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List of best-selling singles

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This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by with reliable sources.

1942 10-inch 78 rpm release of the single "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby.
1997 7-inch 45 rpm release of "Candle in the Wind 1997"/"Something About the Way You Look Tonight", double A-side single by Elton John.

This is a compendium of the best-selling music singles. The criterion for inclusion is to sell at least ten million copies worldwide. The singles listed here were cited by reliable sources from various media, such as digital journalism, newspapers, magazines, and books.

According to Guinness World Records, Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" (1942) as performed by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single worldwide, with estimated sales of over 50 million copies.[1] The song, recognized as "the best-selling single of all time", was released before the pop/rock singles-chart era and "was listed as the world's best-selling single in the first-ever Guinness Book of Records (published in 1955) and—remarkably—still retains the title more than 50 years later". Guinness World Records also states that double A-side charity single "Candle in the Wind 1997"/"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" (1997) by Elton John (rewritten as a tribute to the late Diana, Princess of Wales, rather than the Marilyn Monroe of the original 1973 version), is "the biggest-selling single since UK and US singles charts began in the 1950s, having accumulated worldwide sales of 33 million copies". This makes it the second-best-selling physical single of all time.[1]

Two best-selling singles lists are displayed here relating first to physical singles (mainly CD and vinyl singles) and second to digital singles (digitally downloaded tracks which first became available to purchase in the early 2000s).

Best-selling physical singles

15 million physical copies or more

Artist Single Released Sales
(in millions)		 Source
Bing Crosby "White Christmas" 1942 50 [1]
Elton John "Something About the Way You Look Tonight"/"Candle in the Wind 1997" 1997 33 [1]
Mungo Jerry "In the Summertime" 1970 30[disputed – discuss] [2][3][4]
Bill Haley & His Comets "Rock Around the Clock" 1954 25 [5]
Whitney Houston "I Will Always Love You" 1992 20 [6]
Elvis Presley "It's Now or Never" 1960 20 [7][8]
USA for Africa "We Are the World" 1985 20 [9]
The Ink Spots "If I Didn't Care" 1939 19[disputed – discuss] [10]
Baccara "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie" 1977 18[disputed – discuss] [11]
Celine Dion "My Heart Will Go On" 1997 18 [12]
Mariah Carey "All I Want for Christmas Is You" 1994 16 [13]
Bryan Adams "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" 1991 15 [14]
John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John "You're the One That I Want" 1978 15 [15]
Scorpions "Wind of Change" 1991 15[disputed – discuss] [16]

10–14.9 million copies

Artist Single Released Sales
(in millions)		 Source
The Andrews Sisters "Bei Mir Bist Du Schön" 1937 14 [17]
Prince Nico Mbarga "Sweet Mother" 1976 13 [18]
Kyu Sakamoto "Sukiyaki" 1963 13 [19]
Trio "Da Da Da" 1982 13[disputed – discuss] [20]
Gene Autry "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" 1949 12.5 [21]
The Beatles "I Want to Hold Your Hand" 1963 12 [7]
Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman "Time to Say Goodbye" 1996 12 [22]
Village People "Y.M.C.A." 1978 12 [23]
Band Aid "Do They Know It's Christmas?" 1984 11.7 [24]
Cher "Believe" 1998 11 [25][26]
Carl Douglas "Kung Fu Fighting" 1974 11 [27][28]
George McCrae "Rock Your Baby" 1974 11 [7]
Mills Brothers "Paper Doll" 1943 11 [7]
Roger Whittaker "The Last Farewell" 1975 11 [29]
Bing Crosby "Silent Night" 1935 10 [30]
ABBA "Fernando" 1976 10 [31]
Roy Acuff "Wabash Cannonball" 1942 10 [7]
Paul Anka "Diana" 1957 10 [32][33]
Toni Braxton "Un-Break My Heart" 1996 10 [34]
George Harrison "My Sweet Lord" 1970 10 [35]
Los del Río "Macarena" 1995 10 [36]
Middle of the Road "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" 1971 10 [7]
The Monkees "I'm a Believer" 1966 10 [7][37]
Panjabi MC "Mundian To Bach Ke" 1998 10[disputed – discuss] [38]
Patti Page "Tennessee Waltz" 1950 10 [39][40][41]
The Penguins "Earth Angel" 1954 10 [42]
Elvis Presley "Hound Dog" 1956 10 [43]
Procol Harum "A Whiter Shade of Pale" 1967 10 [7]
Britney Spears "...Baby One More Time" 1998 10 [44]


Best-selling digital singles

15 million digital copies or more

Artist Single Released Sales
(in millions)		 Source
Xiao Zhan "Spotlight" (光点) 2020 54.12[a] [45]
Ed Sheeran "Shape of You" 2017 41.5[a] [46][47]
Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee "Despacito" 2017 36.1[a] [46][47]
Rihanna featuring Drake "Work" 2016 32.5[a] [48]
The Chainsmokers and Coldplay "Something Just like This" 2017 21.5[a] [46][47]
Ed Sheeran "Perfect" 2017 21.4[a] [46][47]
Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth "See You Again" 2015 20.9[a] [49]
The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey "Closer" 2016 20.7[a] [50][46]
Adele "Rolling in the Deep" 2011 20.6 [51][52][53]
Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars "Uptown Funk" 2014 20.0[a] [49]
Billie Eilish "Bad Guy" 2019 19.5[a] [54]
Ed Sheeran "Thinking Out Loud" 2014 19.5[a] [49]
Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug "Havana" 2017 19.0[a] [46][47]
Lil Nas X "Old Town Road" 2018 18.4[a] [54]
Carly Rae Jepsen "Call Me Maybe" 2011 18.0 [55]
Taylor Swift "Love Story" 2008 18.0[a] [56]
Adele "Someone Like You" 2011 17.0 [57]
Rihanna "Needed Me" 2016 17.0[a] [48]
Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello "Señorita" 2019 16.1[a] [54]
Drake "God's Plan" 2018 15.3[a] [47]
Rihanna "Love on the Brain" 2016 15.0[a] [48]

10–14.99 million copies

Artist Single Released Sales
(in millions)		 Source
Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell "Blurred Lines" 2013 14.8[a] [58]
Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera "Moves Like Jagger" 2011 14.4 [59]
Kesha "Tik Tok" 2009 14 [60]
Lady Gaga "Poker Face" 2008 14 [61]
Pharrell Williams "Happy" 2013 13.9[a] [62]
Psy "Gangnam Style" 2012 13.5 [63][64]
Maroon 5 "Sugar" 2015 13.5[a] [49]
Post Malone and Swae Lee "Sunflower" 2018 13.4[a] [54]
Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz "Thrift Shop" 2012 13.4[a] [58]
Ariana Grande "7 Rings" 2019 13.3[a] [54]
Katy Perry featuring Juicy J "Dark Horse" 2013 13.2[a] [62]
Major Lazer & DJ Snake featuring MØ "Lean On" 2015 13.1[a] [49]
Gotye featuring Kimbra "Somebody That I Used to Know" 2011 13 [65]
Ellie Goulding "Love Me like You Do" 2015 12.6[a] [49]
Drake featuring Wizkid and Kyla "One Dance" 2016 12.5[a] [50]
Bruno Mars "Just the Way You Are" 2010 12.5 [66]
Adele "Hello" 2015 12.3[a] [49]
John Legend "All of Me" 2013 12.3[a] [62]
Jason Mraz "I'm Yours" 2008 12.2 [67][68][69][70]
Flo Rida featuring Kesha "Right Round" 2009 12 [71]
Flo Rida featuring T-Pain "Low" 2007 12 [72]
Lady Gaga "Bad Romance" 2009 12 [73]
Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B "Girls Like You" 2018 11.9[a] [47]
Justin Bieber "Love Yourself" 2015 11.7[a] [50]
Tones and I "Dance Monkey" 2019 11.4[a] [54]
Avicii featuring Aloe Blacc "Wake Me Up" 2013 11.1[a] [58]
Sia featuring Sean Paul "Cheap Thrills" 2016 11.1[a] [50]
Meghan Trainor "All About That Bass" 2014 11[a] [62]
Tia Ray "Be Apart" 2018 10.9[a] [47]
Idina Menzel "Let It Go" 2013 10.9[a] [62]
Justin Bieber "Sorry" 2015 10.8[a] [50]
Lukas Graham "7 Years" 2015 10.4[a] [50]
Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber "I Don't Care" 2019 10.3[a] [54]
Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper "Shallow" 2018 10.2[a] [54]
The Chainsmokers featuring Daya "Don't Let Me Down" 2016 10.2[a] [50]
Lorde "Royals" 2013 10 [74]
Bruno Mars "Grenade" 2010 10.2 [66]
Mike Posner "I Took a Pill in Ibiza" 2015 10[a] [50]
Shakira featuring Freshlyground "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" 2010 10 [75]
Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean "Hips Don't Lie" 2006 10 [76]
Lady Gaga featuring Colby O'Donis "Just Dance" 2008 10 [77]

See also

Notes

  • a.^ Sales figure includes 'equivalent track streams'.

References

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