Wake Me Up becomes one of the UK's biggest selling singles of all-time

Avicii’s Wake Me Up has become the UK’s 140th million-selling single, while Snow Patrol’s 2006 hit, Chasing Cars, has also broken through the million-copies sales barrier.
avicii_2013.jpg

By Daniel Lane

Avicii’s Wake Me Up has become the UK’s 140th million-selling single, while Snow Patrol’s 2006 hit, Chasing Cars, has also broken through the million-copies sales barrier.

Wake Me Up by Avicii has become one of the UK’s biggest selling singles of all-time, OfficialCharts.com can reveal.

The 24-year-old Swedish DJ and Producer’s track broke through the million copies sales barrier this morning (Sunday, October 6, 2013). Wake Me Up is only the 140th single to reach this milestone in British history, and the third track released this year to do so (Daft Punk’s Get Lucky FT Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers, and Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines FT TI and Pharrell Williams became million sellers in June and July, respectively).

Comments the Official Charts Company’s Chief Executive, Martin Talbot: "Congratulations to Avicii - hitting the million mark is a superb achievement for any act. It has been a fantastic year for smash hit singles with three 2013-released million-sellers already, and we can be sure that Avicii is not going to be the last millionaire of this year!"

Wake Me Up debuted at Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart back in July. It became the fastest selling single of 2013 so far, selling 267,000 copies during its first week on sale. Wake Me Up spent three consecutive weeks at Number 1, and denied One Direction their fourth UK chart topper (with Best Song Ever).

“Having the fastest selling record of 2013 is obviously a huge deal to me,” Avicii told BBC Radio 1’s Official Chart Show host Jameela Jamil. “I never thought being on the Official Chart was an option for my music. Dance music has its own things; we have our own charts and lists, so just having a Number 1 is insane!”

In related news, Snow Patrol’s Chasing Cars, has also crossed over the million sales mark. The track, which was originally released in 2006, and peaked at Number 6. Chasing  Cars has re-entered Official Singles Chart an almost annual basis, climbing back into the Top 75 in six out of the last seven years.

Sir Elton John’s double A-side, Something About The Way You Look Tonight / Candle In The Wind '97, remains the UK’s biggest selling single of all-time. It has clocked up nearly 5 million sales since its release sixteen years ago.

You can see the full list of the UK’s 140 Official Million Selling Singles below:

The UK's 140 Million-Selling Singles

2010s

TRACK ARTIST YEAR OF RELEASE
BLURRED LINES ROBIN THICKE FT TI & PHARRELL WILLIAMS 2013
GET LUCKY DAFT PUNK FT PHARRELL WILLIAMS & NILE RODGERS 2013
WAKE ME UP AVICII 2013
CALL ME MAYBE CARLY RAE JEPSEN 2012
GANGNAM STYLE PSY 2012
IMPOSSIBLE JAMES ARTHUR 2012
MOVES LIKE JAGGER MAROON 5 FT CHRISTINA AGUILERA 2011
PARTY ROCK ANTHEM LMFAO FT LAUREN BENNETT AND GOONROCK 2011
PRICE TAG JESSIE J FT B.O.B 2011
SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW GOTYE FT KIMBRA 2011
SOMEONE LIKE YOU ADELE 2011
THE A TEAM ED SHEERAN 2011
TITANIUM DAVID GUETTA FT SIA 2011
WE ARE YOUNG FUN FT JANELLE MONAE 2011
WE FOUND LOVE RIHANNA FT CALVIN HARRIS 2011
JUST THE WAY YOU ARE (AMAZING) BRUNO MARS 2010
LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE EMINEM FT RIHANNA 2010
ONLY GIRL (IN THE WORLD) RIHANNA 2010
WHEN WE COLLIDE MATT CARDLE 2010

2000s

TRACK ARTIST YEAR OF RELEASE
BAD ROMANCE LADY GAGA 2009
FIGHT FOR THIS LOVE CHERYL COLE 2009
I GOTTA FEELING BLACK EYED PEAS 2009
POKER FACE LADY GAGA 2009
HALLELUJAH ALEXANDRA BURKE 2008
SEX ON FIRE KINGS OF LEON 2008
USE SOMEBODY KINGS OF LEON 2008
BLEEDING LOVE LEONA LEWIS 2007
CHASING CARS SNOW PATROL 2006
CRAZY GNARLS BARKLEY 2006
(IS THIS THE WAY TO) AMARILLO TONY CHRISTIE FT PETER KAY 2005
THAT'S MY GOAL SHAYNE WARD 2005
DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS? BAND AID 20 2004
ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE/EVERGREEN WILL YOUNG 2002
UNCHAINED MELODY GARETH GATES 2002
CAN'T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD KYLIE MINOGUE 2001
IT WASN'T ME SHAGGY FT RIKROK 2001
PURE AND SIMPLE HEAR'SAY 2001
WHOLE AGAIN ATOMIC KITTEN 2001
CAN WE FIX IT? BOB THE BUILDER 2000

1990s

TRACK ARTIST YEAR OF RELEASE
...BABY ONE MORE TIME BRITNEY SPEARS 1999
BELIEVE CHER 1998
BLUE (DA BA DEE) EIFFEL 65 1999
HEARTBEAT/TRAGEDY STEPS 1998
I DON'T WANT TO MISS A THING AEROSMITH 1998
MY HEART WILL GO ON CELINE DION 1998
NO MATTER WHAT BOYZONE 1998
ANGELS ROBBIE WILLIAMS 1997
BARBIE GIRL AQUA 1997
I'LL BE MISSING YOU PUFF DADDY & FAITH EVANS 1997
IT'S LIKE THAT RUN-DMC VS JASON NEVINS 1997
NEVER EVER ALL SAINTS 1997
PERFECT DAY VARIOUS ARTISTS 1997
SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY YOU LOOK
TONIGHT / CANDLE IN THE WIND '97
ELTON JOHN 1997
TELETUBBIES SAY "EH-OH!" TELETUBBIES 1997
TORN NATALIE IMBRUGLIA 1997
2 BECOME 1 SPICE GIRLS 1996
KILLING ME SOFTLY FUGEES 1996
SPACEMAN BABYLON ZOO 1996
THREE LIONS BADDIEL & SKINNER & LIGHTNING SEEDS 1996
WANNABE SPICE GIRLS 1996
BACK FOR GOOD TAKE THAT 1995
EARTH SONG MICHAEL JACKSON 1995
GANGSTA'S PARADISE COOLIO FT LV 1995
I BELIEVE/UP ON THE ROOF ROBSON & JEROME 1995
MYSTERIOUS GIRL PETER ANDRE FT BUBBLER RANX 1995
UNCHAINED MELODY/(THERE'LL BE
BLUEBIRDS OVER) THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER
ROBSON GREEN & JEROME FLYNN 1995
WONDERWALL OASIS 1995
LOVE IS ALL AROUND WET WET WET 1994
SATURDAY NIGHT WHIGFIELD 1994
THINK TWICE CELINE DION 1994
I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU WHITNEY HOUSTON 1992
(EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU BRYAN ADAMS 1991

1980s

TRACK ARTIST YEAR OF RELEASE
RIDE ON TIME BLACK BOX 1989
FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK POGUES FT KIRSTY MACCOLL 1987
THE POWER OF LOVE JENNIFER RUSH 1985
CARELESS WHISPER GEORGE MICHAEL 1984
DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS? BAND AID 1984
GHOSTBUSTERS RAY PARKER JR. 1984
I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU STEVIE WONDER 1984
LAST CHRISTMAS/EVERYTHING SHE WANTS WHAM! 1984
TWO TRIBES FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD 1984
BLUE MONDAY NEW ORDER 1983
KARMA CHAMELEON CULTURE CLUB 1983
RELAX FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD 1983
UPTOWN GIRL BILLY JOEL 1983
COME ON EILEEN DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS 1982
EYE OF THE TIGER SURVIVOR 1982
FAME IRENE CARA 1982
THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT TIGHT FIT 1982
DON'T YOU WANT ME? HUMAN LEAGUE 1981
STAND & DELIVER ADAM AND THE ANTS 1981
TAINTED LOVE SOFT CELL 1981

1970s

TRACK ARTIST YEAR OF RELEASE
ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (PART 2) PINK FLOYD 1979
BRIGHT EYES ART GARFUNKEL 1979
HEART OF GLASS BLONDIE 1979
I WILL SURVIVE GLORIA GAYNOR 1979
HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK IAN DURY AND THE BLOCKHEADS 1978
MARY'S BOY CHILD/OH MY LORD BONEY M 1978
RIVERS OF BABYLON/BROWN GIRL IN THE RING BONEY M 1978
SUMMER NIGHTS JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN 1978
YMCA VILLAGE PEOPLE 1978
YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN 1978
I FEEL LOVE DONNA SUMMER 1977
MULL OF KINTYRE/GIRLS' SCHOOL WINGS 1977
DANCING QUEEN ABBA 1976
DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA JULIE COVINGTON 1976
DON'T GIVE UP ON US DAVID SOUL 1976
DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART ELTON JOHN & KIKI DEE 1976
SAVE YOUR KISSES FOR ME BROTHERHOOD OF MAN 1976
UNDER THE MOON OF LOVE SHOWADDYWADDY 1976
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY QUEEN 1975
IMAGINE JOHN LENNON 1975
SAILING ROD STEWART 1975
I LOVE YOU LOVE ME LOVE GARY GLITTER 1973
MERRY XMAS EVERYBODY SLADE 1973
TIE A YELLOW RIBBON ROUND THE OLE OAK TREE DAWN FT TONY ORLANDO 1973
EYE LEVEL THE SIMON PARK ORCHESTRA 1972
LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL LITTLE JIMMY OSMOND 1972
I'D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING THE NEW SEEKERS 1971

1960s

TRACK ARTIST YEAR OF RELEASE
SUGAR SUGAR THE ARCHIES 1969
HEY JUDE THE BEATLES 1968
RELEASE ME ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK 1967
THE LAST WALTZ ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK 1967
GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF HOME TOM JONES 1966
TEARS KEN DODD 1965
THE CARNIVAL IS OVER THE SEEKERS 1965
UNCHAINED MELODY THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS 1965
CAN'T BUY ME LOVE THE BEATLES 1964
I FEEL FINE THE BEATLES 1964
WE CAN WORK IT OUT/DAY TRIPPER THE BEATLES 1964
I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND THE BEATLES 1963
SHE LOVES YOU THE BEATLES 1963
I REMEMBER YOU FRANK IFIELD 1962
THE YOUNG ONES CLIFF RICHARD & THE SHADOWS 1962
STRANGER ON THE SHORE MR ACKER BILK AND HIS PARAMOUNT JAZZ BAND 1961
IT'S NOW OR NEVER ELVIS PRESLEY 1960

1950s

TRACK ARTIST YEAR OF RELEASE
DIANA PAUL ANKA 1957
MARY'S BOY CHILD HARRY BELAFONTE 1957
(WE'RE GONNA) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK BILL HALEY & HIS COMETS 1955

1940s

TRACK ARTIST YEAR OF RELEASE
WHITE CHRISTMAS BING CROSBY WITH THE KEN DARBY SINGERS
AND JOHN SCOTT TROTTER ORCHESTRA
1942

Related artists

Join the conversation by joining the Official Charts community and dropping comment.

Already registered?

Log in

No account?

Register