On this day (January 13) in 2015, Garth Brooks became the best-selling solo artist on the planet, pulling ahead of Elvis Presley with the help of the sales of his album Man Against Machine. While the album was one of his least successful, it sold more than enough to help him surpass the King of Rock and Roll in all-time sales.
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Brooks announced his retirement in 2000, ahead of his 2001 album Scarecrow. The country megastar wanted to spend more time at home with his family. He largely stayed out of the public eye for a little over a decade, only playing a handful of one-off shows.
In July 2014, Brooks announced his comeback world tour. At the same time, he let his fans know that a new album was on the way. True to his word, the album dropped just a few months later, in November. It debuted at No. 1 on the Top Country Albums chart, where it stayed for seven weeks.
The Enormity of Garth Brooks’ Success
Before 2015, Elvis Presley had sold more albums than any other solo artist in United States history. He had a confirmed sales tally of 134.5 million at the time. Garth Brooks had been on his heels for quite some time. Then, Man Against Machine received a pair of certifications on the same day, helping Brooks pull ahead and break Presley’s record.
The RIAA certified Man Against Machine Gold and Platinum on the same day. This pushed Brooks to a total sales tally of 135 million. That number continues to grow, and Brooks continues to hold the title.
Brooks’ website gives a brief look at his many accolades. He isn’t just the “No. 1-selling solo album artist in U.S. history,” he’s also the only artist to win Entertainer of the Year at the CMA Awards seven times. Additionally, he’s the only artist to receive nine Diamond certifications from the RIAA for nine albums that have sold at least 10 million copies.
Featured Image by Frank Micelotta Archive / Contributor/Getty Images
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