List of best-selling female music artists

The following is a list of the world's best-selling female music artists of all time. The criteria for inclusion are women whose claimed record sales have at least reached 75 million or more of their musical productions. Artists are listed in order of the number of records sold alongside available cross-referenced music recording certifications; the highest being for claims of at least 300 million records, and the lowest for claims of 75 million records.

Madonna is recognized by Guinness World Records as the "Best-selling female recording artist of all time".

Since there is no official entity that certifies sales in their totality;[1] the artists' sales figure must have been published by a reliable source (news organizations and highly regarded music industry-related organization) such as Billboard, Rolling Stone, MTV, and VH1.

Madonna is believed to have sold the most records among any female music artists in history, with 335 million records sold worldwide,[2] recognized by the Guinness World Records.

Female artists by reputed sales

300 million or more records sold
Artist Country of origin Period of activity Genre(s) Estimated sales
Madonna  United States 1982–present Pop / dance / electronic 335 million[3]

200 million to 299 million records
Artist Country of origin Period of activity Genre(s) Estimated sales
Rihanna  Barbados 2005–present Pop / R&B / Dance[4] 250 million[5]
200 million[6]
Mariah Carey  United States 1990–present R&B / Pop[7] 220 million[8]
200 million[9]
Whitney Houston  United States 1977–2012 R&B / Pop / Soul[10] 220 million[11]
200 million[12]
Taylor Swift  United States 2006–present Pop / Country / Folk[13] 200 million[14]
Beyoncé  United States 1997–present R&B / pop / dance 200 million[15][16]
Céline Dion  Canada 1981–present Pop / adult contemporary 200 million[17]

100 million to 199 million records
Artist Country of origin Period of activity Genre(s) Estimated sales
Barbra Streisand  United States 1962–present Pop / adult contemporary 150 million[18]
Mina  Italy 1958–present Pop / Jazz / Rhythm and Blues 150 million[19][20][21]
Katy Perry  United States 2001–present Pop 143 million[22]
Shirley Bassey  United Kingdom 1953–present Pop 140 million[23]
Dalida  Italy 1955–1987 Pop / Disco 140 million[24]
Lady Gaga  United States 2005–present Pop / dance / electronic / jazz / pop rock 124 million[25]
Adele  United Kingdom 2007–present Pop / soul 120 million[26]
P!nk  United States 2000–present Pop / pop rock / R&B 100 million[27]
Britney Spears  United States 1998–present Pop / dance / electronic 100 million[28]
Christina Aguilera  United States 1999–present R&B / pop / rock 100 million[29]
Cher  United States 1965–present Pop / rock / dance / folk 100 million[30]
Janet Jackson  United States 1982–present R&B / pop 100 million[31]
Nicki Minaj  Trinidad and Tobago 2004–present Hip-hop / pop 100 million[32]
Olivia Newton-John  Australia 1966–2022 Pop 100 million[33]
Dolly Parton  United States 1959–present Country 100 million[34]
Linda Ronstadt  United States 1967–present Rock / folk / country 100 million[35]
Diana Ross  United States 1970–present R&B / Pop 100 million[36]
Donna Summer  United States 1968–2012 Disco / R&B / Pop 100 million[37]
Tina Turner  United States 1964–2020 Rock / Pop 100 million[38]
Shania Twain  Canada 1993–present Country Pop 100 million[39]
Dionne Warwick  United States 1962–present R&B / Soul 100 million[40]

75 million to 99 million records
Artist Country of origin Period of activity Genre(s) Estimated sales
Alicia Keys  United States 2001–present Hip-hop / R&B / pop 90 million[41]
Avril Lavigne  Canada 2002–present Pop punk / Pop rock 90 million[42]
Reba McEntire  United States 1976–present Country/Gospel 90 million[43]
Ariana Grande  United States 2011–present Pop/R&B 85 million[44]
Enya  Ireland 1987–present New-age / Celtic 80 million[45]
Ayumi Hamasaki  Japan 1998–present J-pop / pop / dance 80 million[46]
Kylie Minogue  Australia 1987–present Disco-pop 80 million[47]
Shakira  Colombia 1991–present Latin pop 80 million[48]
Miley Cyrus  United States 2007–present Pop 75 million[49]
Gloria Estefan  Cuba 1977–present Latin Pop / pop rock 75 million[50]
Aretha Franklin  United States 1956–2018 Soul/R&B 75 million[51]
Carole King  United States 1958–present Pop/soft-rock 75 million[52]
Jennifer Lopez  United States 1999–present Dance Pop 75 million[53]
Alanis Morissette  Canada 1991–present Alternative rock 75 million[54]

See also

References
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