https://flic.kr/p/JvDEcn
Tracks Ranking – Raw sales – Physical singles
This list is about physical single sales only. If a single has been released several times, all the sales coming from all the releases are added. The figures given here are units sold.
Please keep in mind that some artists are missing, because their analysis has not been done yet. The complete list is available here. All figures reflect the value as collected at the time of the artist’s respective articles.
1. 1997 – Elton John for The Diana Foundation – Candle in the Wind [Orphan] – 29,730,000
2. 1992 – Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You [The Bodyguard] – 10,560,000
3. 1978 – John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John – You’re the One That I Want [Grease] – 10,400,000
4. 1968 – The Beatles – Hey Jude [Orphan] – 8,200,000
5. 1991 – Bryan Adams – (Everything I Do) I Do It for You [Waking Up the Neighbours / Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves] – 7,960,000
6. 1963 – The Beatles – I Want to Hold Your Hand [Meet The Beatles!] – 7,800,000
7. 1984 – Stevie Wonder – I Just Called to Say I Love You [The Woman in Red] – 7,400,000
8. 1998 – Cher – Believe [Believe] – 7,020,000
9. 1997 – Céline Dion – My Heart Will Go On [Titanic / Let’s Talk About Love] – 6,910,000
10. 1977 – Bee Gees – Stayin’ Alive [Saturday Night Fever] – 6,470,000
11. 1984 – George Michael – Careless Whisper [Make It Big] – 6,290,000
12. 1980 – Barbra Streisand – Woman in Love [Guilty] – 6,260,000
13. 1978 – Rod Stewart – Da Ya Think I’m Sexy? [Blondes Have More Fun] – 6,250,000
14. 1983 – Irene Cara – Flashdance… What a Feeling [Flashdance / What a Feelin’] – 6,240,000
15. 1975 – Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody [A Night at the Opera] – 6,180,000
16. 1979 – Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall (Part II) [The Wall] – 5,750,000
17. 1978 – Bee Gees – Too Much Heaven [Spirits Having Flown] – 5,640,000
18. 1977 – Bee Gees – Night Fever [Saturday Night Fever] – 5,520,000
19. 1983 – David Bowie – Let’s Dance [Let’s Dance] – 5,500,000
20. 1960 – Elvis Presley – It’s Now Or Never [Orphan] – 5,420,000
21. 1963 – The Beatles – She Loves You [Orphan] – 5,400,000
22. 1956 – Elvis Presley – Don’t Be Cruel [Orphan] – 5,390,000
23. 1976 – ABBA – Dancing Queen [Arrival] – 5,350,000
24. 1998 – Britney Spears – …Baby One More Time […Baby One More Time] – 5,330,000
25. 1969 – The Beatles – Get Back [Let It Be] – 5,300,000
26. 1980 – Queen – Another One Bites the Dust [The Game] – 5,270,000
27. 1965 – The Rolling Stones – (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction [Out Of Our Heads] – 5,200,000
28. 1977 – Queen – We Are the Champions [News of the World] – 5,190,000
29. 1979 – Bee Gees – Tragedy [Spirits Having Flown] – 5,050,000
29. 1996 – Spice Girls – Wannabe [Spice] – 5,050,000
31. 1984 – Wham! – Last Christmas [Music from the Edge of Heaven] – 4,980,000
32. 1964 – The Beatles – I Feel Fine [Beatles ’65] – 4,900,000
32. 1978 – John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John – Summer Nights [Grease] – 4,900,000
34. 1977 – Bee Gees – How Deep Is Your Love [Saturday Night Fever] – 4,890,000
35. 1982 – Michael Jackson – Billie Jean [Thriller] – 4,870,000
36. 1971 – John Lennon – Imagine [Imagine] – 4,840,000
37. 1970 – The Beatles – Let It Be [Let It Be] – 4,750,000
38. 1982 – Paul McCartney & Stevie Wonder – Ebony And Ivory [Tug Of War] – 4,740,000
39. 1983 – Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson – Say Say Say [Pipes of Peace] – 4,570,000
40. 1960 – Elvis Presley – Are You Lonesome Tonight? [Orphan] – 4,450,000
41. 1975 – Elton John & Kiki Dee – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart [Rock of the Westies] – 4,420,000
42. 1982 – Michael Jackson – Beat It [Thriller] – 4,410,000
43. 1965 – The Beatles – Help! [Help!] – 4,400,000
44. 1984 – Madonna – Like A Virgin [Like A Virgin] – 4,360,000
45. 1964 – The Beatles – Can’t Buy Me Love [A Hard Day’s Night] – 4,300,000
45. 1967 – The Beatles – Hello, Goodbye [Magical Mystery Tour] – 4,300,000
47. 1977 – Wings – Mull of Kintyre [Orphan] – 4,250,000
48. 1970 – Simon & Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water [Bridge over Troubled Water] – 4,160,000
49. 1993 – Meat Loaf ft. Lorraine Crosby – I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That) [Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell] – 4,110,000
50. 1978 – Frankie Valli – Grease [Grease] – 4,100,000
50. 1976 – ABBA – Fernando [Greatest Hits] – 4,100,000
Will Taylor‘s rerecordings make her the winner in the race for the 100 Million in the 21st century?
Nah eminem has sold more records
Eminem debuted in the 90s though
I think Coldplay and Rihanna were already over 100 Million before her
if you update the pure sales of the 3 of them Taylor Swift is already at 100m while Coldplay and Rihanna are around 99.5m currently
Is there any act who could break the top 5 best selling digital single artist? Maybe Kanye West?? In top 10 maybe Nicki Minaj?
If you have time, please update Blackpink’s! It’s been quite a while since the last update. Thank you!
I think they haven’t been studied since not that many album releases yet and there are obviously older acts who sold more and are in need to be studied more. It would be cool if they were added though, since they are pretty big when it comes to streaming
Shouldn’t Sting and The Police totals be combined ? Considering “Rod Stewart & Faces”, “George Michael & Wham”, Bon Jovi’s total including Jon’s solo album… I mean, Sting basically WAS The Police, writing the songs and singing them.
I disagree they are two distinct and separate acts, I also disagree with Rod Stewart & Faces being combined.
I think Bon Jovi is different because Jon’s album sold because he was in Bon Jovi and all they did was add three letter before the bands name.
And its impossible to split George Michael and Wham! because there are solo Michael works on Wham! albums and George Michael compilations that dont contain Wham! songs still contain those songs
Was wondering have you guys considered adding a devoted page to a running list of best-selling compilation albums for artists that have been studied? Would be nice to have as a reference since they get excluded out from the Studio Albums page.
And now Paul Simon has sold publishing rights to Sony’s for 200 $ million. Fleetwood Mac (Lyndsey Buckinham and Steve Nicks), Richie Sambora (Bon Jovis), Dylan, Neil Young, Ryan Tedder (200 $ million) and now P.Simon and many others songwrites have recieved hundres million dollars in compensation for their work. Biggest deal at this time Bob Dylan’s 400 $ millions. But i think that Madonna and many others pop singers finds difficult to sell her or his music, cause of the songwrites as many as ten. Beyonce Lemonades record had about 40 authors(! )said Hipgnosis founder Merck Mercuriadis. The authentic… Read more »
Business is changing. Hipgnosis founder Merck Mercuriadis has been great gift to songwriters, who are most important in the business. Spotify payment to artists and expecially the songwrites is non-existent. Now Dylan, Young, Paul Simon, Calvin Harris, Ryan Tedder, Fleerwood Mac, Shakira and dozens others got a decent reward for their work. 80-400 $ million ballpark. Spotify is rude and the most important thing for them is to make money. Founder Daniel Ek net worth 4,5 billion dollars and his friends in Spotify are billionaires too. This seam was struck by this Mr. Mercuradius. For him music is most important… Read more »
I would like do you all count/esitmate Apple Music US streaming data, because it’s A LOT of affect for US charts?
Hi Tommy!
There’s an article on them already. Of course it would be great to include them, but it’s their choice to hide their numbers.
i think Lana needs an update… she released two albums since her article was last updated