Starting from the 1990s to the 2010s (so far), I tried to put together a list of the Top 10 biggest female album acts of each decade. I'll be adding the 1980s if there's enough demand (though sales from back then are harder to find/estimate which is why I'm not including them as of right now). If you notice any mistakes please let me know!
1. Mariah Carey (121,900,000)
Mariah CareyMariah Carey: 14,000,000
Emotions: 9,000,000
MTV Unplugged: 6,000,000
Music Box: 27,000,000
Merry Christmas: 13,500,000
Daydream: 21,900,000
Butterfly: 11,000,000
#1s: 15,500,000
Rainbow: 4,000,000
2. Celine Dion (120,500,000)
Celine Dion
Unison: 3,000,000
Dion Chante Plamondon: 2,000,000
Celine Dion: 5,000,000
The Colour Of My Love: 17,000,000
À l'Olympia: 1,000,000
D'eux: 9,500,000
Falling Into You: 30,000,000
Let's Talk About Love: 30,000,000
Live à Paris: 2,500,000
These Are Special Times: 11,000,000
S'il Suffisait D'aimer: 3,500,000
All The Way... A Decade Of Song: 6,000,000
3. Whitney Houston (80,000,000)
Whitney Houston
I'm Your Baby Tonight: 11,000,000
The Bodyguard: 40,000,000
Waiting To Exhale: 10,000,000
The Preacher's Wife: 6,500,000
My Love Is Your Love: 12,500,000
4. Madonna (77,500,000)
Madonna
The Immaculate Collection: 27,000,000
I'm Breathless Soundtrack: 6,500,000
Erotica: 6,500,000
Bedtime Stories: 8,000,000
Something To Remember: 8,000,000
Evita Soundtrack: 6,500,000
Ray Of Light: 15,000,000
5. Shania Twain (53,500,000)
Shania Twain
Shania Twain: 2,500,000
The Woman In Me: 16,000,000
Come On Over: 35,000,000
6. Janet Jackson (46,750,000)
Janet Jackson
Rhythm Nation 1814: 13,000,000
Janet: 15,000,000
Janet. Remixed: 750,000
Design Of A Decade 1986-1996: 9,000,000
The Velvet Rope: 9,000,000
7. Enya (41,600,000)
Enya
Shepherd Moons: 13,000,000
The Celts: 4,500,000
The Memory of Trees: 11,200,000
Paint the Sky with Stars: 12,900,000
8. Alanis Morissette (41,300,000)
Alanis Morissette
Alanis: 200,000
Now Is The Time: 100,000
Jagged Little Pill: 33,000,000
Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie: 8,000,000
9. Spice Girls (37,500,000)
Spice Girls
Spice: 23,000,000
Spiceworld: 14,500,000
10. Gloria Estefan (32,500,000)
Gloria Estefan
Into The Light: 5,000,000
Mi Tierra: 5,500,000
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me: 4,500,000
Abriendo Puertas: 2,500,000
Destiny: 3,000,000
Gloria: 2,500,000
Greatest Hits: 8,000,000
Christmas Through Your Eyes: 1,500,000
2000s:
1. Britney Spears (62.4 million)
Britney Spears
...Baby One More Time: 7,000,000
Oops!... I Did It Again: 22,000,000
Britney: 11,000,000
In The Zone: 8,000,000
Greatest Hits: My Prerogative: 7,000,000
B In The Mix: The Remixes: 500,000
Blackout: 2,500,000
Circus: 4,000,000
The Singles Collection: 400,000
2. Celine Dion (45.3 million)
Celine Dion 2
All The Way... A Decade Of Song: 15,000,000
Au Cœur Du Stade: 1,000,000
The Collector's Series, Vol.1: 2,500,000
A New Day Has Come: 10,000,000
1 Fille & 4 Types: 1,500,000
One Heart: 4,500,000
A New Day... Live In Las Vegas: 1,500,000
Miracle: 1,500,000
On Ne Change Pas: 1,000,000
D'elles: 1,000,000
Taking Chances: 3,300,000
My Love: Essential Collection: 2,500,000
3. Norah Jones (40.5 milllion)
Norah Jones
Come Away With Me: 24,000,000
Feels Like Home: 12,000,000
Not Too Late: 4,500,000
4. Madonna (40.1 million)
Madonna 2
Music: 11,000,000
GHV2: 5,500,000
Remixed & Revisited: 1,000,000
American Life: 4,000,000
Confessions On A Dance Floor: 10,000,000
I'm Going To Tell You A Secret: 800,000
Confessions Tour: 1,300,000
Hard Candy: 4,000,000
Celebration: 2,500,000
5. P!nk (33.5 million)
P!nk
Can't Take Me Home: 4.000.000
M!ssundaztood: 13,000,000
Try This: 3,500,000
I’m Not Dead: 6,500,000
Funhouse: 6,500.000
6. Alicia Keys (33.2 million)
Alicia Keys
Songs In A Mirror: 12,500,000
The Diary Of Alicia Keys: 9,000,000
Unplugged: 2,000,000
As I Am: 6,100,000
The Element Of Freedom: 3,600,000
7. Avril Lavigne (32.5 million)
Avril Lavigne
Let Go: 17,000,000
Under My Skin: 9,500,000
The Best Damn Thing: 6,000,000
8. Destiny's Child (31 million)
Destinys Child
The Writings On The Wall: 10,000,000
Survivor: 10,500,000
8 Days Of Christmas: 1,000,000
This Is The Remix: 500,000
Destiny Fulfilled: 6,000,000
Number Ones: 3,000,000
9. Mariah Carey (29.9 million)
Mariah Carey 2
Rainbow: 5,000,000
Glitter: 2,500,000
Greatest Hits: 3,800,000
Charmbracelet: 3,100,000
The Remixes: 700,000
The Emancipation Of Mimi: 10,000,000
E=MC2: 2,500,000
The Ballads: 800,000
Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel: 1,500,000
10. Christina Aguilera (29.5 million)
Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera: 9,000,000
Mi Reflejo: 2,000,000
My Kind Of Christmas: 1,500,000
Stripped: 11,000,000
Back To Basics: 4,500,000
Keeps Gettin' Better: A Decade Of Hits: 1,500,000
2010s (so far):
1. Adele (33 million)
Adele
19: 5,000,000
21: 28,000,000
2. Taylor Swift (24.1 million)
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift: 1,000,000
Fearless: 2,500,000
Speak Now: 6,000,000
Speak Now World Tour: 400,000
Red: 6,500,000
1989: 7,700,000
3. Lady Gaga (19.9 million)
Lady Gaga
The Fame (Monster): 8,500,000
The Fame Monster (EP): 1,100,000
The Remix: 1,000,000
Born This Way: 6,300,000
ARTPOP: 2,000,000
Check To Check: 1,000,000
4. Rihanna (15.5 million)
Rihanna
Rated R: 2,000,000
Loud: 6,100,000
Talk That Talk: 3,800,000
Unapologetic: 3,600,000
5. Katy Perry (11.2 million)
Katy Perry
One Of The Boys: 1,000,000
Teenage Dream: 6,500,000
PRISM: 3,700,000
6. Susan Boyle (10.3 million)
Susan Boyle
I Dreamed A Dream: 4,000,000
The Gift: 4,000,000
Someone To Watch Over Me: 1,200,000
Standing Ovation: The Greatest Songs From The Stage: 500,000
Home For Christmas: 400,000
Hope: 200,000
7. P!nk (9.5 million)
P!nk 2
Greatest Hits: 3,500,000
The Truth About Love: 6,000,000
8. Beyonce (6.9 million)
Beyonce
4: 3,000,000
BEYONCE: 3,800,000
More (EP): 100,000
9. Lana Del Rey (6.9 million)
Lana Del Rey
Born To Die: 5,000,000
Paradise (EP): 600,000
Ultraviolence: 1,300,000
10. Amy Winehouse (5.1 million)
Amy Winehouse
Back To Black: 2,100,000
Lioness: Hidden Treasures: 3,000,000
