Below is a list of the top 20 new artists that emerged this decade. These artists have sold the most albums and as sales in the music industry have been decreasing, artists who emerged early in the decade stood a better chance. Sales peaked in 2000 and have been on the decline since 2004. So below are the names of the top 20, accompanied by the total number of albums the artist has sold as of this week, the year of their debut, the title of their best selling album, and their rank on the Nielsen/SoundScan running list of the 200 best selling artists in its history, which includes Nelly, 50 Cent, Alicia Keys, Beyonce, Kelly Clarkson, Pink and more!
1. Linkin Park – 21,223,000
Debut: 2000
Best Selling Album: Hybrid Theory
Top 200 rank: #52
2. Nelly – 21,215,000
Debut: 2000
Best Selling Album: Country Grammar
Top 200 rank: #53
3. Nickelback – 19,414,000
Debut: 2000
Best Selling Album: All The Right Reasons
Top 200 rank: #63
4. Josh Groban – 19,147,000
Debut: 2001
Best Selling Album: Closer
Top 200 rank: #67
5. Rascal Flatts – 19,083,000
Debut: 2000
Best Selling Album: Feels Like Today
Top 200 rank: #69
6. Norah Jones – 16,728,000
Debut: 2002
Best Selling Album: Come Away With Me
Top 200 rank: #88
7. 50 Cent – 15,589,000
Debut: 2003
Best Selling Album: Get Rich Or Die Tryin’
Top 200 rank: #102
8. Alicia Keys – 15,520,000
Debut: 2001
Best Selling Album: Songs In A Minor
Top 200 rank: #105
9. Coldplay – 14,426,000
Debut: 2000
Best Selling Album: A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Top 200 rank: #113
10. Ludacris – 13,411,000
Debut: 2000
Best Selling Album: Word of Mouf
Top 200 rank: #120
11. 3 Doors Down – 12,472,000
Debut: 2000
Best Selling Album: The Better Life
Top 200 rank: #135
12. John Mayer – 11,467,000
Debut: 2001
Best Selling Album: Room For Squares
Top 200 rank: #149
13. Avril Lavigne – 11,404,000
Debut: 2002
Best Selling Album: Let Go
Top 200 rank: #152
14. Keith Urban – 10,858,000
Debut: 2000
Best Selling Album: Be Here
Top 200 rank: #159
15. Beyonce – 10,565,000
Debut: 2003
Best Selling Album: Dangerously In Love
Top 200 rank: #168
16. Kelly Clarkson – 10,276,000
Debut: 2003
Best Selling Album: Breakaway
Top 200 rank: #178
17. Pink – 9,998,000
Debut: 2000
Best Selling Album: M!ssundaztood
Top 200 rank: #184
18. Evanescence – 9,965,000
Debut: 2003
Best Selling Album: Fallen
Top 200 rank: #186
19. Kanye West – 9,922,000
Debut: 2004
Best Selling Album: The College Dropout
Top 200 rank: #187
20. Carrie Underwood – 9,748,000
Debut: 2005
Best Selling Album: Some Hearts
Top 200 rank: #192
