If you’re a big music fan, you may have heard that the Queen of Pop, Madonna, some time ago had passed The Beatles for having the most Billboard Top 10 hits, 38 to 34.  Of course, The Beatles still have the most Billboard No. 1 hits, 20.  And Madonna, of whom I’m a huge fan too, is the Queen of Pop AND the highest-selling female music artist of all-time, and fourth overall after the Beatles, Elvis Presley, and Michael Jackson.

But guess what?  Michael Jackson ACTUALLY has the MOST Top 10 hits, besting Madonna 41 to 38.  You see, in Michael’s solo career, he had 30 Top 10 hits.  But prior to his regal solo career, Michael, as we all know, was the lead singer for the Jackson 5/ Jacksons.  During his career as the LEAD singer for the Jacksons, the Jacksons had 11 Top 10 hits.

Billboard’s discography does not combine the two careers.  And no one really brings this up.  Obviously, Madonna’s career hits are all credited to her one and only career as a solo artist.  But artists like MJ or George Michael, who had prior careers with multi-person groups, should not be penalized.  It can give a misrepresentation and a misunderstanding of an artist’s true impact.

Combining Michael Jackson’s two careers, where he was obviously the LEAD singer in both, MJ had a staggering 41 Top 10 hits and 17 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot 100.  Yes indeed, Michael Jackson has scored the MOST TOP 10 HITS in music history!

Now, a music career cannot and should not be judged simply by chart performance.  Record sales also tell a lot about the impact of an artist’s career.  Led Zeppelin, for example, which can legitimately be regarded as one of music’s most important and impactful groups of all-time has ONLY 1 Billboard Top 10 hit.  And only 10 of their songs even managed to break into Billboard’s Hot 100!  Yet, Led Zeppelin is one of the best-selling groups of all-time.  Just something to think about.