UK best selling singles artists of all time (2012)

1. The Beatles (21,900,000)
2. Elvis Presley (21,600,000)
3. Cliff Richard (21,500,000)
4. Madonna (17,600,000)
5. Michael Jackson (15,300,000)
6. Elton John (14,800,000)
7. Queen (12,600,000)
8. ABBA (11,200,000)
9. David Bowie (10,600,000)
10. Rihanna (10,400,000)
11. Paul McCartney (10,200,000)
12. Kylie Minogue (10,100,000)
13. The Rolling Stones (9,900,000)
14. Rod Stewart (9,900,900)
15. Take That (8,900,000)
16. Stevie Wonder (8,900,000)
17. Oasis (8,900,000)
18. Eminem (8,600,000)
19. Whitney Houston (8,400,000)
20. Spice Girls (7,900,000)
21. George Michael (7,800,000)
22. Robbie Williams (7,500,000)
23. The Bee Gees (7,500,000)
24. U2 (7,400,000)
25. Shakin' Stevens (7,300,000)
26. Britney Spears (7,200,000)
27. Status Quo (7,200,000)
28. Lady GaGa (7,200,000)
29. Boyzone (7,000,000)
30. Blondie (7,000,000)
31. Slade (6,900,000)
32. The Black Eyed Peas (6,800,000)
33. Boney M (6,800,000)
34. Westlife (6,800,000)
35. Celine Dion (6,600,000)
36. Beyonce (6,600,000)
37. UB40 (6,600,000)
38. Olivia Newton-John (6,600,000)
39. Mariah Carey (6,600,000)
40. Tom Jones (6,300,000)
41. Madness (6,100,000)
42. Police (6,100,000)
43. Wham! (5,900,000)
44. Phil Collins (5,800,000)
45. Diana Ross (5,700,000)
46. The Jam (5,700,000)
47. Bryan Adams (5,600,000)
48. Pet Shop Boys (5,600,000)
49. David Guetta (5,600,000)
50. Adam Ant (5,500,000)
51. Duran Duran(5,400,000)
52. Frank Sinatra (5,400,000)
53. Frankie Goes To Hollywood (5,300,000)
54. Prince (5,300,000)
55. Katy Perry (5,200,000)
56. Wet Wet Wet (5,100,000)
57. Everly Brothers (4,900,000)
58. The Shadows (4,900,000)
59. Pink (4,900,000)
60. Coldplay (4,800,000)


The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists (2008)
http://www.billboard.com/specials/hot100/charts/top100-artists-20.shtml

1. The Beatles
2. Madonna
3. Elton John
4. Elvis Presley
5. Stevie Wonder
6. Mariah Carey
7. Janet Jackson
8. Michael Jackson
9. Whitney Houston
10. The Rolling Stones
11. Paul McCartney/Wings
12. Bee Gees
13. Chicago
14. The Supremes
15. Daryl Hall & John Oates
16. Prince
17. Rod Stewart
18. Olivia Newton-John
19. Aretha Franklin
20. Marvin Gaye

Any thoughts on this? I thought it's kind of hilarious that Rihanna is like breaking dozens of records and becoming one of the most successful ever singles-wise. It does not show on this US list, but she has now 11 #1 hits, behind only the Beatles (20), Mariah (18), Michael (13), Madonna/The Supremes (12) and same as Whitney. And she's only 24. It would be funny to see her maybe score her 20th number one in 2020. I mean, I like some of her songs, but she's definitely no artist to rank best ever anything.

Altough its list is actually not bad, the UK has this strange preference for lame/easy pop acts as Westlife/Robbie Williams/Take That/Kylie Minogue. But this is nothing new.

I don't know anything by this Cliff Richard, is that a sin? Does anybody know his work? Is it any good? If his backing band was The Shadows, whose 20 Golden Greats album I got, that's a terrific instrumental rock band.

I had a few good surprises too, though. I did not know Stevie was this successful in singles, on both sides of the Atlantic, surely well deserved. And it was nice to see Aretha and Marvin in the top 20 US hitmakers. Surely well deserved too. But most of all, I thought Bowie sold VERY little. Now I see him as 9th best selling singles act in the UK. That was surprising!

Are these commercial blockbusters any correspondent to artistic quality in popular music? That is an eternal question. It's obviously not a total yes response, for many evidences needless to point. Yet, not a few times, the artistic highlights of our favourite artists are usually their best selling albums and singles... That's and eternal question...

Already posted I'm sure.

smoothcriminal12 said:

Already posted I'm sure.

Oh, just saw it. Sorry. But let's compare both lists then.

Wow @ Rihanna.

US

1. The Beatles
2. Madonna
3. ELTON JOHN
4. Elvis Presley
5. Stevie Wonder
6. Mariah Carey
7. Janet Jackson
8. Michael Jackson
9. Whitney Houston
10. The Rolling Stones
11. Paul McCartney/Wings
12. Bee Gees
13. Chicago
14. The Supremes
15. Daryl Hall & John Oates
16. Prince
17. Rod Stewart
18. Olivia Newton-John
19. Aretha Franklin
20. Marvin Gaye

I already said what I think about the UKTop60, but this US Top20 seems accurate. The Number3 of Elton is legit, many folks downplay his legacy these days, but Elton was basically the "Presley of the 70s" in terms of sales and popularity.

Of course the Nº2/7 of Madonna/Janet smells like BULLSHIT when you realize that MJ is Nº8

I agree, but where is Billy Joel? Top 3 IMHO vshould be Elvis, Beatles and Mike. And if this was a better world Sam Cooke in the top 5.

JoeTyler said:

US

1. The Beatles
2. Madonna
3. ELTON JOHN
4. Elvis Presley
5. Stevie Wonder
6. Mariah Carey
7. Janet Jackson
8. Michael Jackson
9. Whitney Houston
10. The Rolling Stones
11. Paul McCartney/Wings
12. Bee Gees
13. Chicago
14. The Supremes
15. Daryl Hall & John Oates
16. Prince
17. Rod Stewart
18. Olivia Newton-John
19. Aretha Franklin
20. Marvin Gaye

I already said what I think about the UKTop60, but this US Top20 seems accurate. The Number3 of Elton is legit, many folks downplay his legacy these days, but Elton was basically the "Presley of the 70s" in terms of sales and popularity.

Of course the Nº2/7 of Madonna/Janet smells like BULLSHIT when you realize that MJ is Nº8

Michael wasted too many years in between albums to rank any higher.

sextonseven said:

JoeTyler said:

I already said what I think about the UKTop60, but this US Top20 seems accurate. The Number3 of Elton is legit, many folks downplay his legacy these days, but Elton was basically the "Presley of the 70s" in terms of sales and popularity.

Of course the Nº2/7 of Madonna/Janet smells like BULLSHIT when you realize that MJ is Nº8

Michael wasted too many years in between albums to rank any higher.

The UK list is based on sales.

The US list is based strictly on a system of point used by Billboard's methodology.

If the US list was sales-related, then Rihanna would have probably been Top 5 (She sold over 50 million digital sales in America).

Yes, Michael released very few albums, from 1979 to 2009 (30 years) only 6 albums and one remix album. But he's had a 70's run of hits with his brothers. I think they're not counting this. It's surprising to see Janet just ahead him.

Maybe if the points were counted in the US by sales, like in the UK - it just occurred me - Rihanna might have been in the top 5!! LMFAO

If the US list was sales-related, then Rihanna would have probably been Top 5 (She sold over 50 million digital sales in America).

WOW that was funny. I didn't read this last sentence you wrote when I thought and posted the SAME thing!

Yes, it's very likery if the methodology was different she would be top 5. What makes me think.

If pop mass icons of the 60s were the Stones/Marvin/Aretha/Beatles, in the 70s Elton/Stevie/McCartney/Queen/Rod Stewart, in the 80s Michael/Prince/Madonna, in the 90s Mariah/Janet/Whitney and then in the 00s the biggest name is Rihanna... what a lack of good pop music icons we're living. I mean I wouldn't say I think all this past icons are equally talented, but Rihanna is CLEARLY far behind them all.

speeddemon said:

sextonseven said:

Michael wasted too many years in between albums to rank any higher.

The UK list is based on sales.

The US list is based strictly on a system of point used by Billboard's methodology.

If the US list was sales-related, then Rihanna would have probably been Top 5 (She sold over 50 million digital sales in America).

This U.S. list is four years old. That's the biggest reason why Rihanna is not ranked higher on it.

BrazilianOnRaspberryBeret said:

Yes, Michael released very few albums, from 1979 to 2009 (30 years) only 6 albums and one remix album. But he's had a 70's run of hits with his brothers. I think they're not counting this. It's surprising to see Janet just ahead him.

Yes, The Jacksons/Jackson 5 are seen as separate artists from Michael solo when these charts are compiled. That's why Paul McCartney is only ranked at #11 U.S. instead of #1 with the Beatles.

interesting lists

JoeTyler said:

US

1. The Beatles
2. Madonna
3. ELTON JOHN
4. Elvis Presley
5. Stevie Wonder
6. Mariah Carey
7. Janet Jackson
8. Michael Jackson
9. Whitney Houston
10. The Rolling Stones
11. Paul McCartney/Wings
12. Bee Gees
13. Chicago
14. The Supremes
15. Daryl Hall & John Oates
16. Prince
17. Rod Stewart
18. Olivia Newton-John
19. Aretha Franklin
20. Marvin Gaye

I already said what I think about the UKTop60, but this US Top20 seems accurate. The Number3 of Elton is legit, many folks downplay his legacy these days, but Elton was basically the "Presley of the 70s" in terms of sales and popularity.

Of course the Nº2/7 of Madonna/Janet smells like BULLSHIT when you realize that MJ is Nº8

I really dont know why People Downplay Elton at all, he owned the 70's and for a time in the mid 70's you could not touch the man, he was doing almost 2 albbums a year and doing full REAL tours, and lets also NOT forget that Elton owns the record that WILL NEVER be broken, and that is he had a top 40 hit every year from 1970-1999 a 30 year run, and thats the TOP 100 top 40, not the BS charts they have now going on, so to stay relevant mainstream wise to chart a top 40 hit for 30 years in a row, sorry but you cant downplay that at all, i dont care what madonna mike and prince have done, they didnt do that. Outside of that i know someone mentioned Billy Joel, which i understand but Billy was a HUGE album seller, yeah he had quite a few hits, but he had alot of songs that didnt chart high but have become epic songs

JoeBala said:

I agree, but where is Billy Joel? Top 3 IMHO vshould be Elvis, Beatles and Mike. And if this was a better world Sam Cooke in the top 5.

Unfortunately for Sam he wasn't a big seller after his death since his wife and his manager did away with his catalog for 20 years.

Oh yeah and Elton was to the '70s what Elvis was in the '50s in terms of chart dominance as a solo artist and all that work he did between 1970 and 1975.

Timmy84 said:

Oh yeah and Elton was to the '70s what Elvis was in the '50s in terms of chart dominance as a solo artist and all that work he did between 1970 and 1975.

I think alot of Elton being overlooked at least on this forum is because he tends to call out certain "divas" for certain things and people dont like that. example calling out Madonna as not being a real live act, and George Michael for not getting his shit together etc..for some reason that offends people dont know why. But yeah i mean that 30 year record is never gonna be touched, the closest i think was 13 or 14 by madonna i'll have to check, but reality is no one is ever gonna threaten that record, because of the gaps of the way people record now, no one is gonna have music every year for 30 plus years in row, i mean is rihanna gonna have singles when shes 48?

Timmy84 said:

JoeBala said:

I agree, but where is Billy Joel? Top 3 IMHO vshould be Elvis, Beatles and Mike. And if this was a better world Sam Cooke in the top 5.

Unfortunately for Sam he wasn't a big seller after his death since his wife and his manager did away with his catalog for 20 years.

Also for Billy Joel he did chart alot of singles (42) but only 13 were Top 10 singles his most well known songs actually were lower charting, Piano Man (24) Movin Out (17) Only the Good Die Young (24) Honesty (23) Shes Always a Woman (17) Shes got a way (23) u get the point, those are some of his most well known songs

lastdecember said:

Timmy84 said:

Unfortunately for Sam he wasn't a big seller after his death since his wife and his manager did away with his catalog for 20 years.

Also for Billy Joel he did chart alot of singles (42) but only 13 were Top 10 singles his most well known songs actually were lower charting, Piano Man (24) Movin Out (17) Only the Good Die Young (24) Honesty (23) Shes Always a Woman (17) Shes got a way (23) u get the point, those are some of his most well known songs

True.

Timmy84 said:

lastdecember said:

Also for Billy Joel he did chart alot of singles (42) but only 13 were Top 10 singles his most well known songs actually were lower charting, Piano Man (24) Movin Out (17) Only the Good Die Young (24) Honesty (23) Shes Always a Woman (17) Shes got a way (23) u get the point, those are some of his most well known songs

True.

But album wise in terms of sales, in the usa alone hes one of the top ever, about 60million just in the here, one diamond album and a few over 5 million sold alone

lastdecember said:

Timmy84 said:

True.

But album wise in terms of sales, in the usa alone hes one of the top ever, about 60million just in the here, one diamond album and a few over 5 million sold alone

I'm pretty sure that diamond album is two discs, though I'm not certain. I do agree though that he's definetly up there here in the U.S

aardvark15 said:

lastdecember said:

But album wise in terms of sales, in the usa alone hes one of the top ever, about 60million just in the here, one diamond album and a few over 5 million sold alone

I'm pretty sure that diamond album is two discs, though I'm not certain. I do agree though that he's definetly up there here in the U.S

It is. How much is it? 23 million right? That means 11.5 million folks got it in the U.S. alone from those estimates.

Timmy84 said:

aardvark15 said:

I'm pretty sure that diamond album is two discs, though I'm not certain. I do agree though that he's definetly up there here in the U.S

It is. How much is it? 23 million right? That means 11.5 million folks got it in the U.S. alone from those estimates.

Wow that's better than I thought. I thought the album went diamond because it was two discs.

aardvark15 said:

Timmy84 said:

It is. How much is it? 23 million right? That means 11.5 million folks got it in the U.S. alone from those estimates.

Wow that's better than I thought. I thought the album went diamond because it was two discs.

Nah it was already diamond technically lol

Timmy84 said:

aardvark15 said:

Wow that's better than I thought. I thought the album went diamond because it was two discs.

Nah it was already diamond technically lol

Actually thats the GH Volume 1&2 which i didnt even count so Billy has about 100million in the USA, the diamond album was the Stranger and right after that Glass Houses is 8times platnum

lastdecember said:

Timmy84 said:

Nah it was already diamond technically lol

Actually thats the GH Volume 1&2 which i didnt even count so Billy has about 100million in the USA, the diamond album was the Stranger and right after that Glass Houses is 8times platnum

I thought you mentioned the hits volumes lol

Timmy84 said:

lastdecember said:

Actually thats the GH Volume 1&2 which i didnt even count so Billy has about 100million in the USA, the diamond album was the Stranger and right after that Glass Houses is 8times platnum

I thought you mentioned the hits volumes lol

nope and actually 52nd Street was before Glass and they did 7 milion, so he had sold 10,7 and 8 on albums done one year apart! Nah i left out GH

lastdecember said:

Timmy84 said:

I thought you mentioned the hits volumes lol

nope and actually 52nd Street was before Glass and they did 7 milion, so he had sold 10,7 and 8 on albums done one year apart! Nah i left out GH

Gotcha.

the uk pretty much sucks at everything