Amazing analysis of Bing's numbers, seems very well researched and I think that all who will read it they will find it very interesting. Many exact figures, calculated with a specific measure, this is not generic abstract figures, they have calcuated Bing's exact sales over all categories and albums.

The analysis conclusions contest some figures that are considered settled by many of us, and I am not convinced they are entirely right still the claim with many facts that Bing is the top single selling artist of all time with 183,1 million physical records sold ahead of Presley 135 million and Beatles 127 million. The figures are smaller than most estimates but they put Bing as the no1. It is well researched and they make a good case for all their findings.

As I said Colin, “I am not entirely convinced they are right”
There isn’t a single, universally accepted method for calculating record sales. The various systems that have been used by the labels, charts, and retrospective researches produce inconsistent and unreliable results, and the specific categorizations they use make the extraction of a conclusion impossible in general terms, and if they do it is sure questionable.
Also they are not global file systems or records that can be used horizontally for all, for instance, production of discs numbers, distribution sales in a fragmented national (for the US) and an even more fragmented international market.
Subjective conclusions are broad and general and the word estimated is used so often as calculation is impossible.
I didn’t agree with the conclusions of this analysis, I do think that Bing must have sold far more, and the professional research of Guiness Book of Records makes me agree with you that the numbers on White Christmas are underestimated, but the authors of this analysis provide their methodology, so someone can estimate the worth and origins of their findings.
 
As you said Colin Bing indeed deserves more credits and I am convinced that if there was a way to count better he would top most lists, the Wikipedia entry that most people automatically advise does not even include him to the top selling in general even if his sales numbers match or surpass the other leading in those figures.
I agree with you that Bing should be much more recognized not only for the quality of his work but for his recprd-sales number as well. Some half billion records must have been pressed and he has hundreds of millions of streams, downloads, CD and other formats sale. I am standing by the BCE claim that Bing sold near (and I would like to think more than ) 1 Billion records, physical or digital including all formats in all countries.

Last edited by Pantelis Kavouras (11/2/2026 12:49 pm)

Colin, 
I haven’t argue for the /The CHARTMASTER means of counting. I do not claim in any of my postings that they are right. I merely stated they have done a research with some specific measurements and they did not use abstract figures. 

CHARTMASTER says “his (Bing’s) commercial legacy remains strangely opaque, buried under incomplete ledgers and pre-digital counting methods that fail to capture the vast reach of his music.” 
CHARTMASTER may not agree with the numbers we consider to be the right ones, and as I posted before I do think that the professional research of Guiness book of records regarding White Christmas to be more accurate than CHARMASTER that diminishes White Christmas sales. 

But the article praises Bing a lot more than modern lists and magazines.
https://chartmasters.org/bing-crosby-albums-and-songs-sales/

And around the middle CHARTMASTER states “Measured strictly by pure physical single sales, Bing Crosby stands as the best-selling artist in history. In this format, his total reaches an extraordinary 183.1 million units, outpacing every competitor across recorded music. Elvis Presley follows at 135.2 million, with The Beatles at 127.3 million. No other artist ever sold more than 100 million records, with both Frank Sinatra and Elton John a bit below this number.”

So according to their methods Bing is No1 best selling artist in history. They also claim “At 22,586,000 EAS, Merry Christmas is the most successful album from the 1940s.” We don't know exact number of sales, I do not think he sold just 180 million, most writers claim much more disc sales, but CHARMASTER still things Bing outsold every single one, presumably using a method that it is ultra-conservative and selective.

When someone compares Bing’s streaming appeal he may find that Bing is merely No85 (aprox.) on Spotify on Christmas day. There is not comparaison with today's streaming figures that dwarf physical sales.
Yet the CHARTMASTERS article names him no1 best selling artist in history for physical sales. 
We should read everything with critical lens, and I don’t think someone should adopt blindly the positions of the article you share but they praise Bing as no1 they do not attack him.

As far as that Bing deserves more attention, I trust all ICC members we’ll agree.

Last edited by Pantelis Kavouras (19/3/2026 9:03 pm)