The other list was stupid, so I made my own, based on what I know (sources are ukmix, atrl, billboard, forbes and wikipedia, whatever).

1. Madonna (300m records - 40+ hits - ~1 billion tour gross)
2. Celine Dion (200m records - 10+ hits - ~370m tour gross)
3. Whitney Houston (200m records - 25+ hits - ~150m tour gross)
4. Tina Turner (200m records - 10+ hits - ~450m tour gross)
5. Mariah Carey (200m records - 30+ hits - ~130m tour gross)
6. Beyoncé (190m records - 25+ hits - ~500m tour gross)
7. Cher (150m records - 20+ hits - ~500m tour gross)
8. Diana Ross (180m records - 40+ hits - ??? tour gross)
9. Britney Spears (190m records - 20+ hits - ~370m tour gross)
10. Rihanna (150m records - 25+ hits - ~300m tour gross)
11. Janet Jackson (150m records - 30+ hits - ~280m tour gross)
12. Barbra Streisand (145m records - 10+ hits - ~150m tour gross)
13. P!nk (110m records - 15+ hits - ~400m tour gross)
14. Donna Summer (150m records - 10+ hits - ??? tour gross)
15. Stevie Nicks (140m records - 25+ hits, ??? tour gross)
16. Shakira (125m records - 5+ hits - ~200m tour gross)
17. Dolly Parton (120m records - 25 country hits, ??? tour gross)
18. Lady Gaga (100m records - 10+ hits - ~400m tour gross)
19. Taylor Swift (100m records - 25+ hits - ~390m tour gross)
20. Shania Twain (100m records - 5+ hits - ~180m tour gross)
21. Gloria Estefan (100m records - 10+ hits - ??? tour gross)
22. Aretha Franklin (80m records - 25+ hits - ??? tour gross)
23. Christina Aguilera (??? records - 15+ hits - ~200m tour gross)
24. Alicia Keys (70m records - 10+ hits - ~130m tour gross)
25. Carole King (??? records - wrote 115+ hits - ??? tour gross)

I need 5 more, but I don't know how to place them...
Alanis Morissette
Pat Benetar
Annie Lennox
Aaliyah
Adele
Katy Perry (100m records - ~65m tour gross)
Avril Lavigne
Utada Hikaru
Kylie Minogue
Missy Elliott
Jennifer Lopez

If y'all post better receipts, I will adjust the list as neccesary.

Don't argue with me about Cher, Tina, Diana, Stevie and Beyoncé. This list is about overall impact and career achievements, so i'm including ALL of their sales and hits. This list is about success.

Inflation counts
Top 20 is a hit

For tour gross, are you adjusting for inflation? If so, Tina and Janet are both well over half a billion in revenue. Babs should be much higher cuz her tickets aren't cheap and she's had quite a few successful tours.

Also, are you grouping group work with solo work? Seems a bit illogical since you're ranking the artist's accomplishments with the trademarked name, not the entire career.

And if you're basing this solely on commercial success, the top five should be Madonna, Janet, Celine, Whitney, and Mariah.

Rih should be way lower
Taylor and Gaga should be way higher

You asked not to argue about Bey, but I don't think it's fair to include DC stats there.
For example, if you made a similar male list then Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr & George Harrison would occupy the Top 4 with over 1 billion record sales each, which is obviously very inaccurate

Oh & "records sales" add an unnecessary advantage to newer generation of artists. Album sales & single sales should obviously be given different weight.

I think this list is great, actually.

but in terms of stats it's actually
1. Madonna
2. Mariah
3. Celine
4. Whitney
and who ever else

I actually do that sometimes when discussing them
1. Paul McCartney 700+ million
Is the best selling music artist in history, technically.

If I change the rules 'cause Bey was in a group, Stevie Nicks would be #30 instead of where she is now, which makes no sense, because she's been super successful and one of the main driving forces of the FM's success. Bey would still be top 10 tho.

hmm
thats a good point actually.

Ugh...Britney Jean should be number 1 based on IMPACT alone.

Katy's at 100m records and +$65m tour gross

I wouldn't include DC with Bey, honestly, but more importantly: Utada would be right around Christina, and Kylie right below Aretha.

Do you know why Destiny's Child is called Destiny's Child and not Destiny's Children?

I'd also give more weight to albums sales than singles sales, and more weight to touring than any other factor.

Yes, I am. Carole King wouldn't make the list otherwise. She wrote exactly 118 pop hits, yet she's only sold about 20-30 million herself... She wouldn't even make the list, despite her success, that would be illogical IMO.

And yes, the list is based on commercial success.

The top 5
1. Madonna (300m records - 40+ hits - ~1 billion tour gross)
2. Celine Dion (200m records - 10+ hits - ~370m tour gross)
3. Whitney Houston (200m records - 25+ hits - ~150m tour gross)
4. Tina Turner (200m records - 10+ hits - ~450m tour gross)
5. Mariah Carey (200m records - 30+ hits - ~130m tour gross)

Not adjusting for inflation, only because... I don't feel like doing that

Well, even more so unfair with Stevie Nicks, cause FM wasn't entirely female vocal led band.

see the edit btw.

I think Christina must be at around 100 million records sold by now if you count 'Moves Like Jagger', 'FTM' and 'Say Something'. I guess it would be pretty fair if you adjusted her up in your list I'd suggest #20 #18 is not far fetched though

I'd also suggest that you add Aaliyah and Adele. Both have great sales and impact. Consider Missy Eliott for being a trendsetter and Annie Lennox for longetivity

That's actually a better list than the original lol. I'd put Kylie at #26 or somewhere around there - 70 million records and about $180 million tour gross.

Both my faves rightfully in the top ten