This is the list of the best-selling music artists in the United States only as of December 2008 and based on certifications of albums by the RIAA1. The list therefore excludes large selling artists like Bing Crosby whose sales in the 30s-50s was not certifiable as RIAA began in 1952. Also artists such as Frank Sinatra, who although they were successful after 1952, were also best-selling prior to 1952. Therefore their positions in the chart reflect certifications from 1952 onwards.
The source for the information on total sales was taken from the RIAA 'Top Artists' web page.
A "U.S. studio album" is defined here as an album:
where the majority of tracks were recorded in a studio
with at least one previously unreleased track (otherwise it's considered a compilation)
released in the United States at some point in time
Number
Name
Nationality
Years Active
Genre
Certificationin millions
1
The Beatles
U.K.
60s-70s
Rock'N'Roll/Pop/Psychedelic Rock
170
2
Garth Brooks
U.S.
80s-00s
Country
128
3
Elvis Presley
U.S.
50s-70s
Rock'N'Roll/Pop/Country/Gospel
118.5
4
Led Zeppelin
U.K.
60s-80s
Hard Rock/Blues Rock
111.5
5
The Eagles
U.S.
70s-00s
Rock/Country/Folk Rock
100
6
Billy Joel
U.S.
60s-00s
Piano Rock
79.5
7
Pink Floyd
U.K.
60s-00s
Rock
74.5
8
Barbra Streisand
U.S.
60s-00s
Pop
71
9
AC/DC
AUS
70s-00s
Hard Rock
71
10
Elton John
U.K.
70s-00s
Piano Rock
70
11
George Strait
U.S.
80s-00s
Country
67.5
12
Aerosmith
U.S.
70s-00s
Rock
66.5
13
Rolling Stones
U.K.
60s-00s
Rock
66
14
Bruce Springsteen
U.S.
70s-00s
Rock
63.5
15
Madonna
U.S.
80s-00s
Dance Pop
63.5
16
Mariah Carey
U.S.
90s-00s
Pop/R&B
62.5
17
Michael Jackson
U.S.
60s-00s
Pop/R&B/Rock/Soul
60.5
18
Metallica
U.S.
80s-00s
Thrash Metal/Heavy Metal
58
19
Van Halen
U.S.
70s-00s
Rock
56.5
20
Whitney Houston
U.S.
80s-00s
Pop/R&B
54
21
Kenny Rogers
U.S.
50s-00s
Country
51
22
U2
Ireland
80s-00s
Rock
50.5
23
Celine Dion
Canada
80s-00s
Pop
50
24
Fleetwood Mac
U.K./U.S.
60s-00s
Rock
48.5
25
Neil Diamond
U.S.
60s-80s
Pop
48.5
26
Kenny G
U.S.
80s-00s
Jazz
48
27
Shania Twain
Canada
90s-00s
Country/Pop
48
28
Journey
U.S.
70s-00s
Rock/Pop
47
29
Alabama
U.S.
70s-00s
Country/Rock
46
30
Santana
Mexico
60s-00s
Rock/Blues
43
31
Eric Clapton
U.K.
60s-00s
Blues/Blues Rock/Rock
42.5
32
Guns N' Roses
US
80s-00s
Hair Metal
42.5
33
Alan Jackson
U.S.
80s-00s
Country
42.5
34
Bob Seger
U.S.
60s-00s
Rock
41
35
Reba McEntire
U.S.
80s-00s
Country
40.5
36
Prince
U.S.
70s-00s
Pop/R&B/Funk
39.5
37
Simon and Garfunkel
U.S.
50s-80s
Pop/Rock
38.5
38
Chicago
U.S.
60s-00s
Pop
38
39
Foreigner
U.S./U.K.
70s-00s
Rock/Pop
37.5
40
Rod Stewart
U.K.
60s-00s
Pop/Rock/Disco
37
41
Backstreet Boys
U.S.
90s-00s
Pop
37
42
Bob Dylan
U.S.
60s-00s
Folk/Rock
37
43
2Pac
U.S.
90s-00s
Rap
36.5
44
Willie Nelson
U.S.
50s-00s
Country
35
45
Tim McGraw
U.S.
90s-00s
Country
35
46
Def Leppard
U.K.
70s-00s
Hair Metal
35
47
Bon Jovi
U.S.
80s-00s
Hair Metal
34
48
Phil Collins
U.K.
80s-00s
Pop Rock/Progressive Rock
33.5
49
James Taylor
U.S.
70s-00s
Folk/Rock
33
50
R. Kelly
U.S.
90s-00s
R&B
33
51
Queen
U.K.
70s-00s
Arena/Glam/Heavy Metal/Progressive Rock
32.5
52
John Denver
U.S.
60s-00s
Folk/Rock
32.5
53
The Doors
U.S.
60s-70s
Psychedelic Rock
32
54
Boston
U.S.
70s-00s
Rock
31
55
Britney Spears
U.S
90s-00s
Pop
31
56
Dave Matthews Band
U.S
90s-00s
Rock
21
57
Dixie Chicks
U.S.
80s-00s
Country
30.5
58
Linda Ronstadt
U.S.
60s-00s
Country/Pop
30
59
Pearl Jam
U.S.
90s-00s
Rock (Grunge)
30
60
Ozzy Osbourne
U.K.
60s-00s
Heavy metal
28.75
61
Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
U.S.
60s-00s
Rock
28.5
62
Mannheim Steamroller
U.S.
70s-00s
Classical Rock
28
63
'N Sync
U.S.
90s-00s
Pop
28
64
Lynyrd Skynyrd
U.S.
60s-00s
Southern Rock
28
65
Michael Bolton
U.S.
80s-00s
Pop
28
66
John Mellencamp
U.S.
70s-00s
Rock
27.5
67
Barry Manilow
U.S.
70s-00s
Pop
27.5
68
Frank Sinatra
U.S.
30s-90s
Pop (Traditional)
27
69
Boyz II Men
U.S.
90s-00s
R&B
27
70
Eminem
U.S.
90s-00s
Rap
27
71
Enya
Ireland
80s-00s
New Age (Celtic)
26.5
72
Brooks & Dunn
U.S.
90s-00s
Country
26.5
73
Janet Jackson
U.S.
80s-00s
Pop/R&B
26
74
Jay-Z
U.S.
80s-00s
Rap
26
75
Creedence Clearwater Revival
U.S.
50s-70s
Rock
26
76
The Bee Gees
U.K.
60s-00s
Pop/Disco
26
77
Faith Hill
U.S.
90s-00s
Country
25.5
78
Creed
U.S.
90s-00s
Rock
25
79
Luther Vandross
U.S.
60s-80s
R&B
25
80
ZZ Top
U.S.
70s-00s
Rock
25
81
Nirvana
U.S.
80s-90s
Rock (Grunge)
25
82
Rush
Canada
60s-00s
Rock
25
83
Steve Miller Band
U.S.
60s-90s
Rock
24.5
84
The Carpenters
U.S.
60s-80s
Pop
24.5
85
Toby Keith
U.S.
90s-00s
Country
24
86
Vince Gill
U.S.
70s-00s
Country
24
87
Earth, Wind & Fire
U.S.
70s-00s
R&B/Disco/Pop
23.5
88
The Cars
U.S.
70s-80s
Rock
23.5
89
Mötley Crüe
U.S.
80s-00s
Hair Metal
23.5
90
Jimmy Buffett
U.S.
60s-00s
Country/Pop
23
91
Sade
U.K.
80s-00s
Soul/R&B/Jazz
22.5
92
Jimi Hendrix
U.S.
60s-70s
Blues Rock/Rock
22.5
93
The Police
U.K.
70s-80s
Rock
22.5
94
Kenny Chesney
U.S.
90s-00s
Country
22.5
95
Lionel Richie
U.S.
80s-00s
R&B, Soul, Soft Rock
22
96
Green Day
U.S.
80s-00s
Punk rock, Alternative rock
22
97
REO Speedwagon
U.S.
70s-00s
Rock
22
98
Outkast
U.S.
90s-00s
R&B/Hip-Hop/Pop/Dance
22
99
Beastie Boys
U.S.
80s-00s
Punk/Rap
22
100
TLC
U.S.
90s-00s
R&B/Hip-Hop/Pop/Dance
22
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