List of best-selling singles facts for kids
Have you ever wondered which songs have sold the most copies around the world? According to Guinness World Records, the song "White Christmas" sung by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single ever. It was released in 1942 and has sold over 50 million copies! This song was popular even before music charts started in the 1950s. It was listed as the world's best-selling single in the very first Guinness Book of Records in 1955 and still holds the title today.
Another huge seller is "Candle in the Wind 1997"/"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" by Elton John. This song was re-released in 1997 as a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales. It has sold 33 million copies, making it the second best-selling physical single since charts began.
This article shows two main lists:
- Physical singles: These are songs sold on things you can hold, like CDs and vinyl records.
- Digital singles: These are songs bought as downloads or listened to through streaming services. Digital sales became popular in the early 2000s.
Contents
Top-Selling Music Singles Around the World
Physical Singles: Records and CDs
These are songs that sold many copies on physical formats. This includes vinyl records and compact discs.
Songs with 15 Million Sales or More
| Artist | Single | Released | Sales (Millions) |
Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bing Crosby | "White Christmas" | 1942 | 50 | |
| Elton John | "Something About the Way You Look Tonight"/"Candle in the Wind 1997" | 1997 | 33 | |
| Bing Crosby | "Silent Night" | 1935 | 30 | |
| Tino Rossi | "Petit Papa Noël" | 1946 | 30 | |
| Bill Haley & His Comets | "Rock Around the Clock" | 1954 | 25 | |
| Whitney Houston | "I Will Always Love You" | 1992 | 24 | |
| Elvis Presley | "It's Now or Never" | 1960 | 20 | |
| USA for Africa | "We Are the World" | 1985 | 20 | |
| The Ink Spots | "If I Didn't Care" | 1939 | 19 | |
| Celine Dion | "My Heart Will Go On" | 1997 | 18 | |
| Mariah Carey | "All I Want for Christmas Is You" | 1994 | 16 | |
| Baccara | "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie" | 1977 | 16 | |
| Bryan Adams | "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" | 1991 | 15 | |
| John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John | "You're the One That I Want" | 1978 | 15 |
Most Certified Singles of All Time
This list shows songs released before the year 2000. Their success is measured by certified sales, which include both digital downloads and how many times they were streamed.
| Artist | Single | Released | Certified Sales (Millions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mariah Carey | "All I Want for Christmas Is You" | 1994 | 28.9 |
| Elton John | "Candle in the Wind 1997" | 1997 | 28.7 |
| Journey | "Don't Stop Believin'" | 1981 | 25.8 |
| Michael Jackson | "Billie Jean" | 1983 | 18 |
| Wham! | "Last Christmas" | 1984 | 17.4 |
| Queen | "Bohemian Rhapsody" | 1975 | 17 |
| Nirvana | "Smells Like Teen Spirit" | 1991 | 16.3 |
| AC/DC | "Thunderstruck" | 1990 | 16.1 |
| Toto | "Africa" | 1982 | 15.4 |
| Michael Jackson | "Thriller" | 1983 | 15.2 |
| Whitney Houston | "I Will Always Love You" | 1992 | 15 |
| Bon Jovi | "Livin' on a Prayer" | 1986 | 14.6 |
Digital Singles: Downloads and Streams
These songs have sold millions of copies through digital downloads. They also include success from streaming services.
Songs with 15 Million Digital Sales or More
| Artist | Single | Released | Sales (Millions) |
Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xiao Zhan | "Spotlight" | 2020 | 54.3 | |
| Ed Sheeran | "Shape of You" | 2017 | 41.5 | |
| Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee | "Despacito" | 2017 | 36.1 | |
| Rihanna featuring Drake | "Work" | 2016 | 32.5 | |
| The Chainsmokers and Coldplay | "Something Just Like This" | 2017 | 21.5 | |
| Ed Sheeran | "Perfect" | 2017 | 21.4 | |
| Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth | "See You Again" | 2015 | 20.9 | |
| The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey | "Closer" | 2016 | 20.7 | |
| Adele | "Rolling in the Deep" | 2011 | 20.6 | |
| Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars | "Uptown Funk" | 2015 | 20 | |
| Billie Eilish | "Bad Guy" | 2019 | 19.5 | |
| Ed Sheeran | "Thinking Out Loud" | 2015 | 19.5 | |
| Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug | "Havana" | 2017 | 19 | |
| Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus | "Old Town Road" | 2018 | 18.4 | |
| Carly Rae Jepsen | "Call Me Maybe" | 2011 | 18 | |
| Taylor Swift | "Love Story" | 2008 | 18 | |
| Katy Perry | "Firework" | 2010 | 17 | |
| Adele | "Someone like You" | 2011 | 17 | |
| Rihanna | "Needed Me" | 2016 | 17 | |
| Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello | "Señorita" | 2019 | 16.1 | |
| Drake | "God's Plan" | 2018 | 15.3 | |
| Shakira featuring Freshlyground | "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" | 2010 | 15 | |
| Katy Perry | "Roar" | 2013 | 15 |
Measuring Success with Stream Equivalent Units
Since 2020, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) has reported best-selling singles using "stream equivalent units." This method combines digital downloads, paid streaming, and free streaming into one total number. It helps show how popular a song truly is across all digital platforms.
| Artist | Single | Released | Units (Billions) |
Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Weeknd | "Blinding Lights" | 2019 | 5.31 | |
| The Weeknd | "Save Your Tears" | 2020 | 4.66 | |
| The Kid Laroi and Justin Bieber | "Stay" | 2021 | 3.81 | |
| Harry Styles | "As It Was" | 2022 | 3.74 | |
| Dua Lipa | "Levitating" | 2020 | 2.99 | |
| Ed Sheeran | "Bad Habits" | 2021 | 2.77 | |
| Miley Cyrus | "Flowers" | 2023 | 2.70 | |
| Taylor Swift | "Cruel Summer" | 2019 | 2.56 | |
| Tones and I | "Dance Monkey" | 2019 | 2.34 | |
| Benson Boone | "Beautiful Things" | 2024 | 2.11 | |
| Rema and Selena Gomez | "Calm Down" | 2022 | 1.89 | |
| SZA | "Kill Bill" | 2022 | 1.84 |
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Sencillos más vendidos en el mundo para niños
