sets and box sets and re releases that it makes a comparison unfair. Elvis has been around a lot longer and so has had more time to sell more records , with a lot more records being released. MJ still has a lot of life left (if he is found innocent) and could sell another 20million records next year.

I think Michael Jackson is the world's biggest selling artist who is alive.

i heard it was Shanice Wilson..


or Tracy Spencer...

one of em..

FunkyBrotha said:

Funkybrotha, I am aware of what you say but I brought sales datas based on OFFICIAL CERTIFICATIONS, precisely to respect parity between the 2's official sales and avoid delirious arguments on overgrossed sales (such as those silly 1 billion remarks).
I showed a fair comparisons with those datas, supplied on chart forums.

Some people even believe that a guy like Bing Crosby is the biggest selling artist ever, without thinking that his outputs were released when war was killing millions everywhere and when people were struggling to survive rather than buying records.
Some people really believe that ABBA sold more records than any group, even though their American success is rather limited to pretend to. I recall a group like Queen outsold Abba.
Those 1 billion sales are part of urban myths, crafted by smart marketing dudes, so they could maintained the legacy of their artists.
For example, for a long time, everybody thought that Elvis and the Beatles were the biggest selling singles artists in UK due to intense propaganda going around. Until an official counting was required in the UK and showed that a guy named Cliff Richard outsold both. Madonna sold 14.5 million singles in UK, with more than half the total releases of Elvis'.

On my rankings, you'll see that many countries miss because either they didn't certified yet or because they don't have legitimite organisations for that commitment.
Many of Jackson's US certifications haven't been adjusted for over 10 years.
The Dangerous album has sold over 2.3 million copies in Brasil, more than Thriller's 1.8 million, but still have to be recertified.

Usher

Imminent Starvation.

OdysseyMiles said:

I think that's just White Christmas. Maybe the biggest selling single.