You’ll never guess which Canadian artist outsold John Lennon
Perhaps it was her unimaginable 1974 cover of Day Tripper that did it, but Anne Murray has sold more albums in the United States than John Lennon. According to freshened-up figures from the Recording Industry Association of America, the Snowbird songbird has sold 14.5 million records, ranking her a half-million ahead of Ted Nugent, Olivia Newton-John and the former Beatle. Then again, the Beatles proper top the list with 177 million certified album sales, followed by Elvis Presley (134.5 million). Others cracking the 100-million circle are Garth Brooks (128); Led Zeppelin (111.5); and the Eagles, who took it easy and to the limit (100). Australian rockers AC/DC and Barbra Streisand (the top-tallying female artist, and 10th overall) each have sold 71.5 million LPs, one million ahead of Michael Jackson. The top Canadian? Celine Dion, who sits at 23rd overall with 50 million albums sold, three spots ahead of fellow Sin City starlet Shania Twain. At the bottom of the eight-figure list is Avril Lavigne, whose 10.25 million is half of what fiancé Chad Kroeger and Nickelback have pushed.