Elvis Presley may be the King of Rock 'n' Roll, but Garth Brooks is currently closer to the crown for best-selling solo artist of all-time, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. The country superstar's most recent effort, Man Against Machine, has earned platinum status, bumping his total to 135 million units. It puts Brooks just past Presley's 134.5 million units in the United States. The Beatles still top the list, though.
"The Last Dance" singer surpassed the King back in 2007, but fans pointed out that Presley's 118.5 million total did not include all of his early singles that the RIAA never certified as gold, platinum or beyond — Brooks had 123 million.
The Beatles are currently the all-time record holders with 178 million units sold. Brooks would have to be on his A-game for the next couple years to try and overthrow the Fab Four.
As Rolling Stone points out, the RIAA did not give out official platinum certifications until 1976, missing all of Presley and The Beatles's catalogs. The King's first certification came a year later with Moody Blue, which was released a month after his untimely death. The Beatles received their first official platinum record with the reissue album Rock 'n' Roll Music, in '76. Had the RIAA started certifying albums 10 years earlier, this would be an entirely different story — or it would not exist at all.
Here are the current top 10, best-selling artists of all-time, according to the RIAA:
01. The Beatles — 178 millions units sold
02. Garth Brooks — 135
03. Elvis Presley — 134.5
04. Led Zeppelin — 111.5
05. The Eagles — 101
06. Billy Joel — 81.5
07. Michael Jackson — 76
08. Pink Floyd — 74.5
09. Elton John — 73.5
10. Barbra Streisand — 72
Just missing the cut is AC/DC (71.5), George Strait (69) and The Rolling Stones (66.5).
Man Against Machine is Brooks's ninth studio album and his first recorded effort in 13 years.
