Chris Brown is making history again with his latest accomplishment—and this time, he’s dethroning the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson, with a new record.
Thanks to the power of streaming—something that, notably, wasn’t around for much of Jackson’s career—the music icon, 36, just earned a standout title that’s getting him major kudos from fans.
According to several reports, the “Beautiful People” singer is officially the best-selling Black male vocalist in RIAA history, surpassing a longtime record held by the legendary Thriller artist.
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On Monday, Dec. 1, the RIAA announced several of Brown’s new certifications, including:
• 5x platinum – “Run It” (Single)
• 4x platinum – “Yo (Excuse Me Miss)” (Single) and Chris Brown (Album)
• 3x platinum – “Say Goodbye” (Single)
• 2x platinum – “Gimme That” (Single)
• 1x platinum – “Poppin'” (Single)
• Gold – “Ya Man Ain’t Me” (Single) and “Ain’t No Way” (Single)
The latest accomplishment comes hot on the heels of his recently wrapped XX Breezy Bowl stadium tour in commemoration of his debut album’s 20th anniversary.
In the US, Brown sits at No. 3 top-selling among all male vocalists, only behind Elvis Presley (189.5 million) and Luke Combs (163.5 million).
The R&B hitmaker’s cumulative American sales now sit at about 163 million records, while Jackson’s are around 158.5 million sold. On a global scale, however, the King of Pop still reigns supreme, as the “Beat It” singer is said to have sold over 1 billion records worldwide, making him the overall best-selling artist in music history—still.
As for Brown, he’s been on a hot streak lately. In October, he became the first artist ever to sell out Nationals Park three nights in a row.
Over the summer, he climbed to the top of the Billboard Top Tours chart, snagging his first No. 1 after the concert series hit massive heights, becoming the highest-grossing and best-selling tour of August 2025.
This story was originally published by Parade on Dec 4, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.