The following is a list of the best-selling female music artists in the United Kingdom, based solely on sales units published by reliable music industry-related organizations, including the British Phonographic Industry, the Official Charts Company, Music Week and Record Mirror.
Artist | Country of origin | Period of activity | Genre(s) | Total certified units | Claimed sales |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rihanna | Barbados | 2005–present | Pop / R&B / Dance[1] | 55.9 million[2] | |
Taylor Swift | United States | 2006–present | Pop / Country / Folk[3] | 42.9 million[4] | |
Adele | United Kingdom | 2008–present | Pop / soul | 38.65 million[5] | |
Madonna | United States | 1982–present | Pop / dance / electronic | 32.145 million[6] | |
Beyoncé | United States | 1997–present | R&B / pop / dance | 31.27 million[7] | |
Little Mix | United Kingdom | 2011–2022 | Pop / R&B / dance-pop | 30.00 million[8] |
Artist | Country of origin | Period of activity | Genre(s) | Total certified units | Claimed sales |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ariana Grande | United States | 2011–present | Pop / R&B | 27.6 million[9] | |
Dua Lipa | United Kingdom | 2011–2022 | Pop / house / disco / R&B | 26.1 million[10] | |
Lady Gaga | United States | 2008–present | Pop / dance / electronic / jazz / pop rock | 25.485 million[11] | |
P!nk | United States | 2000–present | Pop / pop rock / R&B | 24.875 million[12] | |
Nicki Minaj | Trinidad and Tobago | 2004–present | Hip-hop / pop | 24.26 million[13] | |
Katy Perry | United States | 2001–present | Pop | 22.51 million[14] | |
Whitney Houston | United States | 1984–2012 | R&B / Pop / Soul / Gospel[15] | 21.945 million[16] |
Artist | Country of origin | Period of activity | Genre(s) | Total certified units | Claimed sales |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sia | Australia | 2013–present | Pop / electronica | 19.86 million[17] | |
Billie Eilish | United States | 2015–present | Pop / alt-pop / electropop | 19.3 million[18] | |
Whitney Houston | United States | 1984–2012 | R&B / Pop / Soul / Gospel[19] | 18.695 million[20] | |
Jess Glynne | United Kingdom | 2013–present | Pop / R&B / dance | 17.9 million[21] | |
Britney Spears | United States | 1998–present | Pop / dance / electronic | 16.95 million[22] | |
Céline Dion | Canada | 1981–present | Pop rock[23] | 16.715 million[24] | |
Mariah Carey | United States | 1990–present | R&B / Pop[25] | 16.66 million[26] | |
Kylie Minogue | Australia | 1987–present | Disco-pop | 15.61 million[27] | |
Spice Girls | United Kingdom | 1994–2000 / 2007–2008 / 2012 / 2016 / 2018–present | Pop / dance-pop | 15.55 million[28] | |
Ellie Goulding | United Kingdom | 2009–present | Electropop / synth-pop / indie / pop / folktronica | 14.7 million[29] | |
Christina Aguilera | United States | 1999–present | R&B / pop / rock | 13.21 million[30] | |
Miley Cyrus | United States | 2007–present | Pop | 13.02 million[31] | |
Amy Winehouse | United Kingdom | 2002–2011 | Soul / blue-eyed soul / neo soul / rhythm and blues / jazz | 12.61 million[32] | |
Rita Ora | United Kingdom | 2008–present | Pop / electropop / R&B | 12.6 million[33] | |
Becky Hill | United Kingdom | 2012–present | Pop / R&B | 12.2 million[34] | |
Cardi B | United States | 2015–present | Hip-hop | 11.7 million[35] | |
Camila Cabello | Cuba | 2012–present | Pop / Latin | 11.6 million[36] | |
Lana Del Rey | United States | 2005–present | Alternative pop / baroque pop / rock / dream pop | 11.52 million[37] | |
Anne-Marie | United Kingdom | 2013–present | pop / grime / R&B | 11.2 million[38] | |
Zara Larsson | Sweden | 2008–present | Pop / dance-pop / electropop | 11.1 million[39] | |
Tina Turner | United States | 1964–2020 | Rock / Pop | 10.875 million[40] | |
Emeli Sandé | United Kingdom | 2008–present | R&B / soul / gospel | 10.725 million[41] | |
Halsey | United States | 2012–present | Pop / alternative pop / R&B | 10.5 million[42] |
Artist | Country of origin | Period of activity | Genre(s) | Total certified units | Claimed sales |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Destiny's Child | United States | 1990–2006 | R&B / Pop | 9.6 million[43] | |
Leona Lewis | United Kingdom | 2006–present | R&B / Pop / soul | 9.56 million[44] | |
Demi Lovato | United States | 2002–present | Pop / pop rock / R&B | 9.26 million[45] | |
Alicia Keys | United States | 2001–present | Hip-hop / R&B / pop | 8.62 million[46] | |
Jessie J | United Kingdom | 2006–present | Pop / pop rock / R&B / soul | 8.36 million[47] | |
Shania Twain | Canada | 1993–present | Country pop | 8.22 million[48] |
Artist | Country of origin | Period of activity | Genre(s) | Total certified units | Claimed sales |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cher | United States | 1965–present | Pop / rock / dance / folk | 7.94 million[49] | |
Diana Ross[A] | United States | 1967–present | R&B / Pop | 7.69 million[B] | |
Girls Aloud | United Kingdom | 2002–2009 / 2012–2013 | Pop / electropop / dance-pop / dance-rock | 7.4 million[52] | |
Barbra Streisand | United States | 1963–present | Pop / rock / dance / showtunes / standards | 7.097 million | |
Kate Bush | United Kingdom | 1975–present | Art pop / progressive pop / experimental pop / art rock | 6.61 million[53] | |
Sugababes | United Kingdom | 1998–present | Pop / R&B | 6.56 million[54] | |
All Saints | United Kingdom | 1993–2001 / 2006–2008 / 2013–present | Pop / electronic / R&B | 5.8 million[55] | |
Kelly Rowland | United States | 1997–present | R&B / Pop / hip hop / soul / dance | 4.76 million[56] | |
Eternal | United Kingdom | 1992–2000 / 2013–2014 | R&B / soul / gospel | 4.25 million[58] | |
Kyla | United Kingdom | 2008–present | UK funky / house | 3.8 million[60] | |
Duffy | United Kingdom | 2004–2011 / 2015 | Soul / blue-eyed soul / pop | 3.4 million[61] | |
Missy Elliott | United States | 1991–present | Hip-hop / R&B / progressive rap | 3.32 million[62] | |
Alexandra Burke | United Kingdom | 2008–present | R&B / Pop / soul / dance | 3.2 million[63] | |
Kelis | United States | 1997–present | R&B / pop / hip-hop / soul / electronica | 3.12 million[74] | |
Aretha Franklin | United States | 1954–2017 | R&B / soul / gospel | 3.06 million[75] | |
Mary J. Blige | United States | 1988–present | R&B / hip-hop / hip-hop soul | 3.02 million[76] | |
The Supremes | United States | 1959–1977 | R&B / soul / pop / doo-wop / disco | 1.88 million[77] |
3.118 million
|
Toni Braxton | United States | 1989–present | R&B | 2.9 million[82] | |
Nina Simone | United States | 1954–2002 | Classical / folk / gospel / blues /jazz /R&B / soul | 2.06 million[83] | |
Dusty Springfield | United Kingdom | 1958–1995 | Soul / blue-eyed soul / pop | 2.02 million[84] | |
Macy Gray | United States | 1990–present | R&B / soul / jazz | 1.96 million[85] | |
Shirley Bassey | United Kingdom | 1953–present | Pop | 1.6 million[86] | |
Jennifer Hudson | United States | 2004–present | R&B / soul | 1.5 million[87] | |
Robyn | Sweden | 1989–present | Electropop / synth-pop / dance-pop / R&B | 1.1 million[88] |
1.502 million
|
Aaliyah | United States | 1989–2001 | R&B | 1 million[94] |