Michael Ochs Archives/Getty ImagesIn honor of Billboard‘s 125th anniversary, the magazine has put together a new chart, the Top 125 Artists of All Time, that’s based on appearances on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and Billboard 200 albums tally.
Not surprisingly, The Beatles score the top spot on the all-time chart, followed at #2 by The Rolling Stones and at #3 by Elton John. Other veteran pop and rock acts landing in the tally’s top 10 include Mariah Carey at #4, Madonna at #5, Barbra Streisand at #6, Michael Jackson at #7, Stevie Wonder at #9 and Chicago at #10.
Among the many standout chart achievements the Fab Four have amassed: The most #1 hits in the history of the Hot 100 — 20 — and the most #1 albums on the Billboard 200 with 19.
Those 19 albums spent a collective total of 132 weeks atop the Billboard 200, 80 more weeks in all than the artist with the second-most weeks at #1 on the tally, Garth Brooks.
The Beatles also are famously the only act ever to hold the top five slots simultaneously on the Hot 100: On April 4, 1964, “Can’t Buy Me Love” was #1, “Twist and Shout” was #2, “She Loves You” was #3, “I Want to Hold Your Hand” was #4 and “Please Please Me” was #5.
Two individual Beatles, Paul McCartney and George Harrison, also appear on Billboard‘s all-time chart thanks to their solo accomplishments, with McCartney landing at #12 and Harrison at #124.
Other veteran artists featured in the upper portion of the all-time tally: Whitney Houston at #11, Elvis Presley at #13, Janet Jackson at #14, Rod Stewart at #15, Prince at #17, Billy Joel at #19, Herb Alpert at #21 and Bruce Springsteen at #24.
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