What are the biggest-selling singles of all time?

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My understanding is that it's "Candle in the Wind '97," followed by Crosby's "White Christmas" and Autry's "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer." But I also get the sense that any attempt to quantify the Biggest of All Time must be anecdotal at best, since it involves guestimating singles sales from all across the world, over many decades, over many different technological formats. Is there a reasonable stab at such a list, somewhere?

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Sunday, 21 September 2003 00:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I dunno where you could egt yr hands on such a list, but I heard somewhere that "Blue Monday" by New Order ranks at the very top, which is pretty interesting.

― Francis Watlington (Francis Watlington), Sunday, 21 September 2003 00:33 (twenty-two years ago)

according to www.everyhit.com:

Global All-Time Top 10
We tried to resist this. We intended everyHit.com to cover purely British hit facts. But we give in! The Top 10 Best-Selling singles of all time in whole wide world are:

1. "Candle In The Wind '97" - Elton John. (37 million)
2. "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby. (30m)
3. "Rock Around The Clock" - Bill Haley and His Comets (17m)
4. "I Want To Hold Your Hand" - The Beatles (12m)
5= "Hey Jude" - The Beatles (10m)
5= "It's Now Or Never" - Elvis Presley (10m)
5= "I Will Always Love You" - Whitney Houston (10m)
8= "Hound Dog" - Elvis Presley (9m)
8= "Diana" - Paul Anka (9m)
10= "I'm A Believer" - The Monkees (8m)
10= "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" - The Bryan Adams (8m)

― the surface noise (electricsound), Sunday, 21 September 2003 00:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Hm. No "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" or "Blue Monday." Or "Bohemian Rhapsody."

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Sunday, 21 September 2003 00:44 (twenty-two years ago)

How fabbyace if Blue Monday WAS number 1. Is it not biggest selling 12" ever or similar?

― Alex in Doncaster (Alex in Doncaster), Sunday, 21 September 2003 00:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Also interesting: this reprinted news article from 1997 which states "Rock Around the Clock" has sold 25 million, not 17.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Sunday, 21 September 2003 00:57 (twenty-two years ago)

"Hey Jude" bigger than "Yesterday"?
"I Want To Hold Your Hand" bigger than both?
Hm.

Re "Blue Monday": it v.probbly was/is the most shifting 12", yes.

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Sunday, 21 September 2003 00:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Blue Monday was only the best-selling 12" single, not the best selling single. Dunno if that is still true, but considering that we now live in a CD age, I don't see that if it will ever be challenged, assuming it is still on top.

― Nicholas, Sunday, 21 September 2003 17:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Floating around remainder bookshops in the UK is a book listing the Top 100 selling singles in the UK. It's handy!

― Tom (Groke), Sunday, 21 September 2003 19:47 (twenty-two years ago)

the los del rio bayside boys mix had sold over 8 million copies world wide at some point in the late 80s... maybe some/most of the owners have returned the copies, is this gross or net sales?

― gygax! (gygax!), Sunday, 21 September 2003 20:27 (twenty-two years ago)

late 90s dude.

― gygax! (gygax!), Sunday, 21 September 2003 20:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I remember from the novel 'Powder' one of the characters, Weezer, saying that novelty songs like Nellie The Elephant or The Birdy Song by The Tweets far outstripped sales by either The Beatles or Elvis in the UK. Is this true?

― colin s barrow (colin s barrow), Sunday, 21 September 2003 21:23 (twenty-two years ago)

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