Global recorded music industry trade group IFPI proclaims Ed Sheeran as the world’s best-selling recording artist of 2017. Sheeran gets the title on the basis it reflects an artist’s worldwide success across digital and physical music formats, from streams to vinyl. The independently verified IFPI Global Recording Artist of the Year chart includes sales of albums – across digital, CD and vinyl formats; singles, both downloaded and physical; and on-demand audio streams across the calendar year. The chart includes all the music of each artist featured, not just one track or album. It uses album equivalent units to combine measurements of downloads, physical sales and streams.
Top 10 Global Recording Artists of 2017
1 Ed Sheeran
2 Drake
3 Taylor Swift
4 Kendrick Lamar
5 Eminem
6 Bruno Mars
7 The Weeknd
8 Imagine Dragons
9 Linkin Park
10 The Chainsmokers
Previous winners
2016 Drake
2015 Adele
2014 Taylor Swift
