Beatles Top RIAA's 'Artists Of The

Century' Tally

The Beatles are the best-selling act

of the 20th century, according to

the Recording Industry Association

of America (RIAA). The

organization's "Artists Of The

Century" list, which it released

today, credits the Fab Four for

selling than 106 million albums in the

U.S.

With 89 million albums sold, Garth Brooks is the top

male artist on the list; Barbra Streisand, who has

moved nearly 62 million albums, is the top female.

The Eagles' "Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975" (Elektra)

is the century's top album, certified for sales of 26

million units. The set squeaked by Michael Jackson's

"Thriller" (Epic), which held the album sales title from

1984 to January of this year.

Elton John's "Candle In The Wind 1997"

(Rocket/A&M) is this century's best-selling single,

having moved 11 million copies in the U.S. And Elvis

Presley is this century's performer with the most

certified gold and platinum albums and singles. (A gold

certification denotes 500,000 units shipped, while a

platinum certification denotes 1 million shipped.)

Other century honorees include Brooks (top-selling

country artist), Reba McEntire (top female country

artist), and Alabama (top country group); Jackson

(top-selling R&B artist), Whitney Houston (top R&B

female artist), and Boyz II Men (top R&B group); and

Presley (top-selling rock artist), Madonna (top female

rock artist), and the Beatles (top rock act).

In addition, TLC's "CrazySexyCool" (LaFace/Arista) is

the leading hip-hop album, Bob Marley & the Wailers'

"Legend" (Tuff Gong/IDJMG) is the top reggae set,

and the Three Tenors' "In Concert" (London) is the

best-selling classical album.