Who was the best-selling band of the 1990s?

The 1990s were a sort of golden age for guitar bands. It was the decade that gave us grunge, a new, gloomier, edgier form of rock music that captured the hearts of kids all over the world. It was the decade that gave us Britpop, full of anthemic choruses akin to football chants and bright melodies indebted to the sound of the 1960s. And it was the decade that gave us shoegaze, guitars pushed through pedals and lathered in feedback until they became indistinguishable.

Several bands rose to prominence from each of these genres over the course of the decade. Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine emerged as pioneers of shoegaze, though the genre remained fairly underground compared to its competitors. Oasis and Blur battled for Britpop, throwing insults in the press and creating singalong-worthy hits in the studio. And the likes of Nirvana and Soundgarden emerged from the murky depths of grunge.

Many of these bands earned widespread success during the 1990s, selling millions of records, winning awards, and obtaining legacies that remain to this day. But which band came out on top? That question isn’t necessarily easy to answer, taking into account different definitions of commercial and critical success, figures, and data sets. However, ChartMasters reports that one band outsold the rest. 

Using their Commensurate Sales to Popularity Concept, Chartmasters found that Nirvana were the best-selling band of the 1990s, crediting them with equivalent album sales of over 90 million. This would place them in fifth place for the entire decade, making them the best-selling band of the decade.

This will come as no surprise to seasoned grunge fans or casual music listeners alike. Decades later, Nirvana are still one of the most iconic and influential guitar bands of all time. Kurt Cobain remains an essential reference point for budding frontmen, while songs like ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ continue to take their place as alternative staples.

So, who was the best-selling artist of the 1990s?

Guitar bands may have thrived during the 1990s, but pop soloists did, too. In fact, the top four best-selling artists of the era, according to ChartMasters, were solo artists. Whitney Houston beats Nirvana to the number four spot, winning over audiences with her inimitable voice, while Garth Brooks pushes into the number three spot, amassing over 100 million sales. 

Celine Dion missed out on the top spot, which goes to fellow vocalist Mariah Carey. Carey is credited with equivalent album sales of over 164 million, making her the best-selling artist of the 1990s. Again, this will likely come as no surprise to music fans. Carey debuted in 1990 with her self-titled debut album, and it was only up from there. 

Over the course of the decade, she released seven albums and a wide range of hits such as ‘Emotions’, ‘Always Be My Baby’, and, perhaps most notably, ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’. The latter has sold millions of copies, remaining one of the most beloved festive tunes ever created three decades after it was first released.

The 1990s allowed both pop stars and guitar bands to thrive, providing a wave of exciting new genres that continue to influence modern music to this day. From Nirvana to Mariah Carey, the sound of the 1990s remains iconic, finding its way into alternative record collections and Christmas playlists alike.

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