List of best-selling female music artists in the United Kingdom

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.

30 million or more units

• 
  Rihanna
• 
  Taylor Swift
• 
  Beyoncé
• 
  Madonna
• 
  Little Mix

Artist	Country of origin	Period of activity	Genre(s)	Total certified units	Claimed sales
Rihanna	Barbados	2005–present	Pop / R&B / Dance[1]	61.3 million[2]
Taylor Swift	United States	2006–present	Pop / Country / Folk[3]	58.6 million[4]
Adele	United Kingdom	2008–present	Pop / soul	40.7 million[5]
Beyoncé	United States	1997–present	R&B / pop / dance	39.53 million[6]
Madonna	United States	1982–present	Pop / dance / electronic	32.42 million[7]
Ariana Grande	United States	2011–present	Pop / R&B	31.5 million[8]
Little Mix	United Kingdom	2011–2022	Pop / R&B / dance-pop	30.00 million[9]

20 million to 30 million units

• 
  Dua Lipa
• 
  P!nk
• 
  Katy Perry
• 
  Lady Gaga
• 
  Nicki Minaj
• 
  Whitney Houston

Artist	Country of origin	Period of activity	Genre(s)	Total certified units	Claimed sales
Dua Lipa	United Kingdom	2011–present	Pop / house / disco / R&B	28.4 million[10]
Katy Perry	United States	2001–present	Pop	27.8 million[11]
P!nk	United States	2000–present	Pop / pop rock / R&B	26.5 million[12]
Lady Gaga	United States	2008–present	Pop / dance / electronic / jazz / pop rock	25.36 million[13]
Nicki Minaj	Trinidad and Tobago	2004–present	Hip-hop / pop	24.26 million[14]
Whitney Houston	United States	1984–2012	R&B / pop / dance / soul / gospel[15]	23.945 million[16]

10 million to 20 million units

• 
  Sia
• 
  Britney Spears
• 
  Billie Eilish
• 
  Jess Glynne
• 
  Celine Dion
• 
  Mariah Carey
• 
  Kylie Minogue
• 
  Spice Girls

Artist	Country of origin	Period of activity	Genre(s)	Total certified units	Claimed sales
Sia	Australia	2013–present	Pop / electronica	19.86 million[17]
Britney Spears	United States	1998–present	Pop / dance / electronic	18.885 million[18]
Billie Eilish	United States	2015–present	Pop / alt-pop / electropop	18.695 million[16]
Jess Glynne	United Kingdom	2013–present	Pop / R&B / dance	17.9 million[19]
Celine Dion	Canada	1981–present	Pop rock[20]	16.715 million[21]
Mariah Carey	United States	1990–present	R&B / Pop[22]	16.66 million[23]
Kylie Minogue	Australia	1987–present	disco-pop	15.61 million[24]
Spice Girls	United Kingdom	1994–2000 / 2007–2008 / 2012 / 2016 / 2018–present	Pop / dance-pop	15.55 million[25]
Ellie Goulding	United Kingdom	2009–present	Electropop / synth-pop / indie / pop / folktronica	14.7 million[26]
Christina Aguilera	United States	1999–present	R&B / pop / rock	13.21 million[27]
Miley Cyrus	United States	2007–present	Pop	13.02 million[28]
Amy Winehouse	United Kingdom	2002–2011	Soul / blue-eyed soul / neo soul / rhythm and blues / jazz	12.61 million[29]
Rita Ora	United Kingdom	2008–present	Pop / electropop / R&B	12.6 million[30]
Becky Hill	United Kingdom	2012–present	Pop / R&B	12.2 million[31]
Cardi B	United States	2015–present	Hip-hop	11.7 million[32]
Camila Cabello	Cuba	2012–present	Pop / Latin	11.6 million[33]
Lana Del Rey	United States	2005–present	Alternative pop / baroque pop / rock / dream pop	11.52 million[34]
Anne-Marie	United Kingdom	2013–present	pop / grime / R&B	11.2 million[35]
Zara Larsson	Sweden	2008–present	Pop / dance-pop / electropop	11.1 million[36]
Tina Turner	United States	1964–2020	Rock / Pop	10.875 million[37]
Emeli Sandé	United Kingdom	2008–present	R&B / soul / gospel	10.725 million[38]
Destiny's Child	United States	1990–2006	R&B / Pop	10.625 million[39]
Halsey	United States	2012–present	Pop / alternative pop / R&B	10.5 million[40]
Kelly Clarkson	United States	2002–present	Pop	10.26 million[41]

8 million to 10 million units

• 
  Destiny Child
• 
  Leona Lewis
• 
  Demi Lovato
• 
  Shakira
• 
  Diana Ross

Artist	Country of origin	Period of activity	Genre(s)	Total certified units	Claimed sales
Destiny's Child	United States	1990–2006	R&B / Pop	10.625 million[42]
Leona Lewis	United Kingdom	2006–present	R&B / Pop / soul	9.56 million[43]
Demi Lovato	United States	2002–present	Pop / pop rock / R&B	9.26 million[44]
Shakira	Colombia	1991–present	Latin pop / pop / pop rock	9.1 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]
Diana Ross[A]	United States	1970–present	R&B / pop / disco	8.02 million[B]

1 million to 8 million units

• 
  Cher
• 
  Girls Aloud
• 
  Kate Bush
• 
  Sugababes
• 
  All Saints
• 
  Kelly Rowland

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[50]
Girls Aloud	United Kingdom	2002–2009 / 2012–2013	Pop / electropop / dance-pop / dance-rock	7.4 million[51]
Barbra Streisand	United States	1963–present	Pop / rock / dance / showtunes / standards	7.097 million
Avril Lavigne	Canada	2002–present	Pop / rock	6.885 million[52]
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]
The Saturdays	United Kingdom	2007–2014	Pop / Dance / R&B	5 million[56]
Janet Jackson	United States	1982-present	R&B / pop / new jack swing / soul / dance	4.88 million[57]
Kelly Rowland	United States	1997–present	R&B / Pop / hip hop / soul / dance	4.76 million[58]	5.211 million Certified: 4.76 million[58] Uncertified songs: 451,000 units[C]
Eternal	United Kingdom	1992–2000 / 2013–2014	R&B / soul / gospel	4.25 million[60]	4.38 million Certified: 4.25 million[58] Uncertified songs: 130,000 units[D]
Kyla	United Kingdom	2008–present	UK funky / house	3.8 million[62]
Duffy	United Kingdom	2004–2011 / 2015	Soul / blue-eyed soul / pop	3.4 million[63]
Missy Elliott	United States	1991–present	Hip-hop / R&B / progressive rap	3.32 million[64]
Alexandra Burke	United Kingdom	2008–present	R&B / Pop / soul / dance	3.2 million[65]	4-5 million Reported sales: 5 million[66] 4,083,812 units[E][75]
TLC	United States	1991–PRESENT	R&B / soul / gospel	3.9 million[76]
Kelis	United States	1997–present	R&B / pop / hip-hop / soul / electronica	3.12 million[77]
Aretha Franklin	United States	1954–2017	R&B / soul / gospel	3.06 million[78]
Mary J. Blige	United States	1988–present	R&B / hip-hop / hip-hop soul	3.02 million[79]
Toni Braxton	United States	1989–present	R&B	2.9 million[80]
The Supremes	United States	1959–1977	R&B / soul / pop / doo-wop / disco	2.18 million[81]	3.418 million Certified units: 2.18 million[81] 20 Golden Greats: 1 million[F] Uncertified albums: 30,000[G] Uncertified songs: 208,000[H]
Nina Simone	United States	1954–2002	Classical / folk / gospel / blues /jazz /R&B / soul	2.06 million[86]
Dusty Springfield	United Kingdom	1958–1995	Soul / blue-eyed soul / pop	2.02 million[87]
Macy Gray	United States	1990–present	R&B / soul / jazz	1.96 million[88]
Shirley Bassey	United Kingdom	1953–present	Pop	1.6 million[89]
Jennifer Hudson	United States	2004–present	R&B / soul	1.5 million[90]
Dionne Warwick	United States	1963–present	Pop / R&B / soul	1.4 million[50]
Jamelia	United Kingdom	1999—2007	R&B / pop	1.2 million[91]
Joan Armatrading	United Kingdom	1972–present	Rock / pop / folk rock / blues	1.14 million[92]
Robyn	Sweden	1989–present	Electropop / synth-pop / dance-pop / R&B	1.1 million[93]	1.502 million 1,502,408 units[I]
Aaliyah	United States	1989–2001	R&B	1 million[99]

See also

• List of best-selling music artists
• List of best-selling girl groups
• List of best-selling albums by women
• List of best-selling female rappers
• Women in music

Notes

1. Excludes all titles credited to The Supremes or Diana Ross & The Supremes
2. • Diana Ross: 8.02 million^[49]
3. Reported chart sales for songs yet to meet certification threshold:^[59]

   • "Down for Whatever": 177,000
   • "Motivation": 142,000
   • "What a Feeling": 132,000
4. Reported chart sales for songs yet to meet certification threshold:^[61]

   • "Someday": 130,000
5. Includes certified units combined with reported sales. Most titles listed below have reported sales higher than current certifications:

   • Overcome: 821,189^[67]
   • Heartbreak on Hold: 10,571^[68]
   • "Hallelujah": 1,339,000^[69][70]
   • "Bad Boys": 814,000^[71]
   • "Broken Heels": 400,000^[65]
   • "All Night Long": 314,000^[71]
   • "Start Without You": 305,000^[71]
   • "Elephant": 64,005^[72]
   • "Let it Go": 16,047^[73][74]
6. Reported sales of 20 Golden Greats, as of 2020.^[82] The album was previously certified Platinum in 1977, when the thresholds were based on monetary revenue: Platinum (£1,000,000).^[83] However, this certification is not listed on the British Phonographic Industry website.
7. Reported sales of albums yet to meet certification threshold:^[84]

   • The Magnificent 7: 30,000
8. Reported chart sales of songs yet to meet certification threshold:^[85]

   • "Come See About Me": 65,000
   • "You Keep Me Hangin' On": 84,000
   • "Stoned Love": 59,000
9. Includes certified units combined with reported sales.

   • Robyn: 242,000^[94]
   • Body Talk Pt. 2: 3,602^[95]
   • Do It Again: 4,806^[96]
   • "Show Me Love": 113,000^[97]
   • "With Every Heartbeat": 491,000^[98]
   • "Dancing On My Own": 600,000^[93]
   • "Do it Again": 48,000^[97]