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[CDX]

1. The Beatles
2. Madonna
3. Elton John
4. Elvis Presley
5. Mariah Carey
6. Stevie Wonder
7. Janet Jackson
8. Michael Jackson
9. Whitney Houston
10. Rolling Stones
11. Paul McCartney
12. Bee Gees
13. Rihanna
14. Usher
15. Chicago


Full list of the 100 here
http://www.billboard.com/charts/greatest-hot-100-artists

These all-time rankings are based on actual performance on the weekly Billboard Hot 100 (from its launch on Aug. 4, 1958 through Oct. 10, 2015) and Billboard 200 (from Aug. 17, 1963 — when we combined our two leading pop album album charts for stereo and mono releases into one all-encompassing weekly chart — through Oct. 10, 2015). Titles are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at lower rungs earning the least. Due to changes in chart methodology over the years, eras are weighted differently to account for chart turnover rates over various periods. Artists are ranked based on the combined point totals, as outlined above, of all their Hot 100 or Billboard 200 chart entries.​

 

[Macadinho94]

Just scanned through the list, Fleetwood Mac a 87?

 

[Ahasverus]

More like 100 most overrated. Yuck. Fucking Usher, man.

 

[Bronx-Man]

*By greatest, we mean the highest-selling

 

[Killer Queen]

*By greatest, we mean the highest-selling

this.

 

[n00bsauce87]

How mj is not a top 5 artist is beyond me. He's at least higher than his sister. Glad to see Beyonce not a top 15. Her one artist to compare to, rihanna, has more crossover appeal. It might be because she was pop then dabbled in rnb and Beyonce is reverse.

Can't speak on the rest.

Well I can, Whitney should have been higher, even trade places with Carey.

 

[Dennis]

Elton John more weeks at Nr. 1 than Elvis Presley?

All my wat

 

[Speedy Blue Dude]

Yup. A list that refuses to acknowledge that a current day artist could be one of the greatest artist of all time.

Taylor Swift should at least easily be Top 10, if not Top 3.

 

[Quonny]

These all-time rankings are based on actual performance on the weekly Billboard Hot 100 (from its launch on Aug. 4, 1958 through Oct. 10, 2015) and Billboard 200 (from Aug. 17, 1963 — when we combined our two leading pop album album charts for stereo and mono releases into one all-encompassing weekly chart — through Oct. 10, 2015). Titles are ranked based on an inverse point system, with weeks at No. 1 earning the greatest value and weeks at lower rungs earning the least. Due to changes in chart methodology over the years, eras are weighted differently to account for chart turnover rates over various periods. Artists are ranked based on the combined point totals, as outlined above, of all their Hot 100 or Billboard 200 chart entries.

So it's not necessarily sales but based on how long and often they charted?

 

[InfiniteBento]

Usher being #14 makes me want to vomit.

 

[IceCold]

Janel above Michael? lmao. The fuck is this.

 

[LionPride]

I don't care about their criteria, the fuck is Mariah doing so far up?

 

[BumRush]

Wow very few people so far read the criteria.

 

[ODDI]

Janet over Micheal WTF?!?!!

edit: Ok I should take the time read everything still tho it's a bizarre thing to see.

 

[CharminUltra]

Aw yeah, dat #1

Edit: Jesus isn't even in the top 10. Lennon #redeemed

 

[jambo]

No Pink Floyd, no Led Zeppelin, no Genesis, Rolling Stones as low as 10.

lolno

Wasn't Dark Side of the Moon in the 200 charts for like, 14 years?

 

[Heroman]

1. The Beatles
2. Madonna
3. Elton John
4. Elvis Presley
5. Mariah Carey
6. Stevie Wonder
7. Janet Jackson
8. Michael Jackson
9. Whitney Houston
10. Rolling Stones
11. Paul McCartney
12. Bee Gees
13. Rihanna
14. Usher
15. Chicago
This doesn't make any sense.

 

[Numb]

Not DMX or Rebecca Black.
cmon now

 

[Floridian]

Rihanna is truly one of the greats.

 

[Tenebrous]

I don't care about their criteria, the fuck is Mariah doing so far up?

Shit Xmas song.

 

[Andrew Korenchkin]

LOL using sales to justify greatness.

I mean sure, there can be a correlation between an artist's quality and their sales, but the reverse is also true. Yeah, this is stupid.

 

[LionPride]

Shit Xmas song.

That song is still popular to this day

 

[Madness]

Michael Jackson not at #1? Below Janet Jackson? Get the fuck out of here. I don't want to click the link, what's the metric for the ranks?

 

[x24hrs2livex]

I can see The Beatles being #1 but Madonna ahead of Michael? That's just stupid.

 

[tchocky]

No Pink Floyd, no Led Zeppelin, no Genesis, Rolling Stones as low as 10.

lolno

Floyd and Zeppelin may have made it if they had actually released more than a couple of singles.

 

[MegaPanda]

It's basically a US-centered artist popularity list

Spoiler

thats why it's so bad

 

[BumRush]

The criteria is literally in the OP.

 

[Maintenance]

Mariah Carey though, wow.

 

[Interframe]

No Young Thug? This list takes the L.

 

[n00bsauce87]

Nelly above jayz and Eminem?

No dog, just no.

 

[jambo]

Floyd and Zeppelin may have made it if they had actually released more than a couple of singles.

I thought it was albums, not singles.

Dark Side of the Moon was in the 200 for 736 weeks straight.

 

[Orkidea]

Mariah pls

 

[Plinko]

Nelly charted more than Bruce Springsteen?

Welp.

 

[Floridian]

The criteria is literally in the OP.

Folks are too busy being mad at the name order on the list to read it.

 

[Rushersauce]

WTF!? Rihanna? LMAO... USHER? ROOOOFLLLMAOOOOOOO and a lot more that I just can't. I can't

 

[x24hrs2livex]

Yup. A list that refuses to acknowledge that a current day artist could be one of the greatest artist of all time.

Taylor Swift should at least easily be Top 10, if not Top 3.

I mean sure if Elvis, The Beatles, The Stones, Aerosmith, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Mariah never existed, she'd easily be top 3.

 

[Androidsleeps]

Rihanna and Usher? Greatest artists of all time?
Also, Elton John?
??
Then again, it's Billboard, who cares.

 

[Jigolo]

Didn't thriller sell over 100 million CDs?

 

[BumRush]

OP could you edit in the criteria above the list, if possible?

 

[Floridian]

WTF!? Rihanna? LMAO... USHER? ROOOOFLLLMAOOOOOOO and a lot more that I just can't. I can't

Based on the Hot 100 charts & Rihanna's history of #1 & top 10 hits, I'd say there's really no surprise there. Usher was also pretty huge at his peak back in the mid 2000's.

 

[tchocky]

I thought it was albums, not singles.

Dark Side of the Moon was in the 200 for 736 weeks straight.

I think it is both combined.

 

[Rushersauce]

Based on the Hot 100 charts & Rihanna's history of #1 & top 10 hits, I'd say there's really no surprise there. Usher was also pretty huge at his peak back in the mid 2000's.

Ohhh... So, it means best selling artist. NOT BEST ARTIST, because they simply aren't.

 

[NobleGreenBeast]

The Bee Gees in at number 12 and Andy Gibb at 99.

 

[Floridian]

Ohhh... So, it means best selling artist. NOT BEST ARTIST.

This is for their charting positions & popularity, not overall best musicians.

 

[Rushersauce]

This is for their charting positions & popularity, not overall best musicians.

Yeah, I just noticed. Geeh, what's with the title, then.

 

[Anoregon]

No David Bowie? Give me a break, Billboard.

edit: sigh, best selling. nevermind then.

 

[DECK'ARD]

That weighting gave some odd results.

 

[Oersted]

*By greatest, we mean the highest-selling

*In USA

 

[Ahasverus]

7. Janet Jackson
8. Michael Jackson

This doesn't make any sense.

Yeah what in the flying fuck hahahaha. Go home Billboard, you're drunk.

 

[BumRush]

Yeah what in the flying fuck hahahaha. Go home Billboard, you're drunk.

Did you read the OP?