The Best-Selling Singers From Each State

Born in Casper, Wyoming in 1950, Spencer was a singer, songwriter, teacher, and a visual artist who used the roots of American traditional music to write songs of all genres, but he was considered a blues and folk-based musician. In 1976, he and wife moved to New Orleans, Louisiana to begin raising their family.

Between 1984 and 2018, Spencer released 20 solo studio albums and toured all around the United States and Europe, performing in countries such as England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and many others. He sadly passed away at the age of 69 in June of 2019.

The rock band Phish was formed in Burlington, Vermont by three of the four remaining original members while they attended college together at the University of Vermont. The band, itself, is known for musical improvisation, extended jams, and the blending of genres.

Since their first studio album was released in 1989, the band has released 16 studio albums and 15 live albums. They’ve never been nominated for or received any Grammy’s or broken any records. However, the band has developed a large and dedicated fanbase by word of mouth and selling over 8 million records in the U.S.

This is a band born and bred in Wasilla, Alaska that began playing together in 2001. In 2006, they signed on with Fearless Records and released two albums before moving on to Atlantic Records in 2010.

The band won their first Grammy in 2018 for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for their hit song Feel it Still at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.

Wiz Khalifa—born Cameron Jibril Thomas—was born in Minot, North Dakota in 1987 to military parents. Due to his parents’ occupations, Khalifa moved around a lot as a child eventually ending up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania around 1996.

Although he is mostly known as a rapper, Khalifa is also a singer, songwriter, and actor. He released his debut album in 2006 and since has been nominated for many awards, winning Best New Artist at the BET Awards in 2011, three Billboard Music Awards, and two Teen Choice Awards.

Although she was raised in Illinois and Canada, Shawna Lee Colvin was born in Vermillion, South Dakota. She is a singer/songwriter best known for her music in the late 90s. She signed her first record deal with Columbia Records in 1989 and released her first album the same year titled Steady On.

The album won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album, and her second album, Fat City, was also nominated for a Grammy. Her real success and notoriety came in 1996 when she released the album A Few Small Repairs. Colvin’s single from that album, Sunny Came Home, spent four weeks at number one on the Adult Contemporary chart and won 1998 Grammys for Best Song and Best Record of the year.

You ever wonder about the guy who sang Bad to the Bone? Well, we have the scoop here. George Thorogood is a musician, singer, and songwriter who just happened to be born in Wilmington, Delaware. Actually, his band’s original name was the Delaware Destroyers.

With his band, now just known as the Destroyers, he has released more than 20 albums, two of which have been certified Platinum and six have been certified Gold. Overall, Thorogood has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide.

William Wendell Gilman III was born in Westerly, Rhode Island in 1989 and by the age of 11 had become the youngest artist to ever have a top 40 single on the Billboard Hot 100 and a top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs list. He was discovered by Ray Benson of the country music group Asleep at the Wheel who helped him to get signed on with Epic Records in Nashville.

His debut album, One Voice, went certified double platinum in the U.S., and Gilman was nominated for a Grammy for his debut single of the same name. In 2016, after a few years of struggling in the business, Gilman appeared as a contestant on Team Blake for The Voice. He fought a hard battle during season 11, but ultimately was voted as runner up to a Ms. Sundance Head.

The best-selling singer from Montana was Pop singer Nicolette Larson. She was born in Helena, Montana in 1952, but was raised in several different places due to her father’s position with the U.S. Treasury Department. She eventually made her way out to San Francisco, where she worked in a record store for a time.

She may be best known for her hit duet with Neil Young, Lotta Love from 1978 which hit number one on the adult contemporary charts and number eight on the pop charts. Her only top 40 hit was That’s How You Know When Love’s Right in 1985.

Born Howard Kern, Howie Day in a singer and songwriter who was born in Bangor, Maine and was raised close by in Brewer, Maine. He began playing music at age five when his mother bought his first piano and he subsequently took six years of piano lessons after his mother realized he could play some songs by ear.

Beginning his career in the late 1990s, Day self-financed and self-produced his first album, Australia. He eventually signed with Epic Records and found success with his second album, Stop All the World Now, which included Epic Records’ first platinum single, Collide.

Although Steven Tyler was born in Manhattan, Joe Perry was born in Massachusetts, and the band was formed in Boston, New Hampshire can’t seem to get enough of the rock band Aerosmith. Other current band members are Tom Hamilton from Colorado, Brad Whitford from Massachusetts, and Joey Kramer from The Bronx.

Aerosmith is the best-selling American hard rock band of all time. They have sold more than 150 million records worldwide, with 25 gold-certified albums, 18 platinum albums, 12 multi-platinum albums, 21 top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, four Grammys, six American Music Awards, and ten MTV Video Music Awards. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. They also have the distinction of being the only group on this list that didn't have any roots in the state where they are the best-selling artist.

What can’t Bruno Mars do?? He’s a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, dancer, AND record producer. And he’s the best-selling artist of all time in Hawaii because he was born in Honolulu in 1985. Just since breaking onto the music scene in 2009 Mars has enjoyed great success with songs like Nothin’ on You and Billionaire which featured his voice on the hooks.

And then came the successful release of his first album Doo-Wops & Hooligans in 2010 that featured hit songs such as Just the Way You Are and The Lazy Song. Mars has sold more than 130 million records worldwide, which makes him one of the best-selling artists of all time, already!

No surprise here for this country boy; he was born and raised in West Virginia and was taught how to play guitar from the age of eight. In the third grade, Brad was asked to sing for his church and from then on, he was asked to perform at various town functions until he left to go to college in 1991.

He signed a singing contract with the music label Arista Records in 1999 and released his first solo album, Who Needs Pictures, which produced his first number one hit, He Didn’t Have to Be. From there Brad went on to sell over 11 million records and has won three Grammys.

The band was originally based out of Boise, Idaho but eventually relocated to Portland, Oregon when Revere returned from the serving in the armed forces. Paul Revere and the Raiders were pop-rock band in the 60s and 70s and earned fame through songs such as Just Like Me, Indian Reservation, and Kicks.

By 1967, the band had three gold records to their name, they released their first Greatest Hits album. Three of the band’s songs can be heard today on the soundtrack of Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 Academy Award-winning film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

Although non-traditional, this group has made a name for itself around the world with its neoclassical new-age music that blends classical music with elements of new age and rock. The band is also known for its modern recordings of Christmas music.

Chip Davis, the founder and leader of the band, began his career in Omaha, Nebraska, at an advertising agency where he wrote commercial jingles. In 1975, he formed Mannheim Steamroller, and the rest, they say, is history. The band has sold more than 28 million albums in the United States, alone.

Known professionally as John Denver, Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. was born in Roswell, New Mexico in 1943. He was known as a singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, activist, and humanitarian and he primarily performed folk music.

Denver recorded and released approximately 300 songs throughout his career, 200 of which he composed, himself. He released 33 albums and singles that were certified Gold and Platinum, selling more than 33 million records, worldwide.

I’m gonna bet y’all saw this one coming. That’s right. Kansas is the clear winner here. With a legendary career spanning more than four decades, this band has firmly established itself, not just as an iconic band in Kansas, but across the world. Formed and formally named Kansas in 1970, all seven members were from the Wichita, Kansas area, which explains their success in this state.

In their 50 years together, Kansas has released 15 studio records, and five live albums. In addition to that impressive record, eight of their albums have been certified gold, three albums went sextuple-Platinum, one of their live albums went platinum, and they’ve had two one million-selling gold singles. Their most popular single—Carry on My Wayward Son—is still one of the top-five most played songs in the world on the radio.

Those of us who are true Elvis fans know that his original birthplace was in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1935 and relocated to Memphis when he was 13 years old. He was a singer, songwriter, and actor. It is estimated that more than one billion Elvis Presley records have been sold worldwide. His home and the location of his gravesite, Graceland is located in Memphis, Tennessee and more than 40 years after his death, still sees more than 500,000 visitors from around the world each year.

Throughout his career, Elvis acted in 35 feature films and had 149 singles reach Billboard’s Hot 100 Pop Chart—of which 114 reached the top 40, 40 were in the top ten, and 18 went to number one, spending a total of 80 weeks at that spot, and this is only reflecting the American numbers! In 1992, the Recording Industry Association of America present Elvis posthumously with 110 gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums and singles – the largest presentation in record awards history.

Johnny, born J.R. was a singer, songwriter, actor, and author. Born in Kingsland, Arkansas in 1932, the family moved to Dyess, Arkansas where Johnny was raised until he joined the U.S. Air Force in 1950. Taught by his mother to play guitar, Johnny began writing music at the age of 12 and sang gospel music on a local radio station throughout high school.

Cash didn’t stick to just one genre, he embraced them all: country, rock and roll, rockabilly, blues, folk, and gospel. During his career, Cash sold more than 90 million records worldwide, and was inducted into the Country Music, Rock and Roll, and Gospel Music Halls of Fame.

It’s no wonder that this group is the top-selling artist in Nevada! The band was started by front man Brandon Flowers and guitarist Dave Keuning in Las Vegas in 2001, after Keuning posted a newspaper ad searching for like-minded musicians. In 2002, bandmates Mark Stoermer and Ronnie Vannuci Jr. signed on and the band was complete.

The Killers found success in 2004 with the release of their album Hot Fuss, which reached the top of the charts, as did their four consecutive albums released between 2006 and 2016. They are considered to be one of the biggest rock bands of the 21st century and they are the most successful band to come out of Nevada, selling more than 28 million records worldwide.

Although Howard Andrew Williams was born in 1927 in Wall Lake, Iowa, his family moved around the country several times during his adolescence, once to Ohio where Williams attended high school and ultimately ending up in California for college. He recorded a total of 43 albums throughout his career and his most notable song is Moon River.

In his career, he earned a total of 15 gold-certified albums, three platinum certified albums, and was nominated for six Grammys. In addition to his music career, he hosted the Andy Williams Show—a television variety show—from 1962 through 1971, which earned him a total of three Emmy Awards.

Although Jewel counts her home state as Alaska, she was born in Payson, Utah and apparently that’s all the state’s residents need to make her their best-selling artist. The family relocated to the family farm in Alaska shortly after Jewel’s birth.

She was eventually discovered in 1993, after several years of living in her car, traveling around the country for singing gigs. She released her self-titled album, Jewel, in 1995 and it stayed on the Billboard 200 for two years, reaching number four at its peak and sold more than 14 million copies in the U.S.

Michael Bolton was born in New Haven, Connecticut in 1953. He is a singer and songwriter known for his power ballads in the late 1980s and early 1990s such as How Am I Supposed to Live Without You and the remake of When a Man Loves A Woman.

Bolton’s achievements include recording eight top-ten albums and two number-one songs. Throughout his music career, the singer has earned six American Music Awards and two Grammys.

Troyal Garth Brooks was born and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1962 to a very musical family. The family would host weekly talent nights and all their children were expected to take part. This is how Garth learned how to play both the guitar and banjo. He graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1984 with a degree in advertising.

Once he was signed to Capitol Nashville Records in 1989, he enjoyed nothing but success with his first album peaking at #13 on the Billboard Hot 200 as well as at #2 on the Top Country Albums chart. Since, he has sold more than 170 million records and as of 2020, according to the RIAA, he is the best-selling solo albums artist in the United States and is only second to The Beatles in total album sales overall.

Although Orgeon also claims Paul Revere and the Raiders and Portugal. The Man, Everclear wins as the best-selling artist from the state. They were formed in Portland in 1991 by Art Alexakis, lead vocalist and songwriter.

Once the band signed on with Capitol Records in 1995, they found instant success with their first three albums, which all went platinum in sales. Unfortunately, the next two albums did not do near as well, and two of the band members left the group in 2003.

Country music legend songwriter, singer, and actor, Dwight Yoakam, may have been raised in Ohio, but he was born in Kentucky in 1956 and apparently that’s all that matters for Kentuckians to claim him as their own. After being unsuccessful in Nashville in the early 80s, Yoakam instead moved to L.A. and dropped his first major record debut in 1986 titled Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc.

In an almost 40 year career-span, Dwight has dropped more than twenty albums and compilations, has had more than 30 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, and sold more than 30 million records which have earned him twelve gold-certified albums and nine platinum-certified albums.

Born in 1982 and raised in New Orleans, Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. is better known by his stage name, Lil Wayne. He’s a rapper, singer, songwriter, record executive, entrepreneur, and actor and he’s the best-selling artist of all time in Louisiana whose hit songs include, but are not limited to, Lolli Pop, A Milli, and 6 Foot 7 Foot.

Since 1995—that’s right, the age of 12— throughout his career, Lil Wayne has sold more than 120 million records. He has won five Grammys, 11 BET Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, and eight NAACP Image Awards. In 2012, he became the first artist to surpass Elvis Presley with the most entries on the Billboard Hot 100 charts with 109 songs.

Lionel Richie was born, raised, and graduated from college in Tuskegee, Alabama. While attending college in the 60s, he formed several bands, but ultimately wound up with the popular soul group, The Commodores in 1968. While with the band, Richie wrote and sang mellow ballads such as the wildly popular Three Times a Lady, Still, and Endless Love—a duet with Diana Ross.

Richie went on to enjoy a solo career that garnered many awards and accolades for his singing and songwriting including Grammys, an Oscar, and a Golden Globe. Overall, Richie has sold more than 90 million records worldwide, making him one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time.

Is there anyone anywhere who doesn’t love some Hootie? Darius Rucker, lead vocalist and guitarist, who was born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina, formed the band in 1986 at the University of South Carolina. They weren’t signed, however, until they were discovered by Atlantic Records rep, Tim Sommer. The band stayed active until they took a break in 2008, only to make a comeback in 2019.

The band’s debut album, Cracked Rear View, is the 19th best-selling album of all time, and was certified platinum 21 times. As of 2019, the band has released a total of six albums, charting 16 singles on Billboard charts, and they have sold more than 21 million copies of their albums in the United States.

Prince Rogers Nelson was born in 1958 in Minneapolis, Minnesota to jazz musician parents. Among his many talents, he was a singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, dancer, actor, and filmmaker. In 1976, Prince recorded his first demo record, and with the help of a friend sent it along with a press kit to several record companies. The demo resulted in generating interest in record labels such as Warner Bros. Records, A&M Records, and Columbia Records, but Warner Bros. would be the label that signed Prince.

Although he was signed in 1976, he didn’t find initial success until he released the album Dirty Mind in 1980, which contained sexually explicit material, and went on to become certified gold. Prince’s discography includes 39 studio albums, four live albums, nine compilation albums, and 17 video albums. He has sold more than 100 million records, worldwide.

This rock band was born and raised in—you guessed it—Denver, Colorado. As a matter of fact, all of them grew up together and attended the same schools and church. Early after forming in 2002, the band released its first record Movement EP and a second in 2003 titled Reason EP and garnered the band much local fame. They were signed by Epic Record in December of 2004.

The Fray achieved quick success with their debut album How to Save a Life in 2005. Their first album was double platinum in the United States as well as in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the U.K. Their second single from the album, How to Save a Life charted in the top three of the Billboard Hot 100.

Steve Miller was born and spent the first seven years of his life in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to parents who were very close friends of guitar legend Les Paul. Les Paul was Steve Miller’s Godfather, as a matter of fact and he encouraged him from an early age to keep going with his music.

Also known as the lead singer of the Steve Miller Band, Miller has well established himself as one of the best musical artists of all time with the band’s biggest hit The Joker. His impressive discography has earned him a total of three platinum awards and sold more than 24 million copies in the United States alone, as well as a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.

Toni Braxton, singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, and television personality was born and raised with her five brothers and sisters in Severn, Maryland in 1967. Their parents were both Methodist clergymen and raised all of their children in a strict, religious household.

She is one of the highest selling R&B artists in history despite her humble beginnings with her sisters in the late 1980s. When that group wasn’t successful but had attracted the attention of a high-level record executive, Toni’s star rose. She was asked to record a demo of “Love Shoulda Brought You Home,” and the rest, they say is history. Through her singing career Braxton has sold more than 67 million copies of her records worldwide.

We all thought this one would be Michigan, right? Well, it turns out that this rapper, songwriter, and record producer was actually born in St. Joseph, Missouri and spent most of his time growing up moving back and forth between Missouri and Michigan until he was a teenager and his mother ultimately stayed in a working-class Detroit neighborhood.

Eminem is among the best-selling music artists of all time, selling more than 220 million records so far. He was named Artist of the Decade by Billboard in 2010 for the time period of 2000-2009, and he has won numerous awards including 15 Grammy Awards, eight American Music Awards, 17 Billboard Music Awards, an Oscar for his hit song Lose Yourself from the Eight Mile soundtrack, and an MTV Europe Music Global Icon Award.

We all knew that Michael was going to win in Indiana, seeing as how he was born and raised in Gary. The King of Pop was born in 1958 and began his illustrious career at a school talent show when he wowed the crowd with his voice at the age of six. And from there, his star only rose. He became a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, dancer, and an actor and he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century.

He is also regarded as the greatest entertainer of all time with more than 350 million records worldwide, the best-selling album of all time, Thriller, winning so many awards and accolades, they are too many to list here. We will just say that Mike, here, is number 7 on the list of the top 100 selling music artists in the United States of all time.

Born Anna Mae Bullock in Brownsville, Tennessee, it isn’t hard to see why the state loves its very own Tina Turner. She began her career as a featured singer with Ike Turner’s King’s of Rhythm. But she wasn’t formally introduced as Tina Turner until she released A Fool in Love in 1960 with Ike also on vocals. A Fool in Love peaked at number two on the Hot R&B Sides chart and number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100.

After their initial success, Ike renamed the band the Ike & Tina Turner Revue, but it wasn’t until 1971, when the group released a cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s song Proud Mary that they became mainstream, household names. The single reached number four on the Hot 100 and sold more than a million copies, which won them a Grammy.

Born in Boston and raised in North Carolina, James Taylor has become a worldwide phenomenon and a household name as a singer-songwriter and guitarist. His first success came in 1970 with the single Fire and Rain, and then his subsequent single, You’ve Got a Friend, reached number one later that year.

In his 50-year career, Taylor has released 20 studio albums, 40 singles, won six Grammy’s, and one Emmy. He has also been awarded both the Presidential Medal of Freedom and a Kennedy Center Honor Award and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.

Linda was born in Tucson, Arizona in 1946. Raised on a farm by Tucson’s Chief of Police, her amily was featured in Family Circle Magazine in 1953. Linda’s family had much sway in the state of Arizona due to its previous generations’ contributions to its history.

Ronstadt went on to win 10 Grammys, 3 AMAs, an Emmy, and an ALMA (American Latin Music Award). She was inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 and received the 2019 Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime artistic achievements at the annual award ceremony that year.

Kenny G was born and raised in—You guessed it!—Seattle, Washington and is a jazz saxophonist known for his worldwide success in the 90s. He began playing the saxophone in 1966 at the age of ten after he heard an inspiring performance on the Ed Sullivan Show.

He wouldn’t become a household name until the 90s, though, when he released his most popular album to date, Breathless, in 1992. This album went on to become the best-selling instrumental album ever, selling more than 15 million copies worldwide. In addition, his Christmas album, Miracles, sold more than 13 million copies.

The Dave Matthews Band was formed in Charlottesville, Virginia where singer/songwriter Dave Matthews was working as a bartender in 1990. During his time there, Matthews met a lawyer who convinced him to make a demo of his music and also introduced him to his future band mates.

The band wouldn’t release a major label album until 1994 when they released Under the Table and Dreaming, which would bring them worldwide notoriety. The album went certified-platinum six times. By 2018, the Dave Matthews Band would have sold more than 20 million concert tickets, and a combined total of 38 million albums and DVDs.

Whitney Elizabeth Houston, singer, songwriter, and actress was born in 1963 in Newark, New Jersey. She started performing as a soloist at the age of 11 in the junior gospel choir at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark. Thanks to her family’s well-known and popular background in recording Gospel music, her honorary aunt and idol was Aretha Franklin, herself.

Houston has been cited as the most awarded female artist of all time by the Guinness Book of World Records and is one of the best-selling artists of all time with more than 200 million albums sold worldwide. She released seven studio albums and two soundtrack albums, all of which have been certified-diamond, multi-platinum, platinum, or gold.

Madonna, singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, author, and record executive was born in 1958 in Bay City, Michigan and was raised in the Detroit suburbs of Pontiac and Rochester Hills before she became the undisputed Queen of Pop. In 1978, she got on a plane with no more than $35 in her pocket to pursue a career in modern dance.

After performing as a drummer, guitarist, and vocalist in various bands in New York City, Madonna was signed by Sire Records in 1982; later that year she released her self-titled debut album. She has since sold more than 300 million records, earning her the Guinness Book of World Record’s title of best-selling female recording artist of all time, and—also not too shabby—is also considered the fifth best-selling recording artist of all time by Guinness.

Randy was born in Marshville, North Carolina in 1959 and has made a name for himself as a singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Between 1978 and 2013 when he suffered from a debilitating stroke, Travis became one of the most widely known country music stars in the world.

Throughout his career, Travis sold more than 25 million records and won seven Grammy awards, six Country Music awards, 11 Academy of Country Music awards, 10 American Music Awards, eight Dove awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In total, Travis released 22 studio albums, with the first six certified platinum or higher.

Kanye Omari West was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1977, however he was raised in Chicago. West began his career at Roc-A-Fella Records in the early 2000s, producing singles for several mainstream artists. He released his own solo rap album in 2004, called The College Dropout and realized almost immediate success.

He is one of the world’s best-selling music artists of all time with more than 140 million records sold worldwide. He has won 21 Grammys, the Billboard Achievement Award, three Brit Awards for Best International Male Solo Artist, and the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.

This group may have been founded in a bar in Nashville, Tennessee, but their lead singer, Gary LeVox, and his cousin Jay DeMarcus (bass guitar and background vocals), were both born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. DeMarcus had originally moved to Nashville to become one half of the Christian group East to West, when he invited LeVox to come on down to be back up vocals for their album. One night their guitarist couldn’t make it and they invited their associate, Joe Don Rooney to join them.

Once they performed together, they knew they had something special. Since auditioning for and signing with Disney Music Group’s Lyric Street Records in 1999, they have had success with each of the 12 albums they have released. From those releases, Rascal Flatts has had 17 number one hits, sold more than 23.4 million albums, received 35 million digital downloads, and has also earned more than 40 awards from the American Country Awards, Academy of Country Music, Country Music Awards, and more.

Well, duh! Formed in 1967, they originally called themselves the Chicago Transit Authority but decided to shorten the name in 1969. This band earned its claim to fame by dubbing itself the “rock and roll band with horns.” And have horns, they did! They blended elements of classical, jazz, R&B, and pop with electric and brass instruments.

The band has sold more than 40 million records in the United States and have earned 23 gold, 18 platinum, and 8 multi-platinum selling albums. Although they’ve received ten Grammy nominations, the band has only earned one for their song If You Leave Me Now. Chicago was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.

I mean. The whole world loves T. Swift, don’t they? But no one loves her more than her hometown of West Reading, Pennsylvania, indeed no one loves her more than the entire state! At the age of 14, Swift moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 2004 and became the youngest artist signed by the Sony/ATV Music Publishing House.

Ever since, Swift has become one of the best-selling music artists of all time, despite her youth, starting her career in country music and successfully crossing over to mainstream music. She has sold more than 50 million albums and more than 150 million singles worldwide. She has also added 10 Grammys, 29 American Music Awards, and 23 Billboard Music Awards, as well as many other trophies and accolades to her cabinet.

Mariah was born in Huntington, New York in 1969, the daughter of a former opera singer mother and aeronautical engineer father. She is a singer, song writer, record producer, actress, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Her career, which began in 1989, skyrocketed with the release of her first single Vision of Love.

Carey reached success instantly as the first and only artist to have their first five consecutive singles become number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. As a matter of fact, she continued to consecutively chart number ones for 11 years, earning her the title of the World’s Best-Selling Music Artist of the 1990s by the World Music Awards, Most Successful Artist of the 90s by Billboard, and Songbird Supreme by the Guinness Book of World Records.

HA HA! You guessed it! These five boys, now men, formed their band back in 1993 in Orlando, Florida. Although only AJ McLean, Howie Dorough, and Nick Carter are actually Florida natives. The other members of the band, Brian Littrell, and Kevin Richardson are both from Kentucky.

Their self-titled debut album dropped for teenaged girls everywhere to sigh over in 1996. Together, they have sold more than 100 million records worldwide, which makes them the best-selling boyband of all time. They were the first and only boy band since Led Zeppelin to have all ten of their first 10 albums reach the top ten on the Billboard 200.

Known as the King of Country, George Strait was born in Poteet, Texas and grew up in the nearby town of Pearsall. He became interested in becoming a musician during high school, when he played in a rock and roll garage band.

Although it’s hard to believe, no one in Nashville would give Strait a record deal until MCA Records in 1981. Ever since, the King of Country has earned his title well, releasing a total of 30 studio albums, with more than 100 million records selling worldwide, 13 of them going multi-platinum, 33 platinum, and 38 gold albums.

This could either stem from the fact that the Eagles are from the state of California, or for their number-one hit song Hotel California. The release of the album of the same title in 1976 sold more than 26 million copies in the U.S. alone, and more than 42 million copies worldwide.

The Eagles rock band formed in L.A. in 1971 and together throughout their career sold more than 200 million records, worldwide. They’ve had five number-one singles, six number-one albums, won six Grammys, five AMAs, and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.