Pop sensations like Taylor Swift have ignited their stardom in recent years, but Swift still isn’t the best-selling artist of all time.
Insider turned to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) list to find out who is. The list is based on the total number of certified album units sold in the United States (including streaming numbers).
Swift, however, has outstripped Bob Seger and Guns n’ Roses since last year after releasing hit albums ‘Folklore’ and ‘Evermore’.
England’s biggest rock band hold the top spot in this all-time chart of top-selling artists by album sales, and they look untouchable on a list filled with a number of surprising appearances.
It might be somewhat shocking to discover, for example, that smooth-jazz saxophonist Kenny G has sold more albums than Eminem, and country star Garth Brooks has sold more than Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson.
John Lynch contributed to an earlier version of this article.
49. Britney Spears – 34.5 million units
48. Bon Jovi – 34.5 million units
47. Def Leppard – 35.5 million units
46. Bob Dylan – 36 million units
45. Tupac Shakur – 36.5 million units
44. Backstreet Boys – 37 million units
43. Tim McGraw – 37.5 million units
42. Rod Stewart – 38 million units
41. Stranger – 38 million units
40. Simon & Garfunkel – 38.5 million units
39. Chicago – 38.5 million units
38. Eric Clapton – 40 million units
37. Reba McEntire – 41 million units
36. Queen – 43 million units
35. Santana – 43.5 million units
34. Alan Jackson – 43.5 million units
33. Guns N’ Roses – 44.5 million units
32. Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – 44.5 million units
31. Taylor Swift – 46 million units
30. Eminem – 46.5 million units
29. Alabama – 46.5 million units
28. Kenny Rogers – 47.5 million units
27. Shania Twain – 48 million units
26. Kenny G – 48 million units
25. Voyage – 49 million units
24. Neil Diamond – 49.5 million units
23. Celine Dion – 51 million units
22. U2 – 52 million units
21. Fleetwood Mac – 54.5 million units
20. Van Halen – 56.5 million units
19. Whitney Houston – 60 million units
18. Metallica – 63 million units
17. Madonna – 64.5 million units
16. Bruce Springsteen – 65.5 million units
15. The Rolling Stones – 66.5 million units
14. Aerosmith – 66.5 million units
13. Mariah Carey – 68.5 million units
12. Barbra Streisand – 68.5 million units
11. George Strait – 69 million units
10. Pink Floyd – 75 million units
9. AC/DC – 75 million units
8. Elton John – 79 million units
7. Billy Joel – 84.5 million units
6. Michael Jackson – 89 million units
5. Led Zeppelin – 111.5 million units
4. Eagles – 120 million units
3. Elvis Presley – 146.5 million units
2. Garth Brooks – 157 million units
1. The Beatles – 183 million units