achtung y'all
The Fly
The new issue of Q Magazine (with U2 adorning the cover) have listed the 50 biggest bands ever based on:
a) US sales + UK sales
b) the bands biggest gig (no festivals)
c) weeks spent on the UK album chart
Key: BA (biggest album) BG (biggest gig) WoC (weeks on album chart)
50) Van Halen BA - Van Halen, 10.1m BG - 35,000 1993 WoC - 101
49) Boys II Men BA - II, 12m BG - 21,149 1995 WoC - 46
48) The Shadows BA - Golden Greats, 0.3m BG - not recorded WoC - 691
47) Erasure BA - The Innocents, 1.6m BG - 60,000 1990 WoC - 323
46) Duran Duran BA - Arena, 2.3m BG - 50,000 1983 WoC - 401
45) Eurythmics BA - Greatist Hits, 4.8m BG - 15,224 1989 WoC - 476
44) N Sync BA - No Strings, 11.1m BG - 60,000 2001 WoC - 32
43) Wet Wet Wet BA - Popped In, Souled Out, 1.5m BG - 75,000 WoC - 278
42) Simple Minds BA - Once Upon A Time, 1.4m BG - 72,000 1989 WoC - 354
41) Status Quo BA - Rockin All Over...., 0.6m BG - 60,000 1984 WoC - 464
40) Hootie & the Blowfish BA - Cracked Rear View, 16m BG - 23,000 Woc-30
39) Pearl Jam BA - Ten, 12.1m BG - 50,000 1995 WoC - 119
38) Wham! BA - Make It Big, 7.2m BG - 72,000 1986 WoC - 259
37) Aerosmith BA - Greatist Hits, 10m BG - 72,000 1999 WoC - 134
36) UB40 BA - Promises & Lies, 1.6m BG - 60,000 1994 WoC - 610
35) Deep Purple BA - Machine Head, 2.1m BG - 80,000 1985 WoC - 278
34) Def Leppard BA - Hysteria, 12.6m BG - 38,200 1993 WoC - 190
33) Spice Girls BA - Spice, 10m BG - 72,000 1998 WoC - 135
32) Journey BA - Greatest Hits, 10m BG - 83,214 1982 WoC - 30
31) The Carpenters BA - The Singles, 7.3m BG - 16,000 1971 WoC - 603
30) Supertramp BA - Breakfast In America, 4.3m BG - 100,000 '88 WoC - 181
29) Simply Red BA - Stars, 4.1m BG - 60,000 1992 WoC - 597
28) Snatana BA - Supernatural, 15.6m BG - 34,402 2002 WoC - 298
27) Abba BA - Gold: Greatest Hits, 9.6m BG - 20,000 1977 WoC - 867
26) Steve Miller Band BA - Greatest Hits, 13m BG - 78,000 1978 WoC - 51
25) The Police BA - Synchronicity, 8.3m BG - 75,000 1983 WoC - 405
24) AC/DC BA - Back In Black, 19.1m BG - 60,000 2001 WoC - 255
23) Red Hot C Peppers BA-BloodSugarSex...., 7.3m BG-120,000 '04 WoC-293
22) Backstreet Boys BA - Backstreet's Back, 14.6m BG - 80,000 '01 WoC-146
21) REM BA - Automatic For the People, 5.8m BG - 75,000 1995 WoC - 561
20) Boston BA - Boston, 17.1m BG - 80,900 1987 WoC - 44
19) Metallica BA - Metallica, 14.3m BA - 90,000 1999 WoC - 129
18) The Bee Gees BA - Saturday Night Fever, 15.3m BG-64,200 '99 WoC-406
17) Genesis BA - Invisible Touch, 7.2m BG - 90,000 1992 WoC - 491
16) Nirvana BA - Nevermind, 10.6m BG - 110,000 1993 WoC - 310
15) Guns N Roses BA-Appetite For Destruction, 15.6m BG-75,000 '92 WoC-379
14) Bon Jovi BA - Slippery When Wet, 12.9m BG - 80,000 2003 WoC - 427
13) Oasis BA - ...Morning Glory, 7.9m BG - 125,000 1996 WoC - 483
12) The Beach Boys BA - Endless Summer, 3m BG - 1m 1985 WoC - 563
11) The Eagles BA - Greatest Hits, 28.3m BG - 65,035 1995 WoC - 437
10) Fleetwood Mac BA - Rumours, 22m BG - 48,956 1982 WoC - 879
9) Bob Marley & Wailers BA - Legend, 11.8m BG - 100,000 '80 WoC - 536
8) The Beatles BA - The White Album, 19m BG - 55,000 1965 WoC - 1284
7) Bruce Springsteen & ESB BA - Born In USA, 15.9m BG - 100k '85 WoC - 412
6) Dire Straits BA - Brothers In Arms, 12.9m BG - 89,600 WoC - 1133
5) Queen BA - Greatest Hits, 10.3m BG - 131,000 1980 WoC - 1271
4) U2 BA - The Joshua Tree, 11.8m BG - 150,000 1997 WoC - 1110
3) The Rolling Stones BA - Hot Rocks, 12.6m BG - 500,000 1969 WoC - 799
2) Led Zeppelin BA - IV, 22m BG - 125,000 1979 WoC - 495
1) Pink Floyd BA - The Wall, 23.3m BG - 125,000 1975 WoC - 911
Phew!
a) US sales + UK sales
b) the bands biggest gig (no festivals)
c) weeks spent on the UK album chart
Key: BA (biggest album) BG (biggest gig) WoC (weeks on album chart)
50) Van Halen BA - Van Halen, 10.1m BG - 35,000 1993 WoC - 101
49) Boys II Men BA - II, 12m BG - 21,149 1995 WoC - 46
48) The Shadows BA - Golden Greats, 0.3m BG - not recorded WoC - 691
47) Erasure BA - The Innocents, 1.6m BG - 60,000 1990 WoC - 323
46) Duran Duran BA - Arena, 2.3m BG - 50,000 1983 WoC - 401
45) Eurythmics BA - Greatist Hits, 4.8m BG - 15,224 1989 WoC - 476
44) N Sync BA - No Strings, 11.1m BG - 60,000 2001 WoC - 32
43) Wet Wet Wet BA - Popped In, Souled Out, 1.5m BG - 75,000 WoC - 278
42) Simple Minds BA - Once Upon A Time, 1.4m BG - 72,000 1989 WoC - 354
41) Status Quo BA - Rockin All Over...., 0.6m BG - 60,000 1984 WoC - 464
40) Hootie & the Blowfish BA - Cracked Rear View, 16m BG - 23,000 Woc-30
39) Pearl Jam BA - Ten, 12.1m BG - 50,000 1995 WoC - 119
38) Wham! BA - Make It Big, 7.2m BG - 72,000 1986 WoC - 259
37) Aerosmith BA - Greatist Hits, 10m BG - 72,000 1999 WoC - 134
36) UB40 BA - Promises & Lies, 1.6m BG - 60,000 1994 WoC - 610
35) Deep Purple BA - Machine Head, 2.1m BG - 80,000 1985 WoC - 278
34) Def Leppard BA - Hysteria, 12.6m BG - 38,200 1993 WoC - 190
33) Spice Girls BA - Spice, 10m BG - 72,000 1998 WoC - 135
32) Journey BA - Greatest Hits, 10m BG - 83,214 1982 WoC - 30
31) The Carpenters BA - The Singles, 7.3m BG - 16,000 1971 WoC - 603
30) Supertramp BA - Breakfast In America, 4.3m BG - 100,000 '88 WoC - 181
29) Simply Red BA - Stars, 4.1m BG - 60,000 1992 WoC - 597
28) Snatana BA - Supernatural, 15.6m BG - 34,402 2002 WoC - 298
27) Abba BA - Gold: Greatest Hits, 9.6m BG - 20,000 1977 WoC - 867
26) Steve Miller Band BA - Greatest Hits, 13m BG - 78,000 1978 WoC - 51
25) The Police BA - Synchronicity, 8.3m BG - 75,000 1983 WoC - 405
24) AC/DC BA - Back In Black, 19.1m BG - 60,000 2001 WoC - 255
23) Red Hot C Peppers BA-BloodSugarSex...., 7.3m BG-120,000 '04 WoC-293
22) Backstreet Boys BA - Backstreet's Back, 14.6m BG - 80,000 '01 WoC-146
21) REM BA - Automatic For the People, 5.8m BG - 75,000 1995 WoC - 561
20) Boston BA - Boston, 17.1m BG - 80,900 1987 WoC - 44
19) Metallica BA - Metallica, 14.3m BA - 90,000 1999 WoC - 129
18) The Bee Gees BA - Saturday Night Fever, 15.3m BG-64,200 '99 WoC-406
17) Genesis BA - Invisible Touch, 7.2m BG - 90,000 1992 WoC - 491
16) Nirvana BA - Nevermind, 10.6m BG - 110,000 1993 WoC - 310
15) Guns N Roses BA-Appetite For Destruction, 15.6m BG-75,000 '92 WoC-379
14) Bon Jovi BA - Slippery When Wet, 12.9m BG - 80,000 2003 WoC - 427
13) Oasis BA - ...Morning Glory, 7.9m BG - 125,000 1996 WoC - 483
12) The Beach Boys BA - Endless Summer, 3m BG - 1m 1985 WoC - 563
11) The Eagles BA - Greatest Hits, 28.3m BG - 65,035 1995 WoC - 437
10) Fleetwood Mac BA - Rumours, 22m BG - 48,956 1982 WoC - 879
9) Bob Marley & Wailers BA - Legend, 11.8m BG - 100,000 '80 WoC - 536
8) The Beatles BA - The White Album, 19m BG - 55,000 1965 WoC - 1284
7) Bruce Springsteen & ESB BA - Born In USA, 15.9m BG - 100k '85 WoC - 412
6) Dire Straits BA - Brothers In Arms, 12.9m BG - 89,600 WoC - 1133
5) Queen BA - Greatest Hits, 10.3m BG - 131,000 1980 WoC - 1271
4) U2 BA - The Joshua Tree, 11.8m BG - 150,000 1997 WoC - 1110
3) The Rolling Stones BA - Hot Rocks, 12.6m BG - 500,000 1969 WoC - 799
2) Led Zeppelin BA - IV, 22m BG - 125,000 1979 WoC - 495
1) Pink Floyd BA - The Wall, 23.3m BG - 125,000 1975 WoC - 911
Phew!