List of best selling music artists in US: Encyclopedia - List of best selling music artists in US
List of best selling music artists in US
This is the list of best selling music artists in the United States only as of September 2005. It's based on certifications of album sales by the RIAA.
A "US 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
Top Artists
Totals are derived from cumulative album sales totals (U.S. only)
Artist-Certified Units (in Millions)
1. THE BEATLES-168.5
2. ELVIS PRESLEY-116.5
3. LED ZEPPELIN-107.5
4. GARTH BROOKS-105.0
5. EAGLES-89.0
6. BILLY JOEL-78.5
7. PINK FLOYD-73.5
8. BARBRA STREISAND-70.5
9. ELTON JOHN-69.0
10. AC/DC-66.0
11. AEROSMITH-65.5
12. THE ROLLING STONES-64.5
13. BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN-61.5
14. MADONNA-60.0
14. GEORGE STRAIT-60.0
15. JACKSON, MICHAEL-59.5
16. MARIAH CAREY-57.5
17. METALLICA-57.0
18. VAN HALEN-56.5
19. WHITNEY HOUSTON-54.0
20. U2-50.5
21. KENNY ROGERS-50.0
22. FLEETWOOD MAC-48.5
23. KENNY G-48.0
24. NEIL DIAMOND-47.5
25. CELINE DION-47.0
25. SHANIA TWAIN-47.0
27. ALABAMA-46.0
28. SANTANA-42.0
29. JOURNEY-41.0
30. ALAN JACKSON-39.5
31. ERIC CLAPTON-39.0
31. PRINCE-39.0
33. SIMON & GARFUNKEL-38.5
34. BACKSTREET BOYS-38.0
34. BOB SEGER AND THE SILVER BULLET BAND-38.0
36. CHICAGO-38.0
36. REBA MC ENTIRE-36.5
36. GUNS 'N ROSES-36.5
36. 2 PAC-36.5
40. FOREIGNER-36.5
41. BOB DYLAN-35.0
42. ROD STEWART-34.5
43. WILLIE NELSON-34.0
44. DEF LEPPARD-33.0
44. PHIL COLLINS-33.0
46. JOHN DENVER-32.5
47. JAMES TAYLOR-32.0
48. BON JOVI-32.0
49. QUEEN-31.5
50. BRITNEY SPEARS-31.0
- - - - - Top 50 Artists - - - - -
50. R. KELLY-31.0
50. BOSTON-31.0
53. LINDA RONSTADT-30.0
53. THE DOORS-30.0
55. DAVE MATTHEWS BAND-29.5
56. PEARL JAM-29.0
57. DIXIE CHICKS-28.5
58. OZZY OSBOURNE-28.3
59. 'N SYNC-28.0
59. TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS-28.0
59. MICHAEL BOLTON-28.0
62. JOHN MELLENCAMP-27.5
63. MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER-27.0
63. BOYZ II MEN-27.0
65. TIM MC GRAW-26.0
65. LYNYRD SKYNYRD-26.0
65. BEE GEES-26.0
68. FRANK SINATRA-25.5
69. JANET JACKSON-25.0
69. EMINEM-25.0
69. NIRVANA-25.0
69. ZZ TOP-25.0
73. RUSH-24.5
73. BARRY MANILOW-24.5
73. THE CARPENTERS-24.5
76. STEVE MILLER BAND-24.0
76. CREED-24.0
76. BROOKS & DUNN-24.0
79. LUTHER VANDROSS-23.5
79. THE CARS-23.5
79. EARTH, WIND & FIRE-23.5
82. FAITH HILL-23.0
83. MOTLEY CRUE-22.5
83. VINCE GILL-22.5
83. SADE-22.5
86. ENYA-22.0
86. CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL-22.0
86. TLC-22.0
86. DOOBIE BROTHERS-22.0
86. BEASTIE BOYS-22.0
86. THE POLICE-22.0
92. R.E.O. SPEEDWAGON-21.5
92. JIMMY BUFFETT-21.5
92. GENESIS-21.5
95. JAY-Z-21.0
95. LIONEL RICHIE-21.0
97. BEACH BOYS-20.5
97. MEAT LOAF-20.5
97. ALANIS MORISSETTE-20.5
97. HEART-20.5
- - - - - Top 100 Artists - - - - -
97. JIMI HENDRIX-20.5
103. THE WHO-20.0
103. OUTKAST-20.0
103. HOOTIE & THE BLOWFISH-20.0
106. GREEN DAY-19.5
106. USHER-19.5
106. R.E.M.-19.5
109. KISS-19.0
109. TONI BRAXTON-19.0
111. HANK WILLIAMS JR.-19.0
111. NELLY-19.0
111. TOBY KEITH-19.0
114. RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS-18.5
114. STEVIE WONDER-18.5
116. SMASHING PUMPKINS-18.3
117. CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG-18.0
117. KID ROCK-18.0
117. MATCHBOX TWENTY-18.0
120. SARAH MC LACHLAN-17.5
120. STING-17.5
120. RANDY TRAVIS-17.5
120. STONE TEMPLE PILOTS-17.5
120. JEWEL-17.5
120. THE MONKEES-17.5
120. GRATEFUL DEAD-17.5
127. JOHNNY CASH-17.0
127. BRYAN ADAMS-17.0
127. JACKSON BROWNE-17.0
127. JOHNNY MATHIS-17.0
127. BONNIE RAITT-17.0
132. BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS-16.5
132. STYX-16.5
132. AMY GRANT-16.5
132. KENNY CHESNEY-16.5
132. NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK-16.5
132. DESTINY'S CHILD-16.5
132. NEIL YOUNG-16.5
139. HAMMER-16.0
139. LIMP BIZKIT-16.0
139. NOTORIOUS B.I.G.-16.0
142. BAD COMPANY-15.5
142. CAT STEVENS-15.5
142. GLORIA ESTEFAN-15.5
142. DIRE STRAITS-15.5
142. JANIS JOPLIN-15.5
142. LEANN RIMES-15.5
142. KANSAS-15.5
142. LINKIN PARK-15.5
142. ISLEY BROTHERS-15.5
- - - - - Top 150 Artists - - - - -
HARRY CONNICK JR.-15.0
BLACK SABBATH-15.0
NO DOUBT-15.0
DAN FOGELBERG-15.0
GEORGE MICHAEL-15.0
MARY J. BLIGE-15.0
SHERYL CROW-15.0
KORN-14.5
CRANBERRIES, THE-14.5
160. INXS-14.5
KING, CAROLE-14.5
NUGENT, TED-14.0
DMX-14.0
NEWTON-JOHN, OLIVIA-14.0
MURRAY, ANNE-14.0
MONTGOMERY, JOHN MICHAEL-14.0
JONES, NORAH-14.0
MC CARTNEY, PAUL-14.0
SIMON, PAUL-13.5
170. COLE, NATALIE-13.5
AGUILERA, CHRISTINA-13.5
DANIELS, CHARLIE BAND-13.5
YES-13.5
JEFFERSON AIRPLANE/STARSHIP-13.5
LENNON, JOHN-13.5
SWEAT, KEITH-13.0
CHAPMAN, TRACY-13.0
CLINE, PATSY-13.0
HALL & OATES-13.0
180. OFFSPRING-13.0
POISON-13.0
CHER-12.5
TEMPTATIONS, THE-12.5
BLACK, CLINT-12.5
ETHERIDGE, MELISSA-12.5
ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA-12.0
SNOOP DOGG-12.0
YEARWOOD, TRISHA-12.0
DURAN DURAN-12.0
190. WEBBER, ANDREW LLOYD-12.0
L.L. COOL J-12.0
TRITT, TRAVIS-12.0
LEWIS, HUEY & THE NEWS-12.0
LIVE-12.0
BAKER, ANITA-12.0
BENATAR, PAT-12.0
WHITESNAKE-12.0
MIDLER, BETTE-12.0
VAUGHAN, S.R. & DOUBLE TROUBLE-11.5
200. HENLEY, DON-11.5
- - - - - Top 200 Artists - - - - -
JENNINGS, WAYLON-11.5
MC BRIDE, MARTINA-11.5
SMITH, WILL-11.5
COUNTING CROWS-11.5
ABDUL, PAULA-11.5
YANNI-11.0
JETHRO TULL-11.0
GRAND FUNK RAILROAD-11.0
BONE THUGS 'N HARMONY-11.0
210. STEELY DAN-11.0
LOPEZ, JENNIFER-11.0
LOVERBOY-11.0
SPICE GIRLS-11.0
MARTIN, RICKY-10.5
WILLIAMS, ANDY-10.5
HARRISON, GEORGE-10.5
BUSH-10.5
BRANDY-10.5
SCORPIONS-10.5
220. NICKS, STEVIE-10.5
YOAKAM, DWIGHT-10.5
KRAVITZ, LENNY-10.5
JUDDS, THE-10.5
CYRUS, BILLY RAY-10.5
ABBA-10.5
226. 3 DOORS DOWN-10.5
This chart was generated on 6/20/2005
See also
List of best-selling music artists - world's chart.
 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "List of best selling music artists in US", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki | 
