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 one 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.
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, theworld'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 forThe Beatles andPaul McCartney & Wings are mutually exclusive). 400 million or more records [ edit ] 300 million to 400 million records [ edit ] 200 million to 299 million records [ edit ] 100 million to 199 million records [ edit ] 50 to 99 million records [ edit ] ^ List of best-selling music artists ^ "Beatles' remastered box set, video game out" .CNN .Archived from the original on 15 September 2018. Retrieved3 August 2020 .^ Wyman, Bill (4 January 2013)."Did 'Thriller' Really Sell a Hundred Million Copies" .The New Yorker .Archived from the original on 26 October 2015. Retrieved20 June 2016 . ^ "Elton John" .Marshall-arts.com .Archived from the original on 21 January 2022. 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Retrieved6 November 2009 .^ "British rock legends get their own music title for PLAYSTATION3 and PlayStation2" .EMI Group . Archived fromthe original on 14 November 2012.^ "Queen's Greatest Hits is first album to sell 6 million UK copies" .The Daily Telegraph .Archived from the original on 10 January 2022. Retrieved2 April 2018 .^ "Why Uncool Coldplay Are the Best Live Band in the World Right Now" .The Telegraph . 27 August 2025.Archived from the original on 27 August 2025. Retrieved27 August 2025 .^ [1] [permanent dead link ] ^ Lee, Marc (30 May 2008)."Final chapter in the book of Genesis?" .The Daily Telegraph . London.Archived from the original on 29 May 2018. Retrieved26 April 2010 . ^ "Phil Collins' fans rejoice: Artist announces end of retirement" .CNN . 29 October 2015.Archived from the original on 2 November 2015. Retrieved9 April 2016 .^ "Happy 80th Birthday, Dame Shirley Bassey" .BBC News . 8 January 2017.Archived from the original on 28 February 2017. Retrieved8 January 2017 .^ The Times Archived 20 July 2023 at theWayback Machine on Status Quo^ "Tickets to see Adele in Birmingham up for sale for jaw-dropping £1,300 EACH" .Birmingham Mail .Archived from the original on 30 October 2017. Retrieved8 April 2016 .^ "With Dire Straits no more, Knopfler sails solo" .CNN . 13 October 2000. Archived fromthe original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved5 September 2009 .^ Gundersen, Edna (6 March 2008)."For Dave Clark Five, the accolades finally arrive" .USA Today .Archived from the original on 7 January 2012. Retrieved26 April 2010 . ^ "Dave Clark Five singer Smith dies" .BBC News . 29 February 2008.Archived from the original on 13 August 2009. Retrieved5 September 2009 .^ "Deep Purple" .EMI Music Publishing . Archived fromthe original on 10 July 2009. Retrieved5 September 2009 .^ "Russia's Medvedev meets Deep Purple" .USA Today . 11 February 2008.Archived from the original on 24 August 2011. Retrieved26 April 2010 .^ "Def Leppard, Poison coming to White River Amphitheatre in Auburn" .The Seattle Times . 26 June 2009.Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved2 April 2018 .^ "Depeche Mode reveal tour details" .ITN.co.uk .ITN . 7 October 2008. Archived fromthe original on 10 October 2008. Retrieved27 October 2008 .^ "Depeche Mode mit Weltpremiere beim ECHO" .ITN.co.uk (in German). Bundesverband Musikindisrtie-IFPI Germany. 3 February 2009.Archived from the original on 8 April 2009. Retrieved5 September 2009 .^ "Fleetwood Mac" .Rolling Stone .^ "Michael seeking 'a quieter life' " .BBC News . 12 June 2008.Archived from the original on 18 August 2009. Retrieved26 April 2010 .^ NME.COM."The biggest selling UK acts of all time" .NME.COM .Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved29 February 2016 . ^ "Iron Maiden Star Gets Airline Boardroom Gig" .Sky News .Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved29 February 2016 .^ "Biography: Paul McCartney" (in German). MTV Germany. Archived fromthe original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved5 September 2009 .^ "Pet Shop Boys: Biografie" .Warner Music Germany (in German). Archived fromthe original on 18 November 2008. Retrieved27 October 2008 .^ "Stewart show backed by public cash" .BBC News . 11 April 2002.Archived from the original on 26 June 2008. Retrieved5 September 2009 .^ Sherwin, Adam (30 April 2008)."UB40 reveal new lead singer: Ali Campbell's brother Duncan" .Times Online . London. Archived fromthe original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved26 April 2010 . ^ The New York Times Archived 10 November 2017 at theWayback Machine on The Who^ "Spice Girls mark 25 years of debut hit Wannabe with vinyl EP, unreleased music and social media campaign" .Music Week . June 2021.Archived from the original on 14 June 2021. Retrieved1 September 2022 .^ "Eurythmics" .Sony Music Germany (in German). Archived fromthe original on 22 March 2009. 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