This operatic tenor who died in 1921 was the first singer ever to sell over one million records. What was his name?

The Italian operatic tenor Enrico Caruso holds the distinction of being the first recording artist to sell over a million copies of a single record. This monumental achievement happened in the early days of the recording industry, solidifying his status as one of the first global media superstars. His powerful voice and emotionally charged performances were a perfect match for the burgeoning gramophone technology, and his enthusiastic adoption of the new medium helped to popularize it with the public. Before his success, the phonograph was seen by some as a mere novelty, but Caruso's recordings demonstrated its artistic and commercial potential.

The song that cemented his place in history was "Vesti la giubba" from Ruggero Leoncavallo's opera *Pagliacci*. Caruso first recorded the aria in 1902, and subsequent versions in 1904 and 1907 for the Victor Talking Machine Company were also immensely popular. The aria tells the story of a tragic clown who must make his audience laugh while his own heart is breaking. Caruso's rendition was filled with such passion and pathos that it captivated listeners worldwide, even through the primitive sound technology of the era.

Born in Naples, Italy, in 1873, Caruso rose from a poor background to become the most famous and acclaimed tenor of his time, performing regularly at major opera houses across Europe and the Americas. His career, which lasted from 1895 to 1920, included 863 performances with New York's Metropolitan Opera. While he died in 1921, his legacy endures through his extensive catalog of roughly 250 recordings, which introduced opera to a mass audience and set the standard for vocal recording.