Who are the best-selling bands in the world ever?

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The Breeze
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Who are the best-selling bands in the world ever?

Post by The Breeze »

I can easily find 'best-selling albums' but if you include singles etc. it gets a bit harder.

I reckon it's gonna be Beatles. Anyone know where I can find these stats?






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Kizzy Walker
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Post by Kizzy Walker »

Glad you said "bands" otherwise we are would be looking at Elton John courtesy of "Candle in the Wind"!

Cant seem to find much on worlwide figures.
ononist
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Post by ononist »

The biggest selling album/CD of all time is the best of the Eagles!!
The Breeze
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Post by The Breeze »

ononist wrote:The biggest selling album/CD of all time is the best of the Eagles!!
Which includes the classic line “Well, I’m a walkin’ down the road tryin’ loosen my load”
Proving no matter how many albums you sell, constipation has no respect for stardom.
twentysixdollars
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Post by twentysixdollars »

Joking aside I think you could make a reasonable argument for the most popular performers in recent history (1960-) as something along the lines of

-The Beatles
-Elvis Presley
-The Eagles
-Abba
-Elton John
-Michael Jackson

and I think there's a good chance that Zamfir has sold as many records as as any of these peole. (Really!)
The Breeze
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Post by The Breeze »

twentysixdollars wrote:Joking aside I think you could make a reasonable argument for the most popular performers in recent history (1960-) as something along the lines of

-The Beatles
-Elvis Presley
-The Eagles
-Abba
-Elton John
-Michael Jackson

and I think there's a good chance that Zamfir has sold as many records as as any of these peole. (Really!)
A notable omission from your list is 'Queen'. Considering they held the most widely attended concerts of all-time, they probably rank higher than Abba.

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sly saxon
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Post by sly saxon »

(this may go down in infamy as the lamest, most tangental and incomplete post ever (even by my standards), but here goes...

I remember a feature a few years ago on a Radio 4 arts programme commemorating the fact that it was the first week since 1963 (or something) since there had been NO British records in the Billboard Hot 100 (is that what it's called - sounds a bit archaic - like 'hit parade').

Anyhoo, the feature explained that it had been a long time since there had been MANY British records in the chart, but this was the first time there had been none.

They then ran down the top selling British singles in the USA (and this is where my post tails off, fact wise), and among them were Vera Lynn (with a song which was to the Korean War what 'We'll meet again' was to WW2), the Beatles (but only once, and with a pretty unlikely song - Hey Jude or somesuch), Rod Stewart (?) and Elton John...

I thought it was interesting enough to post here at the time I heard it, but forgot to, and then forgot all the facts...but there you go - perhaps somebody else was listening/knows how to find out
It's all happening!
William James
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RIAA

Post by William James »

I have no idea where to find world wide figures, but the RIAA has U.S. figures posted on it's site. Here's the top 10:

BEATLES, THE
165.5

PRESLEY, ELVIS
117.5

LED ZEPPELIN
106.0

BROOKS, GARTH
105.0

EAGLES
88.0

JOEL, BILLY
78.5

PINK FLOYD
73.5

STREISAND, BARBRA
71.5

JOHN, ELTON
67.5

ROLLING STONES, THE
63.5

http://www.riaa.com/gp/bestsellers/topartists.asp



As a side note, being an American, I found it rather strange when Uncut magazine ran a cover story on The Eagles a few years ago. There's no denying their popularity here, but that shit flew* in the U.K. as well?


*No pun intended...well, okay, maybe a little.
twentysixdollars
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Post by twentysixdollars »

Wow. Zep? I would've thought that the Eagles, or at least Streisand, or Zamfir, would have topped them.

Steve Miller has sold more than the Beach Boys?
Hootie more than Hendrix?
New Kids more than Johnny Cash?
Madonna more than Michael Jackson?

A really eye-opening list. Thanks William.
Electric Honey
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Post by Electric Honey »

best selling bands?
certainly not echoboy....
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