Before streams were incorporated into the all-genre albums chart, Amos Lee's Mission Bell held the record for the lowest-selling No. 1, as it debuted with only 40,000 copies, but it's important to remember that it did so back when streams did not factor into where a title landed.
Michael Jackson's Thriller, estimated to have sold 70 million copies worldwide, is the best-selling album ever. Jackson also currently has the highest number of albums on the list with five, Celine Dion has four, while the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Madonna and Whitney Houston each have three.
Harry Belafonte (37 weeks)
Calypso is tied with the South Pacific soundtrack as the longest-running No. 1 album of the 1956-59 period. Belafonte had the second shortest span of weeks at No.
The Beatles have tallied the most No. 1 hits in the 61-year history of the Hot 100, with 20. Their closest competitor is Mariah Carey, with 18.
Frankie Laine – I Believe (18 weeks)
Famous composer Mantovani then claimed the Number 1 spot, before Frankie gave him a nudge and racked up an additional three weeks. Only five songs in history have scored three separate stints at the top!
Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney and Phil Collins are the only musicians to have sold over 100 million albums as a solo artist and member of a group. I remember Phil Collins.
Over the course of Elvis' life, he achieved some of the highest accolades in music and film. It is estimated that more than one billion Elvis records have been sold worldwide, more than anyone in record industry history.
The same could be said of Michael Jackson who has sold more albums in death than the last 13 years of his life. The King of Pop has shifted 13.2 million albums since his death in 2009, compared to 13.1 million from 1996-2008. Jimi Hendrix went to the great jam session in the sky in September 1970.
Garth Brooks is the artist with the most diamond albums.
For most people, the perfect length for an album is less than an hour, and anything which lasts longer than that allotted time is overstaying its welcome. However, one band didn't receive that memo when they crafted a record-breaking LP with an overwhelming 1000 tracks. The band in question are called The Pocket Gods.
The first CD to sell a million copies world-wide was Dire Straits' Brother in Arms in 1986. It subsequently topped a million sales in Europe alone, including over 250,000 in Britain.
The Beatles have the most No. 1 hits of all time: 20.
Since the RIAA introduced its awards on 14 March 1958, Elvis Presley holds the record for the most platinum certificates for both albums and singles with 82.
Gerhard Richter is at the very top of our list—the most famous living painter today. Born in 1932 in Dresden, Germany, Richter currently lives and works in Cologne, Germany.
Mariah Carey (USA) has topped the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart on 19 different occasions.
Only 22 albums in history have sold 1 million copies in a single week — here they all are.
RIAA Unveils Official Diamond Award
The Diamond Award is established to honor sales of 10 million copies or more of an album or song. View all Diamond Awards.
Total Sales: 30 Million
Bruce Springsteen remains one the greatest singer and songwriters in United States history, and this was highlighted by his 1984 album Born In The U.S.A. In addition to the title track, it contained memorable hits such as Dancing In The Dark, I'm On Fire, and Glory Days.
According to Guinness World Records, Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" (1942) as performed by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single worldwide, with estimated sales of over 50 million copies.
Spotify has really outdone themselves with this one. The longest song on their platform is also the longest song ever recorded. It's called “Symphony of the Crown” by Canadian artist Earthena. It clocks in at an impressive 48 hours, 39 minutes, and 43 seconds.
An elite 12 artists have achieved top 10 placements on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart in four or more decades, led by Andy Williams and Michael Jackson, with top 10 ranks in five decades each.