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The Official Singles Charts' biggest selling artists of all time revealed!

madiain28madiain28 Posts: 1,027
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01 THE BEATLES 21.9m
02 ELVIS PRESLEY 21.6m
03 CLIFF RICHARD 21.5m
04 MADONNA 17.6m
05 MICHAEL JACKSON 15.3m
06 ELTON JOHN 14.8m
07 QUEEN 12.6m
08 ABBA 11.2m
09 DAVID BOWIE 10.6m
10 RIHANNA 10.4m
11 PAUL McCARTNEY 10.2m
12 KYLIE MINOGUE 10.1m

I think the list answers why Madonna is called the Queen of Pop as she is the highest selling female in both albums and singles. Interesting that Rihanna has overtaken Kylie. I don't think that Kylie will close the difference with her current single. Also it shows that Elvis and Cliff are ahead of Michael Jackson in the UK.
Also glad to see that six of our best selling single artists are British.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 459
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    Queen should be higher:) Wtf-Rihanna?!?!
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    FutureGamesFutureGames Posts: 196
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    Thing is, Rihanna's single sales come from mainly digital releases where people have only had to pay 89p or 99p for the track, sometimes less. The totals for the other artists are mainly made up of sales of 7", Cassette and CD singles which were obviously more expensive to buy back in the day. People didn't have the choice to just download the one song back then like they do now.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 24,080
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    Brilliant list....not at all surprised with the top 10 really....apart from maybe Rihanna that high up already! I love her and all but i do find it rediculous that by the end of this year she may overtake Bowie D-:

    But hells yeah! :cool:
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    madiain28madiain28 Posts: 1,027
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    Thing is, Rihanna's single sales come from mainly digital releases where people have only had to pay 89p or 99p for the track, sometimes less. The totals for the other artists are mainly made up of sales of 7", Cassette and CD singles that were obviously more expensive to buy back in the day. People didn't have the choice to just download the one song back then like they do now.

    I agree when you think back to the eighties and early nineties a single cost anything from £1.99 to £2.49 a 12inch single was £3.49 to £3.99 often the single had pretty dodgy b side so you paid the full amount for just one track. If you put that in monetary value you today a track bought in 1987 at 2.49 would cost between £6 and £8 pound today. I cannot imagine anyone paying £6 for a single track today.
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    Stone_JonesStone_Jones Posts: 225
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    Cliff Richard must be so wealthy! He's sold a gazzillion records. :D
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 844
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    The Madonna comment is unwarranted. She's been around so long she's bound to have sold the highest amount for a female. Same with Rihanna, for every single an artist puts out, Rihanna puts out 7 lol
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    Zeus555Zeus555 Posts: 602
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    Several of Rihanna's Hits have not been counted. This
    is because The OCC made a decision, that only the
    main Act on a Single can have those Sales. Any Acts
    who are 'Featured' on a Hit, are not allowed to have
    those Sales added to their Total.

    It has cost Rihanna over 3 Million Sales. She'd actually
    be 7th in the List, if the Singles that she's 'Featured' on
    were counted. She's been credited on Singles that have
    sold over 13 Million, in the UK.

    Here are the Hits that she cannot have the Sales frrom:,

    1) If I Never See Your Face Again - Maroon 5 Featuring Rihanna. (No.28 - 2008)

    2) Live Your Life - T.I. Featuring Rihanna (No.2 - 2008)

    3) Run This Town - Jay-Z Featuring Rihanna & Kanye West. (No.1 - 2009)

    4) Love The Way You Lie - Eminem Featuring Rihanna. (No.2 in 2010. A UK Million Seller)

    5) Who's That Chick - David Guetta Featuring Rihanna (No.6 in 2011 - 2010)

    6) Fly - Nicki Minaj Featuring Rihanna (No.16 - 2011)

    7) Take Care - Drake Featuring Rihanna (No.9 - 2011)
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    johnnybgoode83johnnybgoode83 Posts: 8,908
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    I hate these lists because they never tell the whole story about music sales. Led Zeppelin never released singles which means they never appear on these lists despite having sold millions of albums. Singles are irrelevant to me.
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    madiain28madiain28 Posts: 1,027
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    The Madonna comment is unwarranted. She's been around so long she's bound to have sold the highest amount for a female. Same with Rihanna, for every single an artist puts out, Rihanna puts out 7 lol

    Not sure it is unwarranted. She has been critasized relentlessly in the media recently about her age etc. The point was she is the biggest selling female artist. How long she has been around doesn't mean she is bound to have the biggest sales. Blondie has been around longer, TinaTurner, Cher the list could go on and on. It does actually mean she has been the most popular female act consistently selling records over the past three decades and selling a lot of records.
    Regardless of how many singles Rihanna puts out she is still in the top10 because people are buying them so you can't detract from the fact she sells records.
    Have I hit a nerve with a Gaga brigade member don't worry she is number 28.
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    cnbcwatchercnbcwatcher Posts: 56,681
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    Cliff Richard must be so wealthy! He's sold a gazzillion records. :D

    I personally can't stand him but there must be people out there who love his music.
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    Zeus555Zeus555 Posts: 602
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    But, if they did a Top 60 on the Best Selling UK Albums Acts,
    then Led Zeppelin would do very well. As would Pink Floyd,
    Dire Straits, & Bob Dylan. Of course - so would The Beatles,
    Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, Madonna, Michael Jackson,
    Elton John, Queen, ABBA, David Bowie, Paul McCartney
    & Wings, & Kylie Minogue.
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    cliffy91cliffy91 Posts: 1,462
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    I personally can't stand him but there must be people out there who love his music.

    I love his music so pleased he is on this list,but sure he was number 1 couple years back
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    madiain28madiain28 Posts: 1,027
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    I hate these lists because they never tell the whole story about music sales. Led Zeppelin never released singles which means they never appear on these lists despite having sold millions of albums. Singles are irrelevant to me.

    Just because Led Zeppelin chooses not to release singles doesn't suddenly mean the list doesn't tell the whole story. It does tell who have sold the most singles that's a fact. They will however appear on album sale lists they choose not to enter the singles market you can't then complain if they do not appear in any lists with regards to single sales. But as single sales are irrelevant to you why comment?
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    gpkgpk Posts: 10,206
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    madiain28 wrote: »
    Not sure it is unwarranted. She has been critasized relentlessly in the media recently about her age etc. The point was she is the biggest selling female artist. How long she has been around doesn't mean she is bound to have the biggest sales. Blondie has been around longer, TinaTurner, Cher the list could go on and on. It does actually mean she has been the most popular female act consistently selling records over the past three decades and selling a lot of records.
    Regardless of how many singles Rihanna puts out she is still in the top10 because people are buying them so you can't detract from the fact she sells records.

    all very true. some people don't like cold hard facts, no matter how objectively they are presented.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 10,561
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    Zeus555 wrote: »
    Several of Rihanna's Hits have not been counted. This
    is because The OCC made a decision, that only the
    main Act on a Single can have those Sales. Any Acts
    who are 'Featured' on a Hit, are not allowed to have
    those Sales added to their Total.

    It has cost Rihanna over 3 Million Sales. She'd actually
    be 7th in the List, if the Singles that she's 'Featured' on
    were counted. She's been credited on Singles that have
    sold over 13 Million, in the UK.

    Here are the Hits that she cannot have the Sales frrom:,

    1) If I Never See Your Face Again - Maroon 5 Featuring Rihanna. (No.28 - 2008)

    2) Live Your Life - T.I. Featuring Rihanna (No.2 - 2008)

    3) Run This Town - Jay-Z Featuring Rihanna & Kanye West. (No.1 - 2009)

    4) Love The Way You Lie - Eminem Featuring Rihanna. (No.2 in 2010. A UK Million Seller)

    5) Who's That Chick - David Guetta Featuring Rihanna (No.6 in 2011 - 2010)

    6) Fly - Nicki Minaj Featuring Rihanna (No.16 - 2011)

    7) Take Care - Drake Featuring Rihanna (No.9 - 2011)

    Plus 'Princess of China' and 'All Of The Lights'.
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    Zeus555Zeus555 Posts: 602
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    I never mentioned 'Princess Of China', as that is credited
    to Coldplay & Rihanna. She can have the Sales from that.
    The '&'/'And' means that both Acts have equal credit. So
    both Kylie & Jason can have Sales from 'Especially For You',
    & both John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John can have Sales
    from 'You're The One That I Want', & 'Summer Nights'.

    Personally I credit 'All Of The Lights' as Kanye West, Feat.
    Rihanna & Various Artists, as that is how it was sent to Radio.
    But, other sources have it as just Kanye West & Various Artists,
    & others credit it to Kanye West Feat. Drake, Rihanna & Various
    Artists. (Drake was not even on the Hit - his vocals were removed
    at the last minute). So, it is tricky who 'All Of The Lights' should
    be credited to. The only Act who can definitely have its Sales,
    is Kanye West. (It was a No.15 Hit, in 2011 - 20 Chart Weeks).
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    WeeblesWobbleWeeblesWobble Posts: 1,255
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    Surprised Britney isn't on the list tbh
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    madiain28madiain28 Posts: 1,027
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    Surprised Britney isn't on the list tbh

    She is here is the full list.

    The full Official Singles Artists Top 60 Of All Timeis as follows:

    1 THE BEATLES
    2 ELVIS PRESLEY
    3 CLIFF RICHARD
    4 MADONNA
    5 MICHAEL JACKSON
    6 ELTON JOHN
    7 QUEEN
    8 ABBA
    9 DAVID BOWIE
    10 RIHANNA
    11 PAUL McCARTNEY
    12 KYLIE MINOGUE
    13 ROLLING STONES
    14 ROD STEWART
    15 TAKE THAT
    16 STEVIE WONDER
    17 OASIS
    18 EMINEM
    19 WHITNEY HOUSTON
    20 SPICE GIRLS
    21 GEORGE MICHAEL
    22 ROBBIE WILLIAMS
    23 THE BEE GEES
    24 U2
    25 SHAKIN' STEVENS
    26 BRITNEY SPEARS
    27 STATUS QUO
    28 LADY GAGA
    29 BOYZONE
    30 BLONDIE
    31 SLADE
    32 THE BLACK EYED PEAS
    33 BONEY M
    34 WESTLIFE
    35 CELINE DION
    36 BEYONCE
    37 UB40
    38 OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN
    39 MARIAH CAREY
    40 TOM JONES
    41 MADNESS
    42 THE POLICE
    43 WHAM!
    44 PHIL COLLINS
    45 DIANA ROSS
    46 THE JAM
    47 BRYAN ADAMS
    48 PET SHOP BOYS
    49 DAVID GUETTA
    50 ADAM ANT
    51 DURAN DURAN
    52 FRANK SINATRA
    53 FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD
    54 PRINCE
    55 KATY PERRY
    56 WET WET WET
    57 EVERLY BROTHERS
    58 SHADOWS
    59 PINK
    60. COLDPLAY
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    Zeus555Zeus555 Posts: 602
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    Britney is on the List - No.26.
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    Rose-AddictRose-Addict Posts: 1,580
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    Bit shocked that P!nk only came in at 59 but it's still a real achievement to even make the list! :)
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    PilotofthestormPilotofthestorm Posts: 3,279
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    Blimey Tom Jones only at no 40...thought he would have been higher.
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    Rob1985Rob1985 Posts: 5,194
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    No Christina?
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    Gaspanic!Gaspanic! Posts: 2,933
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    Good to see Oasis high.
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    jadebutterfly96jadebutterfly96 Posts: 1,534
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    The Madonna comment is unwarranted. She's been around so long she's bound to have sold the highest amount for a female. Same with Rihanna, for every single an artist puts out, Rihanna puts out 7 lol

    Sour grape much. It's not unwarranted. It is a fact based on today's stats. If your MM is still around in 20 year's time she could be on top of the list too.:rolleyes:
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    rasborasbo Posts: 1,606
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    I think the charts were ruined when woolworths introduced its 99p single of the week. Ironic that the charts would eventually get its own back and ruined Woolworths.
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