Wake Me Up becomes one of the UK's biggest selling singles of all-time
By Daniel Lane
Avicii’s Wake Me Up has become the UK’s 140th million-selling single, while Snow Patrol’s 2006 hit, Chasing Cars, has also broken through the million-copies sales barrier.
Wake Me Up by Avicii has become one of the UK’s biggest selling singles of all-time, OfficialCharts.com can reveal.
The 24-year-old Swedish DJ and Producer’s track broke through the million copies sales barrier this morning (Sunday, October 6, 2013). Wake Me Up is only the 140th single to reach this milestone in British history, and the third track released this year to do so (Daft Punk’s Get Lucky FT Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers, and Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines FT TI and Pharrell Williams became million sellers in June and July, respectively).
Comments the Official Charts Company’s Chief Executive, Martin Talbot: "Congratulations to Avicii - hitting the million mark is a superb achievement for any act. It has been a fantastic year for smash hit singles with three 2013-released million-sellers already, and we can be sure that Avicii is not going to be the last millionaire of this year!"
Wake Me Up debuted at Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart back in July. It became the fastest selling single of 2013 so far, selling 267,000 copies during its first week on sale. Wake Me Up spent three consecutive weeks at Number 1, and denied One Direction their fourth UK chart topper (with Best Song Ever).
“Having the fastest selling record of 2013 is obviously a huge deal to me,” Avicii told BBC Radio 1’s Official Chart Show host Jameela Jamil. “I never thought being on the Official Chart was an option for my music. Dance music has its own things; we have our own charts and lists, so just having a Number 1 is insane!”
In related news, Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars, has also crossed over the million sales mark. The track, which was originally released in 2006, and peaked at Number 6. Chasing Cars has re-entered Official Singles Chart an almost annual basis, climbing back into the Top 75 in six out of the last seven years.
Sir Elton John’s double A-side, Something About The Way You Look Tonight / Candle In The Wind '97, remains the UK’s biggest selling single of all-time. It has clocked up nearly 5 million sales since its release sixteen years ago.
You can see the full list of the UK’s 140 Official Million Selling Singles below:
The UK's 140 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 |
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 |
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