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.

Queen should be higher Wtf-Rihanna?!?!

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.

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!

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.

Cliff Richard must be so wealthy! He's sold a gazzillion records.

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

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)

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.

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.

I personally can't stand him but there must be people out there who love his music.

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.

I love his music so pleased he is on this list,but sure he was number 1 couple years back

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?

all very true. some people don't like cold hard facts, no matter how objectively they are presented.

Plus 'Princess of China' and 'All Of The Lights'.

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).

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

Britney is on the List - No.26.

Bit shocked that P!nk only came in at 59 but it's still a real achievement to even make the list!

Blimey Tom Jones only at no 40...thought he would have been higher.

No Christina?

Good to see Oasis high.

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.