Physical Singles Sales
As a reminder, the weighting is done with a 10 to 3 ratio between one album and one physical single.
Pies Descalzos (1995) – 4,000 equivalent albums
All Singles – 15,000
Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998) – 35,000 equivalent albums
Ojos Así – 110,000
Remaining Singles – 5,000
Laundry Service (2001) – 1,663,000 equivalent albums
Whenever, Wherever – 3,440,000
Underneath Your Clothes – 1,420,000
Objection (Tango) – 630,000
The One – 50,000
Remaining Singles – 2,000
Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 (2005) – 156,000 equivalent albums
La Tortura – 520,000
Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005) – 363,000 equivalent albums
Don’t Bother – 170,000
Hips Don’t Lie – 970,000
Illegal – 70,000
She Wolf (2009) – 39,000 equivalent albums
She Wolf – 100,000
Did It Again – 10,000
Gispy – 20,000
Sale el Sol (2010) – 27,000 equivalent albums
Loca – 80,000
Rabiosa – 10,000
Shakira. (2014) – 6,000 equivalent albums
Can’t Remember to Forget You – 10,000
Dare (La La La) – 10,000
Orphan Album – 243,000 equivalent albums
Beautiful Liar – 330,000
Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) – 420,000
Je L’Aime A Mourir – 50,000
Get It Started – 10,000
During the 90s, album sales were fairly healthy in Latin America but singles sales were almost non-existent. Most Shakira earlier singles only sold a few units. By the time Whenever, Wherever got issued, the North American market had collapsed too. This being said, she did wonders in Europe, selling almost 1 million units of that song in each France and Germany.
All together, Shakira sold close to 8,5 million physical singles. It surely doesn’t look that impressive. In reality, Whenever, Wherever is one of the very top selling post-2000 songs in this format. What’s more, Hips Don’t Lie is just as well placed among post-2005 songs. It isn’t all as very few songs released since 2010 can challenge Waka Waka in that field. Each of those three singles got historical sales in the format with their figures being limited only due to market constraints. Of course, when making those statements I’m not taking into account Japanese singles from artists like AKB48 which are very specific.
Are you able to update her sales? I want to see her super bowl’s performance impact on her sales!
But in 2012 Shakira said that Laundry Service has sold 20 millions https://www.facebook.com/5027904559/posts/10150830049184560/
Well, she should come visit us more often! 🙂
Accordinf to you, “Try Everything” had 1.08 million digital sales until 2018 but in 2019 the RIAA updated it to 2x Platinum and BPI gave it Silver (Total – 2,2 Million) taking into account that it was launched around the world the number grows even more, could you explain this to me MJD?
This is all fake because: •Billboard stated that Shakira had sold 10 million album units in Latin America *before 2001*, that Donde Estan Los Ladrones was close to 900k in the US in 2005, and that Laundry Service has sold 13 million copies worldwide until 2005. So the sales of Pies Descalzos and Donde Estan Los Ladrones are not real. https://books.google.it/books?id=4RQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA23&lpg=PA23&dq=billboard+shakira+13+million+laundry+service&source=bl&ots=IDKTkEOoY3&sig=ACfU3U1MvvoDV_p6DL95ZxNa3XRDnt8OSg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi3s8yuyMzqAhXIfZoKHeYRDooQ6AEwCXoECAQQAQ •Shakira herself in 2012 reported that Laundry Service has sold 20 million copies worldwide, so even the laundry service data is fake. https://m.facebook.com/5027904559/posts/10150830049184560/ •in 2007 BMI reported that Pies Descalzos had sold 5 million copies, and Oral Fixation 8… Read more »
The “10 million copies in Latin America only” is completely nonsense, in most Latin countries an artist get a platinum certification for sales between 3,000 and 150,000 and Laundry Service was not selling at millions in the biggest Latin markets as Brazil (it sold 150,000 there less than Pies Descalzos and Donde están…) and Mexico (it sold less than 500,000 there) where those millions came from?. Billboard can’t say nothing about sales, except those that came from United Stated, thanks to Nielsen Soundscan. The thing is for years there’s no way to know about artists sales, fans and record companies… Read more »
This data is the fakest thing I’ve ever read. She has sold more than that, as official sources have confirmed throughout the years. Do it again with more research, thanks.
Hi MJD, I really like your review, but are you sure the singles released before “Whenever” have no sales? Here are some examples.
Estoy Aqui (France CD Single).
Estoy Aqui (Colombia, The Remixes)
Estoy Aqui (Japan CD)
Un Poco De Amor (Vinyl)
Un Poco De Amor (CD, Japan)
Ciega, Sordomuda (Spain, Vinyl)
Ciega, Sordomuda (Spain, CD Remix)
No Creo (Spain, CD Remix)
Que Me Quedes Tu (Spain, CD Remix)
Te Dejo Madrid (Spain, CD Remix)
Las De La Intuición (Vynil, Pacha All Stars) [1] [2] [3] [4]
Give It Up To Me (CD Single)
Empire (Europe, CD Single)
Hi Debers! There are 3 distincts cases in the links you list. Firstly, the most recent singles, these ones do have a few sales. Back when we compiled Shakira’s article we weren’t using Discogs quite as much (and Discogs itself wasn’t quite as comprehensive) so for recent singles we often ignored them from physical singles’ sheets since more often than not they had no physical release. As for older singles, the ones showing ‘Remix’ on titles are most likely or promo or unofficial releases, there are thousands on Discogs that aren’t tagged as such so far. The ones that would… Read more »
MJD, I’ve heard several times over the years that Shakira has been a consistent seller in Near Eastern and Middle Eastern countries. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was popular in India because I know they’re fond of Latin music. What do we know of her actual sales in those areas ? I’m sorry if you already answered that question, I haven’t found any answer in the comments.
You can check the studies of the MENA and India by Al to check her streaming numbers there, but I don’t know if there’s any information on the site about her actual sales.
Her sales in India are very strong with Laundry Service at 160k and a career total likely past 300k. This makes her one of the very best selling international acts there. I’ve read some huge download claims for her as well
“Ciega Sordomuda” entered the Top 10 of Spain, remained on the chart for 2 weeks. Are you sure I can’t sell anything there?
https://books.google.cl/books?id=KwoEAAAAMBAJ&q=Shakira&redir_esc=y&hl=es-419#v=snippet&q=hits%20of%20the%20world&f=false
See this is problamatic. Example: In Colombia Pies Descalzos was certified Diamond Prism for 1M copies by ANSINCOL and that was in 1996. Source: https://books.google.co.za/books?id=sQkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA64&dq=shakira+billboard+million&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=shakira%20billboard%20million&f=false
Hi Peter!
This award keeps getting shared day in and day out for many, many years, but sadly most people don’t understand what it stands for. ANSINCOL certify sales of Colombian albums, which is something very different from sales in Colombia. They are closer to GAON than the RIAA. Pies Descalzos got this award for 1 million sales globally, not locally.
Not many people, but billboard wouldn’t report on it if they didn’t know what it stood for, right?
Well, if you read back the Colombian section of the page you link, they clearly give indicators of performance of the Colombian industry in Latin America, and they point out how some of their artists are “viable exporters”, and that it’s what ASINCOL is tracking. They aren’t looking at the local market.
Hey, Tere are some things wrong, for example, Shakira. was certified diamond in Colombia for selling 200k