List of best-selling music artists 250 million or more records 250 million or more records

| Artist | Country_of_origin | Period_active | Release_year_of_first_charted_record | Genre | Claimed_sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Beatles | United Kingdom | 1960–1970 | 1962 | Rock / Pop | 600 million |
| Elvis Presley | United States | 1954–1977 | 1954 | Rock and roll / Pop / Country | 600 million 500 million |
| Michael Jackson [Note 2 ] | United States | 1964–2009 | 1971 | Pop / Rock / Dance / R&B | 400 million 350 million 300 million |
| Madonna | United States | 1979–present | 1982 | Pop / Rock / Dance | 300 million 275 million |
| Elton John | United Kingdom | 1964–present | 1969 | Pop / Rock | 300 million 250 million |
| Led Zeppelin | United Kingdom | 1968–1980 | 1969 | Hard rock / Heavy metal | 300 million 200 million |
| Pink Floyd | United Kingdom | 1965–1996 | 1967 | Progressive rock | 250 million 200 million |