Eminem is America's bestselling act of the decade

[Farin]

The past decade was the Eminem show – the rapper sold more than 32 million albums in the US during the noughties, outselling the Beatles, 'NSync and Britney Spears

[smaller]Sean Michaels | guardian.co.uk | Wednesday | 9 December 2009[/smaller]

Though the 2010s may belong to Susan Boyle and Lady Gaga, the 2000s belonged to Eminem, at least in the United States. The irreverent, newly-sober rapper has been named America's bestselling act of the past 10 years.

In the end, it was a battle between Slim Shady and the Beatles. Though the Fab Four's greatest hits compilation, One, was the decade's bestselling record, Eminem had two albums in the top 10 – 2000's The Marshall Mathers LP at number four and 2002's The Eminem Show at number five. Between these and his other releases, Eminem has sold about 32.2m albums since Y2K – compared to the mop-tops' meagre 30m, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Eminem was the only act to have two albums in the decade's top 10. The other heavy hitters include Justin Timberlake's former boy-band, 'NSync, Britney Spears, R&B singer Usher, rockers Linkin Park and Creed, and the debut by chanteuse Norah Jones.

Strangely, few of these acts were dominant on American radio. Instead, the decade's most-broadcast tunes were mostly grim, gravely modern-rock songs. Nickelback's How You Remind Me took the top spot, with 1.2m spins since 2001, with acts such as Lifehouse and Three Doors Down as runners-up.

More than anywhere else, the impact of the internet can be seen on the singles charts, filled with tracks from the past three years. While sales of CD singles dwindled in the early 2000s, the success of digital services like iTunes led to a new boom. Low, released by rapper Flo Rida in 2007, was the decade's most successful digital song, selling 5.2m copies. Lady Gaga, Jason Mraz, the Black Eyed Peas and Soulja Boy all appear in the top 10 list – with Coldplay's Viva La Vida poking its head in at number eight.

The top-selling albums of the decade in the US, according to Nielsen SoundScan:

1. The Beatles, 1,11,499,000 units sold

2. 'NSync, No Strings Attached, 11,112,000 units sold

3. Norah Jones, Come Away With Me, 10, 546,000 units sold

4. Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP, 10,204,000 units sold

5. Eminem, The Eminem Show, 9,799,000 units sold

6. Usher, Confessions, 9,712,000 units sold

7. Linkin Park, Hybrid Theory, 9,663,000 units sold

8. Creed, Human Clay, 9,491,000 units sold

9. Britney Spears, Oops! ... I Did It Again, 9,185,000 units sold

10. Nelly, Country Grammar, 8,461,000 units sold

America's top-selling digital songs of the decade, according to Nielsen SoundScan:

1. Flo Rida feat. T-Pain, Low, 5,214,000 units sold

2. Lady Gaga feat. Colby O'Donis, Just Dance, 4,690,000 units sold

3. Jason Mraz, I'm Yours, 4,619,000 units sold

4. Timbaland feat. One Republic, Apologize, 4,439,000 units sold

5. The Black Eyed Peas, Boom Boom Pow, 4,349,000 units sold

6. Soulja Boy Tell'em, Crank That, 4,315,000 units sold

7. Lady Gaga, Poker Face, 4,200,000 units sold

8. Coldplay, Viva La Vida, 4,140,000 units sold

9. Taylor Swift, Love Story, 4,005,000 units sold

10. Katy Perry, Hot N Cold, 3,945,000 units sold

[MindCrime]

The only albums I own from the top 10 are Eminem and Linkin Park.

1. The Beatles, 1,11,499,000 units sold

At first I thought that meant 1 billion sold until I looked closer.

[Farin]

^ yeah, me too

[BlueAngel]

With the exception of, The Beatles, Eminem and Norah Jones, I can't say I'm a fan of much on either list. When it comes to the songs, if there was ever proof that popularity doesn't determine quality here it is.

And I think I'm the only one who finds One Republic's original "Apologize" just fine the way it is. Tedder isn't a half-bad producer himself.

[Ombre Vivante]

Thus proving that the general public has a real crappy taste for music when the likes of enemanem become a big-seller item

[blind-fitter]

Strangely, few of these acts were dominant on American radio. Instead, the decade's most-broadcast tunes were mostly grim, gravely modern-rock songs. Nickelback's How You Remind Me took the top spot, with 1.2m spins since 2001,

Every morning, when I wake, I thank the Lord I'm not in America.