LONDON (Reuters) - Veteran singer Cliff Richard (news) has beaten the Beatles and Elvis Presley (news) to the title of Britain's Ultimate Pop Star as the biggest selling artist.



Channel 4's The Ultimate Pop Star, broadcast on Sunday, said Richard had sold more singles than any other artist in the last 50 years, ahead of the Beatles in second place and Presley in third.


Madonna (news - web sites) was in fourth place as the only female to make the top ten. She was followed by Kylie Minogue (news) at number 13 and The Spice Girls (news - web sites) at 15.


Elton John (news) was named in fifth place, ahead of Michael Jackson (news) in sixth and Queen in seventh. Swedish group Abba were placed eighth and Paul McCartney (news) made the top ten twice, as a solo artist in ninth position.


David Bowie (news) closed out the top ten.


The program said Richard, the eternally youthful 63-year-old singer with a squeaky-clean image, had sold almost 21 million singles in his career of over 40 years.

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