List of biggest selling British acts of all time

This list documents Britain's best-selling music artists alphabetically[1] as well as by record sales. This page lists those artists who have had claims of over 50 million or more records in sales. The list is divided into numerous record-sales brackets within each of which, artists are listed in alphabetical order, rather than by number of records sold. The artists on the list are supported by third-party reliable sources, the sales-figures within which should represent a total number of sold albums, singles, compilation-albums, music videos as well as downloads of singles and full-length albums. This list holds no account of sales after the initial release dates, some artists keep on selling albums they originally released for instance in 1972. those albums sold over the years in their millions.

Constraints

Although the criteria for the following list are intended to be expansive (including comparisons for total-sales for all recording artists) there are certain limitations and constraints that may limit the conclusions that can be derived from these data. There is no certainty these figures are correct for not all sales are controllable.

Such constraints include:

  • Bias towards acts who have had success in a specific country or region.
  • Bias towards older artists. There is a broader genre spectrum of music to listen to now which limits the number of listeners.
  • Bias towards modern artists. Comparatively fewer successful pre-modern artists will have sold more records, as both global spending power and population have increased. In 1950, the world's population was 2.5 billion; by 2000 it had risen to 6 billion. Also, older artists suffer from bias as their record sales are less likely to have been accurately tracked, and estimates of their early sales are likely to be more vague.
  • Fan sites, press articles and record labels have been known to inflate record sales claims.
  • Inflated claims for artists who performed in different acts during their careers. Sometimes all of the sales data is attributed to an individual artist. For the purposes of this list, an effort is made to separate the individual acts (e.g., the sales figures for The Beatles and Paul McCartney & Wings are mutually exclusive).

400 million or more records
Artist Biggest selling album Period Genre Claimed sales
The BeatlesSgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band1960–1970Pop / Rock600 million[2]
500 million[3]

300 million to 400 million records
Artist Biggest selling album Period Genre Claimed sales
Elton JohnGoodbye Yellow Brick Road1964–presentPop / Rock350 million[4]
Led ZeppelinLed Zeppelin IV[5]1968–1980Hard rock / Heavy metal200-300 million[6][7]

200 million to 299 million records
Artist Biggest selling album Period Genre Claimed sales
Cliff RichardAlways Guaranteed1958–presentPop / Rock / Rock N Roll / Jazz260 million[8]
QueenGreatest Hits[9]1970–presentGlam rock / Hard rock170-200 million[10][11][12]
Pink FloydThe Dark Side of the Moon[13]1964–2014Progressive rock200 million[14][15]
The Rolling StonesHot Rocks 1964–19711962–presentRock / Blues rock200 million[16]

100 million to 199 million records
Artist Biggest selling album Period Genre Claimed sales
ColdplayA Rush of Blood to the Head1997–presentAlternative rock100 million[17]
Ed Sheeran×2011–presentPop150 million[18]
The Dave Clark Five–1964–1970Pop rock / Beat100 million[19][20]
David BowieLet's Dance1964–2016Rock100 million[21]
Deep PurpleMachine Head1968–presentHard rock100 million[22][23]
Shirley BasseyThe Shirley Bassey Singles Album1957–presentPop135 million[24]
Adele212006–presentPop / Soul100 million[25]
Depeche ModeViolator1980–presentElectro Rock100 million[26][27]
Dire StraitsBrothers in Arms1977–1995Rock / Pop103 million[28]
Fleetwood MacRumours1967–presentPop rock100 million[29]
GenesisInvisible Touch1967–presentProgressive rock / Pop rock150 million[30]
George MichaelFaith1981–2016Pop100 million[31]
Iron MaidenThe Number of the Beast1975–presentHeavy metal100 million[32][33]
Paul McCartneyPipes of Peace1957–presentPop rock100 million[34]
Pet Shop BoysActually1981–presentSynthpop100 million[35]
Phil CollinsNo Jacket Required1980–presentAdult contemporary150 million[36]
Status Quo12 Gold Bars1967–presentRock130 million[37]
The WhoWho's Next1964–presentRock / Hard rock100 million[38]
Rod StewartOut of Order1962–presentRock / Pop100 million[39]

50 to 99 million records
Artist Biggest selling album Period Genre Claimed sales
Black SabbathParanoid1968–presentHeavy metal50 million[40]
Culture ClubColour by Numbers1982–presentNew wave-pop50 million
Def LeppardHysteria1977–presentHard rock / heavy metal65 million[41]
Duran DuranRio1978–presentNew wave / alternative rock70 million[42]
EurythmicsGreatest Hits1980–presentNew wave75 million[43]
Jethro TullAqualung1968–presentProgressive rock / hard rock60 million[44]
Oasis(What's the Story) Morning Glory?1991–2009Britpop / Rock70 million[45]
The PoliceSynchronicity1977–presentPop rock / New Wave75 million[46]
Spice GirlsSpice1996–2000
2007–2008		Pop, Euro Pop85 million[47]
SupertrampBreakfast in America[48]1969–presentProgressive rock60 million[49][50]
T. RexThe Slider[51]1967–1977Glam rock / Folk rock58 million[52]
UB40Labour of Love II1980–presentReggae70 million[53]
Robbie WilliamsI've Been Expecting You1990–presentPop75 million[54]

See also

References
  1. List of best-selling music artists
  2. "Beatles' remastered box set, video game out". CNN.
  3. Wyman, Bill (4 January 2013). "Did 'Thriller' Really Sell a Hundred Million Copies". The New Yorker. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  4. on Elton John
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  7. Sorel-Cameron, Peter (9 December 2007). "Can Led Zeppelin still rock?". CNN. Retrieved 30 July 2010.
  8. Sir Cliff Richard told to demolish conservatory by planners. The Times.
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  18. https://journalstar.com/entertainment/music/ed-sheeran-becomes-ivor-novello-board-member/article_69646f57-7973-55cd-9c72-2e0c46795cec.html
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  28. "With Dire Straits no more, Knopfler sails solo". CNN. 13 October 2000.
  29. "Fleetwood Mac". Rolling Stone.
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  31. "Michael seeking 'a quieter life'". BBC News. 12 June 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
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  33. "Iron Maiden Star Gets Airline Boardroom Gig". Sky News. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  34. "Biography: Paul McCartney" (in German). MTV Germany.
  35. "Pet Shop Boys: Biografie". Warner Music Germany (in German). Archived from the original on 18 November 2008. Retrieved 27 October 2008.
  36. "Phil Collins' fans rejoice: Artist announces end of retirement". CNN. 29 October 2015.
  37. The Times on Status Quo
  38. The New York Times on The Who
  39. "Stewart show backed by public cash". BBC News. 11 April 2002.
  40. "Ozzy Osbourne Goes 'On the Record'". Fox News. 25 May 2007.
  41. "Def Leppard, Poison coming to White River Amphitheatre in Auburn". The Seattle Times. 26 June 2009.
  42. "Duran Duran To Get Brit Award Honor". Billboard.
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  44. "Interview with Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson". BBC Wiltshire.
  45. "Some might say Oasis are still world beaters after Slane gig". Belfast Telegraph.
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  51. "T Rex - Electric Boogie plus Weeley Festival". Archived from the original on 16 February 2012.
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  53. Sherwin, Adam (30 April 2008). "UB40 reveal new lead singer: Ali Campbell's brother Duncan". Times Online. London. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  54. Amanda Andrews and Adam Sherwin (9 January 2008). "Shake-up starts at EMI with departure of UK chief". London: Times Online.
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