Sunday, April 23, 2023

The World's All-Time Best-Selling Songs

Songs:

The World’s All-Time Best Sellers

This list is a compiled from a variety of sources for sales figures (see complete source list here), but they are generally estimates since there is no official agency to track worldwide sales. As such, it is highly possible that some of these sales figures have been inflated by record companies or other vested parties, but this list does at least offer some idea of the world’s best-selling songs.

On top of that, these figures don’t always strictly represent sales. Especially in the 21st century, additional figures – such as the number of times songs were streamed via Spotify, YouTube or other services – have been factored into official certifications. That means a song certified for 10 million in sales may not have actually “sold” that many copies.

If you have your doubts about some of these songs belonging on this list, you’re not alone. I realize my knowledge of music beyond U.S. shores is limited, but if songs like Thelma Aoyama’s “Soba ni lur ne”, Utada Hikaru’s “Flavor of Life”, Kiseki’s “Greeeen”, Andre Brasseur’s “Early Bird”, and Machiko Soga’s “Oba-Q Ondo” are truly that monstrous in sales, shouldn’t I have at least heard of them? Oh well. I just report the lists. I don’t make these figures up (even if someone else does).

Note: in the event of ties, songs are ranked according to overall DMDB points.

Check other lists based on charts, sales, and airplay here.

The World’s All-Time Best-Selling Songs
(6 million +)

25+ million:

55.00: Bing Crosby “White Christmas” (1942)
54.12: Ziao Zhan “Spotlight” (2020)
41.50: Ed Sheeran “Shape of You” (2017)
37.00: Elton John “Candle in the Wind 1997 (Goodbye England’s Rose)” (1997)
36.10: Luis Fonsi with Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber “Despacito” (2017)
32.50: Rihanna with Drake “Work” (2016)
31.00: Black Eyed Peas “I Gotta Feeling” (2009)
30.00: Bing Crosby “Silent Night” (1935)
30.00: Tino Rossi “Petit Papa Noël” (1946)
30.00: Mungo Jerry “In the Summertime” (1970)
28.50: Lady Gaga “Poker Face” (2009)
27.00: Black Eyed Peas “Boom Boom Pow” (2009)
25.00: Bill Haley & His Comets “We’re Gonna Rock Around the Clock” (1954)
25.00: The Harry Simeone Chorale “The Little Drummer Boy” (1958)
20.1 to 24.9 million:
22.0: Elvis Presley “It’s Now or Never” (1960)
22.00: Jason Mraz “I’m Yours” (2008)
22.00: Lorde “Royals” (2013)
21.50: The Chainsmokers with Coldplay “Something Just Like This” (2017)
21.40: Ed Sheeran with Beyoncé “Perfect” (2017)
20.90: Wiz Khalifa & Charlie Puth “See You Again” (2015)
20.70: The Chainsmokers with Halsey “Closer” (2016)
20.60: Adele “Rolling in the Deep” (2010)
20.30: Lil Nas X with Billy Ray Cyrus “Old Town Road” (2018)
20 million:
“The Old Folks at Home (Swanee River)” (1851) *
“Listen to the Mocking Bird (aka “The Mocking Bird”)” (1891) *
U.S.A. for Africa “We Are the World” (1985)
Whitney Houston “I Will Always Love You” (1992)
Mark Ronson with Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk!” (2014)
18 to 19 million:
19.85: Maroon 5 with Christina Aguilera “Moves Like Jagger” (2011)
19.50: Coldplay “Viva La Vida” (2008)
19.50: Ed Sheeran “Thinking Out Loud” (2014)
19.50: Billie Eilish “Bad Guy” (2019)
19.34: The Weeknd “Blinding Lights” (2019)
19.00: The Ink Spots “If I Didn’t Care” (1939)
19.00: Lady Gaga with Colby O’Donis “Just Dance” (2008)
19.00: Camila Cabello with Young Thug “Havana” (2017)
18.87: LMFAO with Lauren Bennett & GoonRock “Party Rock Anthem” (2011)
18.00: Gene Autry “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1949)
18.00: Baccara “Yes Sir, I Can Boogie” (1977)
18.00: Celine Dion “My Heart Will Go On” (1997)
18.00: Taylor Swift “Love Story” (2008)
18.00: Carly Rae Jepsen “Call Me Maybe” (2011)
16 to 17.9 million:
17.60: Post Malone with Swae Lee “Sunflower” (2018)
17.50: Flo Rida with T-Pain “Low” (2007)
17.33: John Legend “All of Me” (2013)
17.31: Gotye with Kimbra “Somebody That I Used to Know” (2012)
17.19: Drake “God’s Plan” (2018)
17.00: Adele “Someone Like You” (2011)
17.00: Rihanna “Needed Me” (2016)
16.44: Imagine Dragons “Radioactive” (2012)
16.37: Eminem “Lose Yourself” (2002)
16.10: Eminem with Rihanna “Love the Way You Lie” (2010)
16.10: Shawn Mendes with Camila Cabello “Señorita” (2019)
16.00: Kenny Rogers “Lady” (1980)
16.00: Mariah Carey “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (1994)
15.1 to 15.9 million:
15.90: Beyoncé “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” (2008)
15.77: Bruno Mars “Just the Way You Are (Amazing)” (2010)
15.60: Robin Thicke with T.I. & Pharrell Williams “Blurred Lines” (2013)
15.43: Post Malone with Quavo “Congratulations” (2016)
15.40: Imagine Dragons “Believer” (2017)
15.24: Adele “Hello” (2015)
15.12: Pharrell Williams “Happy” (2013) 13.9 m
15 million:
Tony Bennett “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” (1962)
Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta “You’re the One That I Want” (1978)
Kaoma “Lambada” (1989)
Bryan Adams “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” (1991)
The Scorpions “Wind of Change” (1991)
Rihanna “Love on the Brain” (2016)
14 to 14.9 million:
14.80: Drake “In My Feelings” (2018)
14.75: The Weeknd “The Hills” (2015)
14.54: Miley Cyrus “Party in the U.S.A.” (2009)
14.52: Tones and I “Dance Monkey” (2019)
14.45: Justin Bieber “Sorry” (2015)
14.44: Chris Stapleton “Tennessee Whiskey” (2015)
14.41: Katy Perry “Firework” (2010)
14.30: Florida Georgia Line with Nelly “Cruise” (2012)
14.25: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Wanz “Thrift Shop” (2012)
14.20: Ke$ha “Tik Tok” (2009)
14.16: Hozier “Take Me to Church” (2013)
14.00: The Andrews Sisters “Bei Mir Bist Du Schöen (Means That You’re Grand)” (1938)
14.00: Terry Jacks “Seasons in the Sun” (1974)
14.00: Gloria Gaynor “I Will Survive” (1978)
13.0 to 13.9 million:
13.78: Queen “Bohemian Rhapsody” (1975)
13.62: Drake “One Dance” (2016)
13.58: Taylor Swift “Shake It Off” (2014)
13.56: Meghan Trainor “All About That Bass” (2014)
13.50: Justin Bieber with Ludacris “Baby” (2010)
13.50: Maroon 5 “Sugar” (2014)
13.40: Leona Lewis “Bleeding Love” (2007)
13.35: Bebe Rexha with Florida Georgia Line “Meant to Be” (2017)
13.30: Ariana Grande “7 Rings” (2019)
13.26: Lady Gaga “Bad Romance” (2009)
13.26: The Weeknd with Daft Punk “Starboy” (2016)
13.26: Post Malone with 21 Savage “Rockstar” (2017)
13.20: Rihanna “Disturbia” (2008)
13.20: Katy Perry with Juicy J “Dark Horse” (2013)
13.10: Major Lazer, DJ Snake & MØ “Lean On” (2015)
13.08: Katy Perry “Roar” (2013)
13.00: Kyu Sakamoto “Sukiyaki” (1963)
13.00: Prince Nico Mbarga “Sweet Mother” (1976)
13.00: Chic “Le Freak” (1978)
13.00: Trio “Da Da Da” (1982)
13.00: Pink “So What” (2008)
12.0 to 12.9 million:
12.93: One Republic “Counting Stars” (2013)
12.90: Katy Perry “I Kissed a Girl” (2008)
12.89: Psy “Gangnam Style” (2012)
12.82: Rihanna & Calvin Harris “We Found Love” (2011)
12.77: Justin Timberlake “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” (2016)
12.66: Bruno Mars “That’s What I Like” (2016)
12.64: The Kid Laroi with Justin Bieber “Stay” (2021)
12.62: Post Malone “Circles” (2019)
12.60: Ellie Goulding “Love Me Like You Do” (2015)
12.46: The Weeknd “Can’t Feel My Face” (2015)
12.38: James Arthur “Say You Won’t Let Me Go” (2016)
12.36: Fun. & Janelle Monáe “We Are Young” (2012)
12.36: The Chainsmokers with Daya “Don’t Let Me Down” (2016)
12.35: Train “Hey, Soul Sister” (2009)
12.34: Eminem “Not Afraid” (2010)
12.31: Sam Smith “Stay with Me” (2014)
12.20: Bruno Mars “When I Was Your Man” (2012)
12.19: Twenty One Pilots “Stressed Out” (2015)
12.17: Bruno Mars “Grenade” (2010)
12.12: Avicii with Aloe Blacc “Wake Me Up!” (2012)
12.04: Maroon 5 with Cardi B “Girls Like You” (2017)
12.00: The Beatles “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (1963)
12.00: Village People “Y.M.C.A.” (1978)
12.00: Andrea Bocelli with Sarah Brightman “Time to Say Goodbye” (1998)
12.00: Flo Rida with Ke$ha “Right Round” (2009)
11.1 to 11.9 million:
11.90: Katy Perry “Hot N Cold” (2008)
11.86: Bruno Mars “Locked Out of Heaven” (2012)
11.81: Lady Antebellum “Need You Now” (2009)
11.71: Michael Jackson “Billie Jean” (1983)
11.70: Band Aid “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” (1984)
11.70: Kanye West with Daft Punk “Stronger” (2007)
11.70: Christina Perri “A Thousand Years” (2011)
11.70: Justin Bieber “Love Yourself” (2015)
11.68: Cardi B “Bodak Yellow (Money Moves)” (2017)
11.68: Taylor Swift “Blank Space” (2014)
11.60: Pinkfong! “Baby Shark” (2016)
11.43: Owl City “Fireflies” (2009)
11.43: Cardi B with Bad Bunny & J. Balvin “I Like It” (2018)
11.42: Drake “Hotline Bling” (2015)
11.34: Daft Punk with Pharrell Williams “Get Lucky” (2013)
11.29: Pitbull with Ke$ha “Timber” (2013)
11.25: Idina Menzel “Let It Go” (2013)
11.20: Pitbull with Ne-Yo, Afrojack, & Nayer “Give Me Everything” (2011)
11.15: AWOL Nation “Sail” (2011)
11.10: Fetty Wap “Trap Queen” (2014)
11.10: Sia with Sean Paul “Cheap Thrills” (2016)
11.06: Juice Wrld “Lucid Dreams” (2018)
11.01: French Montana with Swae Lee “Unforgettable” (2017)
11 million:
Mills Brothers “Paper Doll” (1943)
Carl Douglas “Kung Fu Fighting” (1974)
George McCrae “Rock Your Baby” (1974)
Roger Whittaker “The Last Farewell” (1975)
Abba “Fernando” (1976)
Patrick Hernandez “Born to Be Alive” (1979)
Los Del Rio “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)” (1995)
Cher “Believe” (1998)
Rihanna with Jay-Z “Umbrella” (2007)
T.I. with Rihanna “Live Your Life” (2008)
The Neighburhood “Sweater Weather” (2012)
Darius Rucker “Wagon Wheel” (2013)
Lil Uzi Vert “XO Tour Llif3” (2017)
Future & Drake “Life Is Good” (2020)
10 + million:
10.90: Twenty One Pilots “Heathens” (2016)
10.90: Tia Ray “Be Apart” (2018)
10.81: Michael Jackson “Thriller” (1982)
10.81: Justin Bieber “What Do You Mean?” (2015)
10.77: LMFAO “Sexy and I Know It” (2011)
10.77: Glass Animals “Heat Waves” (2020)
10.66: The Weeknd “Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)” (2014)
10.58: Imagine Dragons “Thunder” (2017)
10.55: Imagine Dragons “Demons” (2012)
10.50: Plain White T’s “Hey There Delilah” (2006)
10.45: Lady Gaga “Born This Way” (2011)
10.43: Travis Scott with Drake “Sicko Mode” (2018)
10.43: XXXtentacion “Sad!” (2018)
10.42: Foster the People “Pumped Up Kicks” (2010)
10.42: Nicki Minaj “Super Bass” (2011)
10.40: Journey “Don’t Stop Believin’” (1981)
10.40: Lukas Graham “7 Years” (2015)
10.34: Sam Hunt “Body Like a Back Road” (2017)
10.32: Lil Baby & Gunna “Drip Too Hard” (2018)
10.30: Ed Sheeran with Justin Bieber “I Don’t Care” (2019)
10.24: Katy Perry with Snoop Dogg “California Gurls” (2010)
10.20: Lady Gaga with Bradley Cooper “Shallow” (2018)
10.07: Kid Cudi with MGMT & Ratatat “Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare)” (2009)
10.05: DJ Khaled with Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper, and Lil Wayne “I’m the One” (2017)
10 million:
Roy Acuff & the Smoky Mountain Boys “Wabash Cannonball” (1938)
Patti Page “Tennessee Waltz” (1950)
The Penguins “Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)” (1954)
Elvis Presley “Don’t Be Cruel” / “Hound Dog” (1956)
Paul Anka “Diana” (1957)
The Monkees “I’m a Believer” (1966)
Procol Harum “A Whiter Shade of Pale” (1967)
The Beatles “Hey Jude” / “Revolution” (1968)
George Harrison “My Sweet Lord” (1970)
Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven” (1971)
Middle of the Road “Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep” (1971)
Van McCoy “The Hustle” (1975)
The Knack “My Sharona” (1979)
Joan Jett & the Blackhearts “I Love Rock and Roll” (1981)
Goombay Dance Band “Sun of Jamaica” (1982)
Toni Braxton “Un-Break My Heart” (1996)
Britney Spears “Baby One More Time” (1998)
Panjabi MC “Mundian To Bach Ke” (1998)
Shakira with Wyclef Jean “Hips Don’t Lie” (2006)
One Republic with Timbaland “Apologize” (2007)
Lil Wayne with Static Major “Lollipop” (2008)
Shakira with Freshlyground “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” (2010)
Mike Posner “I Took a Pill in Ibiza” (2015)
Post Malone “White Iverson” (2015)
Post Malone “I Fall Apart” (2016)
Khalid “Location” (2017)
9+ million:
9.90: Pink with Nate Ruess “Just Give Me a Reason” (2012)
9.88: Rihanna with Mikky Ekko “Stay” (2012)
9.82: Kendrick Lamar “Humble” (2017)
9.78: Future “Mask Off” (2017)
9.75: Katy Perry with Kanye West “E.T.” (2010)
9.71: Eminem with Rihanna “The Monster” (2013)
9.62: Shawn Mendes “Stitches” (2015)
9.61: Lewis Capaldi “Someone You Loved” (2018)
9.60: Marshmello with Anne-Marie “Friends” (2018)
9.59: Taio Cruz “Dynamite” (2010)
9.54: Kanye West with Jamie Foxx “Gold Digger” (2005)
9.43: Jay-Z with Kanye West “Niggas in Paris” (2011)
9.40: Survivor “Eye of the Tiger” (1982)
9.40: Lil Nas X & Jack Harlow “Industry Baby” (2021)
9.34: Rihanna “Diamonds” (2012)
9.20: Eminem with Nate Dogg “Till I Collapse” (2002)
9.20: Post Malone with Ty Dolla $ign “Psycho” (2018)
9.17: Jessie J with Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj “Bang Bang” (2014)
9.15: Roddy Ricch “The Box” (2019)
9.10: Ed Sheeran “The A Team” (2011)
9.10: Maroon 5 with Wiz Khalifa “Payphone” (2012)
9.10: Iggy Azalea with Charli XCX “Fancy” (2014)
9.10: Halsey “Without Me” (2018)
9.07: Taylor Swift “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” (2012)
9 million:
Elvis Presley “Jailhouse Rock” (1957)
Elvis Presley “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” (1960)
Paul McCartney & Wings “Mull of Kintyre” (1977)
Nick Straker Band “A Walk in the Park” (1980)
Ariana Grande with Iggy Azalea “Problem” (2014)
Khalid “Young, Dumb & Broke” (2017)
XXXtentacion with Trippie Redd “Fuck Love” (2017)
8+ million:
8.96: Calvin Harris & Dua Lipa “One Kiss” (2018)
8.92: Zedd with Maren Morris & Grey “The Middle” (2018)
8.89: Toto “Africa” (1982)
8.81: Taylor Swift “I Knew You Were Trouble” (2012)
8.80: Eminem “The Real Slim Shady” (2000)
8.73: Cee-Lo Green “Fuck You (aka “Forget You”)” (2010)
8.73: Adele “Set Fire to the Rain” (2011)
8.72: Calvin Harris & Rihanna “This Is What You Came For” (2016)
8.66: Katy Perry “Teenage Dream” (2010)
8.60: Magic! “Rude” (2013)
8.58: Chris Brown with Drake “No Guidance” (2019)
8.58: The Weeknd with Ariana Grande “Save Your Tears” (2020)
8.54: Logic with Alessia Cara & Khalid “1-800-273-8255”
8.50: Ben Selvin “Dardanella” (1920) **
8.50: Shakira “Whenever, Wherever” (2001)
8.40: Jennifer Lopez with Pitbull “On the Floor” (2011)
8.39: Olivia Rodrigo “Drivers License” (2021)
8.35: Taylor Swift “You Belong with Me” (2008)
8.30: OMI “Cheerleader (Felx Jaehn remix)” (2014)
8.30: Twenty One Pilots “Ride” (2015)
8.30: Charlie Puth “Attention” (2017)
8.28: Bruno Mars “The Lazy Song” (2010)
8.20: Thelma Aoyama “Soba ni lur ne” (2009)
8.20: Passenger “Let Her Go” (2012)
8.11: Sam Smith “I’m Not the Only One” (2014)
8.10: will.i.am with Britney Spears “Scream & Shout” (2012)
8.10: Jason Derulo “Want to Want Me” (2015)
8.10: Benny Blanco with Halsey & Khalid “Eastside” (2018)
8.10: Post Malone “Wow.” (2018)
8.09: Ariana Grande “Thank U, Next” (2018)
8 million:
Vernon Dalhart.. The Prisoner’s Song” (1925) **
Mahalia Jackson “Move on Up a Little Higher” (1948)
Freddy Quinn “Heimweh” (1956)
Rocco Granata “Marina” (1959)
The Kingsmen “Louie Louie” (1963)
The Animals “The House of the Rising Sun” (1964)
Georgie Fame “The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde” (1967)
Mary Hopkin “Those Were the Days” (1968)
Shocking Blue “Venus” (1969)
Boney M “Ma Baker” (1978)
Lipps Inc. “Funkytown” (1979)
The Sugarhill Gang “Rapper’s Delight” (1979)
Richard Sanderson “Reality” (1980)
Modern Talking “You’re My Heart, You’re My Soul” (1985)
Paul Hardcastle “19” (1985)
Whitney Houston “I Wanna Dance with Somebody Who Loves Me” (1987)
Nirvana “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (1991)
Puff Daddy, Faith Evans & 112 “I’ll Be Missing You” (1997)
Aqua “Barbie Girl” (1997)
Ricky Martin “Livin’ La Vida Loca” (1999)
Enrique Iglesias “Hero” (2001)
Beyoncé with Jay-Z “Crazy in Love” (2003)
O-Zone “Dragostea din tei” (2003)
Black Eyed Peas “My Humps” (2005)
Utada Hikaru “Flavor of Life” (2007)
Chris Brown with Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes “Look at Me Now” (2011)
Enrique Iglesias with Descemer Bueno & Gente de Zona “Bailando” (2014)
Future with the Weeknd “Low Life” (2016)
XXXtentacion “Jocelyn Flores” (2017)
Brett Young “In Case You Didn’t Know” (2017)
Kyle with Lil Yachty “iSpy” (2017)
6ix9ine with Nicki Minaj & Murda Beatz “Fefe” (2018)
Travis Scott with HVME “Goosebumps” (2021)
7+ million:
7.99: Bastille “Pompeii” (2013)
7.95: Michael Jackson “Beat It” (1982)
7.81: Train “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)” (2001)
7.78: Rihanna “Only Girl in the World” (2010)
7.69: The Lumineers “Ho Hey” (2012)
7.64: Cardi B with Megan Thee Stallion “WAP” (2020)
7.62: James Blunt “You’re Beautiful”” (2005)
7.62: Nicki Minaj “Starships” (2012)
7.60: Nelly & Kelly Rowland “Dilemma” (2002)
7.60: Eminem “Rap God” (2013)
7.56: Kelly Clarkson “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” (2011)
7.54: Rae Sremmurd with Gucci Mane “Black Beatles” (2016)
7.50: Queen “We Will Rock You” (1977)
7.50: Lizzo “Truth Hurts” (2017)
7.48: Drake “Nonstop” (2018)
7.48: Harry Styles “As It Was” (2022)
7.46: Lana Del Rey with Cedric Gervais “Summertime Sadness” (2012)
7.44: James Bay “Let It Go” (2014)
7.41: Beyoncé “If I Were a Boy” (2008)
7.41: Christina Perri “Jar of Hearts” (201)
7.40: Carrie Underwood “Before He Cheats” (2006)
7.40: Lady Gaga with Beyoncé “Telephone” (2009)
7.36: Adele “Easy on Me” (2021)
7.35: Fun. “Some Nights” (2012)
7.35: Beyoncé with Jay-Z “Drunk in Love” (2013)
7.30: Avril Lavigne “Girlfriend” (2007)
7.30: Black Eyed Peas “The Time (Dirty Bit)” (2010)
7.26: Shawn Mendes “Treat You Better” (2016)
7.24: J. Cole “Middle Child” (2019)
7.23: Portugal. The Man “Feel It Still” (2017)
7.22: Vance Joy “Riptide” (2013)
7.20: Ashanti with Ja Rule “Foolish” (2002)
7.20: Katy Perry “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” (2010)
7.20: Michel Teló “Ai Se Eu Te Pego” (2011)
7.20: Adele “Skyfall” (2012)
7.20: Bryson Tiller “Don’t” (2015)
7.20: Dan + Shay “Tequila” (2018)
7.18: The Chainsmokers with Rozes “Roses” (2015)
7.15: G-Eazy with A$AP Rocky & Cardi B “No Limit” (2017)
7.14: Snow Patrol “Chasing Cars” (2006)
7.11: Alicia Keys with Nicki Minaj “Girl on Fire” (2012)
7.09: Rick Astley “Never Gonna Give You Up” (1987)
7.08: Swedish House Mafia with John Martin “Don’t You Worry Child” (2012)
7.08: Thomas Rhett “Die a Happy Man” (2015)
7.08: Polo G with Lil Tjay “Pop Out” (2019)
7.05: Taylor Swift with Kendrick Lamar “Bad Blood” (2014)
7.04: Ella Mai “Boo’d Up” (2018)
7.03: 5 Seconds of Summer “Youngblood” (2018)
7.02: Harry Styles “Sign of the Times” (2017)
7.01: Harry Styles “Watermelon Sugar” (2019)
7 million:
Charlie Gracie “Butterfly” (1957)
Elvis Presley “All Shook Up” (1957)
David Seville & The Chipmunks “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” (1958)
Ricky Valance “Tell Laura I Love Her” (1960)
The Beatles “Do You Want to Know a Secret?” (1963)
The Beatles “Can’t Buy Me Love” (1964)
Roy Orbison “(Oh) Pretty Woman” (1964)
Julie Rogers “The Wedding (La Novia)” (1964)
Adamo “Tombe Le Neige” (1965)
Scott McKenzie “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)” (1967)
Bobby Goldsboro “Honey” (1968)
Elvis Presley “Suspicious Minds” (1969)
The Beatles “Let It Be” (1970)
Tony Orlando & Dawn “Knock Three Times” (1970)
Danyel Gerard “Butterfly” (1971)
Royal Scots Dragoon Guards “Amazing Grace” (1972)
Morris Albert “Feelings” (1975)
Pussycat “Mississippi” (1976)
Queen “Another One Bites the Dust” (1980)
a-ha “Take on Me” (1985)
The Black Crowes “Hard to Handle” (1990)
Spice Girls “Wannabe” (1996)
R. Kelly “I Believe I Can Fly” (1996)
Andrea Bocelli “Con te Partiro” (1997)
Alanis Morissette “Uninvited” (1998)
Christina Aguilera “Genie in a Bottle” (1999)
Las Ketchup “Aserejé (The Ketchup Song)” (2002)
Green Day “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” (2004)
Exile “Lovers Again” (2007)
Kanye West “Heartless” (2008)
Usher with will.i.am “OMG” (2010)
The Band Perry “If I Die Young” (2010)
Lil Wayne with Cory Gunz “6 Foot 7 Foot” (2010)
Eric Church “Springsteen” (2011)
Luke Bryan “Country Girl (Shake It for Me)” (2011)
Luke Bryan “Play It Again” (2013)
Lil Wayne with Drake & Future “Love Me” (2013)
Big Sean with E-40 “I Don’t Fuck with You” (2014)
Bryson Tiller “Exchange” (2015)
D.R.A.M. with Lil Yachty “Broccoli” (2016)
Kane Brown “Heaven” (2017)
Kane Brown with Lauren Alaina “What Ifs” (2017)
Boogie wit da Hoodie with Kodak Black “Drowning” (2017)
Lil Baby with Drake “Yes Indeed” (2018)
Morgan Wallen “Whiskey Glasses” (2018)
XXXtentacion “Moonlight” (2018)
Tyga with Offset “Taste” (2018)
Jack Harlow with DaBaby, Tory Lanez, & Lil Wayne “What’s Poppin” (2020)
6.5 to 6.9 million:
6.97: Drake “Nice for What” (2018)
6.95: Khalid “Better” (2018)
6.91: Wiz Khalifa “Black and Yellow” (2010)
6.91: B.o.B. with Hayley Williams “Airplanes” (2010)
6.91: Jason Mraz “I Won’t Give Up” (2012)
6.90: Maroon 5 “One More Night” (2012)
6.88: Michael Jackson “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” (1979)
6.87: Rihanna with Drake “What’s My Name?” (2010)
6.85: NF “Let You Down” (2017)
6.84: Queen “We Are the Champions” (1977)
6.82: DJ Khaled with Rihanna & Bryson Tiller “Wild Thoughts” (2017)
6.81: Sia “Chandelier” (2014)
6.78: Marshmello with Bastille “Happier” (2018)
6.70: Beyoncé “Irreplaceable” (2006)
6.67: Mariah Carey “We Belong Together” (2005)
6.67: Rihanna “Don’t Stop the Music” (2007)
6.67: Rihanna “Take a Bow” (2008)
6.67: A Great Big World with Christina Aguilera “Say Something” (2013)
6.64: Kings of Leon “Use Somebody” (2008)
6.60: Drake with Kanye West, Lil Wayne, & Eminem “Forever” (2009)
6.60: Flo Rida “Whistle” (2012)
6.58: DJ Snake with Lil Jon “Turn Down for What” (2013)
6.57: Walk the Moon “Shut Up and Dance” (2014)
6.56: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with Ray Dalton “Can’t Hold Us” (2011)
6.55: Usher with Lil Jon & Ludacris “Yeah!” (2004)
6.54: Ariana Grande with Nicki Minaj “Side to Side” (2016)
6.54: Gnash with Olivia O’Brien “I Hate U, I Love U” (2016)
6.54: Doja Cat “Say So” (2019)
6.50: Culture Club “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me” (1982)
6.50: Britney Spears “Toxic” (2004)
6.50: Britney Spears “Womanizer” (2008)
6.50: Flo Rida with Sia “Wild Ones” (2011)
6.50: Silentó “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)” (2015)
6.01 to 6.49 million:
6.49: Eminem “Without Me” (2002)
6.49: Jay-Z with Alicia Keys “Empire State of Mind” (2009)
6.49: Dua Lipa “New Rules” (2017)
6.47: Red Hot Chili Peppers “Under the Bridge” (1991)
6.45: DJ Snake with Justin Bieber “Let Me Love You” (2016)
6.43: Clean Bandit with Jess Glynne “Rather Be” (2014)
6.39: Coolio with L.V “.Gangsta’s Paradise” (1995)
6.38: Flo Rida “My House” (2015)
6.38: Bazzi “Mine” (2017)
6.35: Chris Brown “Forever” (2007)
6.34: Justin Bieber “Boyfriend” (2008)
6.33: T.I. “Whatever You Like” (2008)
6.29: Goo Goo Dolls “Iris” (1998)
6.29: Zayn “Pillow Talk” (2016)
6.28: Snoop Dogg with Wiz Khalifa “Young, Wild & Free” (2011)
6.27: Lil Nas X “Panini” (2019)
6.26: The Killers “Mr. Brightside” (2004)
6.26: Ed Sheeran “Photograph” (2014)
6.24: Katy Perry “Part of Me” (2012)
6.24: DNCE “Cake by the Ocean” (2015)
6.24: Skrillex with Diplo & Justin Bieber “Where Are Ü Now” (2015)
6.22: Justin Timberlake “Sexyback” (2006)
6.21: Mike Posner with Big Sean “Cooler Than Me” (2010)
6.20: Kiseki “Greeeen” (2009)
6.20: Fall Out Boy “My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light ‘Em Up)” (2013)
6.16: Taylor Swift “Look What You Made Me Do” (2017)
6.14: The Fray “How to Save a Life” (2005)
6.14: Jay Sean with Lil Wayne “Down” (2009)
6.14: Rachel Platten “Fight Song” (2015)
6.10: The Jackson 5 “I’ll Be There” (1970)
6.10: Paramore “Crushcrushcrush” (2007)
6.07 Sara Bareilles “Love Song” (2007)
6.08: Dan + Shay “Speechless” (2018)
6.08: Gabby Barrett with Charlie Puth “I Hope” (2019)
6 million:
Peerless Quartet “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” (1911) *
“Down by the Old Mill Stream” (1911) *
Gene Austin “My Blue Heaven” (1927) **
Bing Crosby with the Andrews Sisters “Jingle Bells” (1943)
Jerry Lee Lewis “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” (1957)
The Champs “Tequila” (1958)
The Tokens “The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wimoweh)” (1961)
Elvis Presley “Surrender” / “Lonely Man” (1961)
The Beatles “She Loves You” (1963)
Andre Brasseur “Early Bird” (1965)
SSgt Barry Sadler “The Ballad of the Green Berets” (1966)
Machiko Soga “Oba-Q Ondo” (1966)
Jeannie C. Riley “Harper Valley P.T.A.” (1968)
The Jackson 5 “I Want You Back” (1969)
The Archies “Sugar, Sugar” (1969)
Simon & Garfunkel “Bridge Over Troubled Water” (1970)
Neil Diamond “Cracklin’ Rosie” (1970)
Tee Set “Ma Belle Amie” (1970)
New Seekers “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” (1971)
Tony Orlando & Dawn “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” (1973)
Abba “Waterloo” (1974)
George Baker Selection “Paloma Blanca” (1975)
Abba “Dancing Queen” (1976)
The Brotherhood of Man “Save Your Kisses for Me” (1976)
Debby Boone “You Light Up My Life” (1977)
Bonnie Tyler “It’s a Heartache” (1977)
Earth, Wind & Fire “September” (1978)
Bonnie Tyler “Total Eclipse of the Heart” (1983)
George Michael “Careless Whisper” (1984)
Madonna “Like a Virgin” (1984)
Madonna “Vogue” (1990)
The Notorious B.I.G. “Juicy” (1994)
The Notorious B.I.G. “Big Poppa” (1994)
Janet Jackson “Together Again” (1997)
Lou Bega “Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit of…)” (1999)
Britney Spears “Oops! I Did It Again” (2000)
Pussycat Dolls with Busta Rhymes “Don’t Cha” (2005)
Rascal Flatts “Life Is a Highway” (2006)
Linkin Park “What I’ve Done” (2007)
Paramore “Misery Business’ (2007)
Beyoncé “Halo” (2008)
Zac Brown Band “Chicken Fried” (2008)
Lil Wayne “A Milli” (2008)
Cage the Elephant “Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked” (2008)
Ellie Goulding “Lights” (2010)
Drake & Lil Wayne “The Motto” (2011)
Lil Wayne “How to Love” (2011)
Capital Cities “Safe and Sound” (2012)
Kanye West with Big Sean, Pusha T, & 2 Chainz “Mercy” (2012)
A$AP Rocky with Drake, 2 Chainz, & Kendrick Lamar “Fuckin’ Problems” (2012)
Drake with Majid Jordan “Hold on, We’re Going Home” (2013)
Drake “Started from the Bottom” (2013)
Florida Georgia Line with Luke Bryan “This Is How We Roll” (2013)
J. Cole “No Role Modelz” (2014)
Ty Dolla $ign with Wiz Khalifa & DJ Mustard “Or Nah” (2014)
Little Big Town “Girl Crush” (2015)
Fetty Wap with Remy Boyz “679” (2015)
Florida Georgia Line “H.O.L.Y.” (2016)
The Weeknd with Daft Punk “I Feel It Coming” (2016)
Keith Urban “Blue Ain’t Your Color” (2016)
Big Sean “Bounce Back” (2016)
GoldLink with Brent Faiyaz & Shy Glizzy “Crew” (2016)
Amine “Caroline” (2016)
Post Malone “Go Flex” (2016)
Sam Smith “Too Good at Goodbyes” (2017)
YNW Melly “Murder on My Mind” (2017)
Offset with Metro Boomin “Rick Flair Drip” (2017)
SZA with Travis Scott “Love Galore” (2017)
Halsey “Bad at Love” (2017)
21 Savage “Bank Account” (2017)
Kodak Black “Tunnel Vision” (2017)
Lil Pump “Gucci Gang” (2017)
Migos with Nicki Minaj & Cardi B “Motor Sport” (2017)
Gucci Mane with Migos “I Get the Bag” (2017)
Russ “Losin’ Control” (2017)
Post Malone “Better Now” (2018)
Kodak Black with Travis Scott & Offset “Zeze” (2018)
Jason Aldean “You Make It Easy” (2018)
Juice Wrld “All Girls Are the Same” (2018)
Migos with Drake “Walk It Talk It” (2018)
H.E.R. with Daniel Caesar “Best Part” (2018)
Mustard with Roddy Ricch “Ballin’” (2019)

* Sales exclusively from sheet music sales. No particular artist identified.
** Includes sheet music sales

Resources/Related Links:

Dave’s Music Database: “Lists Based on Charts, Sales, and Airplay”
Edward Foote Gardner (2000). Popular Songs of the Twentieth Century, 1900-1949 St. Paul, MN: Paragon House
This resource, also listed in the “Charts” section, is also included here because this and Whitburn’s Pop Memories 1890-1954, are the most dominant sources for sheet music sales figures.
Guardian.co.uk (11/4/2012). UK’s million-selling singles: the full list
List of the 123 songs to achieve one million sales in the UK.
LivingEars.blogspot.com (7/27/2009). Top 50 Digital Singles of All Time
This list, which obviously focuses on the 2000-2009 decade, offers an insight into more recent sales. It has been posted many times, but without indication of the original source.
MoneyInc.com (2019). “Top Selling iTunes Songs of All Time”
PhilBrodieBand.com (date?) Top Selling Singles of All Time
List of all-time best-selling songs (8 million+) globally. No indication of source or year of list. Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind” is the top seller with 37 million sold. Also includes 2005 list of UK’s “All-Time Best Selling Singles,” which is more detailed at UKcharts.20m.com.
Recording Industry Association of America “Gold & Platinum
Searchable database to find songs and albums which achieved gold and platinum status.
UKcharts.20m.com (date?) The UK’s Best Selling Singles
List of the top 100 selling singles in the U.K. with commentary on the top 10 by Theo Morgan-Gan. Includes sales figures from The Official Chart Company.
UKmix.org (date?) All-Time Best Selling Singles Worldwide
Appears to be an older version of the same list posted at PhilBrodieBand.com. However, this one lists 24 songs topping 4 million in sales. “Candle in the Wind” tops the list with 26 million +. Appears to be a blog post with no original reference or date cited. Also includes a 2003 list of 100+ songs selling more than 5 million.
^PM Joel Whitburn (1986). Pop Memories 1890-1954. Menomonee Falls, WI; Record Research, Inc.
This resource, also listed in the “Charts” section, is listed here as well because this and Gardner’s Popular Songs of the Twentieth Century, 1900-1949, noted above, are the most dominant sources for sheet music sales figures. A list on page 634 offers up the sheet music from 1890-1954 that sold in execess of 3 million.
Wikipedia (2/28/2020). “List of Best-Selling Singles in the United States”
List of all songs in the U.S. to have been certified for physical sales of more than 4 million and digital sales of 6 million or more.
Wikipedia (4/23/2023). List of Best-Selling Singles Worldwide
While there is no official tracking company to record global sales, data from multiple sources can be compiled to get a good idea of the all-time best-selling songs in the world. This lists all songs to have reportedly gained 5 million + in sales. Each song is referenced with an additional footnote for the source.
Wikipedia (12/24/2010). List of Best-Selling Singles by Year (UK)
List of all songs in the U.K. which have sold over a million.
Wikipedia (12/24/2010). List of Million-Selling Singles in the United Kingdom
Lists top selling song of each year from 1952-2010. Often includes sales figures.
Yahoo.com (5/12/2008). Singles That Have Sold Over 10 Million Copies by Robert the Radish
Unfortunately, there are no references to confirm any of these, but some of the 21 songs on this list have been verified by other sources, including “White Christmas” selling at the 50 million mark and “Candle in the Wind 1997” at 37 million.

First posted 12/29/2011; last updated 4/23/2023.

8 comments:

AnonymousMay 30, 2012 at 5:58 PM
This is wonderful.

In this age of instant information, one rarely finds lists like these that were personally complied by someone instead of just copy-pasted off of Wikipedia or some other site.
ReplyDelete
Replies
AnonymousMay 30, 2012 at 6:00 PM
To the compiler of this list,
I recommend he or she visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_singles_worldwide, where I have added and continue to add songs.
ReplyDelete
Replies
Chrisse1945January 31, 2018 at 3:07 PM
Great list. But...
I've read somewhere that 'A perfect day' by Carrie Jacobs-Bond (1910) sold 25 million copies of sheet music, and i could imagine that a largish number of recordings have been sold during the subsequent hundred-odd years. What say you?
ReplyDelete
Replies
AnonymousJuly 18, 2021 at 5:13 PM
Wikipedia says that the song Spotlight by Chinese artist Xiao Zhan has over 50 Million digital copies.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_singles
ReplyDelete
Replies

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Sunday, April 23, 2023

The World's All-Time Best-Selling Songs

Songs:

The World’s All-Time Best Sellers

The World’s All-Time Best-Selling Songs (6 million +)

25+ million:

20.1 to 24.9 million:

20 million:

18 to 19 million:

16 to 17.9 million:

15.1 to 15.9 million:

15 million:

14 to 14.9 million:

13.0 to 13.9 million:

12.0 to 12.9 million:

11.1 to 11.9 million:

11 million:

10 + million:

10 million:

9+ million:

9 million:

8+ million:

8 million:

7+ million:

7 million:

6.5 to 6.9 million:

6.01 to 6.49 million:

6 million:

Resources/Related Links:

8 comments:

The World’s All-Time Best-Selling Songs
(6 million +)