Top song – Yearly #1s
This list is about the #1 most successful songs per release year (understand “which have generated the most sales”).
This list really is about the most relevant songs of each year. If you’ve been listening to the radio at some point, you won’t be too surprised by the number ones listed here!
Please keep in mind that some artists are missing, because their analysis has not been done yet. Here is the complete list of covered artists.
Top song – Equivalent album sales (EAS) – Yearly #1s
| Year | artist_spotify_id | rank | Single | Single | Artist | EAS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1939 | 1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0 | 2,105 | All or Nothing at All | All or Nothing at All | Frank Sinatra | 1,779,000 |
| 1940 | 1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0 | 1,364 | I'll Never Smile Again | I'll Never Smile Again | Frank Sinatra | 2,836,000 |
| 1941 | 1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0 | 4,948 | This Love of Mine | This Love of Mine | Frank Sinatra | 573,000 |
| 1942 | 1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0 | 2,539 | Night and Day | Night and Day | Frank Sinatra | 1,414,000 |
| 1943 | 1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0 | 4,198 | I Couldn't Sleep a Wink Last Night | I Couldn't Sleep a Wink Last Night | Frank Sinatra | 722,000 |
| 1944 | 1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0 | 1,905 | Saturday Night (Is the Loneliest Night of the Week) | Saturday Night (Is the Loneliest Night of the Week) | Frank Sinatra | 2,015,000 |
| 1945 | 1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0 | 2,645 | Put Your Dreams Away (For Another Day) | Put Your Dreams Away (For Another Day) | Frank Sinatra | 1,344,000 |
| 1946 | 1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0 | 1,986 | Jingle Bells | Jingle Bells | Frank Sinatra | 1,916,000 |
| 1947 | 1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0 | 1,809 | Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas | Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas | Frank Sinatra | 2,144,000 |
| 1948 | 1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0 | 1,888 | Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! | Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! | Frank Sinatra | 2,031,000 |
| 1949 | 1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0 | 9,856 | Some Enchanted Evening | Some Enchanted Evening | Frank Sinatra | 201,000 |
| 1950 | 1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0 | 3,552 | When You're Smiling | When You're Smiling | Frank Sinatra | 905,000 |
| 1951 | 1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0 | 585 | You Make Me Feel So Young | You Make Me Feel So Young | Frank Sinatra | 5,773,000 |
| 1952 | 1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0 | 5,386 | Why Try to Change Me Now? | Why Try to Change Me Now? | Frank Sinatra | 503,000 |
| 1953 | 1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0 | 1,347 | I Get a Kick Out of You | I Get a Kick Out of You | Frank Sinatra | 2,879,000 |
| 1954 | 43ZHCT0cAZBISjO8DG9PnE | 1,848 | That's All Right | That's All Right | Elvis Presley | 2,095,000 |
| 1955 | 1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0 | 1,602 | In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning | In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning | Frank Sinatra | 2,443,000 |
| 1956 | 1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0 | 196 | I've Got You Under My Skin | I've Got You Under My Skin | Frank Sinatra | 11,671,000 |
| 1957 | 43ZHCT0cAZBISjO8DG9PnE | 54 | Jailhouse Rock | Jailhouse Rock | Elvis Presley | 18,565,000 |
| 1958 | 1Mxqyy3pSjf8kZZL4QVxS0 | 1,832 | Angel Eyes | Angel Eyes | Frank Sinatra | 2,110,000 |
| 1959 | 43ZHCT0cAZBISjO8DG9PnE | 2,108 | A Big Hunk Of Love | A Big Hunk Of Love | Elvis Presley | 1,776,000 |
| 1960 | 43ZHCT0cAZBISjO8DG9PnE | 733 | It's Now Or Never | It's Now Or Never | Elvis Presley | 4,910,000 |
| 1961 | 43ZHCT0cAZBISjO8DG9PnE | 12 | Can't Help Falling in Love | Can't Help Falling in Love | Elvis Presley | 28,904,000 |
| 1962 | 3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2 | 265 | Love Me Do | Love Me Do | The Beatles | 9,904,000 |
| 1963 | 3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2 | 58 | I Want to Hold Your Hand | I Want to Hold Your Hand | The Beatles | 18,027,000 |
| 1964 | 70cRZdQywnSFp9pnc2WTCE | 10 | The Sound of Silence | The Sound of Silence | Simon & Garfunkel | 29,941,000 |
| 1965 | 3WrFJ7ztbogyGnTHbHJFl2 | 33 | Yesterday | Yesterday | The Beatles | 22,146,000 |
| 1966 | 22bE4uQ6baNwSHPVcDxLCe | 76 | Paint It Black | Paint It Black | The Rolling Stones | 16,804,000 |
| 1967 | 74oJ4qxwOZvX6oSsu1DGnw | 102 | Sunshine of Your Love | Sunshine of Your Love | Cream | 15,590,000 |
| 1968 | 70cRZdQywnSFp9pnc2WTCE | 47 | Mrs. Robinson | Mrs. Robinson | Simon & Garfunkel | 19,592,000 |
| 1969 | 7mEIug7XUlQHikrFxjTWes | 7 | Sweet Caroline | Sweet Caroline | Neil Diamond | 34,935,000 |
| 1970 | 6PAt558ZEZl0DmdXlnjMgD | 4 | Layla | Layla | Derek and the Dominos | 37,431,000 |
| 1971 | 36QJpDe2go2KgaRleHCDTp | 14 | Stairway To Heaven | Stairway To Heaven | Led Zeppelin | 27,353,000 |
| 1972 | 568ZhdwyaiCyOGJRtNYhWf | 25 | Smoke on the Water | Smoke on the Water | Deep Purple | 23,968,000 |
| 1973 | 7Ey4PD4MYsKc5I2dolUwbH | 78 | Dream On | Dream On | Aerosmith | 16,712,000 |
| 1974 | 7jmTilWYlKOuavFfmQAcu6 | 132 | The Way We Were | The Way We Were | Barbra Streisand | 14,366,000 |
| 1975 | 1dfeR4HaWDbWqFHLkxsg1d | 8 | Bohemian Rhapsody | Bohemian Rhapsody | Queen | 34,632,000 |
| 1976 | 0ECwFtbIWEVNwjlrfc6xoL | 2 | Hotel California | Hotel California | Eagles | 53,810,000 |
| 1977 | 1LZEQNv7sE11VDY3SdxQeN | 9 | Stayin' Alive | Stayin' Alive | Bee Gees | 33,702,000 |
| 1978 | 0WwSkZ7LtFUFjGjMZBMt6T | 30 | Sultans of Swing | Sultans of Swing | Dire Straits | 22,402,000 |
| 1979 | 711MCceyCBcFnzjGY4Q7Un | 40 | Highway to Hell | Highway to Hell | AC/DC | 20,097,000 |
| 1980 | 1dfeR4HaWDbWqFHLkxsg1d | 24 | Another One Bites the Dust | Another One Bites the Dust | Queen | 24,071,000 |
| 1981 | 0rvjqX7ttXeg3mTy8Xscbt | 11 | Don't Stop Believin' | Don't Stop Believin' | Journey | 29,088,000 |
| 1982 | 3fMbdgg4jU18AjLCKBhRSm | 3 | Billie Jean | Billie Jean | Michael Jackson | 43,909,000 |
| 1983 | 5NGO30tJxFlKixkPSgXcFE | 5 | Every Breath You Take | Every Breath You Take | The Police | 35,082,000 |
| 1984 | 1zuJe6b1roixEKMOtyrEak | 21 | What's Love Got to Do with It | What's Love Got to Do with It | Tina Turner | 24,674,000 |
| 1985 | 0Ty63ceoRnnJKVEYP0VQpk | 100 | Money for Nothing | Money for Nothing | Dire Straits | 15,622,000 |
| 1986 | 58lV9VcRSjABbAbfWS6skp | 18 | Livin' on a Prayer | Livin' on a Prayer | Bon Jovi | 25,271,000 |
| 1987 | 51Blml2LZPmy7TTiAg47vQ | 20 | With Or Without You | With Or Without You | U2 | 24,677,000 |
| 1988 | 7oPgCQqMMXEXrNau5vxYZP | 68 | Fast Car | Fast Car | Tracy Chapman | 17,611,000 |
| 1989 | 4lxfqrEsLX6N1N4OCSkILp | 41 | Another Day in Paradise | Another Day in Paradise | Phil Collins | 20,039,000 |
| 1990 | 4BclNkZtAUq1YrYNzye3N7 | 56 | Friends In Low Places | Friends In Low Places | Garth Brooks | 18,261,000 |
| 1991 | 0LyfQWJT6nXafLPZqxe9Of | 36 | (Everything I Do) I Do It for You | (Everything I Do) I Do It for You | Bryan Adams | 21,590,000 |
| 1992 | 6XpaIBNiVzIetEPCWDvAFP | 6 | I Will Always Love You | I Will Always Love You | Whitney Houston | 35,004,000 |
| 1993 | 4iHNK0tOyZPYnBU7nGAgpQ | 103 | Hero | Hero | Mariah Carey | 15,575,000 |
| 1994 | 4iHNK0tOyZPYnBU7nGAgpQ | 46 | All I Want for Christmas Is You | All I Want for Christmas Is You | Mariah Carey | 19,756,000 |
| 1995 | 2DaxqgrOhkeH0fpeiQq2f4 | 70 | Wonderwall | Wonderwall | Oasis | 17,399,000 |
| 1996 | 0uq5PttqEjj3IH1bzwcrXF | 34 | Wannabe | Wannabe | Spice Girls | 22,059,000 |
| 1997 | 0LyfQWJT6nXafLPZqxe9Of | 1 | My Heart Will Go On | My Heart Will Go On | Celine Dion | 63,734,000 |
| 1998 | 26dSoYclwsYLMAKD3tpOr4 | 49 | ...Baby One More Time | ...Baby One More Time | Britney Spears | 19,465,000 |
| 1999 | 5rSXSAkZ67PYJSvpUpkOr7 | 44 | I Want It That Way | I Want It That Way | Backstreet Boys | 19,896,000 |
| 2000 | 51Blml2LZPmy7TTiAg47vQ | 107 | Beautiful Day | Beautiful Day | U2 | 15,379,000 |
| 2001 | 6deZN1bslXzeGvOLaLMOIF | 165 | How You Remind Me | How You Remind Me | Nickelback | 12,545,000 |
| 2002 | 7dGJo4pcD2V6oG8kP0tJRR | 63 | Lose Yourself | Lose Yourself | Eminem | 17,848,000 |
| 2003 | 6vWDO969PvNqNYHIOW5v0m | 219 | Crazy in Love | Crazy in Love | Beyonce ft. Jay-Z | 10,976,000 |
| 2004 | 7KMqksf0UMdyA0UCf4R3ux | 218 | You're Beautiful | You're Beautiful | James Blunt | 11,000,000 |
| 2005 | 4gzpq5DPGxSnKTe4SA8HAU | 233 | Fix You | Fix You | Coldplay | 10,561,000 |
| 2006 | 31TPClRtHm23RisEBtV3X7 | 508 | SexyBack | SexyBack | Justin Timberlake ft. Timbaland | 6,372,000 |
| 2007 | 5pKCCKE2ajJHZ9KAiaK11H | 431 | Umbrella | Umbrella | Rihanna ft. Jay-Z | 7,312,000 |
| 2008 | 4gzpq5DPGxSnKTe4SA8HAU | 178 | Viva La Vida | Viva La Vida | Coldplay | 12,100,000 |
| 2009 | 1HY2Jd0NmPuamShAr6KMms | 337 | Bad Romance | Bad Romance | Lady Gaga | 8,615,000 |
| 2010 | 4dpARuHxo51G3z768sgnrY | 108 | Rolling In The Deep | Rolling In The Deep | Adele | 15,366,000 |
| 2011 | 4dpARuHxo51G3z768sgnrY | 72 | Someone Like You | Someone Like You | Adele | 17,250,000 |
| 2012 | 53XhwfbYqKCa1cC15pYq2q | 470 | Radioactive | Radioactive | Imagine Dragons | 6,859,000 |
| 2013 | 0LyfQWJT6nXafLPZqxe9Of | 241 | Let It Go | Let It Go | Various Artists | 10,340,000 |
| 2014 | 06HL4z0CvFAxyc27GXpf02 | 303 | Blank Space | Blank Space | Taylor Swift | 9,200,000 |
| 2015 | 4dpARuHxo51G3z768sgnrY | 186 | Hello | Hello | Adele | 11,937,000 |
| 2016 | 1Xyo4u8uXC1ZmMpatF05PJ | 507 | Starboy | Starboy | The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk | 6,385,000 |
| 2017 | 6eUKZXaKkcviH0Ku9w2n3V | 200 | Shape of You | Shape of You | Ed Sheeran | 11,544,000 |
| 2018 | 246dkjvS1zLTtiykXe5h60 | 578 | Sunflower | Sunflower | Post Malone & Swae Lee | 5,819,000 |
| 2019 | 3Nrfpe0tUJi4K4DXYWgMUX | 494 | Boy with Luv | Boy with Luv | BTS ft. Halsey | 6,549,000 |
| 2020 | 3Nrfpe0tUJi4K4DXYWgMUX | 361 | Dynamite | Dynamite | BTS | 8,240,000 |
| 2021 | 4dpARuHxo51G3z768sgnrY | 826 | Easy on Me | Easy on Me | Adele | 4,456,000 |
| 2022 | 06HL4z0CvFAxyc27GXpf02 | 1,109 | Anti-Hero | Anti-Hero | Taylor Swift | 3,415,000 |
| 2023 | 7nqOGRxlXj7N2JYbgNEjYH | 744 | Super | Super | Seventeen | 4,848,000 |
| 2024 | 7nqOGRxlXj7N2JYbgNEjYH | 1,845 | Love, Money, Fame | Love, Money, Fame | Seventeen | 2,099,000 |
| 2025 | 2YZyLoL8N0Wb9xBt1NhZWg | 12,840 | 30 for 30 | 30 for 30 | Kendrick Lamar & SZA | 126,000 |
| Year | Single | Artist |
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Artists
SPS – Best-selling artists ever | by decade | by period | by discography strength
Tools: Artist dashboard | Compare artists
Sales – Albums | Physical singles | Digital singles
Streams – Most streamed on Spotify | all audio DSPs
Tools: Playcounts | Royalties | Global reach | Stats history
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Albums
SPS – Top albums | #1 each year
Sales – Best-selling albums
Streams – Most streamed | Top debuts
Songs
SPS – Top songs | #1 each year
Sales – Physical | Digital
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