Updated U.S. Album Sales by Artist

[AZ Shocker]

Ever wanna know how many albums your favortie bands have sold?
Keep in mind that these are albums sold ONLY in the U.S. and does not count worldwide sales.

The RIAA Update - Artist U.S. Album Sales

BEATLES, THE
168.5

PRESLEY, ELVIS
116.5

LED ZEPPELIN
107.5

BROOKS, GARTH
105.0

EAGLES
89.0

JOEL, BILLY
78.5

PINK FLOYD
73.5

STREISAND, BARBRA
70.5

JOHN, ELTON
69.0

AC/DC
66.0

AEROSMITH
65.5

ROLLING STONES, THE
64.5

SPRINGSTEEN, BRUCE
61.5

MADONNA
60.0

STRAIT, GEORGE
60.0

JACKSON, MICHAEL
59.5

CAREY, MARIAH
57.5

METALLICA
57.0

VAN HALEN
56.5

HOUSTON, WHITNEY
54.0

U2
50.5

ROGERS, KENNY
50.0

FLEETWOOD MAC
48.5

KENNY G
48.0

DIAMOND, NEIL
47.5

DION, CELINE
47.0

TWAIN, SHANIA
47.0

ALABAMA
46.0

SANTANA
42.0

JOURNEY
41.0

JACKSON, ALAN
39.5

CLAPTON, ERIC
39.0

PRINCE
39.0

SIMON & GARFUNKEL
38.5

SEGER, BOB AND THE SILVER BULLET BAND
38.0

CHICAGO
38.0

MC ENTIRE, REBA
36.5

GUNS 'N ROSES
36.5

2 PAC
36.5

FOREIGNER
36.5

BACKSTREET BOYS
36.0

DYLAN, BOB
35.0

STEWART, ROD
34.5

NELSON, WILLIE
34.0

DEF LEPPARD
33.0

COLLINS, PHIL
33.0

DENVER, JOHN
32.5

TAYLOR, JAMES
32.0

BON JOVI
32.0

QUEEN
31.5

SPEARS, BRITNEY
31.0

KELLY, R.
31.0

BOSTON
31.0

RONSTADT, LINDA
30.0

DOORS, THE
30.0

MATTHEWS, DAVE BAND
29.5

PEARL JAM
29.0

DIXIE CHICKS
28.5

OSBOURNE, OZZY
28.3

'N SYNC
28.0

PETTY, TOM & THE HEARTBREAKERS
28.0

BOLTON, MICHAEL
28.0

MELLENCAMP, JOHN
27.5

MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER
27.0

BOYZ II MEN
27.0

MC GRAW, TIM
26.0

LYNYRD SKYNYRD
26.0

BEE GEES
26.0

SINATRA, FRANK
25.5

JACKSON, JANET
25.0

EMINEM
25.0

NIRVANA
25.0

ZZ TOP
25.0

RUSH
24.5

MANILOW, BARRY
24.5

CARPENTERS, THE
24.5

MILLER, STEVE BAND
24.0

CREED
24.0

BROOKS & DUNN
24.0

VANDROSS, LUTHER
23.5

CARS, THE
23.5

EARTH, WIND & FIRE
23.5

HILL, FAITH
23.0

MOTLEY CRUE
22.5

GILL, VINCE
22.5

SADE
22.5

ENYA
22.0

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL
22.0

TLC
22.0

DOOBIE BROTHERS
22.0

BEASTIE BOYS
22.0

POLICE, THE
22.0

R.E.O. SPEEDWAGON
21.5

BUFFETT, JIMMY
21.5

GENESIS
21.5

JAY-Z
21.0

RICHIE, LIONEL
21.0

BEACH BOYS, THE
20.5

MEAT LOAF
20.5

MORISSETTE, ALANIS
20.5

HEART
20.5

HENDRIX, JIMI
20.5

WHO, THE
20.0

OUTKAST
20.0

HOOTIE & THE BLOWFISH
20.0

GREEN DAY
19.5

USHER
19.5

R.E.M.
19.5

KISS
19.0

BRAXTON, TONI
19.0

WILLIAMS, HANK, JR.
19.0

NELLY
19.0

KEITH, TOBY
19.0

RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
18.5

WONDER, STEVIE
18.5

SMASHING PUMPKINS
18.3

CROSBY, STILLS, NASH & YOUNG
18.0

KID ROCK
18.0

MATCHBOX TWENTY
18.0

MC LACHLAN, SARAH
17.5

STING
17.5

TRAVIS, RANDY
17.5

STONE TEMPLE PILOTS
17.5

JEWEL
17.5

MONKEES, THE
17.5

GRATEFUL DEAD
17.5

CASH, JOHNNY
17.0

ADAMS, BRYAN
17.0

BROWNE, JACKSON
17.0

MATHIS, JOHNNY
17.0

RAITT, BONNIE
17.0

MARLEY, BOB & THE WAILERS
16.5

STYX
16.5

GRANT, AMY
16.5

CHESNEY, KENNY
16.5

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
16.5

DESTINY'S CHILD
16.5

YOUNG, NEIL
16.5

HAMMER
16.0

LIMP BIZKIT
16.0

NOTORIOUS B.I.G.
16.0

BAD COMPANY
15.5

STEVENS, CAT
15.5

ESTEFAN, GLORIA
15.5

DIRE STRAITS
15.5

JOPLIN, JANIS
15.5

RIMES, LEANN
15.5

KANSAS
15.5

LINKIN PARK
15.5

ISLEY BROTHERS
15.5

CONNICK, HARRY, JR.
15.0

BLACK SABBATH
15.0

NO DOUBT
15.0

FOGELBERG, DAN
15.0

MICHAEL, GEORGE
15.0

BLIGE, MARY J.
15.0

CROW, SHERYL
15.0

KORN
14.5

CRANBERRIES, THE
14.5

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

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

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

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

HENLEY, DON
11.5

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

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

NICKS, STEVIE
10.5

YOAKAM, DWIGHT
10.5

KRAVITZ, LENNY
10.5

JUDDS, THE
10.5

CYRUS, BILLY RAY
10.5

ABBA
10.5

3 DOORS DOWN
10.5

 

[thirty-two]

i know hanson is on there somewhere!

:furiouslylooking:

 

[marathon_mom]

Wow. Some of those seem kinda low. I guess since it's jsut US sales only, makes that big of a difference. Interesting.

 

[O]

I would have thought that Frank Sinatra would have been a lot higher.
I mean, Michael Bolton has sold more then Sinatra. There is something that is just fundamentally wrong with this.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Thanks for providing that link and info....

A lot of it is extremely misleading and I will probably start dissecting some of it..

The Beatles being ranked #1 isnt shocking whatsoever....There are always 3rd, 4th, 5th etc..generation Beatles fans who discover and fall in love with their music... Just like this 2-3 y/o boy around '79 who heard their music for the first time and there was never any turning back whatsoever... Of course.. that was me.... I would listen to what was already in my parent's collection..then would have them add (and I would later buy on c.d.) what was missing along with most of Lennon's and McCartney's solo records...Of course.. they still market themselves brilliantly with all those deluxe edition releases such as "BBC" and the "Anthology" series... Just unfortunate though that Whacko Jackso still owns the rights to their music.....

Elvis... that one baffles me... Perhaps of course it's all most from his height of popularlity to probably a couple of years after his death, but I just dont see many still purchasing all his albums at that constant rate..which they would separate from decade-2-decade sales to gain a better understanding.. Perhaps they do and that's something I must research and will report back my findings....

Led Zeppelin.... Enough said....

Garth Brooks... I would say that if there's someone of "Young Country" I actually dont mind listening to.. it's him..... He's crossed over to mainstream pretty well... All I ask though.. never pull a Chris Gaines type transformation ever again.....

Eagles... Really have marketed themselves well... Another band that I started to enjoy when I was still practically a toddler... Even spent countless hours then listening to the "Hotel California" album nonstop.....

Billy Joel... See above abot the Eagles... I would listen to "Stranger", "52nd Street", and "Glass Houses" back then like my life had depended on it... "An Innocent Man" is probably the last album of his that I enjoyed, but I did like some of the tracks on "Storm Front" and did enjoy seeing him live during his tour to support it...

Pink Floyd... enough said, but watch them gain even more of stronger fanbase after their Live 8 performance.....

Barbara Streisand.....#8? Dont know why she would be ranked so high... Hasnt done too much recording since the early 80s and her earlier material wasnt the greatest either....

Elton Jon... Has done a fantastic job lasting as long as he has... His earlier albums are still being purchased at a frequent rate and in the process his newer material is still relatively decent....

AC/DC.... I'm shocked that people have purchased more of their c.d.s compared to many who are way below them.... Most probably were bought in the early-mid 80s, but I guess they've had some surge over recent years, especially since many yearn Metal or a heavier rock sound now more than ever...

That's all for now.. will discuss others later.....

 

[Dback Jon]

The older the artist, the more likely the sales are boosted by repeat purchases in different formats.....vinyl, eight-track, cassette, cassette, cd.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

The older the artist, the more likely the sales are boosted by repeat purchases in different formats.....vinyl, eight-track, cassette, cassette, cd.

That's a damn good astute obversation which is why I hope to find a decade-by-decade breakdown of sales.....

I believe Compact Discs werent available on the market until 1987 and several of the older bands perfectly calculated everything by re-releasing their c.d.s in a deluxe-package which includes previously older released tracks, demos of what eventually became the finished product, and then concert tracks that the bands were performing at the time to support that album....

Of course..several bands throughout history were more Single (45s) oriented or most UK bands were plagued when their US label would release different album versions compared to what their British companies were doing.... Also, what should be taken into account are so many albums that arent being pressed....

Anyways.... it still baffles me how Streisand has generated so many sales and that AC/DC ranks ahead of the likes of the Who, Rolling Stones, Van Halen, and U2 in terms of sales volume... True, I must not also overlook the fact that some of those bands recorded more albums compared to their contemporaries and such.......

It's a really fascinating topic to explore regarding our country's buying habits in general.. also to break it all down in terms of demographics would make it even more interesting....

It seems that Country has outsold most of the other genres combined which is extremely intriguing to me.....

 

[AZ Shocker]

Hadn't had much time to do any research myself (just got back from vacation)

Looking at just the Top-20 selling US artist, I quickly broke up their styles to categorize and explore. It looks as though "Rock" music dominates the Top-20. Please add any input or suggestions as it pertains to the artist particular "stlye"...

Rock - 7
BEATLES, LED ZEPPELIN, AC/DC, AEROSMITH, THE ROLLING STONES, METALLICA, VAN HALEN

Easy Listening - 5
BILLY JOEL, PINK FLOYD, BARBARA STREISAND, ELTON JOHN, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

Pop - 4
MADONNA, MICHAEL JACKSON, MARIAH CAREY, WHITNEY HOSTON

Country - 2
GARTH BROOKS, GEORGE STRAIT

Rap - 0

Not sure what to classify these artist as:
ELVIS PRESLEY
THE EAGLES
It could be argued that they were/are "country", "rock" or even "easy listening". Also - not entirely sure that Pink Floyd is "easy listening".
What say you...?

 

[Griffin]

Hadn't had much time to do any research myself (just got back from vacation)

Looking at just the Top-20 selling US artist, I quickly broke up their styles to categorize and explore. It looks as though "Rock" music dominates the Top-20. Please add any input or suggestions as it pertains to the artist particular "stlye"...

Rock - 7
BEATLES, LED ZEPPELIN, AC/DC, AEROSMITH, THE ROLLING STONES, METALLICA, VAN HALEN

Easy Listening - 5
BILLY JOEL, PINK FLOYD, BARBARA STREISAND, ELTON JOHN, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

Pop - 4
MADONNA, MICHAEL JACKSON, MARIAH CAREY, WHITNEY HOSTON

Country - 2
GARTH BROOKS, GEORGE STRAIT

Rap - 0

Not sure what to classify these artist as:
ELVIS PRESLEY
THE EAGLES
It could be argued that they were/are "country", "rock" or even "easy listening". Also - not entirely sure that Pink Floyd is "easy listening".
What say you...?

I say Pink Floyd definitely goes under ROCK.