Top 10 Best Selling Music Artists of All Time

Music is life, and life is defined by music. There is hardly any person on this planet who does not like music. So in terms of market, it is huge. But then there are thousands of singers and acts who come and go. Not all get their due, not all are successful. But there were and are some that have just been a notch better than the rest, and have made their mark the world over. Those who make it to the list of best selling music artists ever, don’t get there by fluke. There is something about their voice and music that enchants us all. Let us have a look at the best selling music albums of all time. I am sure you have either heard of all of them and even listened to these legends over and over again. Here goes…

Top 10 Best Selling Music Artists in History

I. Elvis Presley (1,000,000,000+ albums sold)

Top of the list of all time greats is our own very original King of Rock ‘n Roll. Between the years 1954 and 1977, Elvis Presley managed to record a total number of 77 albums. Nine of these reached the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart. Even after he died, so many boxsets and reissues of his have been released, which has helped push sales of his records even higher.

II. The Beatles (750,000,000+ albums sold)

The Beatles were known as the Fab Four from Liverpool. They recorded together for 8 long years, and managed to record a total number of 12 original albums, which were extremely successful all over the world. Since the Beatles split, there have been numerous re-masterings of all their work. They were a class act, and the first real group band to be well-known all over the world.

III. Michael Jackson (750,000,000+ albums sold)

Michael Jackson undoubtedly was and is the biggest music star in the world. He started when he was just 7 years old in The Jackson Five with his brothers. After that, he went on to have one of the most successful solo careers ever seen, releasing 11 extremely popular albums and numerous record-breaking singles. Even now the sales of his old and new work is at an all time high.


IV. Frank Sinatra (500,000,000+ albums sold)

Frank Sinatra has probably the longest music career among all the best selling music artists we will see. He started his career in the 1930s and preformed even in the 1990s. His songs were extremely popular in all the corners of the globe, and his die-hard fans were particularly fond of his unique style of singing and music.

V. Abba (375,000,000 albums sold)

Abba was a 4-member band from Europe. They were at the peak in the 1970s after they got international fame with their track Waterloo in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest. The 4 of them were highly successful in touring and recording together, for over a decade. Even today they are still so very popular amongst the older and newer generations alike.

VI. Led Zeppelin (325,000,000 albums sold)

Led Zeppelin was formed in the year 1968, and are considered one of the first heavy metal bands ever to come along. This band never released any of their songs as singles in Great Britain, though a few of their singles were released in the United States, much against their wishes. In many surveys and charts, they have been ranked a number as the number one artists of hard rock.

VII. Nana Mouskouri (300,000,000+ albums sold)

Nana Mouskouri started her music career in the year 1958. Born is Greece, she is well-known for her trademark squarish black-rimmed eyeglasses and straight black hair that is parted in the middle. Her melancholy love songs with her unique voice is what got her the huge fan base. She has recorded numerous albums in various languages, which has helped her sell more than 300 million records worldwide.

VIII. Queen (300,000,000 albums sold)

Queen is also well known as the Freddie Mercury act. This English rock band were a rage worldwide, and managed an impressive 300 million sales with their 15 studio albums, 5 live albums, and various other compilation albums. Queen is rightly regarded as one of the greatest live bands of all times, with record-breaking shows held wherever they set foot.

IX. Tino Rossi (300,000,000 albums sold)
Tino Rossi was a very successful singer and actor from 1929 to 1982. He had an operatic voice, and his Latin Lover persona propelled him into becoming one of the highest selling music artists ever. Tino Rossi’s career comprised of hundreds of records and over 25 films.

X. Julio Iglesias, Cliff Richard, Elton John, Madonna, Pink Floyd (250,000,000 albums sold)

All the above mentioned fit into the tenth slot with around 250 million albums sold worldwide, and still going strong. There are well-known in every corner of the globe, and there is hardly any music lover who will not have listened and liked them in his or her lifetime.

These were the top 10 best selling music artists of all time. And mind you, these sales figures are not stagnant. As we speak, thousands of their albums are being sold around the world everyday. That is how popular they are, and will continue to be. Like they say, you may come and go, but it’s the memories that you leave behind that last forever.

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