Tracks Ranking – CSPC – Overall sales
This list is about the most successful songs of all time (understand “which have generated the most sales”). The figures are given in EAS (equivalent album sales).
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 – Céline Dion – My Heart Will Go On [Titanic / Let’s Talk About Love] – 62,750,000
2. 1976 – Eagles – Hotel California [Hotel California] – 51,840,000
3. 1982 – Michael Jackson – Billie Jean [Thriller] – 41,890,000
4. 1992 – Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You [The Bodyguard] – 33,620,000
5. 1983 – The Police – Every Breath You Take [Synchronicity] – 32,690,000
6. 1975 – Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody [A Night at the Opera] – 32,240,000
7. 1977 – Bee Gees – Stayin’ Alive [Saturday Night Fever] – 31,660,000
8. 1964 – Simon & Garfunkel – The Sound of Silence [Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M. / Sounds of Silence] – 28,800,000
9. 1961 – Elvis Presley – Can’t Help Falling in Love [Blue Hawaii] – 27,580,000
10. 1981 – Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’ [Escape] – 27,230,000
11. 1982 – Michael Jackson – Beat It [Thriller] – 27,160,000
12. 1971 – Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven [Led Zeppelin IV] – 26,530,000
13. 1971 – Rod Stewart – Maggie May [Every Picture Tells a Story] – 26,510,000
14. 1981 – Phil Collins – In the Air Tonight [Face Value] – 25,090,000
15. 1976 – ABBA – Dancing Queen [Arrival] – 24,490,000
16. 1986 – Bon Jovi – Livin’ on a Prayer [Slippery When Wet] – 23,460,000
17. 1982 – Michael Jackson – Thriller [Thriller] – 23,430,000
18. 1987 – U2 – With Or Without You [The Joshua Tree] – 23,430,000
19. 1981 – Queen & David Bowie – Under Pressure [Hot Space] – 22,640,000
20. 1975 – Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here [Wish You Were Here] – 22,260,000
21. 1980 – Queen – Another One Bites the Dust [The Game] – 22,170,000
22. 1970 – Santana – Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen [Abraxas] – 22,070,000
23. 1980 – AC/DC – Back in Black [Back in Black] – 21,680,000
24. 1978 – Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing [Dire Straits] – 20,880,000
25. 1991 – Bryan Adams – (Everything I Do) I Do It for You [Waking Up the Neighbours / Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves] – 20,820,000
26. 1971 – John Lennon – Imagine [Imagine] – 20,770,000
27. 1984 – Bryan Adams – Summer of ’69 [Reckless] – 20,670,000
28. 1996 – Spice Girls – Wannabe [Spice] – 20,670,000
29. 1987 – Whitney Houston – I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) [Whitney] – 19,630,000
30. 1976 – Fleetwood Mac – Go Your Own Way [Rumours] – 19,540,000
31. 1989 – Phil Collins – Another Day in Paradise […But Seriously] – 19,230,000
32. 1987 – Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine [Appetite for Destruction] – 19,070,000
33. 1968 – Simon & Garfunkel – Mrs. Robinson [Bookends] – 18,990,000
34. 1970 – Elton John – Your Song [Elton John] – 18,940,000
35. 1991 – Michael Jackson – Black or White [Dangerous] – 18,860,000
36. 1972 – Eagles – Take It Easy [Eagles] – 18,700,000
37. 1957 – Elvis Presley – Jailhouse Rock [Jailhouse Rock] – 18,700,000
38. 1980 – AC/DC – You Shook Me All Night Long [Back in Black] – 18,560,000
39. 1989 – Madonna – Like A Prayer [Like A Prayer] – 18,550,000
40. 1998 – Britney Spears – …Baby One More Time […Baby One More Time] – 18,370,000
41. 1999 – Backstreet Boys – I Want It That Way [Millennium] – 18,360,000
42. 1990 – Garth Brooks – Friends In Low Places [No Fences] – 18,260,000
43. 1979 – AC/DC – Highway to Hell [Highway to Hell] – 17,950,000
44. 1976 – Boston – More Than a Feeling [Boston] – 17,890,000
45. 1978 – John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John – You’re the One That I Want [Grease] – 17,680,000
46. 1991 – Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit [Nevermind] – 17,650,000
47. 1970 – Black Sabbath – Paranoid [Paranoid] – 17,330,000
48. 1957 – Elvis Presley – Blue Christmas [Elvis’ Christmas Album] – 17,310,000
49. 1975 – Aerosmith – Walk This Way [Toys in the Attic] – 17,270,000
50. 1983 – U2 – Sunday Bloody Sunday [War] – 16,800,000
51. 1979 – Pink Floyd – Another Brick in the Wall (Part II) [The Wall] – 16,700,000
52. 1977 – Queen – We Will Rock You [News of the World] – 16,650,000
53. 1988 – Tracy Chapman – Fast Car [Tracy Chapman] – 16,650,000
54. 1986 – Bon Jovi – You Give Love a Bad Name [Slippery When Wet] – 16,520,000
55. 1996 – Céline Dion – Because You Loved Me [Falling Into You] – 16,310,000
56. 1991 – Red Hot Chili Peppers – Under the Bridge [Blood Sugar Sex Magik] – 16,160,000
57. 1995 – Alanis Morissette – Ironic [Jagged Little Pill] – 16,060,000
58. 2002 – Eminem – Lose Yourself [8 Mile] – 15,900,000
59. 1963 – The Beatles – I Want to Hold Your Hand [Meet The Beatles!] – 15,750,000
60. 1983 – Van Halen – Jump [1984] – 15,670,000
61. 1978 – Queen – Don’t Stop Me Now [Jazz] – 15,660,000
62. 1977 – Bee Gees – How Deep Is Your Love [Saturday Night Fever] – 15,600,000
63. 1966 – The Rolling Stones – Paint It Black [Aftermath] – 15,590,000
64. 1984 – Prince and the Revolutions – Purple Rain [Purple Rain] – 15,570,000
65. 1970 – The Beatles – Let It Be [Let It Be] – 15,540,000
66. 1995 – No Doubt – Don’t Speak [Tragic Kingdom] – 15,490,000
67. 1978 – Bob Marley – Is This Love [Kaya] – 15,470,000
68. 1990 – AC/DC – Thunderstruck [The Razors Edge] – 15,460,000
69. 1994 – The Cranberries – Zombie [No Need to Argue] – 15,370,000
70. 1973 – Aerosmith – Dream On [Aerosmith] – 15,240,000
71. 1984 – Madonna – Like A Virgin [Like A Virgin] – 15,210,000
72. 1976 – Queen – Somebody to Love [A Day at Races] – 15,140,000
73. 1985 – Dire Straits – Money for Nothing [Brothers in Arms] – 15,080,000
74. 1973 – Billy Joel – Piano Man [Piano Man] – 15,020,000
75. 1972 – Elton John – Rocket Man (I Think It’s Going to Be a Long, Long Time) [Honky Château] – 14,970,000
76. 1995 – Oasis – Wonderwall [(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?] – 14,920,000
77. 1975 – ABBA – Mamma Mia [ABBA] – 14,890,000
78. 1998 – Cher – Believe [Believe] – 14,850,000
79. 1978 – Rod Stewart – Da Ya Think I’m Sexy? [Blondes Have More Fun] – 14,810,000
80. 1984 – Bruce Springsteen – Born in the U.S.A. [Born in the U.S.A.] – 14,800,000
81. 1969 – Led Zeppelin – Whole Lotta Love [Led Zeppelin II] – 14,790,000
82. 2000 – U2 – Beautiful Day [All That You Can’t Leave Behind] – 14,770,000
83. 1965 – The Rolling Stones – (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction [Out Of Our Heads] – 14,770,000
84. 1997 – Backstreet Boys – Everybody (Backstreet’s Back) [Backstreet’s Back] – 14,760,000
85. 1991 – U2 – One [Achtung Baby] – 14,750,000
86. 1991 – Metallica – Nothing Else Matters [Metallica] – 14,620,000
87. 1977 – Fleetwood Mac – Dreams [Rumours] – 14,580,000
88. 1991 – Metallica – Enter Sandman [Metallica] – 14,510,000
89. 1987 – Michael Jackson – Man in the Mirror [Bad] – 14,390,000
90. 1982 – Phil Collins – You Can’t Hurry Love [Hello, I Must Be Going!] – 14,310,000
91. 1974 – Barbra Streisand – The Way We Were [The Way We Were] – 14,230,000
92. 1994 – Mariah Carey – All I Want for Christmas Is You [Merry Christmas] – 14,190,000
93. 1986 – Madonna – La Isla Bonita [True Blue] – 14,160,000
94. 1967 – The Doors – Light My Fire [The Doors] – 14,150,000
95. 1973 – Pink Floyd – Money [The Dark Side of the Moon] – 14,130,000
96. 1993 – Mariah Carey – Hero [Music Box] – 14,130,000
97. 2000 – Britney Spears – Oops!… I Did It Again [Oops!… I Did It Again] – 14,090,000
98. 1991 – Nirvana – Come As You Are [Nevermind] – 14,070,000
99. 1965 – Bob Dylan – Like a Rolling Stone [Highway 61 Revisited] – 14,040,000
100. 1983 – Billy Joel – Uptown Girl [An Innocent Man] – 13,940,000
101. 2011 – Adele – Someone Like You [21] – 13,890,000
102. 1969 – Elvis Presley – Suspicious Minds [Orphan] – 13,880,000
103. 1981 – The Rolling Stones – Start Me Up [Tattoo You] – 13,690,000
104. 1979 – Michael Jackson – Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough [Off the Wall] – 13,630,000
105. 1991 – Guns N’ Roses – November Rain [Use Your Illusion I] – 13,580,000
106. 1970 – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Have You Ever Seen The Rain [Pendulum] – 13,560,000
107. 1984 – Bruce Springsteen – Dancing in the Dark [Born in the U.S.A.] – 13,530,000
108. 1980 – Barbra Streisand – Woman in Love [Guilty] – 13,440,000
109. 1987 – U2 – I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For [The Joshua Tree] – 13,420,000
110. 1997 – Shania Twain – Man! I Feel Like a Woman! [Come On Over] – 13,320,000
111. 1969 – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Fortunate Son [Willy And The Poor Boys] – 13,240,000
112. 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] – 13,140,000
113. 1984 – George Michael – Careless Whisper [Make It Big] – 13,110,000
114. 1993 – Céline Dion – The Power of Love [The Colour Of My Love] – 13,080,000
115. 1973 – Elton John – Bennie and the Jets [Goodbye Yellow Brick Road] – 13,020,000
116. 1965 – The Beatles – Yesterday [Help!] – 13,010,000
117. 1969 – The Beatles – Come Together [Abbey Road] – 13,000,000
118. 1984 – Queen – I Want to Break Free [The Works] – 12,960,000
119. 1994 – Green Day – Basket Case [Dookie] – 12,960,000
120. 1985 – Dire Straits – Walk of Life [Brothers in Arms] – 12,880,000
121. 1987 – Michael Jackson – Smooth Criminal [Bad] – 12,800,000
122. 2010 – Adele – Rolling In The Deep [21] – 12,780,000
123. 1971 – The Doors – Riders on the Storm [L.A. Woman] – 12,710,000
124. 1977 – Queen – We Are the Champions [News of the World] – 12,570,000
125. 1984 – Madonna – Material Girl [Like A Virgin] – 12,550,000
126. 1967 – The Doors – Break On Through (To the Other Side) [The Doors] – 12,460,000
127. 1972 – Stevie Wonder – Superstition [Talking Book] – 12,440,000
128. 1968 – The Rolling Stones – Sympathy For The Devil [Beggars Banquet] – 12,420,000
129. 1999 – Santana ft. Rob Thomas – Smooth [Supernatural] – 12,410,000
130. 1996 – Céline Dion – It’s All Coming Back to Me Now [Falling Into You] – 12,280,000
131. 1995 – Mariah Carey – Always Be My Baby [Daydream] – 12,220,000
132. 1968 – The Beatles – Hey Jude [Orphan] – 12,210,000
133. 1969 – Simon & Garfunkel – The Boxer [Bridge over Troubled Water] – 12,140,000
134. 1979 – Supertramp – The Logical Song [Breakfast in America] – 12,140,000
135. 1987 – Michael Jackson – The Way You Make Me Feel [Bad] – 12,100,000
136. 1969 – The Jackson 5 – I Want You Back [Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5] – 12,100,000
137. 2000 – Linkin Park – In The End [Hybrid Theory] – 12,040,000
138. 1987 – George Michael – Faith [Faith] – 11,890,000
139. 1976 – Barbra Streisand – Evergreen [A Star Is Born] – 11,890,000
140. 1978 – The Rolling Stones – Beast Of Burden [Some Girls] – 11,870,000
141. 1970 – Simon & Garfunkel – Bridge Over Troubled Water [Bridge over Troubled Water] – 11,800,000
142. 1990 – Madonna – Vogue [I’m Breathless] – 11,790,000
143. 1969 – The Beatles – Here Comes the Sun [Abbey Road] – 11,660,000
144. 1977 – Meat Loaf – Paradise by the Dashboard Light [Bat Out of Hell] – 11,600,000
145. 1989 – Garth Brooks – The Dance [Garth Brooks] – 11,580,000
146. 1992 – Whitney Houston – I Have Nothing [The Bodyguard] – 11,570,000
147. 1987 – Guns N’ Roses – Welcome to the Jungle [Appetite for Destruction] – 11,530,000
148. 1978 – The Police – Roxanne [Outlandos d’Amour] – 11,510,000
149. 1969 – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Bad Moon Rising [Green River] – 11,460,000
150. 1993 – Mariah Carey – Without You [Music Box] – 11,440,000
151. 1985 – Whitney Houston – How Will I Know [Whitney Houston] – 11,350,000
152. 1973 – Paul McCartney & Wings – Band on the Run [Band on the Run] – 11,320,000
153. 1987 – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes – (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life [Dirty Dancing] – 11,270,000
154. 1988 – Metallica – One […And Justice For All] – 11,210,000
155. 1999 – TLC – No Scrubs [FanMail] – 11,130,000
156. 1999 – Santana ft. The Product G&B – Maria Maria [Supernatural] – 11,120,000
157. 1975 – Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run [Born to Run] – 11,100,000
158. 2015 – Adele – Hello [25] – 11,090,000
159. 1962 – The Beatles – Love Me Do [Please Please Me] – 11,080,000
160. 2001 – Nickelback – How You Remind Me [Silver Side Up] – 11,080,000
161. 1987 – Guns N’ Roses – Paradise City [Appetite for Destruction] – 11,050,000
162. 1979 – The Police – Message in a Bottle [Reggatta de Blanc] – 11,020,000
163. 1984 – Sade – Smooth Operator [Diamond Life] – 11,020,000
164. 1987 – Sting – Englishman in New York […Nothing Like the Sun] – 10,990,000
165. 2000 – Bon Jovi – It’s My Life [Crush] – 10,990,000
166. 1972 – Neil Young – Heart of Gold [Harvest] – 10,950,000
167. 1987 – Fleetwood Mac – Everywhere [Tango In The Night] – 10,930,000
168. 1984 – Stevie Wonder – I Just Called to Say I Love You [The Woman in Red] – 10,810,000
169. 1973 – Eagles – Desperado [Desperado] – 10,760,000
170. 1973 – The Rolling Stones – Angie [Goats Head Soup] – 10,760,000
171. 1985 – Phil Collins – Sussudio [No Jacket Required] – 10,760,000
172. 1991 – Guns N’ Roses – Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door [Use Your Illusion II] – 10,740,000
173. 1979 – Pink Floyd – Comfortably Numb [The Wall] – 10,740,000
174. 1984 – Wham! – Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go [Make It Big] – 10,670,000
175. 1970 – Simon & Garfunkel – Cecilia [Bridge over Troubled Water] – 10,630,000
176. 1991 – Enya – Caribbean Blue [Shepherd Moons] – 10,590,000
177. 2000 – Eminem – The Real Slim Shady [The Marshall Mathers LP] – 10,500,000
178. 2008 – Coldplay – Viva La Vida [Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends] – 10,380,000
179. 1993 – Janet Jackson – That’s the Way Love Goes [Janet] – 10,360,000
180. 1997 – Shania Twain – You’re Still the One [Come On Over] – 10,320,000
181. 1956 – Elvis Presley – Hound Dog [Orphan] – 10,300,000
182. 1995 – Mariah Carey – Fantasy [Daydream] – 10,280,000
183. 1994 – TLC – Waterfalls [CrazySexyCool] – 10,210,000
184. 1999 – Destiny’s Child – Say My Name [The Writing’s on the Wall] – 10,200,000
185. 1981 – The Police – Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic [Ghost in the Machine] – 10,170,000
186. 2004 – James Blunt – You’re Beautiful [Back to Bedlam] – 10,170,000
187. 1997 – Robbie Williams – Angels [Life thru a Lens] – 10,160,000
188. 1970 – Santana – Oye Como Va [Abraxas] – 10,150,000
189. 1971 – Led Zeppelin – Black Dog [Led Zeppelin IV] – 10,130,000
190. 1975 – Elton John & Kiki Dee – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart [Rock of the Westies] – 10,100,000
191. 1986 – Paul Simon – You Can Call Me Al [Graceland] – 10,070,000
192. 1980 – Ozzy Osbourne – Crazy Train [Blizzard of Ozz] – 10,040,000
193. 1996 – Fugees – Killing Me Softly [The Score] – 9,980,000
194. 1995 – Michael Jackson – They Don’t Care About Us [HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I] – 9,940,000
195. 1993 – Aerosmith – Crazy [Get a Grip] – 9,940,000
196. 1963 – The Beatles – Twist and Shout [Please Please Me] – 9,890,000
197. 1964 – The Beatles – A Hard Day’s Night [A Hard Day’s Night] – 9,860,000
198. 1975 – Eagles – One Of These Nights [One Of These Nights] – 9,840,000
199. 1977 – Bee Gees – Night Fever [Saturday Night Fever] – 9,840,000
200. 1990 – Garth Brooks – The Thunder Rolls [No Fences] – 9,840,000
Hey chartmasters, June 26 marks the ariana grande’s 28th anniversary. She sets major records in the music industry and is one of the most successful female artist of all time.
In celebration of that can u please update her career sales and streaming total?
She might be in the future but dont think she is right now. In this list alone there are 24 women above her. And that doesnt include acts that havent been studied yet like Diana Ross, Olivia Newton John, Donna Summer, etc. Which would probably pass her too.
Hej. MJD did a comprehensive analysis of Bob Dylan’s sales 20/10.2016, week after Dylan won the Nobel literature prize, background work had probably been done over the years.
The Nobel is the prestigious award in the world. Dylan climbed in one fell swoop with Faulkner, Heminway, Steinbeck, into heavy weight series.
Dylan is said to have earned royalties up to $20 million per year, much from cover versions, Feel my love, Watchtower, Heavens door..
It would be nice to have an estimate of Dylan own current sales.
In “Discogs” Dylan is “most collected” artist before Beatles and David Bowie.
https://chartmasters.org/2016/10/cspc-bob-dylan-popularity-analysis/
Isn’t this his sales?
I don’t think it would’ve changed by a significant amount since 2016. Especially coz streams are automatically updated.
That gets $ 15-20 million royalties per year, needs to sell quite nicely. Dylan made biggest deal ever 12/2020, amount was 400 $ million only publishing rights. Premium-rate stuff. Hardly record company charity does.
“Update Bob Dylan” is better than “Update Ariana Grande”, that said I don’t see why he should be a priority over The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd…etc.
I think an update on legacy acts should be done when an artist’s total rises enough to ensure a rise of a couple of places (or just 1 in the top 10) on the all-time best sellers list or a significant rise for a huge album. That would allow Fleetwood Mac (Rumours!), AC/DC, Bob Marley or maybe Nirvana or Oasis to be updated sooner than Beatles, Floyd or Zep, although I would like to see them be updated as well
Let me tell you one thing. Led Zeppelin royalties 2011-2016 was 58,5 dollars to 12 million per year. That is 5 year. Dylan royalties was up to 20 million per year. Many of the bands you mentions are dead. Dylan “Rough ways” realisead last year and was number one in USA, UK, Germany.. really global success. Dylan still going strong.
I’m not denying this (haven’t said anything about Dylan), but in absolute numbers, he’s not increasing that much and doesn’t have really big albums to be updated, that’s all
So he had one album last year that sold, what, 300k ? Who cares, albums like Dark Side Of The Moon, Abbey Road or Rumours sell more than that every year, not to mention their massive streaming numbers.
And Led Zeppelin’s catalog is obviously much more popular than Dylan’s. Those “$58.5m in royalties” have to do with Stairway To Heaven, and as you said yourself Dylan’s royalties have a lot to do with covers (Adele, Hendrix, Guns N Roses…etc.).
Red Hot Chilly Peppers sold publishing rights to Hipgnosis Merck Mercuriadis, most hated man business (cause he pay more than others). Chilly Peppers royalties per year was 5-6 million dollars and normal factor is 5-20, but they got 23, and 23×6= 140 million dollars. And remember Led Zeppelin annual royalties is average 12 million dollars. I looked through the European album charts. +UK and Germany, France, Netherland, Italy, Spain Sweden almost every country. Led Zeppelin last entries end just in 2016. Zeppelin Oricon charts was very strong and records was big, expencive boxs. Oasis, almost nothing but Music Week’s UK… Read more »
ok
wayyy too wrong. Dark Horse sold less than Hot N Cold and I Kissed a Girl 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Adele with the best-selling single, even digitally, in 2017 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
https://chartmasters.org/2019/06/katy-perry-albums-and-songs-sales/
Actually no. Dark horse is bigger than hot n cold as per this website. Also Dark Horse is still growing faster than Hot N Cold and it will only move further and bigger than Hot N Cold. Plus, according to Youtube views. I Kissed A Girl total official video youtube views all 220 million while Hot N Cold are at 1 billion already. So if anybody is wrong here it is u.