Contributed anonymously:
The ongoing claims & counter-claims made by fans have really made things confusing thankfully no less than the IFPI has set the record/s straight. As of November 2005, IFPI has released its official updated figures for the ‘World’s Biggest Selling Artists’ which is the cumulative total of both singles & albums. This list is not absolute but it is the most accurate list of global coverage. According to the list The Beatles (400 million+) & Michael Jackson (350 million+) are comfortably ahead of the pack with Elvis Presley (300 million+) & Madonna (295 million+) slugging it out for the 3rd position.
Madonna’s ‘Confessions’ has sold approximately 5.5 million and ‘Hung-Up’ has sold already approximately an additional 3 million copies. Hence, Madonna’s total now probably stands at 303.5 million+ already & she would have replaced Elvis Presley at the No.3 position. This is highly possible since Elvis hasn’t released a new album (aside from catalogs which Madonna also has) after November 2005 which would have made a significant impact on his total.
Among the Top 5, Madonna is the only actively recording artist so she may still move up the charts in the coming years. This official list by IFPI will be published & shall dispel rumors about absurd sales stated by record companies solely for promotional purposes.
Hopefully this information will put to rest a lot of tireless discussions about who is the biggest selling male, female etc.
Note: As to the authenticity of this report, the IFPI still hasn’t posted the list on their official website but when the right time arrives they shall to post the figures promptly.
At least now the titles are clear:
Madonna is the ‘Biggest Selling Female Artist In History’
Michael Jackson is the ‘Biggest Selling Male Artist In History’
The Beatles is the ‘The Biggest Selling Act & Group In History’
The claims of the IFIP about worldwide sales in the 1950s into the computer age are just estimates.
They can keep a good total from the late 1980s on because of the computer-but before that they are going on estimates.
Elvis sold his biggest amounts from 1955 into the mid 60s. Then he had another sales explosion in the late 60s into the mid 70s and finally had a huge sales period from his death into the early 80s.
It was said he sold 20 million records in the month after he died (back when you had to actually go to the store to buy the product-not download or order in seconds online) RCA actually contracted with several other labels, Capital Records among them to press Elvis product for the year after he died.
There is no way they have the final word on this question.
how can anyone believe that you are saying the truth since IFPI hasn’t made it official yet.and more over what sources do you have which indicates the authenticity of what you are saying