List of highest-certified music artists in the United States
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This is the list of the highest-certified music artists in the United States based on certifications of albums and digital singles (but not physical singles) by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[1] RIAA certifications are based on wholesale shipments rather than retail sales. Since 2016, the RIAA album certification has also included on-demand audio/video streams (1,500 streams = 1 album unit) and track sale equivalent (10 track sales = 1 album unit).[2] Additionally, awards are presented only if and when a record company applies for certification. Therefore, the total certified units for a given artist may be incomplete or out of date.
The RIAA began its certifications in 1958, therefore, popular artists from earlier eras are generally not represented on this list. As of January 20, 2026[update], the Beatles is the highest-certified band in the United States with a total of 183 million certified album-equivalent units. Garth Brooks is the highest-certified solo artist and Taylor Swift is the highest-certified female artist. Meanwhile, Drake remains the highest-certified digital singles artist, with 276 million certified units as a lead artist.
Top 100 certified music artists
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The following is a list of 100 highest-certified artists in the United States based on album-equivalent units, which include physical album shipments, digital album downloads, as well as individual song downloads and streams. However, sales of physical singles are not counted for album-equivalent units, which do not favor artists with a large catalog of physical singles such as Elvis Presley and Madonna.[3] Artists with album certifications prior to 2016 also do not get benefit of the inclusion of individual song downloads and streams. The highest-certified music artists do not necessarily mean the highest-selling music artists, due to the fact that certifications are not automatic and record companies have to apply. The RIAA's figures may also differ with Luminate and Billboard's ones due to different weighting ratios of streaming. The RIAA counts 1,500 streams as one album unit (regardless of free or paid streams, audio or video streams),[4] while Billboard counts 1,250 premium audio streams, 3,750 ad-supported streams, or 3,750 video streams as one album unit.[5] As of January 2, 2026, Billboard counts 2,500 ad-supported or 1,000 premium on-demand official audio and video streams as one album unit.[6]
| Rank | Units (millions) |
Name | Nat. | Active |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 200 | Garth Brooks | US | 1980s–2020s[8] |
| 2 | 183 | The Beatles | UK | 1960s–1970sd |
| 3 | 146.5 | Elvis Presley | US | 1950s–1970s† |
| 4 | 120 | Eagles | US | 1970s–2020s[9] |
| 5 | 112.5 | Led Zeppelin | UK | 1960s–1980sd |
| 6 | 110 | Taylor Swift | US | 2000s–2020s[10] |
| 7 | 90 | Michael Jackson | US | 1970s–2000s† |
| 8 | 89 | Billy Joel | US | 1970s–2020s[11] |
| 9 | 84 | AC/DC | Australia | 1970s–2020s[12] |
| 10 | 81 | Elton John | UK | 1960s–2020s[13] |
| 11 | 76 | Mariah Carey | US | 1990s–2020s[14] |
| 12 | 75 | Pink Floyd | UK | 1960s–2010sd |
| 13 | 71 | Bruce Springsteen | US | 1970s–2020s[15] |
| Metallica | US | 1980s–2020s[16] | ||
| 15 | 69.5 | Aerosmith | US | 1970s–2020s[17] |
| George Strait | US | 1980s–2020s[18] | ||
| 17 | 68.5 | Barbra Streisand | US | 1960s–2010s[19] |
| 18 | 66.5 | The Rolling Stones | UK | 1960s–2020s[10] |
| 19 | 65.5 | Madonna | US | 1980s–2020s[18] |
| 20 | 62 | Whitney Houston | US | 1980s–2010s† |
| 21 | 61.5 | Eminem | US | 1990s–2020s[20] |
| 22 | 57.5 | Fleetwood Mac | UK | 1960s–2010s[21] |
| 23 | 56.5 | Van Halen | US | 1970s–2020sd |
| 24 | 53 | Celine Dion | Canada | 1990s–2020s[22] |
| 25 | 52.5 | Journey | US | 1970s–2020s[23] |
| 26 | 52 | U2 | Ireland | 1970s–2010s[24] |
| 27 | 49.5 | Neil Diamond | US | 1960s–2020s[25] |
| 28 | 49 | Alabama | US | 1970s–2020s[26] |
| 29 | 48 | Kenny G | US | 1980s–2020s[27] |
| Shania Twain | Canada | 1990s–2020s[28] | ||
| 31 | 47.5 | Drake | Canada | 2000s–2020s[29] |
| Kenny Rogers | US | 1950s–2000s† | ||
| 33 | 44.5 | Alan Jackson | US | 1980s–2020s[30] |
| Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band | US | 1960s–2020s[31] | ||
| Guns N' Roses | US | 1980s–2020s[32] | ||
| 36 | 43.5 | Santana | US | 1960s–2020s[33] |
| 37 | 43 | Queen | UK | 1970s–2020s[34] |
| 38 | 41 | Reba McEntire | US | 1970s–2020s[35] |
| Bon Jovi | US | 1980s–2020s[36] | ||
| 40 | 40 | Eric Clapton | UK | 1960s–2020s[37] |
| Tim McGraw | US | 1990s–2020s[27] | ||
| 42 | 39 | Chicago | US | 1960s–2020s[38] |
| 43 | 38.5 | Britney Spears | US | 1990s–2020s[39] |
| Simon & Garfunkel | US | 1960s–2010sd[40] | ||
| 45 | 38 | Foreigner | US | 1970s–2020s[41] |
| Rod Stewart | UK | 1960s–2020s[42] | ||
| 47 | 37 | Backstreet Boys | US | 1990s–2020s[43] |
| Beyoncé | US | 2000s–2020s | ||
| 49 | 36.5 | Tupac Shakur | US | 1990s† |
| 50 | 36 | Bob Dylan | US | 1960s–2020s[44] |
| 51 | 35.5 | Def Leppard | UK | 1970s–2020s[45] |
| 52 | 35 | Kenny Chesney | US | 1990s–2020s[46] |
| 53 | 34.5 | Dave Matthews Band | US | 1990s–2020s[27] |
| 54 | 34 | Green Day | US | 1980s–2020s[47] |
| The Doors | US | 1960s–1970sd | ||
| 55 | 33.5 | Jay-Z | US | 1990s–2010s |
| John Denver | US | 1960s–1990s† | ||
| Phil Collins | UK | 1970s–2020s[48] | ||
| 58 | 33 | James Taylor | US | 1960s–2020s[49] |
| The Chicks | US | 1980s–2020s[50][51] | ||
| Usher | US | 1990s–2020s | ||
| 61 | 32 | R. Kelly | US | 1990s–2010s |
| 62 | 31.5 | Pearl Jam | US | 1990s–2020s[52] |
| Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers | US | 1970s–2010s† | ||
| Willie Nelson | US | 1950s–2020s[53] | ||
| 65 | 31 | Boston | US | 1970s–2010s |
| 66 | 30.5 | Linkin Park | US | 1990s–2020s |
| 67 | 30 | Creedence Clearwater Revival | US | 1960s–1970sd |
| Linda Ronstadt | US | 1960s–2010s[54] | ||
| 69 | 29.75 | Ozzy Osbourne | UK | 1960s–2020s†[55] |
| 70 | 29.5 | Kanye West | US | 2000s–2020s[56] |
| 71 | 29 | Rihanna | Barbados | 2000s–2020s[57] |
| 72 | 28.5 | Lynyrd Skynyrd | US | 1960s–2020s[58] |
| 73 | 28 | Adele | UK | 2000s–2020s[59] |
| Bee Gees | UK/Australia | 1960s–2010sd | ||
| Mannheim Steamroller | US | 1970s–2010s | ||
| Michael Bolton | US | 1980s–2020s[60] | ||
| NSYNC | US | 1990s–2020s | ||
| Nirvana | US | 1980s–1990sd | ||
| 79 | 27.5 | Barry Manilow | US | 1970s–2020s[61] |
| Brooks & Dunn | US | 1990s–2010s | ||
| John Mellencamp | US | 1970s–2020s[62] | ||
| Red Hot Chili Peppers | US | 1980s–2020s[63] | ||
| 83 | 27 | Boyz II Men | US | 1990s–2020s[64] |
| Frank Sinatra | US | 1930s–1990s† | ||
| Luther Vandross | US | 1960s–2000s† | ||
| 86 | 26.5 | Enya | Ireland | 1980s–2010s |
| Steve Miller Band | US | 1960s–2010s | ||
| 88 | 26 | Janet Jackson | US | 1980s–2010s |
| Outkast | US | 1990s–2010s | ||
| Rush | Canada | 1970s–2010sd | ||
| 91 | 25.5 | Faith Hill | US | 1990s–2010s |
| 92 | 25 | Creed | US | 1990s–2010s |
| Lil Wayne | US | 1990s–2020s[27] | ||
| Mötley Crüe | US | 1980s–2010s | ||
| Toby Keith | US | 1990s–2020s†[65] | ||
| ZZ Top | US | 1970s–2020s[66] | ||
| 97 | 24.5 | REO Speedwagon | US | 1970s–2010s |
| The Carpenters | US | 1960s–1980sd | ||
| 98 | 24 | Justin Bieber | Canada | 2000s–2020s[67] |
| Nickelback | Canada | 1990s–2020s[68] | ||
| Vince Gill | US | 1970s–2010s |
Notes:
Top 50 certified digital singles artists
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The following is a list of 50 highest-certified digital singles artists in the United States, based on song downloads and streams. As album sales suffered in the 21st century, the RIAA introduced Digital Single Award in 2004 to better recognize "artists' commercial success in a transformative music marketplace".[69] Streams were added as part of singles certification in 2013,[70] with 150 audio/video streams being equal to one download. The RIAA does not count certified units of featured artists in their official ranking.
| Rank | Units (millions) |
Name | Nat. | Active |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 276 | Drake | Canada | 2000s–2020s[29] |
| 2 | 214 | Morgan Wallen | US | 2010-2020s |
| 2 | 188 | Rihanna | Barbados | 2000s–2020s[57] |
| 3 | 167 | Eminem | US | 1990s–2020s[20] |
| 4 | 163 | Kanye West | US | 2000s–2020s[56] |
| 5 | 161.5 | Beyoncé | US | 2000s–2020s[73] |
| 6 | 147.5 | Luke Combs | US | 2010s–2020s[74] |
| 7 | 142 | Post Malone | US | 2010s–2020s[75] |
| 8 | 141 | Travis Scott | US | 2000s–2020s[27] |
| 9 | 140 | Ariana Grande | US | 2010s–2020s[76] |
| 10 | 137.5 | Taylor Swift | US | 2000s–2020s[10] |
| 11 | 134 | Chris Brown | US | 2000s—2020s[77] |
| 12 | 132 | The Weeknd | Canada | 2010s–2020s[78] |
| 13 | 122.5 | Justin Bieber | Canada | 2000s–2020s[67] |
| 14 | 121.5 | Katy Perry | US | 2000s–2020s[79] |
| 15 | 120.5 | Bruno Mars | US | 2000s–2020s[80] |
| 16 | 111.5 | Imagine Dragons | US | 2000s–2020s[81] |
| 17 | 109 | YoungBoy Never Broke Again | US | 2010s–2020s[82] |
| 18 | 106.5 | Morgan Wallen | US | 2010s–2020s[83] |
| 19 | 103.5 | Ed Sheeran | UK | 2000s–2020s[84] |
| 20 | 96.5 | J. Cole | US | 2000s–2020s[85] |
| 21 | 95 | Future | US | 2000s–2020s[86] |
| Lil Wayne | US | 1990s–2020s[27] | ||
| 22 | 93.5 | Luke Bryan | US | 2000s–2020s[27] |
| 23 | 92.5 | SZA | US | 2010s-2020s[87] |
| 24 | 87.5 | Maroon 5 | US | 2000s–2020s[88] |
| 25 | 84 | Juice Wrld | US | 2010s†[89] |
| Lil Uzi Vert | US | 2010s–2020s[90] | ||
| 26 | 82.5 | Lady Gaga | US | 2000s–2020s[10] |
| Usher | US | 1990s–2020s | ||
| 27 | 82 | XXXTentacion | US | 2010s†[91] |
| 28 | 81.5 | Zach Bryan | US | 2010s-2020s |
| 29 | 76 | Lil Baby | US | 2010s–2020s[92] |
| 30 | 74.5 | Billie Eilish | US | 2010s–2020s[10] |
| 31 | 72.5 | Miley Cyrus | US | 2000s–2020s[27] |
| 32 | 71.5 | Mariah Carey | US | 1990s-2020s[93] |
| 34 | 71 | Chris Stapleton | US | 2000s–2020s[94] |
| Twenty One Pilots | US | 2010s–2020s[95] | ||
| 36 | 69 | Cardi B | US | 2010s–2020s[96] |
| 37 | 68 | DJ Khaled | US | 1990s-2020s |
| 38 | 66.5 | Pitbull | US | 2000s–2020s[97] |
| 39 | 66.5 | Bryson Tiller | US | 2010s-2020s |
| 40 | 65.5 | Michael Jackson | US | 1970s–2000s†[98] |
Notes:
