UK's 123 MILLION SELLERS

To mark the 60th anniversary of the Official Singles Chart next week, the Official Charts Company are publishing a hardback book – The Million Sellers.  To celebrate its launch, today we unveil the complete list of the UK’s best selling singles ever. And yes, there may be some Whigfield in there!

2012 looks set to be the biggest ever year for singles sales in the UK, however it still takes something special for a record to join the hallowed ‘Million Sellers Club’. Since the Official Singles Chart began in 1952, an estimated 32,000 tracks have entered the chart, though only 123 of them have ever broken through the million copies sales barrier. And here for the first time we reveal them, and show how this decade we are entering a new era of the super hit. 

The Million Sellers

	TITLE	ARTIST	YEAR OF RELEASE	SALES (MILLION)
1	SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT/CANDLE IN THE WIND 97	ELTON JOHN	1997	4.90
2	DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS?	BAND AID	1984	3.69
3	BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY	QUEEN	1975	2.36
4	MULL OF KINTYRE/GIRLS' SCHOOL	WINGS	1977	2.00
5	YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT	JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN	1978	2.00
6	RIVERS OF BABYLON/BROWN GIRL IN THE RING	BONEY M	1978	2.00
7	RELAX	FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD	1983	2.00
8	SHE LOVES YOU	THE BEATLES	1963	1.90
9	UNCHAINED MELODY/(THERE'LL BE BLUEBIRDS OVER) THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER	ROBSON GREEN & JEROME FLYNN	1995	1.86
10	LOVE IS ALL AROUND	WET WET WET	1994	1.85
11	MARY'S BOY CHILD/OH MY LORD	BONEY M	1978	1.85
12	I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU	STEVIE WONDER	1984	1.83
13	BARBIE GIRL	AQUA	1997	1.79
14	ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE/EVERGREEN	WILL YOUNG	2002	1.79
15	I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND	THE BEATLES	1963	1.77
16	BELIEVE	CHER	1998	1.74
17	(EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU	BRYAN ADAMS	1991	1.72
18	LAST CHRISTMAS/EVERYTHING SHE WANTS	WHAM!	1984	1.60
19	IMAGINE	JOHN LENNON	1975	1.60
20	SUMMER NIGHTS	JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN	1978	1.59
21	TWO TRIBES	FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD	1984	1.58
22	I'LL BE MISSING YOU	PUFF DADDY & FAITH EVANS	1997	1.56
23	PERFECT DAY	VARIOUS ARTISTS	1997	1.55
24	DON'T YOU WANT ME?	HUMAN LEAGUE	1981	1.54
25	CAN'T BUY ME LOVE	THE BEATLES	1964	1.53
26	I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU	WHITNEY HOUSTON	1992	1.53
27	THREE LIONS	BADDIEL & SKINNER & LIGHTNING SEEDS	1996	1.53
28	TEARS	KEN DODD	1965	1.52
29	...BABY ONE MORE TIME	BRITNEY SPEARS	1999	1.51
30	MY HEART WILL GO ON	CELINE DION	1998	1.48
31	KARMA CHAMELEON	CULTURE CLUB	1983	1.47
32	YMCA	VILLAGE PEOPLE	1978	1.46
33	CARELESS WHISPER	GEORGE MICHAEL	1984	1.45
34	(WE'RE GONNA) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK	BILL HALEY & HIS COMETS	1955	1.42
35	I FEEL FINE	THE BEATLES	1964	1.41
36	THE CARNIVAL IS OVER	THE SEEKERS	1965	1.41
37	GANGSTA'S PARADISE	COOLIO FEATURING L.V.	1995	1.41
38	EYE OF THE TIGER	SURVIVOR	1982	1.41
39	THE POWER OF LOVE	JENNIFER RUSH	1985	1.39
40	WE CAN WORK IT OUT/DAY TRIPPER	THE BEATLES	1964	1.39
41	RELEASE ME	ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK	1967	1.38
42	SOMEONE LIKE YOU	ADELE	2011	1.36
43	KILLING ME SOFTLY	FUGEES	1996	1.36
44	UNCHAINED MELODY	GARETH GATES	2002	1.34
45	WANNABE	SPICE GIRLS	1996	1.32
46	(IS THIS THE WAY TO) AMARILLO	TONY CHRISTIE FT PETER KAY	2005	1.31
47	NEVER EVER	ALL SAINTS	1997	1.31
48	COME ON EILEEN	DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS	1982	1.31
49	THINK TWICE	CELINE DION	1994	1.30
50	I GOTTA FEELING	BLACK EYED PEAS	2009	1.30
51	IT WASN'T ME	SHAGGY FEATURING RIKROK	2001	1.28
52	TAINTED LOVE	SOFT CELL	1981	1.27
53	HEART OF GLASS	BLONDIE	1979	1.27
54	MOVES LIKE JAGGER	MAROON 5 FEATURING CHRISTINA AGUILERA	2011	1.27
55	WONDERWALL	OASIS	1995	1.26
56	IT'S NOW OR NEVER	ELVIS PRESLEY	1960	1.26
57	DIANA	PAUL ANKA	1957	1.25
58	IT'S LIKE THAT	RUN-D.M.C. VS JASON NEVINS	1997	1.25
59	HALLELUJAH	ALEXANDRA BURKE	2008	1.24
60	GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF HOME	TOM JONES	1966	1.23
61	SEX ON FIRE	KINGS OF LEON	2008	1.20
62	BRIGHT EYES	ART GARFUNKEL	1979	1.20
63	MERRY XMAS EVERYBODY	SLADE	1973	1.19
64	HEARTBEAT/TRAGEDY	STEPS	1998	1.18
65	MARY'S BOY CHILD	HARRY BELAFONTE	1957	1.18
66	THE LAST WALTZ	ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK	1967	1.17
67	EARTH SONG	MICHAEL JACKSON	1995	1.16
68	DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS?	BAND AID 20	2004	1.16
69	BLUE MONDAY	NEW ORDER	1983	1.16
70	STRANGER ON THE SHORE	MR ACKER BILK AND HIS PARAMOUNT JAZZ BAND	1961	1.16
71	DON'T GIVE UP ON US	DAVID SOUL	1976	1.16
72	CAN'T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD	KYLIE MINOGUE	2001	1.15
73	I LOVE YOU LOVE ME LOVE	GARY GLITTER	1973	1.14
74	SPACEMAN	BABYLON ZOO	1996	1.14
75	SATURDAY NIGHT	WHIGFIELD	1994	1.14
76	WE FOUND LOVE	RIHANNA FEATURING CALVIN HARRIS	2011	1.13
77	NO MATTER WHAT	BOYZONE	1998	1.13
78	JUST THE WAY YOU ARE (AMAZING)	BRUNO MARS	2010	1.12
79	PARTY ROCK ANTHEM	LMFAO FEATURING LAUREN BENNETT AND GOONROCK	2011	1.12
80	I BELIEVE/UP ON THE ROOF	ROBSON & JEROME	1995	1.11
81	ANGELS	ROBBIE WILLIAMS	1997	1.11
82	HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK	IAN DURY AND THE BLOCKHEADS	1978	1.11
83	TELETUBBIES SAY "EH-OH!"	TELETUBBIES	1997	1.11
84	2 BECOME 1	SPICE GIRLS	1996	1.11
85	TORN	NATALIE IMBRUGLIA	1997	1.11
86	POKER FACE	LADY GAGA	2009	1.11
87	I REMEMBER YOU	FRANK IFIELD	1962	1.10
88	THAT'S MY GOAL	SHAYNE WARD	2005	1.10
89	GHOSTBUSTERS	RAY PARKER JR.	1984	1.09
90	PURE AND SIMPLE	HEAR'SAY	2001	1.09
91	ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (PART 2)	PINK FLOYD	1979	1.08
92	BACK FOR GOOD	TAKE THAT	1995	1.07
93	BLUE (DA BA DEE)	EIFFEL 65	1999	1.07
94	PRICE TAG	JESSIE J FEATURING B.O.B	2011	1.07
95	HEY JUDE	THE BEATLES	1968	1.06
96	THE YOUNG ONES	CLIFF RICHARD & THE SHADOWS	1962	1.06
97	SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW	GOTYE FEATURING KIMBRA	2011	1.06
98	DANCING QUEEN	ABBA	1976	1.06
99	I FEEL LOVE	DONNA SUMMER	1977	1.05
100	LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE	EMINEM FEATURING RIHANNA	2010	1.05
101	FAME	IRENE CARA	1982	1.05
102	RIDE ON TIME	BLACK BOX	1989	1.05
103	ONLY GIRL (IN THE WORLD)	RIHANNA	2010	1.04
104	UNCHAINED MELODY	THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS	1965	1.04
105	BLEEDING LOVE	LEONA LEWIS	2007	1.04
106	CRAZY	GNARLS BARKLEY	2006	1.04
107	STAND & DELIVER	ADAM AND THE ANTS	1981	1.03
108	I DON'T WANT TO MISS A THING	AEROSMITH	1998	1.03
109	CAN WE FIX IT?	BOB THE BUILDER	2000	1.02
110	UPTOWN GIRL	BILLY JOEL	1983	1.02
111	I WILL SURVIVE	GLORIA GAYNOR	1979	1.02
112	SAILING	ROD STEWART	1975	1.02
113	SUGAR SUGAR	THE ARCHIES	1969	1.02
114	SAVE YOUR KISSES FOR ME	BROTHERHOOD OF MAN	1976	1.01
115	I'D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING	THE NEW SEEKERS	1971	1.01
116	WHITE CHRISTMAS	BING CROSBY WITH THE KEN DARBY SINGERS AND JOHN SCOTT TROTTER ORCHESTRA	1942	1.01
117	DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA	JULIE COVINGTON	1976	1.01
118	THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT	TIGHT FIT	1982	1.01
119	EYE LEVEL	THE SIMON PARK ORCHESTRA	1972	1.01
120	LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL	LITTLE JIMMY OSMOND	1972	1.00
121	UNDER THE MOON OF LOVE	SHOWADDYWADDY	1976	1.00
122	TIE A YELLOW RIBBON ROUND THE OLE OAK TREE	DAWN FEATURING TONY ORLANDO	1973	1.00
123	WHEN WE COLLIDE	MATT CARDLE	2010	1.00

© 2012 The Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

Sir Elton John’s double A-Side Something About The Way You Look Tonight/Candle In The Wind ’97 tops the chart with sales of over 4.9 million copies. The single was released in September 1997 to pay tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales who had been killed in a car accident the previous month. It sold 658,000 copies on its first day on sale, and 1.5 million copies during its first week on sale, making it the UK’s biggest and fastest selling single ever.

The new era of the super hit!

When the Official Singles Chart celebrated its 50th birthday back in 2002, only 76 singles had registered on the million-selling record books. Today, that number is 123. That’s a disproportionately huge 62% increase in just one decade.  It is clear from The Million Sellers book that the ‘70s was an era of the monster single producing 27 million-sellers – until the ‘90s, when 32 tracks reached the million mark. 

Right now, however, the current decade is on course to surpass both the ‘70s and ‘90s , with 10­­ more singles passing that significant landmark in less than three years. Artists such as the unstoppable Rihanna having racked up 3 million-sellers to her name by the age of 24, plus the mighty Adele, Jessie J, Calvin Harris and Gotye – all of whom between them are creating a new era of the super-hit.