List of best-selling music artists in Japan

The top music artists in Japan include Japanese artists with claims of 15 million or more record sales or with over 2 million subscribers. Japan is the largest physical music market in the world and the second largest overall behind the United States, and the biggest in Asia, according to International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.^[1][2]

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Sources that provide the sales an artist or record company claim via press release, rather than certified or reported by reliable third parties such as Oricon, are denoted by a "†".

Oricon Charts

Oricon provides accumulated physical sales of all entries on its singles and albums charts (started in 1968 and 1970, respectively).^[3] Note that Oricon does not count sales of the records that did not enter or fell off of the charts, unlike Nielsen SoundScan. Therefore, it generally shows fewer numbers than reported sales via record labels, and may not reflect the real sales obtained by these artists. In addition, it excludes recording artists like Michiya Mihashi,^[4] Hibari Misora, Yujiro Ishihara, and Hachiro Kasuga who had garnered most of their commercial success before Oricon was established in the late 1960s. The reported numbers like Mihashi's 100 million and Misora's 68 million records,^[5][6] are highly doubtful and cannot be confirmed by Oricon and RIAJ.

The best-selling artist according to Oricon are B'z (more than 86 million), who is also the best-selling artist by a number of albums sold (46.5 million).^[7] The best-selling artists by number of singles sold are AKB48 (73 million),^[8] B'z (35.8 million) in second place,^[9] Mr. Children (28.45 million) in third place,^[10] and Southern All Stars (25.179 million) in fourth place.^[11] Ayumi Hamasaki holds the record for being the best-selling solo artist and being the only solo artist to sell more than 50 million in total.^[12]

The list excludes sales of albums or singles recorded by artists in collaboration with others as part of a singular artist or group's total.

Artists by sales

50 million or more records

• 
  B'z
• 
  AKB48
• 
  Ayumi Hamasaki

Artist	Years active	Genre	Sales
B'z	1988–present	Hard rock / Pop rock / Blues rock	86.25 million[13]
AKB48	2005–present	J-pop / Electropop / Dance-pop	73.4 million [14]
Mr. Children	1989–1997, 1998–present	Pop rock / Power pop / Progressive pop	60.01 million[13]
Ayumi Hamasaki	1998–present	Pop / Dance / Electronic / Rock	50.708 million[13]

30 million to 49 million records

• 
  Yumi Matsutoya
• 
  Glay
• 
  Arashi
• 
  Hikaru Utada
• 
  SMAP

Artist	Years active	Genre	Sales
Dreams Come True	1988–present	J-pop / R&B / New wave / City pop	44.94 million[13]
Yumi Matsutoya[note 1]	1968–present	Pop rock / Jazz fusion / Folk rock / Kayōkyoku	39.39 million[15][16]
Glay	1988–present	Pop rock / Power pop / Progressive rock	38.80 million[13]
Arashi	1999–2020 (Hiatus)	Pop / rock / R&B	38.44 million[13]
ZARD	1991–2007	Pop rock / R&B / Soft rock / AOR	37.63 million[13]
Southern All Stars	1975–present	Soft rock / Pop rock / Folk rock / Blues rock	37.61 million[15]
Hikaru Utada	1998–2010, 2016–present	J-pop / R&B / Dance / Electronica	37.34 million[13]
SMAP	1991–2016	J-pop / R&B	37.20 million[15]
Namie Amuro	1992–2018	Pop / R&B / Hip hop / EDM / Eurobeat	36.18 million[17]
CHAGE and ASKA	1979–1996, 1999–2009	Folk rock / Soft rock	31 million[18]
X Japan	1982–1997, 2007–present	Heavy metal	30 million†[19]
Seiko Matsuda	1980–present	Pop / Kayōkyoku	30 million†[20]

20 million to 29 million records

• 
  L'Arc-en-Ciel
• 
  Koda Kumi
• 
  Akina Nakamori
• 
  Masaharu Fukuyama
• 
  Exile

Artist	Years active	Genre	Sales
L'Arc-en-Ciel	1991–present	Alternative rock / Pop rock / Post-punk	29.27 million[21]
Globe	1995–2018	Synthpop / Eurobeat / Trance	28.94 million[21]
KinKi Kids	1997–present	Pop	28.38 million[21]
Koda Kumi	2000–present	J-pop / pop / R&B	27.5 million [22]
Akina Nakamori	1982–present	Pop / Kayōkyoku	25.34 million[23]
Tube	1985–present	Power pop / Surf rock / Blues rock	24.55 million
Masaharu Fukuyama	1990–present	Pop / Rock	24.10 million[24]
Exile	2001–present	J-pop / R&B / Dance / House	23.44 million[21]
Every Little Thing	1996–present	Pop rock / Soft rock / Synthpop	22.72 million[21]
Maki Ohguro	1989–present	Pop / Dance-pop / New Wave	22.67 million[21]
Morning Musume	1997–present	J-pop / Electropop / Dance-pop	22.47 million
Miyuki Nakajima	1975–present	Kayōkyoku / Folk / Rock / Enka	21.96 million
TRF	1993–present	J-pop / Hi-NRG / Rave / Techno	21.71 million[25]
Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi	1977–present	Rock / Folk	21.64 million[24]
Noriyuki Makihara	1990–present	Pop	21 million[24]
Spitz	1987–present	Alternative rock / Pop rock	20.68 million[26]
Speed	1996–2000, 2008–2012	Pop / Dance / R&B / Hip hop	20 million†[27]
Misia	1998–present	R&B / Pop / Soul / Dance	20 million†[28]

10 million to 19 million records

• 
  Hiroshi Itsuki
• 
  Mariya Takeuchi
• 
  Puffy AmiYumi
• 
  Nogizaka46

Artist	Years active	Genre	Sales
Hiroshi Itsuki	1965–present	Enka / Pop	19.24 million[29]
Kome Kome Club	1982–1997, 2006–present	Pop rock / Psychedelic soul / Funk rock / Rakugo	18.66 million
Pink Lady	1976–1981, 1996–1997, 2003–2005, 2010–2017	Pop / Kayōkyoku / Disco	17 million[30]
Kanjani8	2004–present	Pop / Rock / Enka / Kayōkyoku	17.00 million[31]
Toshinobu Kubota	1981–present	R&B / Pop / Soul / Neo soul	16.33 million
Kyosuke Himuro	1978–2016	Rock / Pop	16.25 million
Momoe Yamaguchi	1973–1980	Pop / Kayōkyoku	16.22 million[23]
Dragon Ash	1996–Present	Rap rock / Alternative rock	16 million
Mariya Takeuchi	1978–Present	Pop / Funk / Soul / Disco	16 million
Yōsui Inoue	1969–present	Rock / Folk	15.809 million
Hiromi Gō	1972–present	Pop / Kayōkyoku / R&B	15.78 million[23]
Kenji Sawada	1969–present	Pop / Rock	15.71 million[21]
Mai Kuraki	1999–present	Pop / R&B	15.5 million
The Checkers	1981–1992	Rock 'n' roll / Rockabilly / Pop rock / Doo-wop	15.38 million[21]
Miki Imai	1986–present	Pop	15.31 million
Judy and Mary	1992–2001	Pop rock / Art punk / Alternative rock	15 million
Puffy AmiYumi	1995–present	Dance rock / Pop rock / Pop punk / Power pop	15 million
Shizuka Kudo	1987–Present	Pop / Kayōkyoku	15 million[32]
Miho Nakayama	1985–2024	Pop / Kayōkyoku	14.97 million[23]
Nogizaka46	2011–present	Pop	14.60 million[31]
Mariah Carey	1988–present	Pop / Soul / R&B / Dance	14.5 million[31]
Kyōko Koizumi	1982–present	Pop	14.26 million[23]
Shinichi Mori	1966–present	Enka / Kayōkyoku	14.10 million[33]
Hideki Saijo	1972–2018	Pop	13.30 million[34]
Tomoyasu Hotei	1988–present	Rock	12.71 million[35]
Misato Watanabe	1985–present	Pop / Funk / Rock	12.70 million[23]
Toshihiko Tahara	1980–present	Pop	12.70 million[23]
Masahiko Kondo	1980–present	Pop / Kayōkyoku	12.67 million[23]
Hikaru Genji	1987–1996	Pop	12.22 million[23]
Tomomi Kahara	1995–2006, 2013–present	Pop / Adult contemporary / Pop rock / Dance-pop	12.19 million[23]
V6	1995–2021	Pop / Rock	12.12 million[23]
Sandaime J Soul Brothers	2010–present	J-Pop / Dance / R&B	11.15 million†[36][37]
Orange Range	2001–present	Rap rock / Alternative rock / Pop rock / Power pop	11 million
Princess Princess	1983–1996	J-pop / J-rock / Glam Rock	11 million[38]
The Alfee	1974–present	Pop rock / Hard rock / Punk rock	10+ million
Luna Sea	1989–2000, 2010–present	Progressive rock / Alternative rock / Hard rock / Punk rock	10+ million†
Chemistry	2001–present	J-pop / R&B	10 million
MAX	1995–present	J-pop	10 million
Shiina Ringo	1998–present	J-pop / J-rock	10 million
KAT-TUN	2006–present	J-pop	10 million
aiko	1998–present	J-pop	10 million
Hiromi Iwasaki	1975–present	Pop / Kayōkyoku	10 million[38]

5 million to 9 million records

• 
  Ami Suzuki
• 
  SKE48
• 
  TVXQ
• 
  BoA

Artist	Years active	Genre	Sales
Goro Noguchi	1971–present	Kayōkyoku / Pop	9.50 million[23]
Ami Suzuki	1998–2001, 2004–present	Pop / Dance-pop / EDM / Electro house	8.83 million[23]
Hitomi	1992–present	Rock / Pop / Electronic	8.70 million
TOKIO	1994–present	Power pop / Pop rock	8.19 million[23]
SKE48	2008–present	Pop	8.15 million[31]
KAT-TUN	1994–present	Pop / Rock	8.05 million[31]
TVXQ	2003–present	Pop / Dance / R&B / Electronic / Rock	7.80 million†[39]
BoA	2000–present	K-pop / J-pop / Dance-pop / R&B	7.75 million[31]
Ketsumeishi	1993–present	Hip hop / Reggae / R&B	7.60 million
Wink	1988–1996	Pop	7.49 million[23]
NMB48	2011–present	Pop	7.35 million[31]
Celine Dion	1981–present	Pop / Rock	7.150 million[40][41][42]
DA PUMP	1996–present	J-Pop / EDM / Eurodance / Hip hop	7 million
Ai Otsuka	2003–present	Pop	6.60 million
Naoko Kawai	1980–1996	Kayōkyoku	6.53 million[23]
Madonna	1979–present	Pop / dance / electronica	6.45 million[40][43]
Avril Lavigne	1999–present	Pop/Punk	6.4 million[40][42]
Perfume	2000–present	Pop, Techno, Bitpop, Electropop, Dance-pop, Synthpop	6 million
Mari Amachi	1971–1977, 1979–present	Kayōkyoku	5.96 million[23]
Hiroko Yakushimaru	1978–present	Kayōkyoku	5.85 million[23]
Gackt	1993–present	Rock	5.70 million
Yoko Minamino	1984–present	Pop	5.63 million[23]
Shonentai	1985–present	Pop	5.48 million[23]
Candies	1973–1978	Pop / Folk pop	5.45 million[23]
Shibugakitai	1982–1988	Pop	5.43 million[23]
Backstreet Boys	1993–present	Pop / Dance-pop	5.4 million[40]
Lady Gaga	2008–present	Pop	5.4 million[44][45]
Yōko Oginome	1983–present	Kayōkyoku	5.38 million[23]
Yellow Magic Orchestra	1978–1984, 1992–1993, 2002–2004, 2007–2012	Electronic, Electro, Electropop, House, Synthpop, Techno	5.29 million[46][47]
Crystal Kay	1999–present	Pop, R&B	5.2 million
Def Tech	2002–2007, 2010–present	Jawaiian Reggae	5 million
Rip Slyme	1994–present	Hip hop	5 million
Yui	2004–present	Pop / Rock	5 million

Best-selling Western acts

See also: Big in Japan (phrase)

See also: List of best-selling singles by Western acts in Japan

The long-standing second world's biggest music market have seen record sales dominated by their local music acts.^[48]

A selected group of Western acts have achieved certified units of over 4 million since Japan's music certification system inception by RIAJ in 1989. Various of them debuted before that tracking system, selling millions of their catalogue along with thousand of copies for individual titles alone; ranging from Madonna to Michael Jackson according to Oricon's chart book figures.^[49] By other estimates, Western acts like the 1970s band, The Nolans have claimed sales of 12 million in the country during their height of career,^[50] while according to Jeff Rovin in Julio! (1985) many of Julio Iglesias' albums sold over two million copies in the country.^[51]

Highest certified Western artists by RIAJ (1989–present)

Artist	Certified sales (in millions)	Refs.
Mariah Carey	14.5 million	[40][43][52]
Celine Dion*	7.150 million	[40][41][42]
Madonna	6.450 million	[40][43]
Avril Lavigne	6.4 million	[40][42]
Backstreet Boys	5.4 million	[40]
Lady Gaga	5.4 million	[40][43]
The Beatles	4.950 million	[40]
Michael Jackson	4.650 million	[40][43]
Enya	4.6 million	[40]
Bon Jovi	4.4 million	[40][43]
Whitney Houston	4.3 million	[40][53]

‡	Indicates a debutant artist prior RIAJ's certification program (e. 1989)

Note: *Dion's "international" debut is considered to be dated in 1990, with her first English-recording album. It is the decade when she also entered the Japanese charts.

Best-selling artist sales by year

Year	Artist	Album Sales	Single Sales	Total Sales
1999	Hikaru Utada	7,365,830	5,383,770	12,749,600
2000	Ayumi Hamasaki	5,267,350	3,914,920	9,182,270
2001	Ayumi Hamasaki	5,311,950	5,067,910	10,379,860
2002	Hikaru Utada	3,526,780	2,410,990	5,667,770
2003	Ayumi Hamasaki	2,774,474	1,056,148	3,830,622
2004	Hikaru Utada	3,537,845	365,206	3,903,051
2005	Orange Range	3,479,539	2,242,257	5,721,796
2006	Koda Kumi	2,411,470	1,281,022	3,692,492
2007	Koda Kumi	1,318,072	534,035	1,852,107
2008	Exile	4,363,967	678,458	5,042,425
2009	Arashi	1,432,781	2,213,423	3,646,204
2010	Arashi	1,395,807	3,778,313	5,174,120
2011	AKB48	829,645	6,871,281	7,700,926
2012	AKB48	1,029,954	6,954,599	7,984,553
2013	AKB48	-	5,961,213	5,961,213
2014	AKB48	1,041,355	6,241,987	7,283,342
2015	AKB48	1,468,279	5,062,100	6,530,379
2016	AKB48	-	5,413,328	5,413,328
2017	AKB48	632,615	4,715,415	5,348,030
2018	AKB48	611,056	5,677,095	6,288,151
2019	Arashi	2,100,438	709,813	2,810,251
2020	Arashi	822,459	1,147,865	1,970,324
2021	BTS
2022	BTS
2023	King & Prince	1,399,236
2024	Snow Man

Notes

1. Includes releases under her maiden name, Yumi Arai.

See also

• List of best-selling singles in Japan
• List of best-selling albums in Japan