List of highest - certified music artists in the United States - wikipedia List of highest - certified music artists in the United States This is the list of the highest - certified music artists in the United States based on certifications by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ). RIAA certifications are based on wholesale shipments rather than retail sales. Since 2016, the RIAA album certification has also included on - demand audio / video streams ( 1,500 streams = 1 album unit ) and track sale equivalent ( 10 track sales = 1 album unit ). Additionally, awards are only presented if and when a record company applies for certification. Therefore, the total certified units for a given artist may be incomplete or out of date. The RIAA began its certifications in 1958, therefore, popular artists from earlier eras are generally not represented on this list. The Beatles are the act with highest - certified albums, while Drake is the act with the highest - certified digital singles. Contents 1 Top 100 certified music artists ( albums ) 2 Top 50 certified music artists ( digital singles ) 3 External links 4 See also 5 References Top 100 certified music artists ( albums ) The Beatles Garth Brooks Elvis Presley Led Zeppelin Eagles List of artists with the highest - certified albums No. Name Nationality Decades active Certified units in millions The Beatles UK 1960s -- 70s 178 Garth Brooks United States 1980s -- 2010s 148 Elvis Presley US 1950s -- 70s 146.5 Led Zeppelin UK 1960s -- 80s 111.5 5 Eagles US 1970s -- 2010s 101 6 Billy Joel US 1970s - 2010s 82.5 7 Michael Jackson US 1960s -- 2000s 81 8 Elton John UK 1960s -- 2010s 78 9 Pink Floyd UK 1960s -- 2010s 75 10 AC / DC Australia 1970s -- 2010s 72 11 George Strait US 1980s -- 2010s 69 12 Barbra Streisand US 1960s -- 2010s 68.5 13 Aerosmith US 1970s -- 2010s 66.5 The Rolling Stones UK 1960s -- 2010s 66.5 15 Bruce Springsteen US 1970s -- 2010s 65.5 16 Madonna US 1980s -- 2010s 64.5 17 Mariah Carey US 1990s -- 2010s 64 18 Metallica US 1980s -- 2010s 63 19 Whitney Houston US 1980s -- 2010s 58.5 20 Van Halen US 1970s -- 2010s 56.5 21 U2 Ireland 1970s -- 2010s 52 22 Celine Dion Canada 1980s -- 2010s 50 23 Fleetwood Mac UK 1960s -- 2010s 49.5 Neil Diamond US 1960s -- 2010s 49.5 25 Shania Twain Canada 1990s -- 2010s 48 Kenny G US 1980s -- 2010s 48 Journey US 1970s -- 2010s 48 28 Kenny Rogers US 1950s -- 2000s 47.5 29 Alabama US 1970s -- 2010s 46.5 30 Guns N ' Roses US 1980s -- 2010s 44.5 Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band US 1960s -- 2010s 44.5 Eminem US 1990s -- 2010s 44.5 33 Santana US 1960s -- 2010s 43.5 Alan Jackson US 1980s -- 2010s 43.5 35 Taylor Swift US 2000s - 2010s 43 36 Reba McEntire US 1970s -- 2010s 41 37 Eric Clapton UK 1960s -- 2010s 40 38 Chicago US 1960s -- 2010s 38.5 Simon and Garfunkel US 1960s -- 70s 38.5 40 Rod Stewart UK 1960s -- 2010s 38 41 Tim McGraw US 1990s -- 2010s 37.5 Foreigner US 1970s -- 2010s 37.5 43 Backstreet Boys US 1990s -- 2010s 37 44 Tupac Shakur US 1990s 36.5 45 Bob Dylan US 1960s -- 2010s 36 46 Willie Nelson US 1950s - 2010s 35.5 47 Def Leppard UK 1970s -- 2010s 35 48 Queen UK 1970s -- 2000s 34.5 Bon Jovi US 1980s -- 2010s 34.5 Britney Spears US 1990s -- 2010s 34.5 51 Phil Collins UK 1970s -- 2010s 33.5 Dave Matthews Band US 1990s -- 2010s 33.5 John Denver US 1960s -- 90s 33.5 54 James Taylor US 1960s -- 2010s 33 The Doors US 1960s -- 70s 33 56 R. Kelly US 1990s -- 2010s 32 57 Pearl Jam US 1990s -- 2010s 31.5 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers US 1970s - 2017 31.5 59 Boston US 1970s -- 2010s 31 60 Dixie Chicks US 1980s -- 2000s 30.5 61 Linda Ronstadt US 1960s -- 2000s 30 62 Lynyrd Skynyrd US 1960s -- 2000s 28.5 63 Mannheim Steamroller US 1970s -- 2010s 28 ' N Sync US 1990s -- 2000s 28 Michael Bolton US 1980s -- 2010s 28 Adele UK 2000s - 2010s 28 Creedence Clearwater Revival US 1960s -- 70s 28 68 Jay Z US 1990s -- 2010s 27.5 John Mellencamp US 1970s -- 2010s 27.5 Brooks & Dunn US 1990s -- 2000s 27.5 Barry Manilow US 1970s -- 2010s 27.5 Kenny Chesney US 1990s -- 2010s 27.5 73 Ozzy Osbourne UK 1960s -- 2010s 27.25 74 Boyz II Men US 1990s -- 2000s 27 Frank Sinatra US 1930s -- 90s 27 Bee Gees UK 1960s -- 2000s 27 77 Enya Ireland 1980s -- 2010s 26.5 78 Linkin Park US 1990s -- 2010s 26 Janet Jackson US 1980s -- 2010s 26 80 Faith Hill US 1990s -- 2010s 25.5 Luther Vandross US 1960s -- 2000s 25.5 Steve Miller Band US 1960s -- 2010s 25.5 83 Rush Canada 1970s -- 2010s 25 Mötley Crüe US 1980s -- 2010s 25 Nirvana US 1980s -- 90s 25 ZZ Top US 1970s -- 2010s 25 Creed US 1990s -- 2000s 25 Toby Keith US 1990s -- 2010s 25 Red Hot Chili Peppers US 1980s -- 2010s 25 90 The Carpenters US 1960s -- 80s 24.5 REO Speedwagon US 1970s -- 2010s 24.5 92 Vince Gill US 1970s -- 2010s 24 Green Day US 1980s -- 2010s 24 Nickelback Canada 1990s -- 2010s 24 95 Johnny Cash US 1970s -- 2000s 23.5 Sade UK 1980s -- 2010s 23.5 Kid Rock US 1990s -- 2010s 23.5 Earth, Wind & Fire US 1970s -- 2010s 23.5 The Cars US 1970s -- 2010s 23.5 100 Jimmy Buffett US 1960s -- 2010s 23 Jimi Hendrix US 1960s -- 70s 23 Beastie Boys US 1980s -- 2010s 23 Top 50 certified music artists ( digital singles ) Drake Rihanna Taylor Swift Eminem Katy Perry List of artists with the highest - certified digital singles No. Name Nationality Years active Certified units in millions Drake Canada 2000s - 142 Rihanna BAR 2000s - 124 Taylor Swift United States 2000s - 120 Eminem US 2000s - 107.5 5 Katy Perry US 2000s - 98 6 Justin Bieber CAN 2010s - 68.5 7 Kanye West US 2000s - 63 8 Lady Gaga US 2000s - 61 9 Bruno Mars US 2000s - 54.5 10 Chris Brown US 2000s - 50 11 Ed Sheeran UK 2010s - 45.5 12 Luke Bryan US 2000s - 43.5 13 Flo Rida US 2000s - 43 14 The Weeknd CAN 2010s - 42 15 Kendrick Lamar US 2010s - 41 16 Florida Georgia Line US 2010s - 34 17 Post Malone US 2010s - 33 18 Lil Wayne US 2000s - 32 19 Adele UK 2000s - 31.5 Twenty One Pilots US 2010s - 31.5 21 Ariana Grande US 2010s - 30.5 Carrie Underwood US 2000s - 30.5 23 Linkin Park US 2000s - 2010s 29.5 24 Wiz Khalifa US 2010s - 29 25 Nicki Minaj US 2000s - 28.5 Jason Aldean US 2000s - 28.5 27 Jason Derulo US 2010s - 27 28 Meghan Trainor US 2010s - 26.5 29 Beyonce US 2000s - 26 30 Maroon 5 US 2000s - 25.5 Blake Shelton US 2000s - 25.5 32 Miley Cyrus US 2000s - 25 Imagine Dragons US 2010s - 25 34 Fall Out Boy US 2000s - 24.5 35 The Black Eyed Peas US 2000s - 24 36 Jay - Z US 1990s - 23 37 Future US 2010s - 22.5 Macklemore & Ryan Lewis US 2010s - 22.5 39 Zac Brown Band US 2000s - 22 40 Queen UK 1970s - 1990s 21.5 41 Tim McGraw US 1990s -- 21 LMFAO US 2010s 21 43 DJ Khaled US 2000s - 20.5 44 Big Sean US 2010s - 20 45 The Chainsmokers US 2010s - 19 46 Fetty Wap US 2010s - 18.5 Demi Lovato US 2000s - 18.5 Sam Smith UK 2010s - 18.5 49 Sam Hunt US 2000s - 18 50 Fergie US 2000s - 17.5 External links RIAA Website Detailed List of Artists with Most Album Certification Units Search RIAA Gold and Platinum Database See also List of best - selling music artists List of best - charting U.S. music artists List of best selling digital artists in the United States References Jump up ^ `` ' Top Artists ' By Certifications ''. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 15, 2017. Jump up ^ `` RIAA Accepts Streams for Gold and Platinum Certifications ''. billboard.com. Retrieved 8 July 2018. Jump up ^ `` Gold & Platinum -- RIAA ''. riaa.com. Retrieved 23 July 2018. Jump up ^ `` Gold & Platinum -- RIAA ''. riaa.com. Retrieved 23 July 2018. Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_highest-certified_music_artists_in_the_United_States&oldid=854592537 '' Categories : American music - related lists Recording Industry Association of America American music industry Talk Contents About Wikipedia فارسی Français 日本 語 Polski Português Русский Slovenčina Türkçe 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 12 August 2018, at 13 : 04 ( UTC ). About Wikipedia

Question: who is the first highest certified music artist in the us
Answer: The Beatles