A girl group is a popular music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. Girl groups have been popular at least since the heyday of the Boswell Sisters beginning in the 1930s, but the term "girl group" also denotes the wave of American female pop singing groups who flourished in the late 1950s and early 1960s between the decline of early rock and roll and the British Invasion, many of whom were influenced by doo-wop style. This article covers only girl groups from that era and later.
Sales figures records in most countries are not available before the 1990s, so it is difficult to accurately determine best-selling records, either by country or worldwide. Certification levels have been used for most countries, but certification was not common until the 1970s in the US and UK, and later in other countries. In addition, in many countries certification is for shipments of a record to retailers, rather than actual sales. Complicating matters further, the changes from 2010 onwards as certifications have become based on combined sales figures and streaming instead of sales alone.
As a result, these tables should not be considered finalized of the best-selling records by girl groups in each country.
Groups with claimed total record sales of more than 20 million:
Artist | Country of origin | Number of members | Period active | Genre | Studio albums | Claimed sales |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Spice Girls | United Kingdom | 5 → 4 → 5 → 4 | 1994–2000, 2007–2008, 2012, 2018–2019 (7 years) | 3 | 100 million [3] | |
The Supremes | United States | 4 → 3 | 1959–1977, 1983, 2000 (20 years) | 29 | 50–100 million [4] | |
Little Mix | United Kingdom | 4 → 3 | 2011–2022 (11 years) |
| 6 | 75 million [5] |
The Andrews Sisters | United States | 3 | 1925–1953, 1956–1967 (39 years) | 12 | 75 million [6] | |
2NE1 | South Korea | 4 → 3 → 4 | 2009–2016, 2024–present (9 years) | K-pop | 2 | 66 million [7] |
TLC | United States | 3 → 2 | 1991–present (34 years) | 5 | 65 million [8] | |
AKB48 | Japan | Rotational | 2005–present (20 years) | J-pop | 8 | 60 million [9] |
Destiny's Child | United States | 4 → 3 | 1997–2006 (9 years) |
| 5 | 60 million [10] |
The Pussycat Dolls | United States | 6 → 5 | 2003–10, 2019–2021 (7 years) |
| 2 | 54 million [11] |
Girls' Generation | South Korea | 9 → 8 | 2007–2017, 2022 (11 years) | K-pop | 10 | 45 million [12] |
Twice | South Korea | 9 | 2015–present (10 years) | K-pop | 7 | 42 million [13] |
Davichi | South Korea | 2 | 2008–present (17 years) | K-pop | 3 | 42 million [14] |
Bananarama | United Kingdom | 3 → 2 → 3 → 2 | 1980–present (45 years) | Pop | 11 | 40 million [15] |
The Pointer Sisters | United States | 2 → 3 → 4 → 3 → 4 | 1969–present (56 years) |
| 16 | 40 million [16] |
T-ara | South Korea | 6 → 7 → 8 → 7 → 6 → 4 | 2009–2017, 2020–present (14 years) | K-pop | 4 | 35 million [17] |
Fifth Harmony | United States | 5 → 4 | 2012–2018 (6 years) |
| 3 | 33 million [18] |
The Nolans | United Kingdom | 5 → 4 → 5 → 4 → 3 → 2 → 4 → 5 | 1974–2005, 2009, 2020–2022 (34 years) |
| 23 | 30 million [19] |
Sistar | South Korea | 4 | 2010–2017 (7 years) | K-pop | 2 | 28 million [20] |
Wonder Girls | South Korea | 5 → 4 | 2007–2017 (10 years) | K-pop | 3 | 26 million [21] |
Morning Musume | Japan | Rotational | 1997–present (28 years) | J-pop | 16 | 22 million [22] |
Blackpink | South Korea | 4 | 2016–present (9 years) |
| 2 | 20 million [23] |
En Vogue | United States | 4 → 3 | 1989–present (36 years) |
| 8 | 20 million [24] |
Speed | Japan | 4 | 1996–2001, 2003, 2008–2012 (10 years) | J-pop | 5 | 20 million [25] |
It is extremely difficult to assess worldwide sales of singles, due to the lack of auditing in many countries, and that no country officially tracked sales before the 1990s. In the second edition of The Book of Golden Discs, author Joseph Murrell calculated a worldwide sales figure of 18 million singles for Baccara's "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie", [26] but this figure is disputed and has never been officially confirmed. Other claimed worldwide sales figures for singles by girl groups are shown in the table below:
Released | Single | Group | Confirmed sales [a] | Claimed sales |
---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | 7 million [39] | |
2002 | "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" | Las Ketchup | 7 million [52] | |
2005 | "Don't Cha" | The Pussycat Dolls | 6 million [61] |
Notes:
Singles certified platinum or more by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Only includes certifications since 1989, when ARIA took over compiling the Australian charts. From November 2014 onwards paid-for audio streams were included in the Australian singles chart and counted towards sales and certifications.
Certifications based on sales only
Released | Single | Group | Certification |
---|---|---|---|
2012 | "I Love It" [62] | Icona Pop featuring Charli XCX | 5× Platinum |
2002 | "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" [44] | Las Ketchup | 3× Platinum |
2012 | "Wings" [62] | Little Mix | |
1996 | "Wannabe" [32] | Spice Girls | 2× Platinum |
1997 | "Never Ever" [63] | All Saints | |
2000 | "Say My Name" [64] | Destiny's Child | |
"Poison" [64] | Bardot | ||
"Independent Women" [65] | Destiny's Child | ||
2001 | "Whole Again" [65] | Atomic Kitten | |
2005 | "Don't Cha" [56] | The Pussycat Dolls | |
2013 | "Change Your Life" [62] | Little Mix |
Certifications based on sales + on-demand digital streaming
Released | Single | Group | Certification |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | "Work from Home" [66] | Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign | 6× Platinum |
2014 | "Ugly Heart" [67] | G.R.L. | 4× Platinum |
2014 | "You Ruin Me" [67] | The Veronicas | 3× Platinum |
2017 | "Shout Out to My Ex" [66] | Little Mix | |
2015 | "Worth It" [68] | Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink | 2× Platinum |
"Black Magic" [68] | Little Mix | ||
2016 | "Secret Love Song" [68] | Little Mix featuring Jason Derulo | |
"Hair" [68] | Little Mix featuring Sean Paul | ||
2017 | "Touch" [66] | Little Mix | |
2023 | "Cupid" [69] | Fifty Fifty featuring Sabrina Carpenter | |
2014 | "If You Love Someone" [70] | The Veronicas | Platinum |
2016 | "All in My Head (Flex)" [68] | Fifth Harmony featuring Fetty Wap | |
"In My Blood" [68] | The Veronicas | ||
2018 | "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" [69] | Blackpink | |
"Kiss and Make Up" [71] | Dua Lipa and Blackpink | ||
"Woman Like Me" [71] | Little Mix featuring Nicki Minaj | ||
2019 | "Kill This Love" [69] | Blackpink | |
2020 | "How You Like That" [69] | ||
"Ice Cream" [69] | Blackpink and Selena Gomez |
Based on certifications awarded by Pro-Música Brasil. Single certifications have only been awarded since 2008, and have included audio and video streaming from 2017 onwards.
Released | Single | Group | Certification [72] |
---|---|---|---|
2019 | "Kill This Love" | Blackpink | 2× Diamond |
2015 | "Black Magic" | Little Mix | Diamond |
2018 | "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" | Blackpink | |
"Woman Like Me" | Little Mix featuring Nicki Minaj | ||
2020 | "Sour Candy" | Lady Gaga and Blackpink | |
"How You Like That" | Blackpink | ||
"Ice Cream" | Blackpink and Selena Gomez | ||
2022 | "Shut Down" | Blackpink | |
2016 | "Hair" | Little Mix | 3× Platinum |
"Shout Out to My Ex" | |||
2017 | "Reggaetón Lento (Remix)" | CNCO and Little Mix | |
2020 | "Lovesick Girls" | Blackpink | |
"Pretty Savage" | |||
2016 | "Touch" | Little Mix | 2× Platinum |
2017 | "Power" | Little Mix featuring Stormzy | |
2018 | "Forever Young" | Blackpink | |
2022 | "Pink Venom" | ||
"Typa Girl" | |||
2012 | "Wings" | Little Mix | Platinum |
2013 | "Move" | ||
2014 | "Salute" | ||
2015 | "Love Me Like You" | ||
2016 | "Secret Love Song" | Little Mix featuring Jason Derulo | |
2017 | "No More Sad Songs" | Little Mix featuring Machine Gun Kelly | |
2018 | "Only You" | Cheat Codes and Little Mix | |
2019 | "Think About Us" | Little Mix | |
2020 | "Oh My God" | (G)I-dle | |
"Bet You Wanna" | Blackpink featuring Cardi B | ||
"Crazy Over You" | Blackpink | ||
"Love to Hate Me" | |||
"Sweet Melody" | Little Mix |
Singles certified gold or more by the Music Canada. [73]
Certifications based on sales only
Released | Single | Group | Certification | Sales (Based on |
---|---|---|---|---|
1998 | "Goodbye" | Spice Girls | 2× Platinum | 200,000 |
1986 | "Venus" | Bananarama | Platinum | 100,000 |
1984 | "Neutron Dance" | The Pointer Sisters | Gold | 50,000 |
"Jump (For My Love)" |
Certifications based on sales + on-demand digital streaming
Released | Single | Group | Certification | Sales (Based on |
---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | "Work from Home" | Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign | 5× Platinum | 400,000 |
2023 | "Cupid" | Fifty Fifty | 3× Platinum | 240,000 |
2015 | "Worth It" | Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink | 2× Platinum | 160,000 |
2020 | "How You Like That" | Blackpink | ||
1995 | "Waterfalls" | TLC | Platinum | 80,000 |
2015 | "Black Magic" | Little Mix | ||
2016 | "All In My Head (Flex)" | Fifth Harmony featuring Fetty Wap | ||
"Shout Out to My Ex" | Little Mix | |||
"Touch" | ||||
2022 | "Pink Venom" | Blackpink | ||
"Shut Down" | ||||
1994 | "Creep" | TLC | Gold | 40,000 |
2018 | "Woman Like Me" | Little Mix | ||
2020 | "Sour Candy" | Lady Gaga and Blackpink | ||
"Ice Cream" | Blackpink and Selena Gomez |
Certifications based on sales only
Released | Single | Group | Certification | Sales (Based on |
---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | "Wannabe" [74] | Spice Girls | Diamond | 750,000 |
2001 | "Toutes les femmes de ta vie" [75] | L5 | ||
2002 | "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" [76] | Las Ketchup | ||
1996 | "Say You'll Be There" [74] | Spice Girls | Gold | 250,000 |
"2 Become 1" [74] | ||||
1997 | "I Wanna Be the Only One" [77] | Eternal featuring BeBe Winans | ||
"Who Do You Think You Are" [74] | Spice Girls | |||
"Spice Up Your Life" [74] | ||||
"Too Much" [74] | ||||
1998 | "Stop" [74] | |||
"Viva Forever" [74] | ||||
1999 | "No Scrubs" [78] | TLC | ||
2000 | "Pure Shores" [79] | All Saints |
Certifications based on sales + on-demand digital streaming
Released | Single | Group | Certification | Sales + streaming (Based on certifications) |
---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | "Work from Home" [80] | Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign | Diamond | 250,000 |
2018 | "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" [81] | Blackpink | Gold | 100,000 |
2019 | "Kill This Love" [82] | |||
2020 | "How You Like That" [83] |
Certifications based on sales only
Released | Single | Group | Certification [84] | Sales (Based on certifications) |
---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" | Las Ketchup | 2× Platinum | 1,000,000 |
2001 | "Whole Again" | Atomic Kitten | Platinum | 500,000 |
"Daylight in Your Eyes" | No Angels | |||
1996 | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | ||
2006 | "Shame" | Monrose | 3× Gold | 450,000 |
1996 | "Waterfalls" | TLC | Gold | 250,000 |
1997 | "Who Do You Think You Are"/"Mama" | Spice Girls | ||
1998 | "Viva Forever" |
Certifications based on sales + on-demand digital streaming
Released | Single | Group | Certification [84] | Sales + streaming (Based on certifications) |
---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | "Work from Home" | Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign | Platinum | 400,000 |
2016 | "Shout Out To My Ex" | Little Mix | Gold | 200,000 |
The ten biggest-selling girl group singles in Japan based on total sales (May 2020):
Released | Single | Group | Detailed Sales | Total Sales | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Physical | Downloads | Ringtones | ||||
2010 | "Heavy Rotation" | AKB48 | 880,761 [86] | 1,500,000 [87] | 750,000 [88] | 3,130,761 |
2011 | "Flying Get" | 1,625,849 [89] | 1,000,000 [90] | 500,000 [91] | 3,125,849 | |
2011 | "Everyday, Katyusha" | 1,608,299 [92] | 1,000,000 [90] | 500,000 [93] | 3,108,299 | |
2018 | "Teacher Teacher" | 2,922,460 [94] | — | — | 2,922,460 | |
2017 | "Negaigoto no Mochigusare" | 2,649,234 [95] | — | — | 2,649,234 | |
2013 | "Koi Suru Fortune Cookie" | 1,533,955 [96] | 1,000,000 [97] | — | 2,533,955 | |
2016 | "Tsubasa wa Iranai" | 2,499,785 [98] | — | — | 2,499,785 | |
2012 | "Manatsu no Sounds Good" | 1,822,220 [99] | 500,000 [100] | — | 2,322,220 | |
2009 | "Mister" | Kara | 145,000 [101] | 1,000,000 [102] | 1,000,000 [103] | 2,145,000 |
2010 | "Gee" | Girls' Generation | 130,145 [101] | 1,000,000 [90] | 1,000,000 [103] | 2,130,145 |
2013 | "Sayonara Crawl" | AKB48 | 1,955,800 [104] | 100,000 [90] | — | 2,055,800 |
Singles certified platinum or more by Recorded Music NZ. Since November 2014 certifications for singles have included streaming, and therefore cannot be compared to certifications from before this date.
Certifications based on sales only
Released | Single | Group | Certification |
---|---|---|---|
2001 | "Whole Again" [106] | Atomic Kitten | 2× Platinum |
2002 | "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" [51] | Las Ketchup | |
1995 | "Waterfalls" [107] | TLC | Platinum |
1996 | "Wannabe" [108] | Spice Girls | |
"Say You'll Be There" [109] | |||
1997 | "I Wanna Be the Only One" [110] | Eternal featuring BeBe Winans | |
"Spice Up Your Life" [111] | Spice Girls | ||
1998 | "Viva Forever" [112] | ||
"Rollercoaster" [113] | B*witched | ||
"Goodbye" [113] | Spice Girls | ||
1999 | "No Scrubs" [114] | TLC |
Certifications based on sales + on-demand digital streaming
The Circle Digital Chart, a component of the Circle Chart, released download sales from its launch in 2010 until 2017, and began a certification scheme in 2018. Prior to the establishment of the Circle Music Chart, the country's music charts were supplied by the Music Industry Association of Korea (MIAK), which did not track digital single downloads. [144]
South Korea experienced a decline in digital music sales volume which began in late 2012. [145] The price of digital downloads was greatly inflated, and as a result, no girl group songs released since 2013 have surpassed the three million sales mark.
Released | Song | Group | Sales |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | "Roly-Poly" | T-ara | 4,411,209 [146] |
"Don't Say Goodbye" | Davichi | 4,021,547 [147] | |
"So Cool" | Sistar | 4,011,945 [148] | |
"Be My Baby" | Wonder Girls | 3,919,684 [149] | |
"I Am the Best" | 2NE1 | 3,795,020 [150] | |
"Cry Cry" | T-ara | 3,783,925 [151] | |
2012 | "Lovey-Dovey" | 3,758,864 [152] | |
2011 | "The Boys" | Girls' Generation | 3,623,330 [153] |
"Good Bye Baby" | Miss A | 3,589,321 [154] | |
2012 | "Loving U" | Sistar | 3,438,000 [155] |
"Alone" | 3,422,141 [156] | ||
2010 | "Bad Girl Good Girl" | Miss A | 3,334,684 [157] |
2011 | "Ugly" | 2NE1 | 3,324,861 [158] |
2010 | "Oh!" | Girls' Generation | 3,316,889 [159] |
2011 | "Hot Summer" | f(x) | 3,046,546 [160] |
2010 | "I Go Crazy Because of You" | T-ara | 3,042,224 [161] |
2011 | "Lonely" | 2NE1 | 3,040,386 [162] |
"Starlight Moonlight" | Secret | 3,016,717 [163] |
The Circle Chart stopped releasing download sales in December 2017. However, the chart began implementing record certifications in April 2018, at a level of 2,500,000 sales per Platinum level. [164] Every song released since 1 January 2018 is eligible for a certification.
Released | Song | Group | Certification [165] | Sales (Based on certifications) |
---|---|---|---|---|
2018 | "Bboom Bboom" | Momoland | Platinum | 2,500,000 |
"Starry Night" | Mamamoo | |||
"Travel" | Bolbbalgan4 | |||
"Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" | Blackpink | |||
"Forever Young" | ||||
"Bad Boy" | Red Velvet | |||
"Power Up" | ||||
"Dance The Night Away" | Twice | |||
"What Is Love?" | ||||
"Yes or Yes" |
There were few certifications awarded in Sweden before 1996, so singles before this date are not represented in this list. There have been three different certification levels since 1996: from 1996 to June 2003 the gold/platinum levels for singles were 15,000/30,000, from July 2003 to September 2010 the levels were 10,000/20,000, and from October 2010 onwards, when streaming was included in the certification levels, the levels have been 20,000/40,000. The tables below reflect these changes in certification levels.
Certifications based on sales only
Released | Single | Group | Certification [166] | Sales (Based on certifications) |
---|---|---|---|---|
2002 | "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" [46] | Las Ketchup | 4× Platinum | 120,000 |
1998 | "Spice Up Your Life" [167] | Spice Girls | Platinum | 30,000 |
1999 | "Unpretty" [168] | TLC | ||
2001 | "Need to Know (Eenie Meenie Miny Moe)" [169] | Excellence | ||
"Independent Women Part 1" [169] | Destiny's Child | |||
2002 | "All the Things She Said" [170] | t.A.T.u. | ||
"Never Let It Go" [170] | Afro-dite | |||
2005 | "Push the Button" [171] | Sugababes | 20,000 | |
1996 | "Wannabe" [167] | Spice Girls | Gold | 15,000 |
1997 | "Mama" [167] | |||
1998 | "Viva Forever" [167] | |||
"Goodbye" [167] | ||||
1999 | "No Scrubs" [172] | TLC |
Certifications based on sales + on-demand digital streaming
Released | Single | Group | Certification [166] | Sales + streaming (Based on certifications) |
---|---|---|---|---|
2016 | "Work from Home" | Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign | 4× Platinum | 160,000 |
2015 | "Emergency" | Icona Pop | 2× Platinum | 80,000 |
2012 | "I Love It" | Icona Pop featuring Charli XCX | Platinum | 40,000 |
2014 | "Sledgehammer" | Fifth Harmony | ||
2015 | "Worth It" | Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink |
Released | Single | Group | Sales |
---|---|---|---|
2002 | "All The Things She Said" | t.A.T.u [173] | 40,000 |
1996 | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls [36] | 25,000 |
1998 | "Viva Forever" | ||
1997 | "Never Ever" | All Saints [174] | |
2001 | "Whole Again" | Atomic Kitten [175] | 20,000 |
2004 | "Lose My Breath" | Destiny's Child [176] | |
2005 | "Don't Cha" | Pussycat Dolls [177] | |
2016 | "Shout Out to My Ex" | Little Mix [178] | |
2017 | "Reggaetón Lento (Remix)" | CNCO and Little Mix [178] | |
2018 | "Woman Like Me" | Little Mix feat. Nicki Minaj [178] | 10,000 |
Since July 2014, certifications have included audio streams so they cannot be compared to sales-only certifications before this date. The ten biggest-selling girl group singles in the United Kingdom:
Physical and digital sales only (before July 2014)
Released | Single | Group | Sales |
---|---|---|---|
1996 | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | 1,400,000 [179] |
1997 | "Never Ever" | All Saints | 1,363,504 [180] |
1996 | "2 Become 1" | Spice Girls | 1,150,000 [181] |
2001 | "Whole Again" | Atomic Kitten | 1,021,465 [180] |
1996 | "Say You'll Be There" | Spice Girls | 968,244 [182] |
1998 | "C'est la Vie" | B*Witched | 925,000 [183] |
1998 | "Goodbye" | Spice Girls | 896,000 [184] |
1997 | "Spice Up Your Life" | 887,000 [185] | |
2000 | "Pure Shores" | All Saints | 815,000 [186] |
1997 | "Mama"/"Who Do You Think You Are" | Spice Girls | 732,000 [187] |
Physical and digital sales + on-demand digital streaming (after July 2014)
The following singles have been certified platinum or higher by the BPI in the UK.
Sales figures of records in the US were not tracked accurately until May 1991, when Nielsen SoundScan started recording sales of singles and albums electronically at point of sale, rather than relying on figures provided to them by record store staff. [198] As a result, there are no reliable sales figures available before this date, and therefore it is not possible to rank the best-selling singles by girl groups in the US in sales order.
Since 2013 certifications have included legal on-demand digital streams – separate figures for the pure sales component of singles released after 2013 are not available so they cannot be compared to sales-only certifications before this date.
Certifications based on sales only
RIAA sales certifications began in the US in 1958 – there are very few records with certifications before this date. Until 1988 a million-seller received a gold certification (and a two million-seller received a platinum certification). From 1989 onwards the levels were revised so that a million-seller received a platinum certification instead, with multi-platinum awards for multiple million sales. [199] [200] However, these pre- and post-1989 certification levels are not currently reflected in the RIAA database.
The following singles have been certified by RIAA as selling one million copies or more in the US.
In addition, the following singles have been stated as selling one million copies or more in the US – however, they have not been certified by the RIAA.
Certifications based on sales + on-demand digital streaming
Released | Single | Group | Certification |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | "Boss" | Fifth Harmony | Platinum [271] |
"Sledgehammer" | |||
2015 | "Worth It" | Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink | 3× Platinum [271] |
2016 | "Work from Home" | Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign | 5× Platinum [271] |
"All in My Head (Flex)" | Fifth Harmony featuring Fetty Wap | Platinum [271] |
Released | Album | Artist | Sales |
---|---|---|---|
1996 | Spice | Spice Girls | 23 million [272] |
1994 | CrazySexyCool | TLC | 15 million [273] |
1997 | Spiceworld | Spice Girls | 14 million [274] |
1999 | The Writing's on the Wall | Destiny's Child | 13 million [275] |
1999 | FanMail | TLC | 10 million [276] |
2001 | Survivor | Destiny's Child | 10 million [277] |
2005 | PCD | Pussycat Dolls | 9 million [278] |
1990 | Wilson Phillips | Wilson Phillips | 8 million [279] |
1993 | Very Necessary | Salt-N-Pepa | 7 million [280] |
2004 | Destiny Fulfilled | Destiny's Child | 7 million [281] |
1992 | Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip | TLC | 6 million [282] |
1992 | Funky Divas | En Vogue | 5 million [283] |
1997 | All Saints | All Saints | 5 million [284] |
1994 | Always & Forever | Eternal | 4 million [285] |
2000 | Forever | Spice Girls | 4 million [286] |
Albums certified platinum or more by ARIA. [287] Only includes certifications since 1990.
Released | Album | Group | Certification | Sales (Based on certifications) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | Spice | Spice Girls | 6× Platinum | 420,000 |
1997 | Spiceworld | |||
2005 | The Secret Life of... | The Veronicas | 4× Platinum | 280,000 |
1999 | The Writing's on the Wall | Destiny's Child | 3× Platinum | 210,000 |
2005 | PCD | The Pussycat Dolls | ||
1994 | CrazySexyCool | TLC | 2× Platinum | 140,000 |
1998 | B*Witched | B*Witched | ||
All Saints | All Saints | |||
2000 | Bardot | Bardot | ||
2001 | Survivor | Destiny's Child | ||
2006 | Young Divas | Young Divas | ||
2007 | Hook Me Up | The Veronicas | ||
1988 | The Greatest Hits Collection | Bananarama | Platinum | 70,000 |
1999 | FanMail | TLC | ||
2002 | Feels So Good | Atomic Kitten | ||
2004 | Destiny Fulfilled | Destiny's Child | ||
2005 | #1's | |||
2007 | Greatest Hits | Spice Girls | ||
2008 | Doll Domination | Pussycat Dolls | ||
2021 | Between Us | Little Mix |
Based on certifications awarded by Pro-Música Brasil. Certifications have only been awarded since 1990, so there is no sales information before this date. Some of the certification thresholds have changed over time.
Released | Album | Group | Certification [72] | Sales (Based on certifications) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | Spice | Spice Girls | 2× Platinum | 500,000 |
2002 | Rouge | Rouge | ||
1997 | Spiceworld | Spice Girls | Platinum | 250,000 |
2003 | C'est La Vie | Rouge | ||
2016 | 7/27 | Fifth Harmony | 3× Platinum | 120,000 |
2000 | Forever | Spice Girls | Gold | 100,000 |
2004 | Blá Blá Blá | Rouge | ||
2001 | Survivor | Destiny's Child | 50,000 | |
2015 | Get Weird | Little Mix | Platinum | 40,000 |
2016 | Glory Days | |||
2018 | LM5 | |||
2007 | Greatest Hits | Spice Girls | Gold | 30,000 |
2013 | Salute | Little Mix | 20,000 | |
2015 | Reflection | Fifth Harmony | ||
2020 | Confetti | Little Mix |
Certifications according to Music Canada.
Released | Album | Group | Certification | Sales (Based on certifications) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | Spice [288] | Spice Girls | Diamond | 1,000,000 |
1997 | Spiceworld [289] | |||
1994 | CrazySexyCool [288] | TLC | 8× Platinum | 800,000 |
1990 | Wilson Phillips [288] | Wilson Phillips | 7× Platinum | 700,000 |
1999 | The Writing's on the Wall [288] | Destiny's Child | 5× Platinum | 500,000 |
1983 | Break Out [288] | The Pointer Sisters | 4× Platinum | 400,000 |
1993 | Very Necessary [288] | Salt-N-Pepa | ||
1999 | FanMail [288] | TLC | ||
2001 | Survivor [290] | Destiny's Child | ||
1997 | All Saints [288] | All Saints | 3× Platinum | 300,000 |
1992 | Shadows and Light [288] | Wilson Phillips | 2× Platinum | 200,000 |
1998 | Destiny's Child [291] | Destiny's Child | ||
2000 | Forever [289] | Spice Girls | ||
2002 | 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane [290] | t.A.T.u | ||
1986 | True Confessions [292] | Bananarama | Platinum | 100,000 |
1992 | Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip [293] | TLC | ||
Funky Divas [294] | En Vogue | |||
1998 | B*Witched [295] | B*Witched | ||
2004 | Destiny Fulfilled [290] | Destiny's Child | ||
2005 | #1's [290] | |||
2016 | 7/27 | Fifth Harmony | 80,000 |
Albums certified platinum or more for more than one million sales in Europe, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.
Note: the IFPI Europe Platinum Award was only created in 1996, therefore there are few albums on this list from before that date. No awards are publicly available after 2014.
Released | Album | Group | Certification | Sales (Based on certifications) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | Spice [296] | Spice Girls | 8× Platinum | 8,000,000 |
1997 | Spiceworld [297] | 5× Platinum | 5,000,000 | |
All Saints [297] | All Saints | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000 | |
1999 | The Writing's on the Wall [298] | Destiny's Child | ||
2001 | Survivor [298] | |||
2005 | PCD [299] | The Pussycat Dolls | ||
1994 | CrazySexyCool [300] | TLC | Platinum | 1,000,000 |
1996 | Tic Tac Toe [296] | Tic Tac Toe | ||
1997 | Klappe die 2te [296] | |||
Greatest Hits [297] | Eternal | |||
1998 | B*Witched [301] | B*Witched | ||
1999 | FanMail [301] | TLC | ||
2000 | Saints & Sinners [302] | All Saints | ||
2001 | Elle'ments [298] | No Angels | ||
200 Po Vstrechnoy [303] | t.A.T.u. | |||
2002 | 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane [304] | |||
Angels with Dirty Faces [305] | Sugababes | |||
Feels So Good [306] | Atomic Kitten | |||
Hijas del Tomate [307] | Las Ketchup | |||
2003 | Three [308] | Sugababes | ||
2004 | Destiny Fulfilled [309] | Destiny's Child | ||
2005 | Taller in More Ways [310] | Sugababes | ||
2006 | The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits [310] | Girls Aloud |
Certifications according to SNEP. [311] Some of the certification thresholds have changed over time.
Released | Album | Artist | Certification | Sales (Based on certifications) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | Spice | Spice Girls | Diamond | 1,000,000 |
1997 | Spiceworld | 2× Platinum | 600,000 | |
2001 | L5 | L5 | ||
1993 | Native | Native | Platinum | 300,000 |
1988 | The Greatest Hits Collection | Bananarama | 2× Gold | 200,000 |
2000 | The Writing's on the Wall | Destiny's Child | ||
2001 | Survivor | |||
2015 | En attendant l'album... | L.E.J. | 2× Platinum | |
1997 | Colors of Love | Native | Gold | 100,000 |
1999 | FanMail | TLC | ||
2002 | Hijas del Tomate | Las Ketchup | ||
200 km/h in the Wrong Lane | t.A.T.u. | |||
2000 | Forever | Spice Girls | ||
2005 | PCD | The Pussycat Dolls | 75,000 | |
2008 | Doll Domination | |||
2020 | The Album | Blackpink | 50,000 | |
2022 | Born Pink |
Certifications according to the BVMI. [312]
Released | Album | Artist | Certification | Sales (Based on certifications) |
---|---|---|---|---|
2001 | Elle'ments | No Angels | 7× Gold | 1,050,000 |
1996 | Spice | Spice Girls | 3× Gold | 750,000 |
2002 | Now... Us! | No Angels | 2× Platinum | 600,000 |
1997 | Spiceworld | Spice Girls | Platinum | 500,000 |
2006 | Temptation | Monrose | 2× Platinum | 400,000 |
2001 | Survivor | Destiny's Child | Platinum | 300,000 |
1999 | The Writing's on the Wall | Gold | 250,000 | |
2004 | Destiny Fulfilled | Platinum | 200,000 | |
2005 | PCD | Pussycat Dolls | Platinum | 200,000 |
2000 | Forever | Spice Girls | Gold | 150,000 |
2001 | Right Now | Atomic Kitten | ||
2002 | Feels So Good | |||
200 km/h in the Wrong Lane | t.A.T.u. | |||
2003 | Pure | No Angels | 100,000 | |
Three | Sugababes | |||
2005 | Taller in More Ways | |||
2008 | Doll Domination | Pussycat Dolls |
Sales according to Oricon and Platinum certifications according to the RIAJ. The ten biggest-selling girl group albums in Japan:
Released | Album | Group | Sales | Certification |
---|---|---|---|---|
1998 | Moment | Speed | 2,319,000 [313] | Million [314] |
2001 | Best! Morning Musume 1 | Morning Musume | 2,260,000 [313] | Million [315] |
1998 | Rise | Speed | 2,048,000 [313] | Million [314] |
2002 | 200 km/h in the Wrong Lane | t.A.T.u. | 2,000,000 [316] | Million [314] |
1996 | Starting Over | Speed | 1,926,000 [313] | Million [317] |
1996 | Maximum | MAX | 1,288,260 [313] | 3× Platinum [318] |
1999 | Carry On My Way | Speed | 1,200,000 [319] | 3× Platinum [319] |
1997 | Maximum II | MAX | 1,074,530 [313] | 3× Platinum [318] |
2012 | 1830m | AKB48 | 1,042,879 [320] | Million [321] |
2014 | Tsugi no Ashiato | 1,041,951 [322] | Million [323] | |
1999 | FanMail | TLC | 1,000,000 | Million [324] |
Certifications according to the NVPI. [325]
Released | Album | Group | Certification | Sales (Based on certifications) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | Spice | Spice Girls | 3× Platinum | 300,000 |
1999 | The Writing's on the Wall | Destiny's Child | 2× Platinum | 200,000 |
2000 | Alle kleuren | K3 | 160,000 | |
2001 | Survivor | Destiny's Child | ||
Tele-Romeo | K3 | |||
2002 | Verliefd | |||
1978 | With Luv' | Luv' | Platinum | 100,000 |
1979 | Lots of Luv' | |||
1978 | Energy | The Pointer Sisters | ||
1997 | Spiceworld | Spice Girls | ||
1999 | FanMail | TLC | ||
2000 | Parels 2000 | K3 | ||
2009 | MaMaSé! | 50,000 | ||
2011 | Eyo! | |||
2012 | Engeltjes | |||
1979 | True Luv' | Luv' | Gold | |
1993 | Always & Forever | Eternal | ||
1994 | CrazySexyCool | TLC | ||
1996 | Before the Rain | Eternal | ||
1997 | Greatest Hits | |||
1998 | All Saints | All Saints | ||
2000 | Forever | Spice Girls | 40,000 | |
2002 | Feels So Good | Atomic Kitten | ||
Angels with Dirty Faces | Sugababes | |||
2005 | Kuma hé | K3 |
Released | Album | Artist | Certification |
---|---|---|---|
1997 | Spiceworld [326] | Spice Girls | 3× Platinum |
1999 | The Writing's on the Wall [327] | Destiny's Child | |
1998 | B*Witched [328] | B*Witched | 2× Platinum |
2001 | Survivor [329] | Destiny's Child | |
2005 | PCD [330] | Pussycat Dolls | |
1977 | 20 Golden Greats [331] | Diana Ross & the Supremes | Platinum |
1994 | CrazySexyCool [332] | TLC | |
1996 | Spice [333] | Spice Girls | |
1997 | Greatest Hits [334] | Eternal | |
All Saints [335] | All Saints | ||
1999 | FanMail [336] | TLC | |
2001 | Right Now [337] | Atomic Kitten | |
2002 | Feels So Good [338] | ||
2005 | #1's | Destiny's Child |
Sales of albums released after 2010 are according to the Circle Album Chart published monthly and yearly with detailed album sales by the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA). Sales of albums released before 2010 are based on data collected by Music Industry Association of Korea (from 1999 to 2007) or claimed sales based on reliable sources. The 15 biggest-selling girl group albums in South Korea:
Released | Album | Group | Sales |
---|---|---|---|
2022 | Born Pink | Blackpink | 2,968,428 [339] |
2023 | Get Up | NewJeans | 2,232,598 [340] |
My World | Aespa | 2,135,635 [341] | |
I've Mine | Ive | 2,102,451 [342] | |
2022 | Girls | Aespa | 1,844,776 [343] |
2023 | OMG | NewJeans | 1,774,798 [344] |
After Like | Ive | 1,760,706 [345] | |
2024 | Ive Switch | 1,745,124 [346] | |
2022 | New Jeans | NewJeans | 1,732,952 [347] |
2020 | The Album | Blackpink | 1,717,387 [348] |
2024 | 2 | (G)I-dle | 1,700,757 [349] |
2023 | I've Ive | Ive | 1,694,005 [350] |
2023 | Ready to Be | Twice | 1,674,143 [351] |
2023 | Unforgiven | Le Sserafim | 1,571,548 [352] |
I Feel | (G)I-dle | 1,515,074 [353] |
Certifications according to the IFPI. [354]
Album | Group | Sales (Based on certifications) | Certification | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|
Spice | Spice Girls | 100,000 | 2× Platinum | 1996 |
Spiceworld | 1997 | |||
Forever | 50,000 | Platinum | 2000 | |
All Saints | All Saints | 1997 | ||
Elle'ments | No Angels | 40,000 | 2001 | |
Survivor | Destiny's Child | |||
200 km/h in the Wrong Lane | t.A.T.u. | 2002 | ||
Temptation | Monrose | 30,000 | 2006 | |
Between Us | Little Mix | 20,000 | 2021 | |
The Greatest Hits Collection | Bananarama | 25,000 | Gold | 1988 |
Wilson Phillips | Wilson Phillips | 1990 | ||
Shadows and Light | 1992 | |||
FanMail | TLC | 1999 | ||
The Writing's on the Wall | Destiny's Child | |||
Right Now | Atomic Kitten | 2001 | ||
Feels So Good | 20,000 | 2002 | ||
Angels With Dirty Faces | Sugababes | |||
Now... Us! | No Angels | |||
Hijas del Tomate | Las Ketchup | |||
Three | Sugababes | 2003 | ||
Destiny Fulfilled | Destiny's Child | 2004 | ||
Taller in More Ways | Sugababes | 2005 | ||
PCD | Pussycat Dolls | |||
Doll Domination | 15,000 | 2008 | ||
Glory Days | Little Mix | 10,000 | 2016 | |
Released | Album | Group | Sales |
---|---|---|---|
2003 | Super Star | S.H.E | 300,000+ [355] |
2002 | Genesis | 300,000+ [355] | |
2003 | Together | 280,000 [356] | |
2002 | Youth Society | 280,000+ [357] | |
2004 | Magical Journey | 280,000 [358] | |
1997 | Spice | Spice Girls | 200,000 [359] |
2004 | Encore | S.H.E. | 180,000 [360] |
Albums certified triple platinum or more by the BPI. [193]
Released | Album | Artist | Certification | Known sales |
---|---|---|---|---|
1996 | Spice | Spice Girls | 10× Platinum | 2,980,000 [361] |
1997 | Spiceworld | 5× Platinum | 1,600,000 [361] | |
All Saints | All Saints | 1,470,000 [361] | ||
1993 | Always & Forever | Eternal | 4× Platinum | 1,400,000 [362] |
2005 | PCD | Pussycat Dolls | 1,300,000 [361] | |
2016 | Glory Days | Little Mix | 1,300,000 [363] | |
2006 | The Sound of Girls Aloud: The Greatest Hits | Girls Aloud | 1,200,000 [361] | |
1997 | Greatest Hits | Eternal | 3× Platinum | |
1988 | Greatest Hits Collection | Bananarama | ||
1999 | The Writing's on the Wall | Destiny's Child | 1,120,878 [364] | |
2001 | Survivor | 1,130,983 [364] | ||
2002 | Angels With Dirty Faces | Sugababes | ||
Feels So Good | Atomic Kitten | |||
2015 | Get Weird | Little Mix | 950,000 [192] | |
Albums certified platinum or more by the RIAA. The sales figures shown for the quadruple and triple platinum albums are sales recorded by Nielsen SoundScan plus known sales from BMG's Music Club. [365] These do not represent the total sales of the album in the US as they exclude unknown sales figures from Columbia House and other music clubs.
Released | Album | Group | Certification | Known sales |
---|---|---|---|---|
1994 | CrazySexyCool [231] | TLC | 12× Platinum | 11,200,000 [366] |
1999 | The Writing's on the Wall [247] | Destiny's Child | 8× Platinum | 8,400,000 [366] |
1996 | Spice [241] | Spice Girls | 7× Platinum | 7,500,000 [367] |
1999 | FanMail [231] | TLC | 6× Platinum | 4,700,000 [366] |
1990 | Wilson Phillips [368] | Wilson Phillips | 5× Platinum | |
1993 | Very Necessary [369] | Salt-N-Pepa | 4,400,000 [366] | |
2001 | Survivor [247] | Destiny's Child | 4× Platinum | 4,739,000 [365] [370] |
1997 | Spiceworld [241] | Spice Girls | 4,200,000 [371] | |
1992 | Ooooooohhh... On the TLC Tip [231] | TLC | 2,500,000 [372] | |
1983 | Break Out [373] | The Pointer Sisters | 3× Platinum | |
1992 | Funky Divas [230] | En Vogue | 4,416,000 [c] | |
It's About Time [233] | SWV | |||
2004 | Destiny Fulfilled [247] | Destiny's Child | 3,100,000 [376] |
The discography of South Korean musician BoA consists of twenty-one studio albums, eight compilation albums, three extended plays (EPs) and numerous singles. BoA debuted as a musician through South Korean talent agency SM Entertainment at the age of 13 with the album ID; Peace B (2000), followed by her debut in Japan with Avex Trax in 2001.
This is the discography of South Korean boy band, Super Junior, produced and managed by SM Entertainment. Super Junior has formed five sub-groups, which target different markets. Super Junior-T, for example, brought influence to the younger generation on trot-styled music, and Super Junior-M is credited as an influential group in the Chinese music industry.
Rainbow (Korean: 레인보우) was a South Korean girl group formed in 2009 by DSP Media. The group is composed of seven members: Woori, Seungah, Jaekyung, Noeul, Yoonhye, Jisook and Hyunyoung. They released their debut EP Gossip Girl on November 12, 2009, and since released two studio albums and five extended plays, In October 2016, DSP Media announced that Rainbow would disband after seven years because their contracts expired. In November 2019, the group was re-formed for their tenth anniversary.
The discography of the South Korean multinational girl group f(x) consists of four studio albums, two extended plays, one reissue album, one video album, fifteen singles, two promotional single and four soundtrack appearances.
South Korea-based girl group 4Minute have released two studio albums, one compilation album, seven extended plays (EPs), twenty singles and six soundtrack contributions. The group made their debuted with the song "Hot Issue" on June 15, 2009.
Kara has released nine studio albums, eight compilation albums, seven extended plays, and twenty-eight singles. The group's debut studio album The First Blooming was released on March 29, 2007. They entered the Japanese music scene on August 5, 2010, with the Japanese version of "Mister". They also recorded soundtracks of various Korean and Japanese dramas.
The following is the discography of the seven-member South Korean boy band Block B which consists of two studio albums, seven extended plays, eight single albums, and thirteen promotional singles.
The discography of CNBLUE, a South Korean rock band, consists of 11 studio albums, 15 extended plays (EPs), 33 singles, three compilation albums, nine video albums, and 29 music videos released in its home country and Japan.
The discography of the South Korean boy band B.A.P, consists of four studio albums, nine extended plays, and nineteen singles.
The discography of the South Korean boy group Teen Top consists of two studio albums, one compilation album, ten extended plays, three single albums, twenty-one singles. The group have been in the Korean music business since July 2010, debuting with their single, "Clap".
The discography of the South Korean duo Davichi consists of three studio albums, seven extended plays, thirty four singles, eight collaborations and twenty one soundtrack appearances.
South Korean boy group BtoB has released four studio albums, two compilation albums, fourteen extended plays, and thirty-one singles. The group was formed by Korean entertainment company Cube Entertainment in 2012, and originally consists of seven members. The group's first major release, the EP Born to Beat, was released on March 21, 2012.
The discography of the South Korean boy group Winner consists of four studio albums, four extended plays, three single albums, and twelve singles.
South Korean boy band iKon released four studio albums, four extended plays, one compilation album, one live album, one single album and eighteen singles.
South Korean boy group Seventeen has released four studio albums, three reissues, three compilation albums, 13 extended plays, and 21 singles. Since debut, Seventeen has sold more than 26 million copies with all of their albums, becoming the second act in South Korea to surpass that milestone.
Cho Kyu-hyun is a South Korean singer. His discography consists of one studio album, four extended plays, two single albums, fourteen singles, three promotional singles, and twenty one soundtrack songs. He debuted as a member of South Korean boy band Super Junior in 2006 and subsequently became a part of its subgroup Super Junior-K.R.Y. in 2006 and Super Junior-M in 2008 as well as SM Entertainment's group SM the Ballad in 2010.
South Korean girl group Oh My Girl has released five studio albums, one compilation album, twelve extended plays, two repackage albums, one single album and twenty-four singles. The group was formed by the Korean entertainment company WM Entertainment in 2015. The group's debut mini album, Oh My Girl, was released on April 20, 2015. On October 8, 2015, their second extended play titled Closer was released. The group's third mini album, Pink Ocean was released on March 28, 2016, along with its lead single "Liar Liar". After almost 2 months, they released a repackage album of Pink Ocean, titled Windy Day with two additional tracks and a Chinese version of "Liar Liar". On August 1, 2016, they released Listen to My Word, a special summer album containing four remake songs, including Papaya's "Listen to My Word (A-ing)" featuring Skull and Haha.
South Korean girl group Blackpink has released two studio albums, three extended plays, one reissue, one compilation album, four live albums, five single albums, twelve singles and four promotional singles. They released their debut single album Square One on August 8, 2016, which included the songs "Whistle" and "Boombayah". "Whistle" debuted atop the Gaon Digital Chart and sold more than 2.5 million digital copies in South Korea, while "Boombayah" became the group's first number-one hit on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart. The group continued their success with the release of Square Two on November 1, which peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart and number two on the World Albums chart. The single album included "Playing with Fire", which reached number three and sold more than 2.5 million digital copies in South Korea. On June 22, 2017, Blackpink released the single "As If It's Your Last", which also peaked at number three and reached 2.5 million certified downloads in South Korea. On August 30, the group made their Japanese debut with the EP Blackpink, which featured Japanese-language versions of the group's existing tracks. The EP was a commercial success, debuting atop the Oricon Albums Chart and selling over 80,000 copies in Japan.
South Korean boy band BTS have released 43 singles as lead artist, including five soundtrack appearances; nine singles as a featured artist; two promotional singles; and over 100 other non-single songs. In Japan, according to Oricon and the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ), several of the band's singles are among the most-streamed songs of all time in the country and have set various other streaming and certification records that no other artist or group act in the history of either organization has. In the United States, per Billboard, they have sold over 3.1 million tracks as of 2021, and hold the record for the most number-one singles in the 2020s decade, with six.
South Korean boy band NCT Dream have released three studio albums, two reissues, one live album, six extended plays, three single albums, and eighteen singles. A sub-unit of the boy band NCT, the group debuted in 2016 with the digital single "Chewing Gum", which was later featured on their first single album The First, released alongside its lead single "My First and Last" in 2017. Later that year, they released their first extended play, We Young, alongside its lead single of the same name. In 2018, they recorded the single "Go" for NCT's first studio album as a complete group, titled NCT 2018 Empathy. Their second extended play, We Go Up, was their first entry on the Oricon Albums Chart, charting at number 11. It was released in September 2018 alongside its lead single of the same name. The following year, they released their third extended play, We Boom. It spawned one single, "Boom". Their first Japanese-language extended play, The Dream, released in January 2020, was their first release to chart atop the Oricon Albums Chart. In April 2020, they released their fifth extended play, Reload. It spawned one single, "Ridin'".
Hits such as Don't Cha and Buttons have helped them sell more than 54 million records.
... Girls' Generation have racked up sales of well over 30m in digital singles and 4.4m albums ...
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