I remember reading as early as 1986 that the Stones had cracked the 200 million mark sales wise - although I believe that also included 45s.

Go to Wikipedia or read any article basically since that time and they all still read 200 mill. I mean with Steel Wheels selling nigh on 10 mill and VL I believe it was circa 7 mill and given that Jump Back alone has been selling 10 a month in the US for the past 9 months, it would suggest there must be a way of coming up with a more accurate estimate.

Any thoughts or stats to throw into the mix Mr Licks?

George?

It's very hard to get a real number, Stones' album sales were at 200 million mark around 1990-91, we can add about 50 million sales since then.
250 million copies of albums/singles is a good estimate.

About Steel Wheels, that album sold 5.5/6 million copies worldwide, Voodoo Lounge and Jump Back about the same.

Thanks man.

I really think we ever will know the exact sales of any artist.

I remember back in the seventies we had a program on the radio that try to figure out many records some big bands sold, they had to stop the program because some of the record companies didn't want to cooperate.

__________________________

The Rolling Stones, one of the biggest bands in rock'n'roll history with album sales estimated at more than 200 million, embarked on a two-year world tour in 2005 which ended in London last August.
~ [www.reuters.com]

What do you think of these figures Georgelicks? Do they add up to you?

[www.ukmix.org]

Total US Album Shipments to Apr 2008

1 - Elvis Presley - 165,000,000
2 - The Beatles - 160,000,000
3 - Led Zeppelin - 100,000,000
4 - Garth Brooks - 99,000,000
5 - The Eagles - 91,500,000
6 - Barbra Streisand - 83,000,000
7 - Elton John - 83,000,000
8 - The Rolling Stones - 79,000,000
9 - Pink Floyd - 78,000,000
10 - Frank Sinatra - 75,000,000

11 - Billy Joel - 73,000,000
12 - Aerosmith - 72,500,000
13 - AC/DC - 71,500,000
14 - Madonna - 69,000,000
15 - Kenny Rogers - 68,500,000
16 - George Strait - 68,000,000
17 - Mariah Carey - 65,000,000
18 - Michael Jackson - 63,000,000
19 - Neil Diamond - 62,000,000
20 - Bruce Springsteen - 61,500,000

21 - Metallica - 60,000,000
22 - Van Halen - 59,500,000
23 - U2 - 59,000,000
24 - Fleetwood Mac - 58,000,000
25 - Celine Dion - 56,000,000
26 - Santana - 56,000,000
27 - Whitney Houston - 54,500,000
28 - Eric Clapton - 53,500,000
29 - Kenny G - 51,000,000

To obtain these figures I've used :-

- riaa shipments with particular regard to dates and patterns of certification.

- soundscan figures to indicate catalogue sales.

- billboard album charts and runs.

- other figures from internet research and from this forum.

NOTE - The Top 10 is neatly divided with 5 UK acts and 5 USA acts.

Total Audited US Album Shipments

1 - The Beatles - 131.942m
2 - Garth Brooks - 99m
3 - Elvis Presley - 98.7m
4 - The Eagles - 89.75m
5 - Led Zeppelin - 89.46m
6 - AC/DC - 69.2m
7 - Barbra Streisand - 67.75m
7 - Elton John - 67.75m
9 - Billy Joel - 67m
10 - Aerosmith - 63.628m

11 - Mariah Carey - 62m
11 - Madonna - 61m
13 - George Strait - 58m
14 - Pink Floyd - 57.111m
15 - The Rolling Stones - 57m
16 - Michael Jackson - 57m
17 - Van Halen - 55m
18 - Metallica - 53m
18 - Bruce Springsteen - 52.584m
20 - Whitney Houston - 52.5m

21 - Kenny Rogers - 51.75m
22 - Celine Dion - 50m
23 - U2 - 49.5m
24 - Fleetwood Mac - 48m
25 - Kenny G - 47.5m
26 - Neil Diamond - 45.667m
27 - Santana - 43.883m
28 - Eric Clapton - 39.5m
29 - Frank Sinatra - 24.792m

Few of these artists currently have all their albums fully certified - but these are the definitive audited shipments to date.

Soundscan totals Mar 1991 to Dec 2007

1 - Garth Brooks - 67.4m
2 - The Beatles - 55.7m
3 - Mariah Carey - 49.9m
4 - Celine Dion - 49.7m
5 - Metallica - 48.7m
6 - George Strait - 39.2m
7 - Pink Floyd - 34.5m
8 - Kenny G - 33.1m
9 - Eric Clapton - 32.2m***
10 - U2 - 32.1m

11 - Elvis Presley - 29.5m
12 - Aerosmith - 28.7m
13 - The Eagles - 28.3m
14 - Frank Sinatra - 27.4m***
15 - Madonna - 27.4m***
16 - Elton John - 25.8m
17 - AC/DC - 25.7m
18 - Santana - 24.9m
19 - Whitney Houston - 23.6m***
20 - The Rolling Stones - 23.6m

21 - Led Zeppelin - 22.1m
22 - Barbra Streisand - 20.3m***
23 - Michael Jackson - 19m
24 - Bruce Springsteen - 18.2m
25 - Van Halen - 17.9m
26 - Billy Joel - 17.5m
27 - Fleetwood Mac - 16.2m
28 - Neil Diamond - 15.5m estimate
29 - Kenny Rogers - 13m estimate

***These 5 artist's totals include various soundtracks and collaborations that are included in their riaa totals.

The soundscan totals represent over the counter sales for the past 17 years.

The riaa total shipment list

This is the list on the riaa website and is the least useful list of all in that it counts "units" - so a double album counts twice, a 6CD box set six times! and so on.

The riaa one is out of date - so this is the updated list Jan 2008.

1 - The Beatles - 170m
2 - Garth Brooks - 128m
3 - Elvis Presley - 119.5m
4 - Led Zeppelin - 111.5m
5 - The Eagles - 100m
6 - Billy Joel - 79.5m
7 - Pink Floyd - 74.5m
8 - Barbra Streisand - 71m
8 - AC/DC - 71m
10 - Elton John - 69.5m

11 - George Strait - 67.5m
12 - Aerosmith - 66.5m
13 - The Rolling Stones - 66m
14 - Bruce Springsteen - 63.5m
15 - Mariah Carey - 64m
16 - Madonna - 63.5m
17 - Michael Jackson - 60.5m
18 - Metallica - 57m
19 - Van Halen - 56.5m
20 - Whitney Houston - 54m

21 - Kenny Rogers - 52m
22 - U2 - 51m
23 - Celine Dion - 50m
24 - Fleetwood Mac - 48.5m
25 - Neil Diamond - 48.5m
26 - Kenny G - 47.5m
27 - Santana - 44.5m
28 - Eric Clapton - 42.5m
29 - Frank Sinatra - 25.5m

Worldwide list:


Top Achievements / Albums


most successful artists SOURCE: IFPI / MEDIA TRAFFIC


1 Beatles
2 Elvis Presley
3 Michael Jackson
4 Pink Floyd
5 Madonna
6 Elton John
7 Led Zeppelin
8 Rolling Stones
9 U2
10 Queen