Katy Perry’s Roar hits one million UK sales
“You held me down, but I got up,” Katy Perry declares on Roar; the ultimate pick-me-up anthem that took over the world when it was released back in the summer of 2013.
And with a track that will no doubt be a highlight during her Super Bowl Half Time show this weekend, Official Charts can exclusively reveal that the song has joined an elite club of singles to have reached one million sales in the UK.
Above: The official Roar single artwork
Serving as the lead single from her third major label album Prism, the anticipation for Roar was sky-high when it was unveiled in August 2013. Not only was it her first new track after the phenomenal success of her Teenage Dream album (which racked up seven UK Top 10s including two Number 1s), but following the break-up of her marriage to Russell Brand, expectations were for something more mature than the squirty cream boobs of California Gurls and youthful innocence of Teenage Dream.
Fortunately, Katy more than delivered. The track was a near-perfect balance of undeniable power-pop hooks and inspiriting lyrics that suggested she had grown up and moved on. Her blue wig had been burned (literally) and she became Queen of the jungle.
Released in the UK on September 7, Roar soared straight to the top of Official Singles Chart selling 179,500 copies, knocking Ellie Goulding's Burn off pole position. The track logged two weeks at Number 1 (fighting off competition from OneRepublic's million-seller Counting Stars in its second week) and marked her fourth UK Number 1 after I Kissed A Girl, California Gurls and Part of Me.
The song also went on to become the sixth biggest selling single of that year and saw her global domination continue, topping the charts in 16 countries.
Above: Katy Perry's vintage movie poster to promote the Roar music video
Less than a year and a half after its release, Roar has sold 1.02 million copies and officially becomes the 157th single is British chart history to achieve one million sales.
Roar also marks Katy’s second million-seller after 2010’s Firework, which peaked at Number 3 on the chart and reached the sales landmark last year. Check out the full list of million-selling singles below.
YEAR OF RELEASE | TITLE | ARTIST |
2014 | ALL OF ME | JOHN LEGEND |
2014 | RATHER BE | CLEAN BANDIT |
2013 | COUNTING STARS | ONEREPUBLIC |
2013 | ROAR | KATY PERRY |
2013 | LA LA LA | NAUGHTY BOY FT SAM SMITH |
2013 | HAPPY | PHARRELL WILLIAMS |
2013 | BLURRED LINES | ROBIN THICKE FT TI & PHARRELL |
2013 | GET LUCKY | DAFT PUNK FT PHARRELL WILLIAMS & NILE RODGERS |
2013 | WAKE ME UP | AVICII |
2012 | DIAMONDS | RIHANNA |
2012 | LET HER GO | PASSENGER |
2012 | CALL ME MAYBE | CARLY RAE JEPSEN |
2012 | GANGNAM STYLE | PSY |
2012 | IMPOSSIBLE | JAMES ARTHUR |
2011 | MOVES LIKE JAGGER | MAROON 5 FT CHRISTINA AGUILERA |
2011 | PARTY ROCK ANTHEM | LMFAO FT LAUREN BENNETT AND GOONROCK |
2011 | GIVE ME EVERYTHING | PITBULL FT NE-YO, AFROJACK, NAYER |
2011 | PRICE TAG | JESSIE J FT B.O.B |
2011 | SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW | GOTYE FT KIMBRA |
2011 | SOMEONE LIKE YOU | ADELE |
2011 | THE A TEAM | ED SHEERAN |
2011 | TITANIUM | DAVID GUETTA FT SIA |
2011 | WE ARE YOUNG | FUN FT JANELLE MONAE |
2011 | WE FOUND LOVE | RIHANNA FT CALVIN HARRIS |
2010 | JUST THE WAY YOU ARE (AMAZING) | BRUNO MARS |
2010 | ROLLING IN THE DEEP | ADELE |
2010 | LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE | EMINEM FT RIHANNA |
2010 | FIREWORK | KATY PERRY |
2010 | ONLY GIRL (IN THE WORLD) | RIHANNA |
2010 | WHEN WE COLLIDE | MATT CARDLE |
2009 | BAD ROMANCE | LADY GAGA |
2009 | FIGHT FOR THIS LOVE | CHERYL COLE |
2009 | I GOTTA FEELING | BLACK EYED PEAS |
2009 | POKER FACE | LADY GAGA |
2008 | HALLELUJAH | ALEXANDRA BURKE |
2008 | SEX ON FIRE | KINGS OF LEON |
2008 | USE SOMEBODY | KINGS OF LEON |
2007 | BLEEDING LOVE | LEONA LEWIS |
2007 | RULE THE WORLD | TAKE THAT |
2006 | CHASING CARS | SNOW PATROL |
2006 | CRAZY | GNARLS BARKLEY |
2005 | (IS THIS THE WAY TO) AMARILLO | TONY CHRISTIE FT PETER KAY |
2005 | THAT'S MY GOAL | SHAYNE WARD |
2004 | DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS? | BAND AID 20 |
2002 | ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE/EVERGREEN | WILL YOUNG |
2002 | UNCHAINED MELODY | GARETH GATES |
2001 | CAN'T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD | KYLIE MINOGUE |
2001 | IT WASN'T ME | SHAGGY FT RIKROK |
2001 | PURE AND SIMPLE | HEAR'SAY |
2001 | WHOLE AGAIN | ATOMIC KITTEN |
2000 | CAN WE FIX IT? | BOB THE BUILDER |
1999 | ...BABY ONE MORE TIME | BRITNEY SPEARS |
1999 | MAMBO NO.5 (A LITTLE BIT OF…) | LOU BEGA |
1999 | BLUE (DA BA DEE) | EIFFEL 65 |
1998 | HEARTBEAT/TRAGEDY | STEPS |
1998 | BELIEVE | CHER |
1998 | I DON'T WANT TO MISS A THING | AEROSMITH |
1998 | MY HEART WILL GO ON | CELINE DION |
1998 | NO MATTER WHAT | BOYZONE |
1997 | ANGELS | ROBBIE WILLIAMS |
1997 | BARBIE GIRL | AQUA |
1997 | I'LL BE MISSING YOU | PUFF DADDY & FAITH EVANS |
1997 | IT'S LIKE THAT | RUN-DMC VS JASON NEVINS |
1997 | NEVER EVER | ALL SAINTS |
1997 | PERFECT DAY | VARIOUS ARTISTS |
1997 | SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT / CANDLE IN THE WIND '97 | ELTON JOHN |
1997 | TELETUBBIES SAY "EH-OH!" | TELETUBBIES |
1997 | TORN | NATALIE IMBRUGLIA |
1996 | 2 BECOME 1 | SPICE GIRLS |
1996 | KILLING ME SOFTLY | FUGEES |
1996 | SPACEMAN | BABYLON ZOO |
1996 | THREE LIONS | BADDIEL & SKINNER & LIGHTNING SEEDS |
1996 | WANNABE | SPICE GIRLS |
1995 | BACK FOR GOOD | TAKE THAT |
1995 | EARTH SONG | MICHAEL JACKSON |
1995 | GANGSTA'S PARADISE | COOLIO FT LV |
1995 | I BELIEVE/UP ON THE ROOF | ROBSON & JEROME |
1995 | MYSTERIOUS GIRL | PETER ANDRE FT BUBBLER RANX |
1995 | UNCHAINED MELODY/(THERE'LL BE BLUEBIRDS OVER) THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER | ROBSON GREEN & JEROME FLYNN |
1995 | WONDERWALL | OASIS |
1994 | ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU | MARIAH CAREY |
1994 | LOVE IS ALL AROUND | WET WET WET |
1994 | SATURDAY NIGHT | WHIGFIELD |
1994 | THINK TWICE | CELINE DION |
1992 | I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU | WHITNEY HOUSTON |
1991 | (EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU | BRYAN ADAMS |
1989 | RIDE ON TIME | BLACK BOX |
1988 | ESPECIALLY FOR YOU | KYLIE MINOGUE & JASON DONOVAN |
1987 | FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK | POGUES FT KIRSTY MACCOLL |
1985 | THE POWER OF LOVE | JENNIFER RUSH |
1984 | CARELESS WHISPER | GEORGE MICHAEL |
1984 | DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS? | BAND AID |
1984 | GHOSTBUSTERS | RAY PARKER JR. |
1984 | I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU | STEVIE WONDER |
1984 | LAST CHRISTMAS/EVERYTHING SHE WANTS | WHAM! |
1984 | TWO TRIBES | FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD |
1983 | BLUE MONDAY | NEW ORDER |
1983 | KARMA CHAMELEON | CULTURE CLUB |
1983 | RELAX | FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD |
1983 | RED RED WINE | UB40 |
1983 | UPTOWN GIRL | BILLY JOEL |
1982 | COME ON EILEEN | DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS |
1982 | EYE OF THE TIGER | SURVIVOR |
1982 | FAME | IRENE CARA |
1982 | THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT | TIGHT FIT |
1981 | DON'T STOP BELIEVIN' | JOURNEY |
1981 | DON'T YOU WANT ME? | HUMAN LEAGUE |
1981 | STAND & DELIVER | ADAM AND THE ANTS |
1981 | TAINTED LOVE | SOFT CELL |
1979 | ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (PART 2) | PINK FLOYD |
1979 | BRIGHT EYES | ART GARFUNKEL |
1979 | HEART OF GLASS | BLONDIE |
1979 | I WILL SURVIVE | GLORIA GAYNOR |
1978 | HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK | IAN DURY AND THE BLOCKHEADS |
1978 | MARY'S BOY CHILD/OH MY LORD | BONEY M |
1978 | RIVERS OF BABYLON/BROWN GIRL IN THE RING | BONEY M |
1978 | SUMMER NIGHTS | JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN |
1978 | YMCA | VILLAGE PEOPLE |
1978 | YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT | JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN |
1977 | I FEEL LOVE | DONNA SUMMER |
1977 | MULL OF KINTYRE/GIRLS' SCHOOL | WINGS |
1976 | DANCING QUEEN | ABBA |
1976 | DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA | JULIE COVINGTON |
1976 | DON'T GIVE UP ON US | DAVID SOUL |
1976 | DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART | ELTON JOHN & KIKI DEE |
1976 | SAVE YOUR KISSES FOR ME | BROTHERHOOD OF MAN |
1976 | UNDER THE MOON OF LOVE | SHOWADDYWADDY |
1975 | BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY | QUEEN |
1975 | IMAGINE | JOHN LENNON |
1975 | SAILING | ROD STEWART |
1973 | I LOVE YOU LOVE ME LOVE | GARY GLITTER |
1973 | MERRY XMAS EVERYBODY | SLADE |
1973 | TIE A YELLOW RIBBON ROUND THE OLE OAK TREE | DAWN FT TONY ORLANDO |
1972 | EYE LEVEL | THE SIMON PARK ORCHESTRA |
1972 | LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL | LITTLE JIMMY OSMOND |
1971 | I'D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING | THE NEW SEEKERS |
1969 | SUGAR SUGAR | THE ARCHIES |
1968 | HEY JUDE | THE BEATLES |
1967 | RELEASE ME | ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK |
1967 | THE LAST WALTZ | ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK |
1966 | GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF HOME | TOM JONES |
1965 | TEARS | KEN DODD |
1965 | THE CARNIVAL IS OVER | THE SEEKERS |
1965 | UNCHAINED MELODY | THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS |
1964 | CAN'T BUY ME LOVE | THE BEATLES |
1964 | I FEEL FINE | THE BEATLES |
1964 | WE CAN WORK IT OUT/DAY TRIPPER | THE BEATLES |
1963 | I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND | THE BEATLES |
1963 | SHE LOVES YOU | THE BEATLES |
1962 | I REMEMBER YOU | FRANK IFIELD |
1962 | THE YOUNG ONES | CLIFF RICHARD & THE SHADOWS |
1961 | STRANGER ON THE SHORE | MR ACKER BILK AND HIS PARAMOUNT JAZZ BAND |
1960 | IT'S NOW OR NEVER | ELVIS PRESLEY |
1957 | DIANA | PAUL ANKA |
1957 | MARY'S BOY CHILD | HARRY BELAFONTE |
1955 | (WE'RE GONNA) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK | BILL HALEY & HIS COMETS |
1942 | WHITE CHRISTMAS | BING CROSBY WITH THE KEN DARBY SINGERS AND JOHN SCOTT TROTTER ORCHESTRA |
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