The Best-Selling Music Artists of All Time: 2023 List
Music is the passion of way too many celebrity fans worldwide. That is why today we are going to pay homage to one of the evergreen trending topics about the best-selling music artists of all time.
While some of the musicians you will find below are no longer creating music, their albums continue selling. That is why the list is very dynamic and changes every year, and sometimes even every few months. Read below to find out who the top-selling musicians of 2023 are.
The Beatles
It certainly comes as no surprise that the legendary UK band The Beatles tops the list of the best-selling music artists of all time. The Beatles have sold a record 600 million. This number is without the solo sales of individual band members. If you add that in, we doubt that anyone will ever surpass the number.
The band played actively between 1960 and 1970. The Beatles were a massive success. As of today, there are five asteroids named after the band. In 2001, UNESCO proclaimed January 16 as the “World Beatles Day.”
It is interesting to know that before the band picked The Beatles title, it went through several name changes. Another fun fact is that on January 1, 1962, they auditioned for Decca Records and were turned down. The reason they were given was that “groups of guitars are on their way out.”
As it turns out, whoever said that could not have been any more wrong. The Beatles hold the absolute record of spending 1278 weeks on the Billboard chart. They also became the only band in history that has twice knocked itself off the top of the chart. Besides that, The Beatles are the only music group that scored a “double whammy.” That is, on July 23, 1964, they knocked The Rolling Stones off the first places in both the singles and album charts.
Elvis Presley
The second place on the list of the best-selling music artists of all time belongs to another much-beloved legend, Elvis Presley. Presley follows closely The Beatles with 500 million sales. The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll is one of the most iconic artists whose work has influenced tremendously modern culture.
Besides being incredibly charismatic, Presley was also very prolific. In 25 years, he created 24 studio albums, released 17 soundtracks, and starred in 33 movies.
He also owns the Billboard records for charting the most songs in the Top 40 and Top 100. He is also the holder of the record of 25 multi-platinum records and 101 gold albums.
A fun fact about Presley is that the artist has a spider named after him, the Paradonea Presleyi. Another little-known thing about the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll is that he was a natural blond. Also, his pink Cadillac was originally blue. Here is a glimpse of this famous automobile:
Presley was inducted into five Halls of Fame. These include the Rock ‘n’ Roll, Country, Gospel, Rockabilly, and R&B halls.
Drake
Wouldn’t you know, the Canadian singer Drake comes in third place, creeping behind the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll with 434.4 million sales.
Despite his massive success, Drake’s start was far from easy. His first mixtape released in 2006 was closer to failure. He released it in 6,000 copies, which sold for as little as $300. However, his following two tapes, which came out in 2007 and 2009, put the beginning of the era of Drake. Music companies began a war to sign him, and the rest is history.
What makes Drake so successful and widely appealing is his unique style, which offers a wonderful blend of rap and pop music. That said, Drake is more than a singer. He also has various business activities including owning an entertainment group, developing his own fashion brand, and producing whiskey.
By the way, before becoming a singer, Drake used to work as an actor. To find out if his monetary value as a movie star is as high as his music-selling fortune, read our articles about the cinematography world. Among the most curious ones is the blog post about the famous athletes who became movie stars.
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson, or the King of Pop, is estimated at 400 million in sales. We believe there is no need to give you too much background on one of the most celebrated artists and entertainers of all time. There is hardly any celebrity as beloved as the King of Pop. Years after his death, he continues to be an inspiration for older and younger generations alike.
His album Thriller is still the best-selling album of all time. Jackson also once won eight Grammy awards in a single ceremony.
Rihanna
Here is another young celebrity who scored a total of 334.4 million sales and earned the right to stand next to the King of Pop. However, this success is the result of Rihanna’s hard work and dedication. The singer has 13 American Music Awards, 12 Billboard Awards, and 9 Grammy Awards. She also has 14 Number 1 singles and 31 Top 10 singles.
Rihanna is also the owner of several successful non-music businesses. She has a cosmetics brand named after her surname, Fenty. The singer also has a non-profit organization and a fashion house.
Following Rihanna, the list of the best-selling music artists of all time includes:
- Eminem
- Elton John
- Madonna
- Led Zeppelin
- Justin Bieber