deefstes wrote
That old argument about how the popularity of a band is no measure of how good they are in 3... 2... 1...
?
Well, let's leave definitions of "goodness" to the individual. If numbers and numbers of hits are important to you then this may be of help (sales are totals of albums, singles and DVDs/videos).
ArtistGenreMillions sold
The BeatlesRock / Pop250
Elvis PresleyRock and roll / Pop /Country203.5
MadonnaPop / Rock / Dance160.1
Michael JacksonPop / Rock / Dance/ R&B157.6
Elton JohnPop / Rock156.7
Led ZeppelinHard rock / Heavy metal135.6
Garth BrooksCountry135.6
EaglesSoft rock / Country rock124.1
Mariah CareyR&B/Pop120
Celine DionPop114.6
Pink FloydProgressive rock111.3
AC/DCHard rock/Heavy metal106
Whitney HoustonR&B / Pop101.8
U2Rock98.3
Billy JoelPop / Rock97.7
Barbra StreisandPop / Adult contemporary93.4
Bruce SpringsteenRock93
The Rolling StonesRock / Blues rock91.2
QueenRock90.9
MetallicaHeavy metal / Thrash metal87.7
RihannaR&B / Pop / Dance /Hip-hop86
Phil CollinsAdult contemporary82.4
Boney MPop80
AerosmithHard rock79.1
EminemHip hop74.5
Shania TwainCountry pop71.4
Fleetwood MacPop rock70.8
Rod StewartRock / Pop70
Notes
1) Boney-M's figures are a conservative estimate. They sold almost nothing in the USA, but sold massively in most other territories. Their management claims world wide sales of 150 million (but claimed figures are often inflated).
2) Boney-M didn't get on MTV very much
3) Neither did the Beatles
4) Figures other than Boney-Ms are supported by sales audits from multiple sources
5) Figures seem to be as of first week May this year.
6) Thanks for asking. Yes, I am bored this morning.
For the sake of this specific argument, Bon Jovi's total sales are 67.3 million. I stopped my table at 70 million. Bon Jovi have sold less than Britney Spears but more than Dylan or Simon & Garfunkel (or S&G and Paul Simon's solo sales combined). The Spice Girls have sold nearly as much as Dylan (in a much shorter time).
A notable omission here is Justin Bieber. His first album was released in 2010. His ALBUM sales are 15 million (not counting the just released album, for which there are no figures yet). Single, DVD etc sales will bump that figure up, but he seems to fall short of, say, Britney Spears right now. But his audited sales only start in March 2010, so he seems to be doing OK.
The biggest selling "classical" artist is Andrea Bocelli with 35.5 million. Yo-Yo Ma, Pavarotti, Renee Fleming and Yehudi Menuhin (and loads of others) don't get a look in on a chart that goes down to 18.6 million.
