Chart Facts 
The 100 Most Played Songs
Top Forty Songs From '56 to '80
The Best Selling Records
 How They Got Their Name
The Stars' Real Names 
The History Of Banned Rock 		Classic Rock's Fascinating Facts
Died and Gone To Rock and Roll Heaven
Music Definitions
 

The Top Ten Best Selling Singles Of All Time

 All Categories, Including: Rock, Country, Rap, Movie Soundtracks, Big Band and Children's.
As Of November, 2003
 
Number Millions Sold Title Artist's Name
1 37 Candle In The Wind -- (Princess Diana Tribute) Elton John
2 30 White Christmas Bing Crosby
3 17 Rock Around The Clock Bill Haley and His Comets
4 12 I Want To Hold Your Hand The Beatles
5 10 Hey Jude The Beatles
6 10 It's Now Or Never Elvis Presley
7 10 I Will Always Love You Whitney Houston
8 9 Hound Dog Elvis Presley
9 9 Diana Paul Anka
10 8 (Every Thing I Do) I Do It For You Bryan Adams

 


 
The Best Selling Albums Of All Time

In All Categories, Including: Rock, Country, Rap, Movie Soundtracks, Big Band and Children's.
As Of June, 2004
Millions Sold   Title Artist's Name
28 Eagles - Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975 Their Greatest Hits (vol. 1) The Eagles
26 Thriller Thriller Michael Jackson
23 The Wall The Wall Pink Floyd
22 Led Zeppelin IV (aka ZOSO) Led Zeppelin IV Led Zeppelin
21 Billy Joel - Greatest Hits Vol. 1-2 Greatest Hits VOL I and II Billy Joel
19 The Beatles 1 The Beatles The Beatles
19 Come On Over - International Version Come On Over Shania Twain
19 Back in Black Back In Black AC/DC
19 Rumours Rumours Fleetwood Mac
17 Boston Boston Boston
17 Bodyguard Soundtrack [12 Tracks] The Bodyguard (soundtrack) Whitney Houston
16 1967-1970 The Beatles 1967 - 1970 The Beatles
16 Hotel California Hotel California Eagles
16 Elton John - Greatest Hits Greatest Hits Elton John
16 Jagged Little Pill Jagged Little Pill Alanis Morissette
16 No Fences~The Limited Edition No Fences Garth Brooks
16 Cracked Rear View Cracked Rear View Hootie and The Blowfish
15 Physical Graffiti Physical Graffiti Led Zeppelin
15 1962-1966 The Beatles 1962 - 1966 The Beatles
15 Saturday Night Fever (1998 Original London Cast) Saturday Night Fever The Bee Gees
15 Born in the U.S.A. Born In The U.S.A. Bruce Springsteen
15 Dark Side Of The Moon Dark Side Of The Moon Pink Floyd
15 Appetite for Destruction Appetite For Destruction Guns 'n Roses
15 Double Live Double Live Garth Brooks
14 Supernatural Supernatural Santana
14 Bat out of Hell Bat Out Of Hell Meat Loaf
14 Ropin' the Wind Ropin' The Wind Garth Brooks
14 Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys
13 Frampton Comes Alive! Frampton Comes Alive Peter Frampton
13 Simon & Garfunkel - Greatest Hits Greatest Hits Simon and Garfunkel
13 Music from the Motion Picture "Purple Rain" Purple Rain (soundtrack) Prince and The Revolution
13 Whitney Houston Whitney Houston Whitney Houston
13 ...Baby One More Time [ENHANCED CD] Baby One More Time Britney Spears
13 Millennium Millennium Backstreet Boys
13 Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band Live/1975-85 Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band Live Bruce Springsteen
13 Metallica Metallica Metallica
13 Steve Miller Band - Greatest Hits 1974-1978 Greatest Hits 1974 - 1978 Steve Miller Band
12 Abbey Road Abbey Road The Beatles
12 Led Zeppelin II Led Zeppelin II Led Zeppelin
12 Hot Rocks, 1964-1971 Hot Rocks The Rolling Stones
12 Slippery When Wet Slippery When Wet Bon Jovi
12 II II Boyz II Men
12 Kenny Rogers - Greatest Hits Kenny Rogers Greatest Hits Kenny Rogers
12 Breathless Breathless Kenny G
12 Hysteria Hysteria Def Leppard
12 The Woman in Me The Woman In Me Shania Twain
12 No Jacket Required No Jacket Required Phil Collins
12 Yourself or Someone Like You Yourself Or Someone Like You Matchbox TWenty
12 Forrest Gump Forrest Gump Soundtrack Various Artists
12 Wide Open Spaces Wide Open Spaces Dixie Chicks
12 Ten Ten Pearl Jam
11 Dirty Dancing: Original Soundtrack From The Vestron Motion Picture Dirty Dancing Soundtrack Various Artists
11 James Taylor: Greatest Hits James Taylor's Greatest Hits James Taylor
11 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band The Beatles
11 CrazySexyCool Crazysexycool TLC
11 Pieces of You Pieces Of You JeWel
11 Houses Of The Holy Houses Of The Holy Led Zeppelin
11 Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture (1997) Titanic Soundtrack Various Artists
11 No Strings Attached No Strings Attached 'N Sync
11 Falling into You Falling Into You Celine Dion
11 Eagles Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 Eagles Greatest Hits Volume II Eagles
11 Devil Without A Cause Devil Without A Cause Kid Rock
10 The Stranger The Stranger Billy Joel
10 1984 1984 Van Halen
10 Aerosmith - Greatest Hits Aerosmith's Greatest Hits Aerosmith
10 The Best of the Doobies Best Of The Doobies The Doobie Brothers
10 Can't Slow Down Can't Slow Down Lionel Richie
10 Daydream Daydream Mariah Carey
10 Dookie Dookie Green Day
10 Eliminator Eliminator ZZ Top
10 Faith Faith George Michael
10 Fly Fly Dixie Chicks
10 Greatest Hits Greatest Hits Journey
10 Human Clay Human Clay Creed
10 Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin
10 Legend Legend Bob Marley and The Wailers
10 Let's Talk About Love Let's Talk About Love Celine Dion
10 Life After Death [Edited Version] Life After Death Notorious B.I.G.
10 Tragic Kingdom Tragic Kingdom No Doubt
10 Like a Virgin Like A Virgin Madonna
10 Music Box Music Box Mariah Carey
10 *NSYNC 'N Sync 'N Sync
10 Nevermind Nevermind Nirvana
10 Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'em HAMMER
10 Tapestry Tapestry Carole King
10 The Hits The Hits Garth Brooks
10 The Immaculate Collection The Immaculate Collection Madonna
10 The Joshua Tree The Joshua Tree U2
10 The Lion King: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack The Lion King Soundtrack Various Artists
10 Unplugged Unplugged Eric Clapton
10 Van Halen Van Halen Van Halen
10 Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - Greatest Hits Greatest Hits Tom Petty
9 Top Gun Soundtrack Top Gun Soundtrack Various Artists
9 Footloose (1984 Film) Footloose Soundtrack Various Artists
9 All Eyez on Me All Eyez On Me Tupac
9 Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness Smashing Pumkins
9 Hi Infidelity High Infidelity REO Speedwagon
9 Patsy Cline - 12 Greatest Hits Greatest Hits Patsy Cline
9 Mariah Carey Mariah Carey Mariah Carey
9 Cooleyhighharmony Cooleyhighharmony Boyz II Men
9 Garth Brooks Garth Brooks Garth Brooks
9 Licensed to Ill Licenced To Ill Beastie Boys
9 The Sign The Sign Ace Of Base
9 Whitney Whitney Whitney Houston
9 Escape Escape Journey
9 The Best Of The Doors Best Of The Doors The Doors
9 Some Gave All Some Gave All Billy Ray Cyrus
9 Pyromania Pyromania Def Leppard
9 John Denver's Greatest Hits Greatest Hits John Denver
9 Brothers in Arms Brothers In Arms Dire Straits
9 The Great Band Era Great Band Era (LP) Various Artists
9 Big Willie Style Big Willie Style Will Smith
9 2Pac - Greatest Hits [Edited Version] Greatest Hits 2 Pac



 
The Top Ten Artists in U.S. Album Sales
Number Artist Sales
1 The Beatles 106,530,000
2 Garth Brooks 92,000,000
3 Led Zeppelin 83,620,000
4 Elvis Presley 77,280,000
5 Eagles 65,000,000
6 Billy Joel 63,250,000
7 Barbra Streisand 62,750,000
8 Elton John 61,620,000
9 Aerosmith 54,370,000
10 Pink Floyd 52,600,000

 
 
Artists Awards

Here are the Recording Industry Association of America's awards for record sales in U.S.
These sales numbers include all retail, mail order, and record club sales,
but not promotional radio and press copies, inventory sell-offs and surplus sales.
These figures Were compiled in November, 2003.

The Artists Are Listed In Alphabetical Order
Artist Gold
500,000 units shipped 		Platinum
one million units shipped 		Multi-Platinum
two million units shipped
AC/DC 19 19 11
Aerosmith 23 18 11
Alabama 22 20 10
Allman Brothers 10 4 1
Herb Alpert 15 1 0
Beach Boys 19 5 3
Beatles 41 36 24
Bee Gees 24 14 3
Black Sabbath 12 8 3
David Bowie 14 4 0
Jimmy Buffett 15 8 2
Glen Campbell 17 5 1
Carpenters 22 8 6
Johnny Cash 12 4 3
Chicago 22 18 7
Eric Clapton 21 12 7
Creedence Clearwater Revival 23 14 6
John Denver 20 13 7
Neil Diamond 38 20 11
Doobie Brothers 13 10 4
Doors 17 14 5
Bob Dylan 32 14 4
Eagles 13 10 9
Fleetwood Mac 15 9 7
Four Seasons 7 1 1
Aretha Franklin 28 4 1
Grand Funk Railroad 14 6 2
Grateful Dead 18 6 4
Hall and Oates 17 6 3
HENDRIX, JIMI 15 9 5
Engelbert Humperdinck 11 1 1
Isley Brothers 15 10 3
Jefferson Airplane/Starship 20 5 1
Jethro Tull 15 3 1
Billy Joel 18 17 11
Elton John 36 25 12
Tom Jones 13 0 0
Journey 17 8 7
Kiss 24 10 2
Led Zeppelin 16 16 13
John Lennon (solo) 11 3 2
Lynyrd Skynyrd 16 11 6
Madonna 16 16 12
Barry Manilow 20 12 5
Bob Marley and The Wailers 11 2 2
Dean Martin 12 0 0
Johnny Mathis 16 6 2
Paul McCartney (solo) 23 15 5
John Mellencamp 16 11 5
Moody Blues 16 6 0
Anne Murray 15 5 2
Olivia Newton-John 21 5 3
O'Jays 14 4 0
Tom Petty 15 8 5
Pink Floyd 18 15 12
Elvis Presley 89 46 23
Prince 21 14 6
Queen 16 7 1
R.E.O. Speedwagon 11 8 4
Kenny Rogers 29 20 8
Rolling Stones 39 26 11
Linda Ronstadt   19 14 7
Rush 22 14 3
Santana 20 11 7
Bob Seger 11 10 6
Simon and Garfunkel 10 8 7
Paul Simon (solo) 11 6 2
Frank Sinatra 29 8 3
Bruce Springsteen 16 15 10
Steely Dan 12 8 1
Cat Stevens 12 5 3
Rod Stewart 22 14 8
Barbra Streisand 50 28 13
Donna Summer 23 5 2
James Taylor 16 12 5
Temptations 16 5 1
Three Dog Night 20 0 0
U2 15 15 11
Luther Vandross 17 14 6
War 10 2 0
Barry White 18 5 1
Who 18 10 5
Andy Williams 18 3 0
Hank Williams Jr 22 8 1
Yes 22 8 2
Neil Young 16 7 3
ZZ Top 12 7 4

 

Northern California Replay Records
7560 Pacific Avenue
Stockton, Ca  95207
www.replay-records.net
209-951-8010  

These charts are provided for entertainment and academic purposes only. No ownership of the data is claimed or implied.
*These figures show U.S. sales only.*