Best selling female group of all time

[Bokiluis]

1. The Spice Girls
2. Destiny's Child
3. TLC
4. The Dixie Chicks
5. Wilson Phillips

[MotownLover]

1. The Spice Girls
2. Destiny's Child
3. TLC
4. The Dixie Chicks
5. Wilson Phillips

Question: Which one of these female groups was signed to Motown? None, right? So, I'm a bit puzzled why this is posted on the Motown Forum.

[Bokiluis]

Question: Which one of these female groups was signed to Motown? None, right? So, I'm a bit puzzled why this is posted on the Motown Forum.

My. Bad. It's called a mistake. I meant to post it on the the Soulful Detroit Forum. I hope you find it in your spirit to forgive an innocent......mistake.

[RobertZ]

1. The Spice Girls
2. Destiny's Child
3. TLC
4. The Dixie Chicks
5. Wilson Phillips

An interesting list. Where did it come from? I also wonder if the count is for international or just US sales. I noticed that all of the groups are from the big-sales eras of 80s-90s; I find it more interesting when these lists are cost/inflation adjusted. Funny thing - I only recall 1 Spice Girls song and 2 Wilson Phillips songs, though that could be a generation thing. But I don't think any of these groups had the long-lasting, in-the-public-conciousness songs that the MOTOWN female groups had.

[reese]

Its easier to track the sales of the groups listed because, if I'm not mistaken, they all recorded for companies that had their sales certified by the RIAA. Unfortunately, during the Supremes heyday, Motown did not.

[RobertZ]

Its easier to track the sales of the groups listed because, if I'm not mistaken, they all recorded for companies that had their sales certified by the RIAA. Unfortunately, during the Supremes heyday, Motown did not.

I believe I've read/heard that, too, about Motown. I think Motown also did not support the RIAA gold record standard - but I'm not sure. And now that you mention it the Soundscan tracking probably began when the named groups were releasing, as well.

[reese]

I believe I've read/heard that, too, about Motown. I think Motown also did not support the RIAA gold record standard - but I'm not sure. And now that you mention it the Soundscan tracking probably began when the named groups were releasing, as well.

I know Motown awarded its artists gold and platinum discs during the 60s and 70s. But whether the records actually sold the amount that those discs represent is debatable without accurate figures.

And later on, Motown and some other labels like Stax, did go back and have the RIAA officially certify some of their 60s and 70s discs.

[luke]

Didnt Billboard recently list the Supremes as the #1 selling female group in history with sales adjusted to the present?

[Bokiluis]

The Supremes have at least a dozen platinum/multi-platinum albums and another 6-7 Gold albums, 6 multi-platinum singles and at least a dozen Gold singles. However, their peak selling period was obviously in the 60s when there were at least 1.5-2 billion less worldwide population. It simply was not customary to sell the Diamond [[10 million) level sales that acts like Destiny's Child and TLC did on one or two albums.
So I think it must be factored in when looking at the total units those acts did.
*The Supremes Greatest Hits sold at least 6 million units which was astounding for its time. Measured by the standards of the millennium years that 6 million could easily be 10-15 million units.
*None of these acts had the number of gold/platinum/multi-platinum albums The Supremes have.
*Therefore another formula should be applied to determine the level of popularity The Supremes have over acts like The Spice Girls, TLC and/or Destiny's Child who barely made 3-5 studio albums before they peaked.

[edafan]

This is another list, which makes no sense at all.

I guess these people make lists from just their generation.

edafan