Music is one of the most popular forms of entertainment and expression worldwide. With the advent of digital platforms, music consumption has become easier and more accessible than ever before. But which musical artists have succeeded most in the digital singles market?
In this article, we will look at the top 10 artists with the highest total certified units of their songs, according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). From hip-hop to pop, veterans to newcomers, these artists have dominated the digital music scene in the U.S.
Drake
Digital Singles – 244 million
Drake is a rapper and singer who rose to fame as an actor on the T.V. show Degrassi: The Next Generation. He has achieved the number-one spot on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart with each of his eight studio albums and is the most successful musical artist in digital singles, with 244 million certified units of his songs.
He is also known for his versatile style, blending hip-hop, R&B, pop, and other genres and has won five Grammy Awards, 29 Billboard Music Awards, seven American Music Awards, and many other accolades.
Eminem
Digital Singles – 167 million
Eminem is known for his controversial and best-selling music. He gained fame and recognition after releasing The Slim Shady LP in 1999, produced by Dr. Dre. He has won 15 Grammy Awards and also an Academy Award and is the second most successful musical artist in digital singles, with 167 million certified units of his songs.
Some of his most famous songs are “My Name Is, “”The Real Slim Shady,” “Lose Yourself,” “Not Afraid,” and “Love the Way You Lie.”
Rihanna
Digital Singles – 166.5 million
Rihanna is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman, and actress. With 166.5 million certified units for her songs, Rihanna ranks among the most successful musical artists in digital singles. Some of her most popular songs are “Umbrella,” “We Found Love,” “Diamonds,” and “Work.” Her accolades include nine Grammy Awards and an Academy Award nomination. She is the wealthiest female musician in the world as of 2024, with an estimated net worth of $1.7 billion.
Kanye West
Digital Singles – 160.5
Kanye West, a multifaceted American artist, excels in rap, singing, songwriting, record production, and fashion design. He is the fourth most successful musical artist in digital singles, with 160.5 million certified units of his songs. He has won 24 Grammy Awards and is the most awarded for any hip-hop artist jointly with Jay-Z. All ten of Kanye’s studio albums have been certified gold in the United States. He is known for his diverse and innovative musical style, blending hip-hop, pop, gospel, and other genres.
Taylor Swift
Digital Singles – 137.5 million
Taylor Swift has influenced the music industry, popular culture, and politics with her reinventive artistry. She achieved prominence as a country pop singer with her first two albums, Taylor Swift (2006) and Fearless (2008), and later experimented with various genres such as rock, synth-pop, hip hop, and indie folk on her subsequent albums. She is the fifth most successful musical artist in digital singles, with 137.5 million certified units of her songs. She has won 11 Grammy Awards and an Academy Award nomination. She is also the first billionaire with music as her primary source of income.
Post Malone
Digital Singles – 134 million
Post Malone is a rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor who has gained acclaim for blending various genres, including hip-hop, pop, R&B, and trap. He rose to fame with his debut single, “White Iverson,” in 2015. He has released five studio albums, all of which have topped the Billboard 200 chart. With 134 million digital singles certified by the RIAA, he ranks sixth among the best-selling music artists in this format. He is a highly acclaimed artist with nine Grammy nominations and 14 awards from Billboard, American Music, and MTV.
Justin Bieber
Digital Singles – 122.5 million
Justin Bieber rose to fame in 2009 after being discovered by Scooter Braun on YouTube. He has released six studio albums, including My World 2.0 (2010), Purpose (2015), and Justice (2021), which all topped the charts in the U.S. and the U.K. Bieber has sold over 140 million records worldwide and has won two Grammy Awards, 18 MTV Europe Music Awards, and a Latin Grammy Award. He holds several Guinness World Records, such as the most streamed track on Spotify in one week and the most followers on Twitter by a male. He is the seventh most successful musical artist in digital singles, with 122.5 million certified units of his songs.
Beyonce
Digital Singles – 114.5 million
Beyoncé began her career as the lead singer of the R&B group Destiny’s Child, one of the best-selling girl groups ever. She then launched a hugely successful solo career with albums such as Dangerously in Love (2003), B’Day (2006), I Am… Sasha Fierce (2008), 4 (2011), Beyoncé (2013), Lemonade (2016), and Renaissance (2022). She is a global superstar with 32 Grammy Awards and has sold over 200 million records worldwide. She is one of the most successful musical artists in digital singles, with 114.5 million certified units of her songs.
The Weeknd
Digital Singles – 113 million
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye, known as the Weeknd, is known for his unconventional music production and signature use of the falsetto register. With 113 million certified units of his songs, he ranks ninth among the most successful musical artists in digital singles. Some of his most famous songs include “Blinding Lights,” “Can’t Feel My Face,” “The Hills,” and “Earned It.” He is also a co-creator and star of the drama series The Idol, which premiered in 2023
His accolades include four Grammy Awards, 20 Billboard Music Awards, 22 Juno Awards, six American Music Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, a Latin Grammy Award, and nominations for an Academy Award and a Primetime Emmy Award.
Katy Perry
Digital Singles – 112 million
Katy Perry has sold over 112 million digital singles in the United States, making her the tenth best-selling digital singles artist of all time. She rose to fame with her pop-rock album One of the Boys (2008), which spawned the hit singles “Hot n Cold” and “I Kissed a Girl.” She also holds the record for the most U.S. diamond-certified songs by a female artist, with four of her singles—“Firework,” “Roar,” “Dark Horse,” and “E.T.”—selling over 10 million copies each. She has won various awards, including five American Music Awards, five Billboard Music Awards, and four Guinness World Records.
Morgan Wallen
Digital Singles – 105.5 million
Morgan Wallen started his music career in 2014 after competing on the sixth season of The Voice. He signed with Big Loud Records and released his debut album, If I Know Me, in 2018. The album included the hit singles “Up Down,” “Whiskey Glasses,” and “Chasin’ You,” all of which reached number one on the Country Airplay chart. Dangerous: The Double Album, his second album, set a record as the first country album to stay at number one on the Billboard 200 for seven weeks in a row. His third album, One Thing at a Time, also topped the Billboard 200 for 18 non-consecutive weeks, breaking several records. Wallen has achieved immense success in the digital singles market, selling more than 105.5 million units in the U.S.
Imagine Dragons
Digital Singles – 103.5 million
The pop rock band Imagine Dragons, from Las Vegas, Nevada, has achieved immense success in the digital singles market, selling more than 103.5 million units. The band consists of Dan Reynolds as the lead vocalist, Wayne Sermon as the guitarist, Ben McKee as the bassist, and Daniel Platzman as the drummer. They have released six studio albums, all of which have topped the Billboard 200 chart, and have won three Grammy Awards, nine Billboard Music Awards, and one MTV Video Music Award. They are also the first rock act to have four songs with over one billion streams each on Spotify.