Top Selling Artists (U.S. sales figures)

Also surprised that the Beach Boys had sales in the 20 million mark in the US. I would have thought it would be double that. I believe they have sales of 100 million+ worldwide.

smurfing Billy Joel is in the top ten?

So my girlfriend just told me that George Strait has had over 50 number-one singles. That's pretty awesome.

Eyesore wrote:

So my girlfriend just told me that George Strait has had over 50 number-one singles. That's pretty awesome.

The fact that I had never heard of George Strait is a little bit troubling to me I've heard the music of every single one of the artists listed there except for him. That's so weird.

DeathCult wrote:

smurfing Billy Joel is in the top ten?

That surprises you?

GrandNational wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

So my girlfriend just told me that George Strait has had over 50 number-one singles. That's pretty awesome.

The fact that I had never heard of George Strait is a little bit troubling to me I've heard the music of every single one of the artists listed there except for him. That's so weird.

Check this out:

Quote :

50 Number Ones is a compilation album, released in 2004, by American country music singer George Strait. It is a compilation of his first 50 Number One country music singles, starting with 1981's "Fool Hearted Memory" and presented in chronological order. A new track, I Hate Everything, was also included, and became his 51st overall Number One in 2004.

I don't like country music, but damn...that's impressive.

And this...

Quote :

Strait has amassed a total of 59 number-one hits overall, breaking a record previously set by Conway Twitty.

Conway Twitty! That's nuts. I should have been a country musician.

Eyesore wrote:

GrandNational wrote:

Eyesore wrote:

So my girlfriend just told me that George Strait has had over 50 number-one singles. That's pretty awesome.

The fact that I had never heard of George Strait is a little bit troubling to me I've heard the music of every single one of the artists listed there except for him. That's so weird.

Check this out:

Quote :

50 Number Ones is a compilation album, released in 2004, by American country music singer George Strait. It is a compilation of his first 50 Number One country music singles, starting with 1981's "Fool Hearted Memory" and presented in chronological order. A new track, I Hate Everything, was also included, and became his 51st overall Number One in 2004.

I don't like country music, but damn...that's impressive.

And this...

Quote :

Strait has amassed a total of 59 number-one hits overall, breaking a record previously set by Conway Twitty.

Conway Twitty! That's nuts. I should have been a country musician.

Yeehaw! If you don’t stop I’ll knock you in the head and tell God you died. You couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket! Y'all come back now ya hear!

doesn't country music set different standards for their tallies? meaning their "number 1's" don't have to compete with the Katy Perrys & Justin Biebers of the pop scene? if so, it isn't all that amazing.

S.D. wrote:

mc666 wrote:

doesn't country music set different standards for their tallies? meaning their "number 1's" don't have to compete with the Katy Perrys & Justin Biebers of the pop scene? if so, it isn't all that amazing.

It's a completely separate chart.

However, some artists like Garth Brooks crossed over and had hits on both the country charts and the pop/rock charts.

yeah i'm sure Garth, Taylor Swift, & many others, have had amazing pop success. i'd bet George Straight's pop charts would tell a different tale though.

The Billboard Top 100 singles crosses all genres, as does the Top 200 Best Selling albums.

However, there are separate charts for Country Music albums and singles. Some artists will get hits on multiple charts.

People like Conway Twitty were firmly on the country charts.

Eh.... where's KISS?

kmorg wrote:

Eh.... where's KISS?

I think they are only around the 25 - 30 million mark in the US

thejokeriv wrote:

kmorg wrote:

Eh.... where's KISS?

I think they are only around the 25 - 30 million mark in the US

Sandwiched right between R.E.M. and Mary J. Blige at 20 million sales. That seems like a low figure for me. Some of these bands/artists should have higher sales based on popularity, but I guess they were/are more popular in other areas other than album sales.


Linkin Park has just about as many US sales as KISS does.

Also MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER. Really? They have nearly double the sales of KISS.

That Mannheim Steamroller Christmas album sold TONS of copies, we always sold out of it at the CD store I worked at in the 90's.

S.D. wrote:

That Mannheim Steamroller Christmas album sold TONS of copies, we always sold out of it at the CD store I worked at in the 90's.

I just checked, they have 12(!) Christmas albums alone.

GrandNational wrote:

S.D. wrote:

That Mannheim Steamroller Christmas album sold TONS of copies, we always sold out of it at the CD store I worked at in the 90's.

I just checked, they have 12(!) Christmas albums alone.

I have their first three albums and its' pretty cool stuff.


****Music Geek Time****
Their first album was actually done under the C.W. McCall(sp) pseudonym. Yep, they did the song "Convoy". ".......This is Rubber Duck....."

thejokeriv wrote:

kmorg wrote:

Eh.... where's KISS?

I think they are only around the 25 - 30 million mark in the US

but they are #1 in customized condoms!!!

thejokeriv wrote:

kmorg wrote:

Eh.... where's KISS?

I think they are only around the 25 - 30 million mark in the US

That is insane! I thought they always bragged that they have sold close to 100 million albums or something. 20 million sold is nor even 1 million pr album as an average for them. Sounds fishy.

Quote :

I thought they always bragged that they have sold close to 100 million albums or something.

The "100 million" could mean worldwide sales, not just the U.S... Or Gene could just be completely full of shiz.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Quote :

I thought they always bragged that they have sold close to 100 million albums or something.

The "100 million" could mean worldwide sales, not just the U.S... Or Gene could just be completely full of shiz.

I can see that worldwide, since they are popular all over the world.

According to Wikipedia Kiss have sold 40 million albums in the US, but only 20 Million are certified by the RIAA.

However ya wanna split hairs, KISS has sold a boatload o' stuff.

Gene probably didn't want to pay the auditor's fees for getting certified.

http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinum.php?content_selector=certification

You have to use a 3rd Party Accounting Firm to verify the sales before the RIAA will certify them as "valid".

How could anyone not know who George Strait is? The dude is a huge legend. I am not particularly a fan of country music but those artists sell a ton of music. In fact, country is still, relatively, healthy sales wise. Further, country as a genre pre-dates rock by decades and thus has a long, long history and tradition.

S.D. wrote:

People like Conway Twitty were firmly on the country charts.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Conway Twitty...