Passenger's Let Her Go becomes one of the UK’s biggest selling singles

Let Her Go has become one of the UK's biggest selling singles of all-time, while 2013 has seen the biggest number of million-selling singles since 1998!
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Let Her Go has become one of the UK's biggest selling singles of all-time, while 2013 has seen the greatest number of million-selling singles since 1998!

Passenger's Let Her Go has become the latest single to break through the million copies sales barrier, according to Official Charts Company sales data released today by British recorded music trade body The BPI.

Let Her Go is the 141st single to sell over a million copies in the entire history of the UK’s Official Singles Chart, and the fourth single released this year to do so. 2013 is shaping up to be the biggest annual haul for million selling singles since 1998, when Cher’s Believe topped the year-end chart and there were also million plus sales for Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On, Run DMC Vs Jason NevinsIt’s Like That and Boyzone’s No Matter What.

Singer/songwriter Passenger’s success caps a remarkable run of huge singles sales this year: In June, Daft Punk’s Get Lucky FT Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers became the first track released this year to sell a million copies, doing so only 11 weeks after its release. It was followed three weeks later into the Million Sellers Club by Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines FT TI and Pharrell Williams, which reached the sales landmark in a remarkable eight weeks. 24-year-old Swedish DJ and producer Avicii was next to join the list, with the millionth sale of his Number 1 single, Wake Me Up, taking place in the first week of October. And now in December Passenger (AKA Mike Rosenberg) becomes the first British artist to score a million-seller this year!

On reaching the hallowed one million copies sales landmark, Mike told OfficialCharts.com: “It feels wonderful but completely ridiculous if I'm honest (laughs)! For the last five years I’ve been busking and playing tiny gigs in pubs, so for one of my songs to suddenly get so popular is not only a dream come true, but also a huge surprise.”

Martin Talbot, Chief Executive of the Official Charts Company, adds: "Congratulations to Passenger and his label Nettwerk on scoring only the third independent million selling single this Millennium. Let Her Go is not only one of the singles of the year, it is one of the classics of the digital era – as this achievement underlines.”

"The last few years have shown how much the digital revolution has completely revitalised the singles market,” says The BPI’s Gennaro Castaldo. “And this latest landmark of four million-sellers in one year underlines just how popular the format has become again."

With four weeks of the chart year remaining, the average weekly sales for a Number 1 single in 2013 are at their highest level for over a decade. For the year to date, the top-selling track on the weekly Official Singles Chart has sold an average of 109,319 copies – the highest tally since 2002. For 12 consecutive weeks from April to July of this year the Number 1 single sold over 100,000 copies and has done so in over half (25) of the chart weeks (48) of the year to date.

YEAR AVERAGE NUMBER 1 SINGLE SALES   YEAR AVERAGE NUMBER 1 SINGLE SALES
1994 86,250   2004 71,400
1995 122,775   2005 82,450
1996 145,050   2006 55,975
1997 218,300   2007 55,350
1998 140,700   2008 71,550
1999 159,100   2009 92,900
2000 118,700   2010 102,200
2001 121,725   2011 103,325
2002 144,300   2012 105,775
2003 70,175   2013 109,319*

© 2013 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

You can see the full list of the UK’s 141 Official Million-Selling Singles below:

The UK's 141 Official Million-Selling Singles

2010s

TRACK ARTIST YEAR OF RELEASE
BLURRED LINES ROBIN THICKE FT TI & PHARRELL WILLIAMS 2013
GET LUCKY DAFT PUNK FT PHARRELL WILLIAMS & NILE RODGERS 2013
LET HER GO PASSENGER 2013
WAKE ME UP AVICII 2013
CALL ME MAYBE CARLY RAE JEPSEN 2012
GANGNAM STYLE PSY 2012
IMPOSSIBLE JAMES ARTHUR 2012
MOVES LIKE JAGGER MAROON 5 FT CHRISTINA AGUILERA 2011
PARTY ROCK ANTHEM LMFAO FT LAUREN BENNETT AND GOONROCK 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 2011
JUST THE WAY YOU ARE (AMAZING) BRUNO MARS 2010
LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE EMINEM FT RIHANNA 2010
ONLY GIRL (IN THE WORLD) RIHANNA 2010
WHEN WE COLLIDE MATT CARDLE 2010

2000s

TRACK ARTIST YEAR OF RELEASE
BAD ROMANCE LADY GAGA 2009
FIGHT FOR THIS LOVE CHERYL COLE 2009
I GOTTA FEELING BLACK EYED PEAS 2009
POKER FACE LADY GAGA 2009
HALLELUJAH ALEXANDRA BURKE 2008
SEX ON FIRE KINGS OF LEON 2008
USE SOMEBODY KINGS OF LEON 2008
BLEEDING LOVE LEONA LEWIS 2007
CHASING CARS SNOW PATROL 2006
CRAZY GNARLS BARKLEY 2006
(IS THIS THE WAY TO) AMARILLO TONY CHRISTIE FT PETER KAY 2005
THAT'S MY GOAL SHAYNE WARD 2005
DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS? BAND AID 20 2004
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE/EVERGREEN WILL YOUNG 2002
UNCHAINED MELODY GARETH GATES 2002
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 2001
CAN WE FIX IT? BOB THE BUILDER 2000

1990s

TRACK ARTIST YEAR OF RELEASE
...BABY ONE MORE TIME BRITNEY SPEARS 1999
BELIEVE CHER 1998
BLUE (DA BA DEE) EIFFEL 65 1999
HEARTBEAT/TRAGEDY STEPS 1998
I DON'T WANT TO MISS A THING AEROSMITH 1998
MY HEART WILL GO ON CELINE DION 1998
NO MATTER WHAT BOYZONE 1998
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 1997
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 1996
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 1995
LOVE IS ALL AROUND WET WET WET 1994
SATURDAY NIGHT WHIGFIELD 1994
THINK TWICE CELINE DION 1994
I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU WHITNEY HOUSTON 1992
(EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU BRYAN ADAMS 1991

1980s

TRACK ARTIST YEAR OF RELEASE
RIDE ON TIME BLACK BOX 1989
FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK POGUES FT KIRSTY MACCOLL 1987
THE POWER OF LOVE JENNIFER RUSH 1985
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 1984
BLUE MONDAY NEW ORDER 1983
KARMA CHAMELEON CULTURE CLUB 1983
RELAX FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD 1983
UPTOWN GIRL BILLY JOEL 1983
COME ON EILEEN DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS 1982
EYE OF THE TIGER SURVIVOR 1982
FAME IRENE CARA 1982
THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT TIGHT FIT 1982
DON'T YOU WANT ME? HUMAN LEAGUE 1981
STAND & DELIVER ADAM AND THE ANTS 1981
TAINTED LOVE SOFT CELL 1981

1970s

TRACK ARTIST YEAR OF RELEASE
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 1979
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 1978
I FEEL LOVE DONNA SUMMER 1977
MULL OF KINTYRE/GIRLS' SCHOOL WINGS 1977
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 1976
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY QUEEN 1975
IMAGINE JOHN LENNON 1975
SAILING ROD STEWART 1975
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 1973
EYE LEVEL THE SIMON PARK ORCHESTRA 1972
LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL LITTLE JIMMY OSMOND 1972
I'D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING THE NEW SEEKERS 1971

1960s

TRACK ARTIST YEAR OF RELEASE
SUGAR SUGAR THE ARCHIES 1969
HEY JUDE THE BEATLES 1968
RELEASE ME ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK 1967
THE LAST WALTZ ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK 1967
GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF HOME TOM JONES 1966
TEARS KEN DODD 1965
THE CARNIVAL IS OVER THE SEEKERS 1965
UNCHAINED MELODY THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS 1965
CAN'T BUY ME LOVE THE BEATLES 1964
I FEEL FINE THE BEATLES 1964
WE CAN WORK IT OUT/DAY TRIPPER THE BEATLES 1964
I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND THE BEATLES 1963
SHE LOVES YOU THE BEATLES 1963
I REMEMBER YOU FRANK IFIELD 1962
THE YOUNG ONES CLIFF RICHARD & THE SHADOWS 1962
STRANGER ON THE SHORE MR ACKER BILK AND HIS PARAMOUNT JAZZ BAND 1961
IT'S NOW OR NEVER ELVIS PRESLEY 1960

1950s

TRACK ARTIST YEAR OF RELEASE
DIANA PAUL ANKA 1957
MARY'S BOY CHILD HARRY BELAFONTE 1957
(WE'RE GONNA) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK BILL HALEY & HIS COMETS 1955

1940s

TRACK ARTIST YEAR OF RELEASE
WHITE CHRISTMAS BING CROSBY WITH THE KEN DARBY SINGERS
AND JOHN SCOTT TROTTER ORCHESTRA
1942

© 2013 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

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