These are the 20 R&B artists who have sold the most albums of all time

Albums sold: 18.5 million

As well as being one of the highest selling R&B artists of all time, The Weeknd is currently the most popular artist in the world in terms of Spotify streams, boasting 110 monthly listeners.

Albums sold: 19.5 million

Toni Braxton has released nine solo studio albums over the course of the past two decades.

Her most successful album was her 1996 sophomore effort, "Secrets," which sold over 8 million copies in the US alone.

Albums sold: 19.5 million

Stevie Wonder was only 11 years old when he signed to Motown in 1961.

He's since released all 23 of his studio albums on the label, the latest of which, "A Time to Love," dropped in 2005.

Albums sold: 20 million

Alicia Keys has had four No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.

Her 2001 debut single "Fallin'," her 2004 duo with Usher "My Boo," and 2007's "No One" all hit the top spot. In 2009, her collaboration with Jay-Z, "Empire State of Mind," also reached No. 1.

Albums sold: 20.5 million

Prince, who passed away in 2016, is widely regarded as one of the most gifted musicians of all time.

1984's "Purple Rain" spent six consecutive months atop the Billboard 200.

Albums sold: 20.5 million

Known as the "Queen of Hip-Hop Soul," Mary J. Blige is credited by Billboard with "kickstarting a revolution in 1990s R&B by spiking it with hip-hop swagger."

Nine of her 14 studio albums have sold over 1 million copies in the US.

Albums sold: 22.5 million

Lionel Richie made his name as the lead singer of Commodores, with whom he released nine studio albums before leaving the group in 1981.

He's since released 10 studio albums as a solo artist, three of which have topped the Billboard 200.

Albums sold: 23 million

TLC have sold more albums in the US than any other girl group in history.

The trio's 1994 sophomore album "CrazySexyCool" sold 12 million copies alone and spawned two No. 1 singles, "Creep" and "Waterfalls."

Albums sold: 23.5 million

Usher has released hit albums in each of the previous three decades.

Now, having not dropped a studio album in eight years, he's finally looking to make it four in a row.

"This ain't even about music. It's about life for men," Usher told VICE in August of his untitled latest album.

Albums sold: 23.5 million

Sade, the band named after their lead singer Sade Adu, are the most successful of the wave of R&B-oriented artists, including Soul II Soul and Lisa Stansfield, to emerge from the United Kingdom during the late 1980s and early '90s.

Two of the band's albums, 1985's "Promise" and 2010's "Solider of Love," have topped the Billboard 200.

Albums sold: 23.5 million

Formed by lead singer Maurice White in 1969, Earth, Wind & Fire have had no less than 33 songs feature on the Billboard Hot 100.

Only one, however, 1975's "Shining Star," topped the chart.

Albums sold: 26 million

One of the most prominent singers of the 21st century, Rihanna has scored 14 No. 1 hits songs and 32 top 10 songs on the Billboard Hot 100.

Albums sold: 26 million

The tenth and youngest child of the Jackson family, Janet Jackson is regarded as one of the most prominent figures in the development of contemporary R&B.

Seven of her 11 studio albums, including her most recent, 2015's "Unbreakable," have topped the Billboard 200.

Albums sold: 27 million

Having started his career as a backup singer for the likes of Roberta Flack, Chaka Khan, and Diana Ross, Luther Vandross went on to become one of the most iconic R&B singers of all time as a solo artist.

He won eight Grammy awards during his lifetime, including four in 2004, just a year before his death.

Albums sold: 27 million

Only five artists in history — Mariah Carey, Elvis Presley, Rihanna, and The Beatles — have spent more weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100 than Boyz II Men.

The group are also one of only a few artists to ever replace themselves at the top of the chart, with "On Bended Knee" taking over from "I'll Make Love to You" in December 1994.

Albums sold: 30.5 million

The most successful artist in Grammy Awards history with 32 wins, Beyoncé rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of the girl group Destiny's Child.

Since going solo, all seven of her studio albums have topped the Billboard 200.

Albums sold: 32 million

Now incarcerated on charges of racketeering and sex trafficking, R. Kelly released 14 studio albums between 1992 and 2006, six of which topped the Billboard 200.

Albums sold: 61 million

Recognized as one of the greatest vocalists of all time, Whitney Houston is the only artist to ever have seven consecutive No.1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100.

Her self-titled debut album was also both the first debut album and the first album by a solo female artist to produce three No. 1 singles

Albums sold: 74 million

No artist has ever spent as much time atop the Billboard Hot 100 as Mariah Carey, who has held the spot for a record 91 weeks during her career.

She's also had 19 No. 1 singles on the chart, the second most of all time behind only The Beatles.

Albums sold: 89 million

Michael Jackson is one of the most iconic and influential entertainers in history.

His sixth studio album, 1982's "Thriller," is the highest-selling album of all time, having shipped over 51 million copies worldwide.