1942 10-inch 78rpm release of thesingle "White Christmas " byBing Crosby 1997 7-inch 45rpm release of "Candle in the Wind 1997 "/"Something About the Way You Look Tonight ", double A-sidesingle byElton John This is acompendium of the best-sellingmusic 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 asdigital journalism , newspapers, magazines, and books.
According toGuinness World Records Irving Berlin 's "White Christmas " (1942) as performed byBing Crosby is the best-sellingsingle worldwide, with estimated sales of over 50 million copies.[ 1] pop /rock singles-chart era and "was listed as the world's best-selling single in the first-everGuinness 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) byElton John (rewritten as a tribute toDiana, Princess of Wales , rather thanMarilyn Monroe in 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 (mainlyCD andvinyl 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
million copies
Highest-certified singles A list of the best selling singles released before 2000, based on worldwide certified unit sales (including bothdigital sales andequivalent track streams )
Best-selling digital singles
15 million digital copies or more
million copies
By stream equivalent units Beginning in 2020, theInternational Federation of the Phonographic Industry began reporting the best-selling singles of each year in terms of subscription streams equivalent units. The methodology used converts all digital formats, including digital download sales, paid subscription streaming, and free ad-supported streaming, into a single figure.[ 81]
Best-selling singles by year worldwide
See also
Notes ^a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av Sales figures include 'equivalent track streams'. ^ IFPI report claimed a figure of 2.72 billion subscription stream equivalent units globally. ^ IFPI report claimed a figure of 2.15 billion subscription stream equivalent units globally. ^ IFPI report claimed a figure of 2.28 billion subscription stream equivalent units globally. ^ IFPI report claimed a figure of 2.70 billion subscription stream equivalent units globally. ^ IFPI report claimed a figure of 2.11 billion subscription stream equivalent units globally.
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