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Chart-Toppers: 50 Years of
the Best-Selling Music
Artists
Published 2 years ago on November 8, 2019
By Ashley Viens

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Chart-Toppers: 50 Years of
the Best-Selling Music
Artists
Fame, fortune, and adoring fans—this is often the
dream-turned-reality for the world’s most
popular music artists.

Thanks to their relatability and creative prowess,

these artists have not only boasted longevity in
their record sales, but they’ve also dominated the
charts year after year.

Today’s video from Data is Beautiful visualizes

the world’s best-selling music artists from the
past 50 years (1969 to 2019) and highlights the
length of their reigns.

Do you see your favorite artist or group in the

mix?

The Best Selling Artists, By

Decade
Of all of the artists in the past half-century, two
stand out: Michael Jackson and Eminem. Michael
Jackson has the highest cumulative number of
years in the top spot (~12 years), while Eminem
holds the longest continuous best-selling artist
slot (8.5 years).

Let’s dive into each decade to uncover defining

moments and key technology advancements that
pushed the art of music into exciting new areas.

Expand image

1970s
This era of music is defined by the emergence of
the rock genre, with artists like The Eagles and
Led Zeppelin, the latter of which is widely
considered a forefather of hard rock and heavy
metal.

The Beatles became known, not just for their

music, but for pushing the envelope with how
they recorded their music. They used analog
sound editing techniques—utilizing a sound
effect “bank” to record overtop finished music
tracks to add depth and texture. This left a huge
mark on the music world, and in many ways
influenced how modern music is recorded.

The introduction of 8-tracks and cassette tapes

enabled people to play albums in their vehicles,
opening up new possibilities for on-the-go
entertainment.

1980s
Enter the age of electronic music—synthesizers,
theremins, electronic samplers, and electronic
drum kits popped up in the music scene, most
predominantly in the United Kingdom and the
United States. The German-based group
Kraftwerk was one of the first to pioneer using a
synthesizer in their sets.

For example, one of the reasons for Michael

Jackson’s success was that the technology of the
time allowed for much wider distribution at
much lower costs. In addition, Thriller was one of
the first albums recorded on compact discs (CDs),
which were introduced in 1982.

The MTV era (launched 1981) also significantly

impacted the sales of albums, as music now
offered both visual and audio experiences—and
broadcast directly into people’s homes.

1990s
A predominant factor of the 90s music scene was
the explosion of popular music artists being
commissioned to record the theme songs for
blockbuster films.

The most notable artists and their corresponding

blockbuster movies of the time include:

Elton John ─ The Lion King

Celine Dion ─ Titanic

Whitney Houston ─ Bodyguard

Bryan Adams ─ Robin Hood: Prince Of

Thieves

Madonna ─ Evita

While the 1990s marked a decade of great variety

in top-selling artists, it was also the peak of the
music industry’s sales, at a whopping $21.5
billion in 1999—a figure not since repeated.

2000s
Eminem dominated 2000s record sales, but the
decade also featured brief stints from the
Backstreet Boys in 2000 and Rihanna in 2009.

Eminem helped to launch hip hop music into the

mainstream. Being one of the most controversial
best-selling artists of all time, he pushed genre
boundaries through his technical prowess,
wordsmithing, and relatability to wider
audiences.

The 21st century also brought music streaming

services such as Spotify to the forefront, forever
altering how people listen to their favorite artists
and bands.

2010s
Only three artists have hit the best-selling artist
spot in the current decade: Rihanna, Drake, and
Luis Fonsi—the Puerto Rican singer most well
known for his hit single “Despacito”.

In 2016, the Recording Industry Association of

America (RIAA) certified that Drake was the first
music artist ever to reach #1 through streaming
platform sales and downloads, instead of through
physical album sales.

According to RIAA, streaming revenues jumped

from almost half of all music industry sales in
2017, to over 75% of sales in 2018—with $4.6
billion in total record sales as of Q1 2018.

The Future Of Music

Musicians are a creative breed, continuously
experimenting with new instruments, sound
effects, and recording styles.

Some artists are even going so far as use only an

iPhone to record their work—showcasing the
modern-era ability to record high-fidelity quality
and achieve studio-like results.

With a new decade just around the corner, we

may see even more possibilities for technology to
revamp how we access our favorite tunes—and
how artists distribute them to their fanbase.

Who might become the next Beatles, Michael

Jackson, or Drake?

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RELATED TOPICS: # Music # Streaming

# Best-Selling Music Artist # Best Selling # Musicians
# The Beatles # Elvis # Drake # Eminem
# Recording Artists # Streaming Services

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