list of best - selling music artists 

Statements about this table:
prince make funk , r&b pop , soul and rock music
linda ronstadt first make the chart for rock / folk / country music in 1968
the music genre play by paul mccartney be funk / r&b / pop / soul / rock
the genre of music that chart in 1962 & 1966 be rock / folk / country
artist
country of origin
period active
release - year of first charted record
genre
claimed sales
metallica
united states
1981 - present
1983
heavy metal / thrash metal
110 million
taylor swift
united states
2006 - present
2006
country / country pop / pop / pop - rock
101 million
eminem
united states
1996 - present
1999
hip hop
100 million
britney spears
united states
1998 - present
1998
pop / dance / dance - pop
100 million
rod stewart
united kingdom
1964 - present
1969
rock / pop
100 million
bon jovi
united states
1983 - present
1983
hard rock / glam metal
100 million
fleetwood mac
united kingdom united states
1967 - present
1968
rock / pop
100 million
backstreet boys
united states
1993 - present
1995
pop
100 million
guns n' roses
united states
1985 - present
1987
hard rock / heavy metal
100 million
prince
united states
1976 - present
1978
funk / r&b / pop / soul / rock
100 million
artist
country of origin
period active
release - year of first charted record
genre
claimed sales
kenny rogers
united states
1958 - present
1975
country / pop
100 million
paul mccartney
united kingdom
1960 - present
1970
rock
100 million
janet jackson
united states
1982 - present
1982
r&b / pop
100 million
chicago
united states
1967 - present
1969
rock / pop
100 million
the carpenters
united states
1969 - 1983
1969
pop
100 million
bob dylan
united states
1959 - present
1963
folk / rock
100 million
george michael
united kingdom
1981 - present
1984
pop
100 million
bryan adams
canada
1979 - present
1979
rock
100 million
def leppard
united kingdom
1977 - present
1979
hard rock / heavy metal
100 million
cher
united states
1964 - present
1965
pop / rock / dance / folk
100 million
artist
country of origin
period active
release - year of first charted record
genre
claimed sales
lionel richie
united states
1968 - present
1981
pop / r&b
100 million
olivia newton - john
australia
1966 - present
1966
pop
100 million
linda ronstadt
united states
1967 - present
1968
rock / folk / country
100 million
stevie wonder
united states
1961 - present
1962
funk / r&b / soul
100 million
tina turner
united states
1955 - present
1975
rock / pop
100 million
the beach boys
united states
1961 - present
1962
rock / pop / surf rock
100 million
kiss
united states
1972 - present
1974
hard rock / heavy metal
100 million
the who
united kingdom
1964 - present
1965
rock / hard rock
100 million
johnny hallyday
france
1957 - 2007
1960
rock / pop
100 million
barry white
united states
1972 - 2003
1973
r&b / soul
100 million