The best-selling singles of all time on the Official UK Chart
It quite literally doesn't get bigger than this.
To date, 180 singles in UK chart history have surpassed one million sales, the latest of which is Pompeii by Bastille.
Pompeii is the group's first million-selling single, and is the first song to surpass one million sales since Taylor Swift's Shake It Off in 2022. Goo Goo Dolls were the last group to manage the feat with Iris in 2020. Read more about Bastille's amazing achievement (and see their reaction!) here.
Maintaining its title as the best-selling single in UK chart history, Elton John's Candle In The Wind '97/Something About The Way You Look Tonight reigns supreme at Number 1, with UK chart sales in excess of 4.94 million.
Rounding out the Top 5 we have Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas? (2) with 3.83 million, Queen's magnum opus Bohemian Rhapsody (3) at 2.63 million, Wings' Mull of Kintyre/Girls' School (4) with 2.1 million and John Travolta & the late, great Olivia Newton-John with Grease OST hit You're The One That I Want (5) at 2.08 million.
Β
1997: Candle In The Wind/Something About The Way You Look Tonight β Elton John. Officially the UK's biggest selling single of all time.
MORE: Re-visit every Number 1 on the UK's Official Singles Chart
The best-selling song never to reach Number 1 in the UK is 1995 anthem Wonderwall by Oasis, at Number 34. Very close behind is the previous title holder, Moves Like Jagger by Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera. Before this, Wham! held the honour with Last Christmas, until January 2021 when it finally earned its place at the top - some 36 years after its release.
22 acts have earned more than one million seller, including The Beatles with a very impressive six; their biggest being 1963 chart-topper She Loves You, with 1.93m.
Within the Top 40 best-selling singles, despite the sharp increase in streaming over recent years, there are seven singles that make the cut released in the 21st century.Β In sales order they are: Pharrell Williams' Happy (8), Will Young's Pop Idol winners single Anything Is Possible/Evergreen (19), Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars on Uptown Funk (22), Robin Thicke, Pharrell and TI with Blurred Lines (24), Adele's Someone Like You (25), Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera's Moves Like Jagger (34) and finally Gotye and Kimbra with Somebody That I Used To Know (40).
Over the past ten years,Β 39 songs have crossed the million sales threshold; including 14 songs by 13 British artists including Ed Sheeran, One Direction, Coldplay, and two from Adele.
The UK's Official best-selling songs of all time (physical single and download sales)
POS | TITLE | ARTIST | YEAR | PEAK |
1 | SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT/CANDLE IN THE WIND 97 | ELTON JOHN | 1997 | 1 |
2 | DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS? | BAND AID | 1984 | 1 |
3 | BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY | QUEEN | 1975 | 1 (1975 & 1991) |
4 | MULL OF KINTYRE/GIRLS' SCHOOL | WINGS | 1977 | 1 |
5 | YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT | JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN | 1978 | 1 |
6 | RELAX | FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD | 1983 | 1 |
7 | RIVERS OF BABYLON/BROWN GIRL IN THE RING | BONEY M | 1978 | 1 |
8 | HAPPY | PHARRELL WILLIAMS | 2013 | 1 |
9 | LAST CHRISTMAS/EVERYTHING SHE WANTS | WHAM! | 1984 | 1 (2021) |
10 | SHE LOVES YOU | THE BEATLES | 1963 | 1 |
11 | LOVE IS ALL AROUND | WET WET WET | 1994 | 1 |
12 | MARY'S BOY CHILD/OH MY LORD | BONEY M | 1978 | 1 |
13 | I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU | STEVIE WONDER | 1984 | 1 |
14 | (EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU | BRYAN ADAMS | 1991 | 1 |
15 | UNCHAINED MELODY/(THERE'LL BE BLUEBIRDS OVER) THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER | ROBSON GREEN & JEROME FLYNN | 1995 | 1 |
16 | BARBIE GIRL | AQUA | 1997 | 1 |
17 | BELIEVE | CHER | 1998 | 1 |
18 | I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND | THE BEATLES | 1963 | 1 |
19 | ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE/EVERGREEN | WILL YOUNG | 2002 | 1 |
20 | IMAGINE | JOHN LENNON | 1975 | 1975 No 6 / 1980 No 1 |
21 | EYE OF THE TIGER | SURVIVOR | 1982 | 1 |
22 | UPTOWN FUNK | MARK RONSON FT BRUNO MARS | 2014 | 1 |
23 | I'LL BE MISSING YOU | PUFF DADDY & FAITH EVANS | 1997 | 1 |
24 | BLURRED LINES | ROBIN THICKE/TI/PHARRELL | 2013 | 1 |
25 | SOMEONE LIKE YOU | ADELE | 2011 | 1 |
26 | THREE LIONS | BADDIEL & SKINNER & LIGHTNING SEEDS | 1996 | 1 |
27 | I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU | WHITNEY HOUSTON | 1992 | 1 |
28 | DON'T YOU WANT ME? | HUMAN LEAGUE | 1981 | 1 |
29 | SUMMER NIGHTS | JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN | 1978 | 1 |
30 | TWO TRIBES | FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD | 1984 | 1 |
31 | GANGSTA'S PARADISE | COOLIO FEATURING L.V. | 1995 | 1 |
32 | MY HEART WILL GO ON | CELINE DION | 1998 | 1 |
33 | ...BABY ONE MORE TIME | BRITNEY SPEARS | 1999 | 1 |
34 | WONDERWALL | OASIS | 1995 | 2 |
35 | MOVES LIKE JAGGER | MAROON 5 FEATURING CHRISTINA AGUILERA | 2011 | 2 |
36 | CARELESS WHISPER | GEORGE MICHAEL | 1984 | 1 |
37 | CAN'T BUY ME LOVE | THE BEATLES | 1964 | 1 |
38 | PERFECT DAY | VARIOUS ARTISTS | 1997 | 1 |
39 | KARMA CHAMELEON | CULTURE CLUB | 1983 | 1 |
40 | SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW | GOTYE FEATURING KIMBRA | 2011 | 1 |
41 | YMCA | VILLAGE PEOPLE | 1978 | 1 |
42 | WAKE ME UP | AVICII | 2013 | 1 |
43 | TEARS | KEN DODD | 1965 | 1 |
44 | I GOTTA FEELING | BLACK EYED PEAS | 2009 | 1 |
45 | GET LUCKY | DAFT PUNK FT PHARRELL WILLIAMS | 2013 | 1 |
46 | KILLING ME SOFTLY | FUGEES | 1996 | 1 |
47 | THE POWER OF LOVE | JENNIFER RUSH | 1985 | 1 |
48 | COME ON EILEEN | DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS | 1982 | 1 |
49 | IT WASN'T ME | SHAGGY FEATURING RIKROK | 2001 | 1 |
50 | (WE'RE GONNA) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK | BILL HALEY & HIS COMETS | 1955 | 1 |
51 | WE FOUND LOVE | RIHANNA FEATURING CALVIN HARRIS | 2011 | 1 |
52 | THE CARNIVAL IS OVER | THE SEEKERS | 1965 | 1 |
53 | I FEEL FINE | THE BEATLES | 1964 | 1 |
54 | SEX ON FIRE | KINGS OF LEON | 2008 | 1 |
55 | WANNABE | SPICE GIRLS | 1996 | 1 |
56 | WE CAN WORK IT OUT/DAY TRIPPER | THE BEATLES | 1964 | 1 |
57 | THINK TWICE | CELINE DION | 1994 | 1 |
58 | RELEASE ME | ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK | 1967 | 1 |
59 | TAINTED LOVE | SOFT CELL | 1981 | 1 |
60 | CALL ME MAYBE | CARLY RAE JEPSEN | 2012 | 1 |
61 | NEVER EVER | ALL SAINTS | 1997 | 1 |
62 | (IS THIS THE WAY TO) AMARILLO | TONY CHRISTIE FT PETER KAY | 2005 | 1 |
63 | JUST THE WAY YOU ARE (AMAZING) | BRUNO MARS | 2010 | 1 |
64 | TITANIUM | DAVID GUETTA FT SIA | 2011 | 1 |
65 | UNCHAINED MELODY | GARETH GATES | 2002 | 1 |
66 | HEART OF GLASS | BLONDIE | 1979 | 1 |
67 | IT'S LIKE THAT | RUN-D.M.C. VS JASON NEVINS | 1997 | 1 |
68 | HALLELUJAH | ALEXANDRA BURKE | 2008 | 1 |
69 | MERRY XMAS EVERYBODY | SLADE | 1973 | 1 |
70 | ALL OF ME | JOHN LEGEND | 2014 | 2 |
71 | IMPOSSIBLE | JAMES ARTHUR | 2012 | 1 |
72 | GANGNAM STYLE | PSY | 2012 | 1 |
73 | RATHER BE | CLEAN BANDIT FT JESS GLYNNE | 2014 | 1 |
74 | PARTY ROCK ANTHEM | LMFAO FEATURING LAUREN BENNETT AND GOONROCK | 2011 | 1 |
75 | LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE | EMINEM FEATURING RIHANNA | 2010 | 2 |
76 | FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK | POGUES FT KIRSTY MACCOLL | 1987 | 2 |
77 | BLUE MONDAY | NEW ORDER | 1983 | ORIGINAL 1983 NO 9 / 1988 Remix NO 3 |
78 | IT'S NOW OR NEVER | ELVIS PRESLEY | 1960 | 1 |
79 | LET HER GO | PASSENGER | 2012 | 2 |
80 | THINKING OUT LOUD | ED SHEERAN | 2014 | 1 |
81 | GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF HOME | TOM JONES | 1966 | 1 |
82 | ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU | MARIAH CAREY | 1994 | 1 (2020) |
83 | ANGELS | ROBBIE WILLIAMS | 1997 | 4 |
84 | DIANA | PAUL ANKA | 1957 | 1 |
85 | PRICE TAG | JESSIE J FEATURING B.O.B | 2011 | 1 |
86 | BRIGHT EYES | ART GARFUNKEL | 1979 | 1 |
87 | HEARTBEAT/TRAGEDY | STEPS | 1998 | 1 |
88 | EARTH SONG | MICHAEL JACKSON | 1995 | 1 |
89 | I DON'T WANT TO MISS A THING | AEROSMITH | 1998 | 1 |
90 | CHASING CARS | SNOW PATROL | 2006 | 6 |
91 | TORN | NATALIE IMBRUGLIA | 1997 | 2 |
92 | CAN'T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD | KYLIE MINOGUE | 2001 | 1 |
93 | SATURDAY NIGHT | WHIGFIELD | 1994 | 1 |
94 | POKER FACE | LADY GAGA | 2009 | 1 |
95 | GHOSTBUSTERS | RAY PARKER JR. | 1984 | 2 |
96 | STRANGER ON THE SHORE | MR ACKER BILK AND HIS PARAMOUNT JAZZ BAND | 1961 | 2 |
97 | THE LAST WALTZ | ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK | 1967 | 1 |
98 | MARY'S BOY CHILD | HARRY BELAFONTE | 1957 | 1 |
99 | DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS? | BAND AID 20 | 2004 | 1 |
100 | ONLY GIRL (IN THE WORLD) | RIHANNA | 2010 | 1 |
101 | DON'T GIVE UP ON US | DAVID SOUL | 1976 | 1 |
102 | DANCING QUEEN | ABBA | 1976 | 1 |
103 | NO MATTER WHAT | BOYZONE | 1998 | 1 |
104 | HEY JUDE | THE BEATLES | 1968 | 1 |
105 | ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (PART 2) | PINK FLOYD | 1979 | 1 |
106 | SPACEMAN | BABYLON ZOO | 1996 | 1 |
107 | WE ARE YOUNG | FUN FT JANELLE MONAE | 2011 | 1 |
108 | COUNTING STARS | ONEREPUBLIC | 2013 | 1 |
109 | I FEEL LOVE | DONNA SUMMER | 1977 | 1 |
110 | ROAR | KATY PERRY | 2013 | 1 |
111 | 2 BECOME 1 | SPICE GIRLS | 1996 | 1 |
112 | CRAZY | GNARLS BARKLEY | 2006 | 1 |
113 | BLUE (DA BA DEE) | EIFFEL 65 | 1999 | 1 |
114 | I LOVE YOU LOVE ME LOVE | GARY GLITTER | 1973 | 1 |
115 | DON'T STOP BELIEVIN' | JOURNEY | 1982 | 6 (2010) |
116 | THE A TEAM | ED SHEERAN | 2011 | 3 |
117 | HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK | IAN DURY AND THE BLOCKHEADS | 1978 | 1 |
118 | USE SOMEBODY | KINGS OF LEON | 2008 | 2 |
119 | LOSE YOURSELF | EMINEM | 2002 | 1 |
120 | BACK FOR GOOD | TAKE THAT | 1995 | 1 |
121 | BLEEDING LOVE | LEONA LEWIS | 2007 | 1 |
122 | I BELIEVE/UP ON THE ROOF | ROBSON & JEROME | 1995 | 1 |
123 | FIREWORK | KATY PERRY | 2010 | 3 |
124 | DIAMONDS | RIHANNA | 2012 | 1 |
125 | UNCHAINED MELODY | THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS | 1965 | 1 |
126 | ROLLING IN THE DEEP | ADELE | 2011 | 2 |
127 | THAT'S MY GOAL | SHAYNE WARD | 2005 | 1 |
128 | TELETUBBIES SAY "EH-OH!" | TELETUBBIES | 1997 | 1 |
129 | RIDE ON TIME | BLACK BOX | 1989 | 1 |
130 | I REMEMBER YOU | FRANK IFIELD | 1962 | 1 |
131 | PURE AND SIMPLE | HEAR'SAY | 2001 | 1 |
132 | I WILL SURVIVE | GLORIA GAYNOR | 1979 | 1 |
133 | RULE THE WORLD | TAKE THAT | 2007 | 2 |
134 | RED RED WINE | UB40 | 1983 | 1 |
135 | FAME | IRENE CARA | 1982 | 1 |
136 | LA LA LA | NAUGHTY BOY FT SAM SMITH | 2013 | 1 |
137 | UPTOWN GIRL | BILLY JOEL | 1983 | 1 |
138 | SAILING | ROD STEWART | 1975 | 1 |
139 | DON'T YOU WORRY CHILD | SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA/MARTIN | 2012 | 1 |
140 | THE YOUNG ONES | CLIFF RICHARD & THE SHADOWS | 1962 | 1 |
141 | STAND & DELIVER! | ADAM AND THE ANTS | 1981 | 1 |
142 | BAD ROMANCE | LADY GAGA | 2009 | 1 |
143 | GIVE ME EVERYTHING | PITBULL FEATURING NE-YO, AFROJACK AND NAYER | 2011 | 1 |
144 | MR BRIGHTSIDE | KILLERS | 2004 | 10 |
145 | WHITE CHRISTMAS | BING CROSBY WITH THE KEN DARBY SINGERS AND JOHN SCOTT TROTTER ORCHESTRA | 1942 | 5 (1977) - since 1952 |
146 | HERO | ENRIQUE IGLESIAS | 2002 | 1 |
147 | THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT | TIGHT FIT | 1982 | 1 |
148 | MYSTERIOUS GIRL | PETER ANDRE FEATURING BUBBLER RANX | 1995 | 1 |
149 | SUGAR SUGAR | THE ARCHIES | 1969 | 1 |
150 | FIGHT FOR THIS LOVE | CHERYL COLE | 2009 | 1 |
151 | DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART | ELTON JOHN & KIKI DEE | 1976 | 1 |
152 | MAMBO NO.5 (A LITTLE BIT OF...) | LOU BEGA | 1999 | 1 |
153 | WHERE IS THE LOVE | BLACK EYED PEAS | 2003 | 1 |
154 | YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE | GERRY & THE PACEMAKERS | 1963 | 1 |
155 | JAR OF HEARTS | CHRISTINA PERRI | 2011 | 4 |
156 | DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA | JULIE COVINGTON | 1976 | 1 |
157 | DON'T LOOK BACK IN ANGER | OASIS | 1996 | 1 |
158 | MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE | ADELE | 2008 | 4 |
159 | DON'T SPEAK | NO DOUBT | 1997 | 1 |
160 | WHOLE AGAIN | ATOMIC KITTEN | 2001 | 1 |
161 | CAN WE FIX IT? | BOB THE BUILDER | 2000 | 1 |
162 | SAVE YOUR KISSES FOR ME | BROTHERHOOD OF MAN | 1976 | 1 |
163 | STARSHIPS | NICKI MINAJ | 2012 | 2 |
164 | NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP | RICK ASTLEY | 1987 | 1 |
165 | WHAT MAKES YOU BEAUTIFUL | ONE DIRECTION | 2011 | 1 |
166 | PARADISE | COLDPLAY | 2011 | 1 |
167 | ESPECIALLY FOR YOU | KYLIE MINOGUE & JASON DONOVAN | 1988 | 1 |
168 | IRIS | GOO GOO DOLLS | 1998 | 3 |
169 | I'D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING | THE NEW SEEKERS | 1971 | 1 |
170 | MY WAY | FRANK SINATRA | 1969 | 5 |
171 | UNDER THE MOON OF LOVE | SHOWADDYWADDY | 1976 | 1 |
172 | WHEN WE COLLIDE | MATT CARDLE | 2010 | 1 |
173 | TIE A YELLOW RIBBON ROUND THE OLE OAK TREE | DAWN FEATURING TONY ORLANDO | 1973 | 1 |
174 | GRENADE | BRUNO MARS | 2011 | 1 |
175 | FORGET YOU | CEE LO GREEN | 2011 | 1 |
176 | EYE LEVEL | THE SIMON PARK ORCHESTRA | 1972 | 1 |
177 | SEXY AND I KNOW IT | LMFAO | 2011 | 5 |
178 | LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL | LITTLE JIMMY OSMOND | 1972 | 1 |
179 | SHAKE IT OFF | TAYLOR SWIFT | 2014 | 2 |
180 | POMPEII | BASTILLE | 2013 | 2 |
Β© 2023 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.
* Sales for White Christmas have only been counted since the inception of the chart in 1952.
See the UK's Official most-streamed songs of all time here.
Article image credit: Elton John -Β Ethan Miller/Getty Images; Bastille - Joe Horridge
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Aqua
ayyyy shake it off made it! i wont be surprised if it's that last song ever to crack the list
PYG
pipis y gaΓ±as
Local acts BeyoncΓ© and Janet Jackson are nowhere to be seen. I guess Jay-Z's payola and Tidal fraudelent numbers can only do so much ha?
Tosyma
Not surprised Madonna is not on the list. She can't even sing.
PK
Philip King
Only 2 since 2000 in the top 20.
Didn't realise Happy by Pharrell Williams was so high.
LM
Lee Moore
Year and peak column round the wrong way. Does anyone from OCC ever bother to give these lists a once over before posting them?!
CP
Courtney Puzzo
Last Christmas By Wham finally hit #1 last year some 36 years after it's original release also Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You is 5 x platinum as of Christmas Day 2020 for lifelong UK sales of 3 million units while its 8x platinum in the US
P
Paul
My Way is one place above Little Jimmy Osmond. π¬
Maybe I missed it but βWaterlooβ by ABBA doesnβt seem to be on the list. Surprised at that omission.
Mark Wislen
'Waterloo' has sold nowhere near a UK Million. After 'Dancing Queen', ABBA's Best Selling UK Singles are: 1).. Super Trouper, 2).. Knowing Me, Knowing You and 3).. 'The Winner Takes it All. With 1) and 2) being more or less on a Million Sales, with Downloads & Streaming added in. 3) is on close to a Million UK Sales - well over 950,000...
Q
Qyre
You should add that the Righteous Brothers version of "Unchained Melody" reached number 1 in 1990, thanks to its appearance in the film "Ghost" !
FC
Fact Checker
Bing Crosby - White Christmas. Your * note says that sales have only been counted since 1952. But the 1m+ sales figure relates to its all-time sales since 1941. There is no way that it has sold 1m+ since 1952, given it has spent only 2 weeks in the Top 10 in over 65 years.
JH
John Hawkins
I think they mean that the 5 peak chart position is based on data since 1952. Had there been a chart in the 1940s it is likely to have peaked at 1.
Blank
It's quite possible. Don't Stop Me Now sold more in 2004 (I think) than a McFly #1, without hitting the top 40. If you've got 70 years of slow / low sales can accumulate quite a bit under the radar. Although how it has been calculated, I don't know.
T
tmorgan
If it sold 14,000 copies each year on average since 1952, it would have sold a million copies in that timeframe. That seems doable to me.
FC
Fact Checker
Why has Nicki Minaj dropped from #102 in June to #160 now ?
π π π π π π ¨π π π π Β©π€ πΊπΈ
Congratulations!! I actually just posted the song on Skip/Repeat, a Disqus channel under 2000s Alternative Rock Songs. One of my favorites from one of the best groups of all time. I mean ALL TIME!
Boo Jah
Any chance of listing actual sales next to song? It would be interesting for us chart facts and figures anoraks :)
Bengy
Sales were given for ALL million sellers last September.
http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/the-uks-official-chart-millionaires-revealed__20459/
Boo Jah
I have seen that article but we are now in June and therefore that list would need to be updated...preferable with right up to and including current month's physical and downloads, not streaming. That would dispel any guesstimate figures from chart sales anoraks.
Bengy
8 - HAPPY - PHARRELL WILLIAMS - 2013 - 1
9 - SHE LOVES YOU - THE BEATLES - 1963 - 1
Yet sales given are,
Pharrell Williams' Happy, which is eighth with 1.9 million sales,
Beatles, with their top-selling honour going to 1963 chart-topper She Loves You, on 1.92 million.
It's still a relatively rare feat, with currently only 171 songs making it to seven figures.
But list shows 175 million sellers.
Official Charts
Hi Bengy. Thanks for picking up on a few oversights. Pharrell's sales are 1.93 million, and the 175 number has been amended. That was not changed in the edit of the artile. Thank you.
DG
David Gibbs
One only for Elvis but I wonder how many near misses he had for example Are You Lonesome Tonight and Way Down.Perhaps also Surrender and Jailhouse Rock
Urban City Cowboy
Why can't I see Nineteen by Paul Hardcastle on the list? It spent 5 weeks at number 1 in 1985 and went on to sell over 8 million copies globally putting it in the top 100 selling singles globally. I smell something fishy here.
Johnny McVey
and I Know It was only 900 copies away in September. Is it still not there yet?
Bengy
Just made it today.
Bengy
In your previous list STARSHIPS by NICKI MINAJ was at no. 101. Now it is downgraded to no. 164. Why?
Philip Pearce
I thought Drake with One Dance and Rhianna Umbrella would get in there
GF
Gary Feld
These are "sales only"...One Dance probably hasn't even sold half a million as yet, :)
Philip Pearce
What about Umbrela by Rhianna
GF
Gary Feld
about 870K
Johnny McVey
554k as of September
GF
Gary Feld
"while Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Relax claims the bestselling debut single by a group (2.06m) "....Maybe Band Aid can beat that as a "debut" hit for a band? :)