Award shows are accused of bias all the time. And while awards might be subjective, records don’t lie. Here are the Grammy-winning best selling artist of all time.
1. Drake: Sales: 25.5 million albums, 163 million digital singles. Grammy history: 4 wins. 44 nominations. Best-selling album or single: “God’s Plan” (single). Rapper Drake has surpassed the Beatles to become the top certified artist of all time, thanks largely to his many successful singles. The 11x platinum “God’s Plan” is his best-selling single to date, followed by “Hotline Bling” and “One Dance,” both of which have been certified 8x platinum. He has won four Grammy Awards and performed at the ceremony.
2. The Beatles: Sales: 183 million albums, 0 million digital singles. Grammy history: 8 wins, 24 nominations. Best-selling album or single: “The Beatles” (album). The Beatles are the top certified artists with regard to albums only, having sold 183 million records in the U.S. The British legends also hold the honor of most No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 albums chart, with 19. They received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys in 2014.
3. Taylor Swift: Sales: 44 million albums, 121 million digital singles. Grammy history: 10 wins, 35 nominations. Best-selling album or single: “Fearless” (album). The 30-year-old Swift has already won 10 Grammy Awards in the span of her relatively short career. She’s also had 44 million certified album sales and 121 million certified digital single sales. The 2008 album “Fearless” is the singer-songwriter’s lone release to be certified diamond by the RIAA.
4. Eminem: Sales: 46 million albums, 107.5 million digital singles: Grammy history: 15 wins, 44 nominations: Best-selling album or single: “Love the Way You Lie” (ft. Rihanna) (single): Rapper Eminem has racked up 46 million certified album sales and 107.5 million digital singles sales since the release of his 1999 major label debut. During this period he has also won 15 Grammy awards. Eminem has performed at the awards show multiple times, including a memorable duet with Elton John, during which they played the song “Stan.”
5. Garth Brooks: Sales: 148 million albums, 0 million digital singles. Grammy history: 2 wins, 14 nominations. Best-selling album or single: “Double Live” (album). Garth Brooks has sold more albums in the U.S. than any other country artist, with a total of 148 million certified units. He has only won two Grammy awards — one in 1991 for his album “Ropin’ the Wind” and one in 1997 for the song “In Another’s Eyes.” His last nomination was in 2006.
