Earlier today, Neilson Soundscan — the organization that tracks music sales — announced that Eminem is the top-selling artist of the decade. The man born Marshall Mathers has moved 32 million units since 2000. Slim Shady's dominance in the decade makes perfect sense, as he had his put out his breakthrough album The Marshall Mathers LP just as the era was opening, and he consistently produced albums every few years, each of which topped the Billboard album chart. That combination of impact and consistency helped him outpace somebody like Nelly, who placed on the chart based on the killer sales of his mega-selling debut Country Grammar but couldn't keep up that pace as the decade wore on.
It's a fool's errand (because who knows who will emerge over the next 3,650 days), but we started to think about who of the current crop of artists would end up being the top-selling artist of the coming decade. Here are the 10 odds-on favorites for the people we'll be talking about around this time in 2019.
Taylor Swift
She's the most obvious choice of any artist working right now. Even though her sales totals from her first two albums (Taylor Swift and Fearless) won't count towards her coming-decade totals, it's inevitable that she'll continue to release top-selling albums that appeal to fans across several genres and age groups. Plus, she won't even be 30 years old by the time we'll be tallying these numbers in 2019. Her progress may be slowed if she gets seriously roped into Hollywood, but at the moment she's got the best shot at immortality.
Odds: 5 to 4
Lady Gaga
Her debut album has done big numbers, and Gaga is such a shapeshifter that she will probably be able to reinvent herself over and over again, so every album will sound fresh. As long as she doesn't get bored and devote herself to fashion full time, she should be in the running in 10 years. Odds: 7 to 1
Miley Cyrus
She's sold plenty of albums, and her music will only continue to mature as she separates herself from her Disney-fueled past. Cyrus will have plenty of fans growing up with her, and her music will likely have crossover potential (especially if she maintains a connection to the country world). Odds: 10 to 1
Lil Wayne
Clearly, rappers placed high on the top sellers of the decade (Jay-Z also made his way into the top 10), and Weezy had the biggest-selling album of 2008. He'll open up the next decade behind bars, but can you imagine what a big deal his comeback album will be? For the same reason, T.I. could easily slip into this place as well. Odds: 25 to 1
Green Day
They're a veteran rock band whose sound continues to evolve, and it seems inevitable that they'll compete with Coldplay for the role of the coming decade's U2 (of course, it's always possible that U2 could keep that title for themselves). They're pretty big now but always have the potential for even bigger things. Odds: 50 to 1
Katy Perry
Her debut album has sold extremely well, and there is a lot of anticipation for the follow-up. Perry has a way with hit singles and has appeal in both the pop and rock forums. It's difficult to tell whether or not she'll be able to keep up her hyper-sexy schtick for 10 years, but she'll almost certainly have the songwriting support and the savvy to stay on top. Odds: 100 to 1
The Jonas Brothers
They're young, they've already got legions of fans and their sound is already maturing. As long as Nick doesn't completely leave his brothers behind for the sake of the Administration, the Jonas Brothers should continue to produce big numbers with strings of big hits. Their distractions (acting and the like) could get in the way of making music, but the albums they do put out will probably keep making a big impact. As long as they're able to pick up new fans while keeping the old, they should be able to avoid becoming Hanson. Odds: 250 to 1
Adam Lambert
The most recent "American Idol" runner-up certainly knows how to grab headlines, and his debut album For Your Entertainment seems like the kind of record that could build big over time. He doesn't have the same sort of crossover appeal as other people on this list, but his awareness of what keeps him popular should translate to album sales for years to come. Odds: 400 to 1
Justin Bieber
Bieber is probably a stretch, but his connection to social media and the industry friends he's making will both serve him well as he grows up. Plus, if he manages to introduce some hip-hop into his sugary pop sound (and with the help of mentor Usher), he could really expand his appeal in unpredictable ways. Odds: 1,000 to 1
The Hold Steady
Okay, this is actually wishful thinking. But this band could be a "Dancing in the Dark"-sized hit away from becoming a cornerstone of American rock. And if not, at least we'll always have