# Which rock acts can claim to have been the biggest in the world? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 31, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402 "2011-10-31T18:00:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/41 "2011-11-01T06:40:43Z")
Is this only old groups/performers or are you counting today too, because you’re leaving out two very very obvious people. (Hint: they have the highest number of Twitter followers - to the tune of several MILLIONS each.) ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/42 "2011-11-01T06:45:06Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > They toured in the UK early in their career, and then some prominent rock critic/journalist there latched on to Peart’s Ayn Rand-inspired lyrics and declared that the band members were fascists/nazis (something the Jewish Geddy Lee, whose parents were Nazi concentration camp survivors, found quite offensive), and it kind of killed their European presence for a long time. The UK had just had punk to deal the death blow to prog bands trading on “musicianship, complex compositions, and eclectic lyrical motifs drawing heavily on science fiction, fantasy, and philosophy”: at the time Rush were getting popular in North America, the Poms weren’t anxious to import them. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/43 "2011-11-01T08:09:58Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > Ah, here’s that Jack Black clip: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tArAhISEr\_A](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tArAhISEr_A) Jack Black nearly single-handedly ruins an otherwise fine documentary on a great band. I’d give it a 9, and maybe a 10 if Jack ended up on the editing room floor. Remember, folks- There was a day when Shaun Cassidy and The Bay City Rollers were the biggest things on Earth. Or don’t remember. Its pretty painful. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/44 "2011-11-01T08:23:20Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > Ah, here’s that Jack Black clip: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tArAhISEr\_A](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tArAhISEr_A) So much “That’s what she said” in that clip. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/45 "2011-11-01T09:55:02Z")
Found this: > **[List of best-selling music artists](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_music_artists)** > > The following list of best-selling music artists includes those music acts from the 20th century to the present with claims of 75 million or more record sales worldwide. This information cannot be listed officially, as there is no organization that has recorded global music sales. > The tables are listed with each artist's claimed sales figure(s) and their total independently certified units and are ranked in descending order by claimed sales. If two or more artists have the same claimed sales,... The only acts which have sold 300m+ records are (in descending order): Beatles Elvis Michael Jackson Madonna Elton John Led Zep Queen ABBA 4 groups, 4 solos. 4 UK, 3 US, 1 Sweden. The next tier, 200m+ is: Mariah Carey Celine Dion Pink Floyd AC/DC Rolling Stones Bee Gees These are all biased towards longevity, of course. Doesn’t say how much they were selling at the time, which I think would be more relevant (Lady Gaga is selling a lot more right now than the Stones are, for example). ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/46 "2011-11-01T09:59:09Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](#): > > :dubious: They sold more albums in 2005 than anyone else in the world. But yeah, I know that’s just one year. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/47 "2011-11-01T10:01:31Z")
> [@Scissorjack](#): > > Rush never had any traction outside Canada and the US, I’ve only know of them as a name through their various champions in “Best X Ever” threads, and I couldn’t name any of their songs or albums. I’d say the same about The Grateful Dead. I do like them - and have a couple of albums - but in my experience are next to unknown outside of North America. Yes, NA is a big market, but we’re talking about “biggest in the world”, not “biggest in NA”. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/48 "2011-11-01T10:02:23Z")
Little Richard has been claiming it’s him for the last 50 years. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 10:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/49 "2011-11-01T10:08:16Z")
> [@Raskolnikov](#): > > :smack::smack::smack: What on earth is that about? I listed both groups and solo artists. The Beatles were in the first group. Are you saying that McCartney’s solo career merits a “biggest in the world” inclusion as well as his time in The Beatles? I don’t think he needs to be double credited, and as a solo artist he’s a long, long way from biggest in the world. He’s down in the [100million area](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_music_artists) (which is a lot, of course, but there are a lot above him). ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/50 "2011-11-01T10:20:20Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > What about the Eagles? Didn’t their “Hell Freezes Over” tour break all kinds of records? I think The Eagles were at their peak of popularity around 1976-77 when they released Hotel California. At around the same time Fleetwood Mac found prominence after releasing Rumors. Then in '78 The Bee Gees were all over the radio. All 3 of these acts over this fairly short period of time reached such a level of fame that it has persisted over the decades. Honorable mention should go to Bozz Scaggs (‘Bozz was the Buzz’ back in '76) and The Beach Boys who may well have been the most popular band in the world back in the early to mid 60s if not for The Beatles. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_jeffrey_lebowski/32/215_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Jeffrey\_Lebowski](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Jeffrey_Lebowski)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/51 "2011-11-01T10:22:04Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > They sold more albums in 2005 than anyone else in the world. But yeah, I know that’s just one year. :eek: Ig’nance fought - thanks! ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/52 "2011-11-01T10:42:20Z")
As a data point - I’m not musically ignorant at all, and I’ve never knowingly heard a Rush song, ever. And only a couple Grateful Dead ones, and only because I went looking. Admittedly, I’ve never _wanted_ to hear a Rush song, from everything I’ve read, but that hasn’t stopped me from hearing the other big other prog rock acts (Genesis, ELP, Supertramp, Yes, King Crimson and Pink Floyd, for example - I _wanted_ to hear none of them, but that hasn’t stopped the DJs). Of current acts, my vote goes to U2. Historic acts, Beatles. Solo, that’s Elvis or Michael Jackson, I’d agree with either. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/53 "2011-11-01T12:16:26Z")
To my mind, to be “the biggest act in music,” you need to have several things going for you: 1. You have to sell millions of singles and get plenty of mainstream radio airplay (hence, in my opinion, even if you sell millions of albums, like Led Zeppelin or AC/DC, you’re NOT the biggest act in music if Top 40 radio doesn’t have you in heavy rotation) 2. You have to sell millions of albums 3. You have to sell out big arenas all over the world in a big hurry. 4. If you spawn lots of musical imitators and inspire kids to copy your fashions, so much the better. I think RickJay is absolutely right in his short list of the acts that unquestionably WERE the biggest act in the world for a period of years. Elvis, the Beatles, Michael Jackson and U2 were each, for a significant period of time, the undisputed #1 musical act (both on record AND as live performers) in the world. Have any other acts come close? I’d say that Elton John was probably the biggest act in music in the mid-Seventies. I’d say the Bee Gees were the biggest act in music in the late Seventies. I’d say Bruce Springsteen was the biggest act in music for about two years after he released the _ **Born in the USA** _ album. He was always very big but not huge before, and he’s remained very big but not huge since. And you could make a case for Madonna at different points, too. Mind you, while my list may be flawed, it is a serious attempt to give an objective answer. Most of the acts I’ve named are NOT favorites of mine (except for the Beatles). ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/54 "2011-11-01T13:00:01Z")
> [@voguevixen](#): > > Is this only old groups/performers or are you counting today too, because you’re leaving out two very very obvious people. (Hint: they have the highest number of Twitter followers - to the tune of several MILLIONS each.) That I don’t know who you are talking about answers the question I believe. When Michael Jackson or The Beatles were at their peak, this question would have been answered instantly with their names, no question. There is nobody today with that level of brand recognition, Twitter or no. ---
**Author:** ![Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Ian\_D.Bergkamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ian_D.Bergkamp)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/55 "2011-11-01T14:29:43Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > To my mind, to be “the biggest act in music,” you need to have several things going for you: > > 1. You have to sell millions of singles and get plenty of mainstream radio airplay (hence, in my opinion, even if you sell millions of albums, like Led Zeppelin or AC/DC, you’re NOT the biggest act in music if Top 40 radio doesn’t have you in heavy rotation) > > 2. You have to sell millions of albums > > 3. You have to sell out big arenas all over the world in a big hurry. > > 4. If you spawn lots of musical imitators and inspire kids to copy your fashions, so much the better. > I think RickJay is absolutely right in his short list of the acts that unquestionably WERE the biggest act in the world for a period of years. > > Elvis, the Beatles, Michael Jackson and U2 were each, for a significant period of time, the undisputed #1 musical act (both on record AND as live performers) in the world. > > Have any other acts come close? I’d say that Elton John was probably the biggest act in music in the mid-Seventies. > > I’d say the Bee Gees were the biggest act in music in the late Seventies. > > I’d say Bruce Springsteen was the biggest act in music for about two years after he released the _ **Born in the USA** _ album. He was always very big but not huge before, and he’s remained very big but not huge since. > > And you could make a case for Madonna at different points, too. > > Mind you, while my list may be flawed, it is a serious attempt to give an objective answer. Most of the acts I’ve named are NOT favorites of mine (except for the Beatles). That’s a very good list of criteria. Good calls also on the Bee Gees and Bruce Springsteen. And I’m definitely counting current acts/artists, though I also don’t know to whom **voguevixen** is referring, and I’m active on twitter. And what about Sting? I can’t pinpoint a precise time when I would consider him the biggest in the world as a solo artist, but he’s had an extremely high profile at various points. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/56 "2011-11-01T15:08:44Z")
[R.E.M. once. In 1991. For 20 minutes.](http://www.barewalls.com/i/c/377697_REM.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/57 "2011-11-01T15:13:32Z")
Did I miss it? Has no one mentioned **Nirvana** after **Nevermind** broke? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/58 "2011-11-01T15:17:45Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > 1. You have to sell millions of singles and get plenty of mainstream radio airplay (hence, in my opinion, even if you sell millions of albums, like Led Zeppelin or AC/DC, you’re NOT the biggest act in music if Top 40 radio doesn’t have you in heavy rotation) > > 2. You have to sell millions of albums > > 3. You have to sell out big arenas all over the world in a big hurry. > > 4. If you spawn lots of musical imitators and inspire kids to copy your fashions, so much the better. These are pretty good criteria, but it’s also worth pointing out that album sales (and singles sales, I think) are way, way down across the music industry. I’m not sure instant sellouts are such a big deal in the internet age either. ---
**Author:** ![Candyman74](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Candyman74](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candyman74)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/59 "2011-11-01T15:28:21Z")
I know someone mentioned India earlier, but surely there are Chinese music acts popular in China? I wonder if record sales just within China is enough to put an act in the running for a worldwide list, even if it’s not known outside of China? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402/60 "2011-11-01T15:32:00Z")
> [@Candyman74](#): > > I know someone mentioned India earlier, but surely there are Chinese music acts popular in China? I wonder if record sales just within China is enough to put an act in the running for a worldwide list, even if it’s not known outside of China? I dunno what’s the population breakdown between cities and rural ares? Lots of Chinese folk outside of cities don’t even have electricity, so it’s unlikely they are building up CD collections. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-rock-acts-can-claim-to-have-been-the-biggest-in-the-world/601402.md?page=4)