Eminem Becomes Second Best-Selling Male Artist

When it comes to best-selling artists of all time, the list looks like this: 1) Garth Brooks 2) The Beatles 3) Metallica4) Mariah Carey 5) Celine Dion. And now Eminem at No. 6.

It was a historic week for Eminem. The rapper sold his 2 millionth copy of The Marshall Mathers LP 2, and took the title of second best-selling male artist of the SoundScan era. (SoundScan is the modern method for tabulating sales and was implemented back in 1991.) 

According to Billboard, Eminem’s eighth studio album sold another 13,000 copies in the week ending March 16, upping its combined total to 2.004 million album sold. Those milestone numbers, combined with sales of his entire catalog, pushed the rapper above country star George Strait, who had previously been the second best-selling male artist. Currently Eminem has sold 44.91 million units, while Strait has notched 44.89 million. 

The only male artist to wrack up more sales: Garth Brooks, who sits at No. 1 with a massive 69.52 albums sold.