While several artists are claimed to have sold over a billion records, Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson are most frequently cited as reaching or exceeding this milestone, often vying for the title of best-selling artist ever, with estimates for both ranging from 1 billion to over 1.8 billion units sold, though verifying exact figures is challenging due to varying methodologies.
Globally, Elvis has sold over one billion records, more than any other artist. His American sales have earned him gold, platinum or multi-platinum awards for 150 different albums and singles.
Taylor Swift is the highest-grossing live music artist of all time, collecting $3 billion according to Pollstar. U2, Coldplay, Bruce Springsteen, and Elton John also passed two-billion mark in concert revenue.
Who is the most successful artist of all time?
🤯‼️Michael Jackson has now sold over about 1.5 billion records worldwide. The king of Pop who passed on in 2009 at 33 is one of the highest selling rappers of all time.
Jackson became a worldwide symbol through music videos and pop innovation, while Swift dominates fandom culture and fan engagement in the digital age. Ultimately, the show lands on a nuanced conclusion: both artists define their generations — just in completely different ways.
According to Guinness World Records, Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" (1942) is the best-selling single worldwide, with estimated sales of over 50 million copies.
As to be expected, due to his far greater number of total chart entries, Elvis has the advantage over The Beatles in most performance categories. Presley placed 102 titles in Billboard's top 40, while The Beatles had 50 entries that made it that far up the chart. In the top 20, Elvis had 61 songs and The Beatles 37.
Top artists globally
The richest singer of all time is generally considered to be Jay-Z, with estimated net worths reaching billions, primarily from his music, record labels (Roc-A-Fella), fashion (Rocawear), and significant investments in alcohol brands (D'usse, Ace of Spades) and tech companies like Uber. Other music billionaires include Taylor Swift and Rihanna, while Paul McCartney is the wealthiest British musician, but Jay-Z consistently leads lists of the world's richest musicians due to his diverse business empire.
The biggest concert crowd ever recorded was for Rod Stewart's free New Year's Eve show on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro in 1994, drawing an estimated 3.5 to 4 million people. Other massive events include Jean-Michel Jarre's 1997 Moscow concert (3.5 million) and his 1990 Paris show (2.5 million), and the Monsters of Rock festival in Moscow (1.6 million).
1. Taylor Swift — Eras Tour (2023-2024)
Garth Brooks is the artist with nine diamond-certified albums, a record for album sales (10 million+ units each), though Drake now leads in total Diamond certifications (albums and singles combined) with over 10, followed by Post Malone for singles. Brooks' nine diamond albums include classics like Double Live, The Ultimate Hits, and In Pieces, making him the sole artist with this many album awards from the RIAA.
Michael Jackson's Thriller, estimated to have sold 70 million copies worldwide, is the best-selling album ever. Jackson also has the highest number of albums on the list with five, Celine Dion has four, while the Beatles, Madonna, Whitney Houston and Pink Floyd each have three.
Through his songs, concerts, and fashion, he proliferated visual performance for artists in popular music, popularizing street dance moves such as the moonwalk, the robot, and the anti-gravity lean. Jackson is often deemed the greatest entertainer of all time.
It's a debate with no single answer, as Elvis Presley was bigger in US chart dominance (114 Top 40 hits vs. MJ's 36) and pioneering rock, while Michael Jackson achieved greater global reach, international tours, and broader multimedia influence (music videos, dance). Both are among the biggest artists ever, selling over a billion records, but Elvis was the original King of Rock, while Jackson became the King of Pop with unparalleled global cultural saturation.
Dolly Parton said no to Elvis Presley recording "I Will Always Love You" because his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, demanded half of the publishing rights, which Parton refused to give up, as she wanted to keep ownership and the future earnings for her family. Despite her heartbreak at the missed opportunity, she held firm to her business principle, understanding that retaining the copyright was crucial for her financial security and legacy, a decision that paid off immensely after Whitney Houston's cover became a global phenomenon.
Many have speculated about who made the decision to reject the Beatles. While various accounts of the audition have been published, most agree that it was either Dick Rowe or Mike Smith.
The "number one played song in the world" depends on the metric: The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" is the most-streamed song ever on Spotify (over 5.231 billion streams), while Djo's "End of Beginning" was a top global song recently on Spotify; historically, Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" is the best-selling single of all time, and Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997" / "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" is the biggest-selling single since charts began, but in terms of current global popularity, it's a rotating list with many contenders.
It's a question that has rung out across dancefloors for more than 20 years. The answer, for The Killers' Mr Brightside, lies in breaking chart records... if not actually topping the charts.
Martin has written the second-most number-one singles on the chart, behind only Paul McCartney (32), having surpassed John Lennon (26) with his 27th number one in March 2024. Many of Martin's hits were used in the 2019 jukebox musical & Juliet.
The Rolling Stones, $2.5 billion
Compared to other rock bands that came up in the 1960s, the Rolling Stones have fared well.
Today In Music History February 13, 1981 Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of Moon became the longest-running rock record on the Billboard album chart, concluding its 402nd week.
Top 15 Rock Bands of all Time