Who is the top selling female recording artist of all time?

Answer 1

Madonna is the best selling female recording artist of all time. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Madonna is the most successful female solo artist, having sold around 120 million albums and 40 million singles (estimation); a combined total more than any other female singer worldwide, since 1982.

Madonna is also the top selling female in the USA, that is if we combine both her albums and singles sales. However, when counting only albums, Barbra Streisand is the best selling female artist in the United States, with over 71 million albums shipped. Madonna is second, with 63.5 million albums shipped.

Source: riaa.org

Madonna also holds the record for most Hot Dance Club Play #1 in the US, with 39; more than any other female artist.

Source: Billboard.com

In the UK, the best selling album artists, (up to 2007) are; The Beatles (28.745m), Queen (20.665m), and Madonna (18.328m.).

In Europe, the best selling album artists are, The Beatles (92.5 million), Queen (80.05 million), and Madonna (74.6 million), including Hard Candy.

There is no true way to verify who is actually the best selling female singer. Most sources state that Madonna and Celine Dion are the two best selling female artists, with record sales exceeding 200 million, worldwide.

1. In 2004, Celine Dion was awarded the Chopard Diamond Award at the World Music Awards for 175 million albums sold, and given the accolade of best selling female artist of all time. In April 2007 Sony BMG announced Dion had sold over 200 million albums, worldwide.

Sources: http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2007/11/05/worldmusic-awards.html

Sources: http:/www.sonymusic.ch/Celine-Dion/Releases

2. Numerous sources state that Madonna is also the best selling female singer, with record sales in excess of 200 million. They also state she is the richest female singer.

Sources:http://www.reuters.com/article/musicNews/idUSTRE49E2IA20081015

Sources:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-407501/Queen-Pop-Madonna-crowned-highest-earning-female-singer-earth.html

Answer 2

Madonna is the top selling female recording artist of all time. Since her debut in 1982, Madonna has released many chart-topping albums and singles, and has sold more than 200-230 million albums (estimations).

Madonna is the top-selling female recording artist in the U.S., that is if we combine both her albums and singles sales. But if you're going to break it down, in the album category, she is second to Barbra Streisand with 63.5 x certified platinum by RIAA while for the singles category, she tops among all female artists. Madonna holds a record artist with (gold and platinum) in the U.S. surpassing The Beatles' record.

Madonna has had 17 Top 10 albums in the U.S., seven of which made it to No. 1.She has also had 37 Top 10 singles in the U.S., 12 of which reached No. 1

She is even more popular in Canada, where 20 of her singles have reached No.1, and Italy, where 16 singles have hit the top spot.

• According to RIAA, she has 12 multi-platinum albums (second only to Barbra Streisand).
• Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA)..Top Selling Female Rock Singer of the Century 1999.
• Madonna also holds five Guinness World Record citations.
  
• Madonna holds the record for the most top ten singles (37) in the US music history.
  
• Madonna is also the most successful female artist on the UK charts with 62 top ten hits and 13th Number Ones with "4 Minutes".
• 2008 with her Sticky & Sweet Tour becoming the #1 Grossing Tour In History For Solo Artist Ever.
• The Immaculate Collection is the top selling compilation album by a female.
  
• She is also the most successful artist on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart 39th Number Ones with Give It 2 Me.
• Madonna's 2005 single Hung Up topped charts in a record 45 countries.
• Madonna is recently ranked as the most successful solo artist (second over-all, behind The Beatles) in the latest issue of Billboard magazine listing the Top Hot 100 Artists of All-Time.
• On the United World Chart, Madonna is the "Most Successful Singles Artist of All Time" and has a record of 13 Number One singles.
• World Music Awards Best Selling American Artist with Hard Candy 3.2 million copies sold.
• Japan's Top Digital 08 song 500,000 unit for Miles Away.
  

Answer 3

It is between Mariah Carey and Madonna., both women have sold an enomous amount of records but my guess would be Mariah Carey.

(Tia adds) Madonna is #1 with sales of 157.5 million total available certified units.

Mariah Carey is #2 with sales of 118.5 million total available certified units.

Answer 4

The Spice Girls have sold over 60million records worldwide and are therefore the best selling female group of all time.

However, as the Spice Girls do not play their own instruments they cannot techinically be considered a "band" so the best selling female "band" of all time would be The Dixie Chicks who have sold in the region of 30million records worldwide.

Answer 5

The Greek artist Nana Mouskouri has reportedly sold over 400 million records, in at least 15 diffrent languages, in a career spanning over 5 decades. Universal Music Group, which has over the decades come to acquire virtually all the labels under which Mouskouri recorded, claims she has recorded about 1,500 songs on 450 albums. She has more than 230 gold and platinum albums worldwide.

Top Selling Female Recording Artist Worldwide (by Reputed Sales 200-500 Million Records) by RIAA and IFPI

MADONNA (USA)

DION, CELINE (CANADA)

MASKAORI, NANA (Greece)

WEI WEI (CHINA)

HOUSTON, WHITNEY (USA)

CHER (USA)

Answer 6

Best selling album by a solo female artist: The Bodyguard (Whitney Houston)

Best Selling French Album of all time: D'eux (Celine Dion)

Best Selling Female Album Artist: Barbra Streisand (based on RIAA shipments)

Best Selling Female Album Artist: Mariah Carey (49,937,000)(based on retail sales of Soundscan Era)

Answer 7

Madonna is the best selling female artist of all time.