Top Ten Solo Music Artists All Time

1. Robert Earl Keen
2. John Prine
3. Steve Earle
4. Townes Van Zandt
5. Kris Kristofferson
6. Jerry Jeff Walker
7. Willie Nelson
8. Gordon Lightfoot
9. Bob Dylan
10. Waylon Jennings
 
Elvis Presley
Elton John
Frank Sinatra
George Harrison
Waylon Jennings
Michael Jackson
Paul McCartney
 
Elvis Presley ... 1.5 Billion Units Sold
Michael Jackson ... 1.0 Billion Units Sold
Madonna ... 340 Million Units Sold
Elton John ... 305 Million Units Sold
Rihanna ... 271 Million Units Sold
Eminem ... 227 Million Units Sold
Taylor Swift ... 212 Million Units Sold
Whitney Houston ... 205 Million Units Sold
Mariah Carey ... 202 Million Units Sold
Celine Dion ... 175 Million Units Sold
 
TOP GUN said:
Elvis Presley ... 1.5 Billion Units Sold
Michael Jackson ... 1.0 Billion Units Sold
Madonna ... 340 Million Units Sold
Elton John ... 305 Million Units Sold
Rihanna ... 271 Million Units Sold
Eminem ... 227 Million Units Sold
Taylor Swift ... 212 Million Units Sold
Whitney Houston ... 205 Million Units Sold
Mariah Carey ... 202 Million Units Sold
Celine Dion ... 175 Million Units Sold
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That list makes me sad.
 
TOP GUN said:
Elvis Presley ... 1.5 Billion Units Sold
Michael Jackson ... 1.0 Billion Units Sold
Madonna ... 340 Million Units Sold
Elton John ... 305 Million Units Sold
Rihanna ... 271 Million Units Sold
Eminem ... 227 Million Units Sold
Taylor Swift ... 212 Million Units Sold
Whitney Houston ... 205 Million Units Sold
Mariah Carey ... 202 Million Units Sold
Celine Dion ... 175 Million Units Sold
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What constitutes a unit?
 
SlinkyRedfoot said:
That list makes me sad.
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Sad Cartoon GIF
 
To be clear, this is a list of popularity, not talent.

Popular != Great
 
TOP GUN said:
Elvis Presley ... 1.5 Billion Units Sold
Michael Jackson ... 1.0 Billion Units Sold
Madonna ... 340 Million Units Sold
Elton John ... 305 Million Units Sold
Rihanna ... 271 Million Units Sold
Eminem ... 227 Million Units Sold
Taylor Swift ... 212 Million Units Sold
Whitney Houston ... 205 Million Units Sold
Mariah Carey ... 202 Million Units Sold
Celine Dion ... 175 Million Units Sold
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puke GIF
 
Serious questions though, should performers who don’t write their music be considered solo artists?

Is Elton John, who did at least compose the music for his songs, but played with the same backing band his entire career really a solo artist?
 
TheDayMan said:
Serious questions though, should performers who don’t write their music be considered solo artists?

Is Elton John, who did at least compose the music for his songs, but played with the same backing band his entire career really a solo artist?
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Most of the general population is ignorant to the difference. ...which can be kinda annoying...

Another valid question: Should someone like Tom Petty - who composed nearly all of his material and hired bands to play his music with him - be considered a solo artist?
 
RP-29 said:
Most of the general population is ignorant to the difference. ...which can be kinda annoying...

Another valid question: Should someone like Tom Petty - who composed nearly all of his material and hired bands to play his music with him - be considered a solo artist?
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I actually thought of him when I was typing that. But I don’t think most would consider him a solo artist in the first place. Even when he released stuff without the heartbreakers name attached to it he collaborated with Mike Campbell, or Jeff Lynne, or whoever he was hanging with at the time.
 
TheDayMan said:
I actually thought of him when I was typing that. But I don’t think most would consider him a solo artist in the first place. Even when he released stuff without the heartbreakers name attached to it he collaborated with Mike Campbell, or Jeff Lynne, or whoever he was hanging with at the time.
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Really, I intended to use Petty solely as an example; there are a lot of musicians who are the sole musical composer of a "band" and the "band" is really just a few guys hired to play music someone else wrote for live performances.
 
RP-29 said:
Really, I intended to use Petty solely as an example; there are a lot of musicians who are the sole musical composer of a "band" and the "band" is really just a few guys hired to play music someone else wrote for live performances.
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Yeah. And it was just a thought, not really worth overthinking I suppose. Tom Petty actually probably has a pretty strong claim to the title I guess (after over thinking it some more) even though he collaborated with a lot of people, and had the same band always, he was always the main songwriter.

Elton John is probably the strongest entry on OP’s stupid list, and even he was part of a songwriting duo, but at least “artist” is a fitting title for him.

Elvis was nothing more than a performer OP thinks was wrong sexy.

Eminem is probably fair.

Michael Jackson is probably fair. He was in charge of the production and direction of what he did, even if he didn’t write everything.

I don’t know enough about the rest to care or have an opinion

Not everyone can be Prince or Trent Reznor and do every part of their first albums I suppose.
 
Frank Zappa had about 245 albums, and after Mothers he used about 742 different musicians.

So I guess he isn't really "solo?"
 
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