that's also a good point, I actually think featured singles shouldn't count the same as lead singles in this list

in all of Madonna's singles she's the lead singer, same cannot be said about Rihanna

A lot of Rihanna's big hits were features which will account for a lot of sales which was a good structure in her management. Maybe her having so many features makes me feel like she had less stand alone hits like others on the high end of the list.

Never rated Britney until Blackout. Fantastic album. Circus great too. The last three less so but Glory better than BRitney Jean- although Work Bitch is an iconic release.

 

Shame she has been medicated since 2006. Though she was exceptionally irritating as a performer prior to the meltdown/ prescriptions. Many of the big early hits have aged well.

 

Kylie definitely next, clear in third, way down on the top 2. Actually think Rihanna will be number 2, think she needs streams to beat our MADGESTY.

Edited June 1, 20178 yr by aeroco

Of course, on the flipside, even excluding features, Rihanna's released 49 singles since 2005. That's pretty impressive for a 12-13 year period.

A lot of Rihanna's big hits were features which will account for a lot of sales which was a good structure in her management. Maybe her having so many features makes me feel like she had less stand alone hits like others on the high end of the list.

This is literally not true AT ALL though.

 

Until the end of 2013 Rihanna had 21 top 5 hits of which 17 she was the lead artist. ie. only 4 were collabs.

She also had 4 million sellers and LTWYL was the only collab in there.

Rihanna is easily the biggest hit maker of her generation/the 21st century.

This is literally not true AT ALL though.

 

Until the end of 2013 Rihanna had 21 top 5 hits of which 17 she was the lead artist. ie. only 4 were collabs.

She also had 4 million sellers and LTWYL was the only collab in there.

Rihanna is easily the biggest hit maker of her generation/the 21st century.

 

However We Found Love is the most dubious lead artist crediting of all time. That song is Calvin's through and through.

03. KYLIE MINOGUE (9,596,000)

 

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/02/18/00/3152F44100000578-3452090-image-a-39_1455756498083.jpg

 

49 HITS 1988-2012

 

BIGGEST HIT: CAN’T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD

 

From poster girl of Stock Aitken Waterman in the 80s/ early 90s onto dance diva then back to her pop roots, Kylie has doubtless lasted longer than almost every critic gave her in 1988. Her first 13 singles made the top 10 (a record at the time) before mixed results in the mid 90s came from flirtations with dance and Indie music, chart rebirth was seen in 2000 when a return to pop saw her back in flavour. “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” became her first million seller and set her up for another decade of chart hits and she’s scored 34 top 10 singles in total since abandoning Ramsey Street nearly 30 years ago.

 

Discography

 

 

Personal highlight

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love Kylie, what an achievement :yahoo:

However We Found Love is the most dubious lead artist crediting of all time. That song is Calvin's through and through.

Sure you can give him credit for the awesome production, but she still made it the huge hit it was.

I mean, Rihanna was coming off the Loud era with with like 7 top 10s in the past year.

 

Let's just say if the song had gone to Leona Lewis (as originally intended) with the same production, it probably wouldn't be one of the defining songs of the 2010s.

 

Shame Kylie wasn't number 2 😕

02. MADONNA (17,153,000)

 

http://akns-images.eonline.com/eol_images/Entire_Site/2015926/rs_300x300-151026111553-600.Madonna-Las-Vegas.jl.102615.jpg

 

69 HITS 1984-2012

 

BIGGEST HIT: INTO THE GROOVE

 

With 60 (different) top 10 hits few can now doubt the profound effect and influence that Madonna has exerted over the female vocalist field since her debut back in 1984. She was the bestselling singles act of the 80s with a videography that is filled with classics of the medium which pushed boundaries at the time and with 6 chart toppers in the decade she already lead the female field by the time we entered 1990. Whilst the 90s proved more challenging with a raft of new comers she still grabbed another couple of number one singles and indeed upped her tally to 13 (still the record) by the time the noughties ended. In recent years she’s appeared trend chasing rather than trend making but I suppose this is an inevitable move once you hit your 50s but she’s more than earned her place on this list.

 

Discography

 

 

personal highlight

 

 

 

 

NOOOOOO :cry:

 

Not that I don't like Rihanna but the fact that she's sold more than the Queen of Pop is disgraceful and unfair

Rihanna is the queen of pop

Obviously nobody can touch Madonna's legacy but it's a testament to Rihanna's impact that she has beaten them all in just 12 years of her career *.*

Wow I am shocked that Madonna was beaten into 2nd, even with her career resurgences Ray of Light, Confessions and post-4 Minutes.

01 RIHANNA (18,475,000)

 

 

44 HITS 2005-2013

 

BIGGEST HIT: WE FOUND LOVE

 

A figure that we can be pretty sure of (MW gave her total sales of 18.7 million in April 2014) Rihanna became the biggest selling female in UK Chart history at some point in 2013, a lead which will only stretch out as the years go by judging by her ability to seemingly be able to remain popular regardless of trends. Her tally of 8 chart toppers is beaten only by Madonna (she’s also had 9 No 2 hits to 2017 which proves how near she came to double figures in chart toppers) but she has undoubtedly dominated the charts over the last decade with 25 top 10 hits and an unprecedented 4 million sellers, more than any other female soloist! Congrats Rihanna the ultimate female sales machine!

 

Discography

 

 

Personal highlight

 

 

I'm sort of glad Rihanna is no.1 just to shut up that pressed poster from a few days ago who accused Gezza of having an agenda against her.

 

The countdown has been really enjoyable, thanks for all the work Gezza.

I'm sort of glad Rihanna is no.1 just to shut up that pressed poster from a few days ago who accused Gezza of having an agenda against her.

 

The countdown has been really enjoyable, thanks for all the work Gezza.

 

Alas Sammy will only say I changed the end of the thread to make him look bad! :(

Here's the full rundown for your pleasure

 

100. SAM FOX (1,073,000)

99. CIARA (1,102,800)

98. BARBARA DICKSON (1,106,000)

97. TIFFANY (1,112,000)

96. SINEAD O’CONNOR (1,128,000)

95. TRACEY ULLMAN (1,129,000)

94. ANNIE LENNOX (1,132,000)

93. KATY B (1,149,000)

92. SONIQUE (1,154,000)

91. DINA CARROLL (1,190,400)

 

90. RANDY CRAWFORD (1,224,000)

89. SOPHIE ELLIS BEXTOR (1,252,000)

88. ELAINE PAIGE (1,256,000)

87. DUFFY (1,264,000)

86. MARTINE MCCUTCHEON (1,274,000)

85. GINA G (1,325,000)

84. FERGIE (1,363,000)

83. BJORK (1,370,100)

82.KERI HILSON (1,388,000)

81. ARETHA FRANKLIN (1,405,000)

 

80.BRANDY (1,507,000)

79.LOUISE (1,515,000)

78. JENNIFER RUSH (1,517,000)

77. YAZZ (1,522,000)

76. DANNII MINOGUE (1,562,000)

75. NENEH CHERRY (1,594,000)

74. AVRIL LAVIGNE (1,598,000)

73. BONNIE TYLER (1,615,000)

72. SINITTA (1,617,000)

71. GWEN STEFANI (1,623,000)

 

70. IRENE CARA (1,629,000)

69. LANA DEL REY (1,642,000)

68. OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (1,653,000)

67. SARAH BRIGHTMAN (1,675,000)

66. CYNDI LAUPER (1,697,000)

65. CHAKA KHAN (1,700,000)

64. MYA (1,731,000)

63. KIM APPLEBY (1,743,000)

62. NATALIE IMBRUGLIA (1,751,000)

61. CHRISTINA PERRI (1,752,000)

 

60. CARLY RAE JEPSEN (1,772,000)

59. KIRSTY MACCOLL (1,801,000)

58. WHIGFIELD (1,808,000)

57. RITA ORA (1,831,000)

56. LEANN RIMES (1,860,000)

55. DONNA SUMMER (1,861,000)

54. BILLIE PIPER (1,875,000)

53. BARBRA STREISAND (1,881,000)

52. TONI BRAXTON (1,892,000)

51. SHEENA EASTON (1,915,000)

 

50. ALISON MOYET (1,944,000)

49. LISA STANSFIELD (1,972,000)

48. BELINDA CARLISLE (2,017,000)

47. GERI HALLIWELL (2,060,000)

46. MEL C (2,081,000)

45. SHANIA TWAIN (2,091,000)

44. KELLY CLARKSON (2,138,000)

43. MILEY CYRUS (2,175,000)

42. MARY J BLIGE (2,216,000)

41. KELIS (2,263,000)

 

40. SIA (2,290,000)

39. GLORIA ESTEFAN (2,314,000)

38. KATE BUSH (2,331,000)

37. PIXIE LOTT (2,555,000)

36. NICOLE SCHERZINGER (2,576,000)

35. SHAKIRA (2,831,000)

34. KELLY ROWLAND (2,851,000)

33. NELLY FURTADO (2,937,000)

32. ALEXANDRA BURKE (3,042,000)

31. LILY ALLEN (3,063,000)

 

30. KE$HA (3,143,000)

29. GABRIELLE (3,177,000)

28. TAYLOR SWIFT (3,282,000)

27. TINA TURNER (3,285,000)

26. KIM WILDE (3,293,000)

25. AMY WINEHOUSE (3,446,000)

24. CHERYL COLE (3,483,000)

23. ALICIA KEYS (3,647,000)

22. ELLIE GOULDING (3,869,000)

21. EMELI SANDE (4,303,000)

 

20.JENNIFER LOPEZ (4,328,000)

19. CHER (4,337,000)

18. LEONA LEWIS (4,405,000)

17. DIANA ROSS (4,424,000)

16. JESSIE J (4,701,000)

15. JANET JACKSON (4,756,000)

14. NICKI MINAJ (4,941,000)

13. ADELE (5,868,000)

12. CHRISTINA AGUILERA (5,927,000)

11. PINK (6,257,000)

 

10. CELINE DION (6,545,000)

09. MARIAH CAREY (6,924,000)

08. BEYONCE (7,550,000)

07. KATY PERRY (7,657,000)

06. WHITNEY HOUSTON (8,064,000)

05. LADY GAGA (8,228,000)

04. BRITNEY SPEARS (8,383,000)

03. KYLIE MINOGUE (9,596,000)

02. MADONNA (17,153,000)

01 RIHANNA (18,475,000)

My thanks as always to all who contributed and made the thread!