Some part of the world is abuzz with the announcement that Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger and Avril Lavigne just got engaged after a six-month, seemingly secret courtship. In Canada, the duo is definitely a “power couple,” with millions of records sold. But how do they measure up against other musical double threats? Here’s a breakdown of the highest-selling, active music couplings.
1. Mariah Carey (119.9 million units sold) and Nick Cannon (275,000 units sold).
Though Cannon might be best known these days as the host of America’s Got Talent, the comedian began his career as a rapper, opening for artists like Will Smith and LFO. His only solo effort was a self-titled 2003 effort, after which he gave up music for acting. Then he married Mariah Carey in 2008 and, as long as he doesn’t mess up, he should be set for life.
2. Celine Dion (113.7 million units sold) and René Angélil.
Angélil began his singing career in the 1960s, singing French versions of songs by the Beatles and other English stars. He gave that up to begin managing artists, such as 12-year-old Dion (when he was 38), who has gone on to become one of the most popular artists in the world. The two started a relationship when (as soon as?) she turned 19 and got married shortly after. Angélil is an avid poker player. And why not? Dion can afford it.
3. Bruce Springsteen (92.7 million units sold) and Patti Scialfa (highest Billboard rank: number 90 for 2007’s Play it as it Lays).
Scialfa is in a catch-22 of sorts. She’s a talented singer and songwriter who must live in the shadow of one of the most iconic rock stars in history. Springsteen fans likely buy the lion’s share of her records, which is nice, but they never do so in droves (her debut LP didn't even chart). It must be tricky for her to do her own thing outside of the Boss’s realm but, at the same time, that’s a pretty cherry realm he has there.
4. Rihanna (76.4 million units sold) and Chris Brown (5.9 million units sold).
Are they? Aren’t they? Rumours persist that the ill-fated couple are back together, after Brown assaulted Rihanna in 2009. In the aftermath, Brown went from having his first two consecutive albums sell more than two million copies to his most recent sitting at just over 250,000 units moved. Meanwhile, Rihanna’s last three albums have sold 14 million copies. You don’t need him RiRi! Run away!
5. Avril Lavigne (32.8 million units sold) and Nickelback (31.2 million units sold).
By our calculations, Beyoncé and Jay-Z should be in slot five but we've made room for Chavril instead. Well, compared to other folks on this list, Lavigne and Kroeger seem to be the most evenly matched when it comes to units sold. A look at the aforementioned lopsided figures suggests that it is possible to have a happy union (sorry CB and RiRi) when one person is pulling most of the weight.
But what if they're well balanced, even in failure? Lavigne is coming off the worst-selling album of her career with Goodbye Lullaby while Nickelback also took a sales dip with Here and Now. I dunno. I have a good feeling about these two.
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