It quite literally doesn't get any bigger than this.
As we celebrate the 70th birthday of the Official Singles Chart, the Official Charts Company is presenting the updated list of the best-selling songs in its 70-year history.
To date, 179 singles in UK chart history have surpassed one million sales, the latest of which we're pleased to reveal is Taylor Swift's 2014 singalong pop romp Shake It Off.
Marking her first million-selling single, Taylor is the first act to achieve the milestone in two years following Goo Goo Dolls' Iris in February 2020, and the first solo artist since Frank Sinatra saw My Way reach the list in 2018. Read more about Taylor's achievement here.
Maintaining its title as the best-selling single in UK chart history, Elton John's Candle In The Wind '97/Something About The Way You Look Tonight reigns supreme at Number 1, with UK chart sales in excess of 4.94 million.
Rounding out the Top 5 we have Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas? (2) with 3.83 million, Queen's magnum opus Bohemian Rhapsody (3) at 2.63 million, Wings' Mull of Kintyre/Girls' School (4) with 2.1 million and John Travolta & the late, great Olivia Newton-John with Grease OST hit You're The One That I Want (5) at 2.08 million.
MORE: Re-visit every Number 1 on the UK's Official Singles Chart
The best-selling song never to reach Number 1 in the UK is Moves Like Jagger by Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera, which lands at Number 34. Previously Wham! held the honour with Last Christmas, until January 2021 when it finally earned its place at the top - some 36 years after its release.
22 acts have earned more than one million seller, including The Beatles with a very impressive six; their biggest being 1963 chart-topper She Loves You, with 1.93m.
In the wider Top 40, despite the sharp increase in streaming over recent years, there are seven singles that make the cut from the 21st century.
In sales order they are; Pharrell Williams' Happy (8), Will Young's Pop Idol winners single Anything Is Possible/Evergreen (19), Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars on Uptown Funk (22), Robin Thicke, Pharrell and TI with Blurred Lines (24), Adele's Someone Like You (25), Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera's Moves Like Jagger (34) and finally Gotye and Kimbra with Somebody That I Used To Know (40).
The UK's Official best-selling songs of all time (physical single and download sales)
| POS | TITLE | ARTIST | YEAR | PEAK |
| 1 | SOMETHING ABOUT THE WAY YOU LOOK TONIGHT/CANDLE IN THE WIND 97 | ELTON JOHN | 1997 | 1 |
| 2 | DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS? | BAND AID | 1984 | 1 |
| 3 | BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY | QUEEN | 1975 | 1 (1975 & 1991) |
| 4 | MULL OF KINTYRE/GIRLS' SCHOOL | WINGS | 1977 | 1 |
| 5 | YOU'RE THE ONE THAT I WANT | JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN | 1978 | 1 |
| 6 | RELAX | FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD | 1983 | 1 |
| 7 | RIVERS OF BABYLON/BROWN GIRL IN THE RING | BONEY M | 1978 | 1 |
| 8 | HAPPY | PHARRELL WILLIAMS | 2013 | 1 |
| 9 | SHE LOVES YOU | THE BEATLES | 1963 | 1 |
| 10 | LAST CHRISTMAS/EVERYTHING SHE WANTS | WHAM! | 1984 | 1 |
| 11 | LOVE IS ALL AROUND | WET WET WET | 1994 | 1 |
| 12 | MARY'S BOY CHILD/OH MY LORD | BONEY M | 1978 | 1 |
| 13 | I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU | STEVIE WONDER | 1984 | 1 |
| 14 | (EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU | BRYAN ADAMS | 1991 | 1 |
| 15 | UNCHAINED MELODY/(THERE'LL BE BLUEBIRDS OVER) THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER | ROBSON GREEN & JEROME FLYNN | 1995 | 1 |
| 16 | BARBIE GIRL | AQUA | 1997 | 1 |
| 17 | BELIEVE | CHER | 1998 | 1 |
| 18 | I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND | THE BEATLES | 1963 | 1 |
| 19 | ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE/EVERGREEN | WILL YOUNG | 2002 | 1 |
| 20 | IMAGINE | JOHN LENNON | 1975 | 1975 No 6 / 1980 No 1 |
| 21 | EYE OF THE TIGER | SURVIVOR | 1982 | 1 |
| 22 | UPTOWN FUNK | MARK RONSON FT BRUNO MARS | 2014 | 1 |
| 23 | I'LL BE MISSING YOU | PUFF DADDY & FAITH EVANS | 1997 | 1 |
| 24 | BLURRED LINES | ROBIN THICKE/TI/PHARRELL | 2013 | 1 |
| 25 | SOMEONE LIKE YOU | ADELE | 2011 | 1 |
| 26 | THREE LIONS | BADDIEL & SKINNER & LIGHTNING SEEDS | 1996 | 1 |
| 27 | I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU | WHITNEY HOUSTON | 1992 | 1 |
| 28 | DON'T YOU WANT ME? | HUMAN LEAGUE | 1981 | 1 |
| 29 | SUMMER NIGHTS | JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN | 1978 | 1 |
| 30 | TWO TRIBES | FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD | 1984 | 1 |
| 31 | GANGSTA'S PARADISE | COOLIO FEATURING L.V. | 1995 | 1 |
| 32 | MY HEART WILL GO ON | CELINE DION | 1998 | 1 |
| 33 | ...BABY ONE MORE TIME | BRITNEY SPEARS | 1999 | 1 |
| 34 | MOVES LIKE JAGGER | MAROON 5 FEATURING CHRISTINA AGUILERA | 2011 | 2 |
| 35 | WONDERWALL | OASIS | 1995 | 2 |
| 36 | CAN'T BUY ME LOVE | THE BEATLES | 1964 | 1 |
| 37 | CARELESS WHISPER | GEORGE MICHAEL | 1984 | 1 |
| 38 | PERFECT DAY | VARIOUS ARTISTS | 1997 | 1 |
| 39 | KARMA CHAMELEON | CULTURE CLUB | 1983 | 1 |
| 40 | SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW | GOTYE FEATURING KIMBRA | 2011 | 1 |
| 41 | YMCA | VILLAGE PEOPLE | 1978 | 1 |
| 42 | WAKE ME UP | AVICII | 2013 | 1 |
| 43 | TEARS | KEN DODD | 1965 | 1 |
| 44 | I GOTTA FEELING | BLACK EYED PEAS | 2009 | 1 |
| 45 | GET LUCKY | DAFT PUNK FT PHARRELL WILLIAMS | 2013 | 1 |
| 46 | KILLING ME SOFTLY | FUGEES | 1996 | 1 |
| 47 | THE POWER OF LOVE | JENNIFER RUSH | 1985 | 1 |
| 48 | COME ON EILEEN | DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS | 1982 | 1 |
| 49 | IT WASN'T ME | SHAGGY FEATURING RIKROK | 2001 | 1 |
| 50 | (WE'RE GONNA) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK | BILL HALEY & HIS COMETS | 1955 | 1 |
| 51 | WE FOUND LOVE | RIHANNA FEATURING CALVIN HARRIS | 2011 | 1 |
| 52 | THE CARNIVAL IS OVER | THE SEEKERS | 1965 | 1 |
| 53 | I FEEL FINE | THE BEATLES | 1964 | 1 |
| 54 | SEX ON FIRE | KINGS OF LEON | 2008 | 1 |
| 55 | WANNABE | SPICE GIRLS | 1996 | 1 |
| 56 | WE CAN WORK IT OUT/DAY TRIPPER | THE BEATLES | 1964 | 1 |
| 57 | THINK TWICE | CELINE DION | 1994 | 1 |
| 58 | RELEASE ME | ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK | 1967 | 1 |
| 59 | TAINTED LOVE | SOFT CELL | 1981 | 1 |
| 60 | NEVER EVER | ALL SAINTS | 1997 | 1 |
| 61 | CALL ME MAYBE | CARLY RAE JEPSEN | 2012 | 1 |
| 62 | (IS THIS THE WAY TO) AMARILLO | TONY CHRISTIE FT PETER KAY | 2005 | 1 |
| 63 | JUST THE WAY YOU ARE (AMAZING) | BRUNO MARS | 2010 | 1 |
| 64 | UNCHAINED MELODY | GARETH GATES | 2002 | 1 |
| 65 | TITANIUM | DAVID GUETTA FT SIA | 2011 | 1 |
| 66 | HEART OF GLASS | BLONDIE | 1979 | 1 |
| 67 | IT'S LIKE THAT | RUN-D.M.C. VS JASON NEVINS | 1997 | 1 |
| 68 | HALLELUJAH | ALEXANDRA BURKE | 2008 | 1 |
| 69 | IMPOSSIBLE | JAMES ARTHUR | 2012 | 1 |
| 70 | MERRY XMAS EVERYBODY | SLADE | 1973 | 1 |
| 71 | ALL OF ME | JOHN LEGEND | 2014 | 2 |
| 72 | GANGNAM STYLE | PSY | 2012 | 1 |
| 73 | RATHER BE | CLEAN BANDIT FT JESS GLYNNE | 2014 | 1 |
| 74 | PARTY ROCK ANTHEM | LMFAO FEATURING LAUREN BENNETT AND GOONROCK | 2011 | 1 |
| 75 | LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE | EMINEM FEATURING RIHANNA | 2010 | 2 |
| 76 | FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK | POGUES FT KIRSTY MACCOLL | 1987 | 2 |
| 77 | BLUE MONDAY | NEW ORDER | 1983 | ORIGINAL 1983 NO 9 / 1988 Remix NO 3 |
| 78 | IT'S NOW OR NEVER | ELVIS PRESLEY | 1960 | 1 |
| 79 | LET HER GO | PASSENGER | 2012 | 2 |
| 80 | THINKING OUT LOUD | ED SHEERAN | 2014 | 1 |
| 81 | GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF HOME | TOM JONES | 1966 | 1 |
| 82 | ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU | MARIAH CAREY | 1994 | 1 (2020) |
| 83 | ANGELS | ROBBIE WILLIAMS | 1997 | 4 |
| 84 | DIANA | PAUL ANKA | 1957 | 1 |
| 85 | PRICE TAG | JESSIE J FEATURING B.O.B | 2011 | 1 |
| 86 | BRIGHT EYES | ART GARFUNKEL | 1979 | 1 |
| 87 | HEARTBEAT/TRAGEDY | STEPS | 1998 | 1 |
| 88 | EARTH SONG | MICHAEL JACKSON | 1995 | 1 |
| 89 | I DON'T WANT TO MISS A THING | AEROSMITH | 1998 | 1 |
| 90 | TORN | NATALIE IMBRUGLIA | 1997 | 2 |
| 91 | CHASING CARS | SNOW PATROL | 2006 | 6 |
| 92 | CAN'T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD | KYLIE MINOGUE | 2001 | 1 |
| 93 | SATURDAY NIGHT | WHIGFIELD | 1994 | 1 |
| 94 | POKER FACE | LADY GAGA | 2009 | 1 |
| 95 | GHOSTBUSTERS | RAY PARKER JR. | 1984 | 2 |
| 96 | STRANGER ON THE SHORE | MR ACKER BILK AND HIS PARAMOUNT JAZZ BAND | 1961 | 2 |
| 97 | MARY'S BOY CHILD | HARRY BELAFONTE | 1957 | 1 |
| 98 | THE LAST WALTZ | ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK | 1967 | 1 |
| 99 | DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS? | BAND AID 20 | 2004 | 1 |
| 100 | ONLY GIRL (IN THE WORLD) | RIHANNA | 2010 | 1 |
| 101 | DON'T GIVE UP ON US | DAVID SOUL | 1976 | 1 |
| 102 | NO MATTER WHAT | BOYZONE | 1998 | 1 |
| 103 | SPACEMAN | BABYLON ZOO | 1996 | 1 |
| 104 | DANCING QUEEN | ABBA | 1976 | 1 |
| 105 | HEY JUDE | THE BEATLES | 1968 | 1 |
| 106 | ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (PART 2) | PINK FLOYD | 1979 | 1 |
| 107 | WE ARE YOUNG | FUN FT JANELLE MONAE | 2011 | 1 |
| 108 | COUNTING STARS | ONEREPUBLIC | 2013 | 1 |
| 109 | I FEEL LOVE | DONNA SUMMER | 1977 | 1 |
| 110 | 2 BECOME 1 | SPICE GIRLS | 1996 | 1 |
| 111 | I LOVE YOU LOVE ME LOVE | GARY GLITTER | 1973 | 1 |
| 112 | CRAZY | GNARLS BARKLEY | 2006 | 1 |
| 113 | ROAR | KATY PERRY | 2013 | 1 |
| 114 | BLUE (DA BA DEE) | EIFFEL 65 | 1999 | 1 |
| 115 | DON'T STOP BELIEVIN' | JOURNEY | 1982 | 6 (2010) |
| 116 | THE A TEAM | ED SHEERAN | 2011 | 3 |
| 117 | HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK | IAN DURY AND THE BLOCKHEADS | 1978 | 1 |
| 118 | USE SOMEBODY | KINGS OF LEON | 2008 | 2 |
| 119 | BACK FOR GOOD | TAKE THAT | 1995 | 1 |
| 120 | LOSE YOURSELF | EMINEM | 2002 | 1 |
| 121 | BLEEDING LOVE | LEONA LEWIS | 2007 | 1 |
| 122 | I BELIEVE/UP ON THE ROOF | ROBSON & JEROME | 1995 | 1 |
| 123 | FIREWORK | KATY PERRY | 2010 | 3 |
| 124 | DIAMONDS | RIHANNA | 2012 | 1 |
| 125 | UNCHAINED MELODY | THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS | 1965 | 1 |
| 126 | THAT'S MY GOAL | SHAYNE WARD | 2005 | 1 |
| 127 | ROLLING IN THE DEEP | ADELE | 2011 | 2 |
| 128 | TELETUBBIES SAY "EH-OH!" | TELETUBBIES | 1997 | 1 |
| 129 | I REMEMBER YOU | FRANK IFIELD | 1962 | 1 |
| 130 | RIDE ON TIME | BLACK BOX | 1989 | 1 |
| 131 | PURE AND SIMPLE | HEAR'SAY | 2001 | 1 |
| 132 | I WILL SURVIVE | GLORIA GAYNOR | 1979 | 1 |
| 133 | RULE THE WORLD | TAKE THAT | 2007 | 2 |
| 134 | FAME | IRENE CARA | 1982 | 1 |
| 135 | RED RED WINE | UB40 | 1983 | 1 |
| 136 | LA LA LA | NAUGHTY BOY FT SAM SMITH | 2013 | 1 |
| 137 | UPTOWN GIRL | BILLY JOEL | 1983 | 1 |
| 138 | SAILING | ROD STEWART | 1975 | 1 |
| 139 | DON'T YOU WORRY CHILD | SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA/MARTIN | 2012 | 1 |
| 140 | THE YOUNG ONES | CLIFF RICHARD & THE SHADOWS | 1962 | 1 |
| 141 | STAND & DELIVER! | ADAM AND THE ANTS | 1981 | 1 |
| 142 | BAD ROMANCE | LADY GAGA | 2009 | 1 |
| 143 | GIVE ME EVERYTHING | PITBULL FEATURING NE-YO, AFROJACK AND NAYER | 2011 | 1 |
| 144 | MR BRIGHTSIDE | KILLERS | 2004 | 10 |
| 145 | WHITE CHRISTMAS | BING CROSBY WITH THE KEN DARBY SINGERS AND JOHN SCOTT TROTTER ORCHESTRA | 1942 | 5 (1977) - since 1952 |
| 146 | THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT | TIGHT FIT | 1982 | 1 |
| 147 | HERO | ENRIQUE IGLESIAS | 2002 | 1 |
| 148 | MYSTERIOUS GIRL | PETER ANDRE FEATURING BUBBLER RANX | 1995 | 1 |
| 149 | SUGAR SUGAR | THE ARCHIES | 1969 | 1 |
| 150 | FIGHT FOR THIS LOVE | CHERYL COLE | 2009 | 1 |
| 151 | DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART | ELTON JOHN & KIKI DEE | 1976 | 1 |
| 152 | MAMBO NO.5 (A LITTLE BIT OF...) | LOU BEGA | 1999 | 1 |
| 153 | WHERE IS THE LOVE | BLACK EYED PEAS | 2003 | 1 |
| 154 | YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE | GERRY & THE PACEMAKERS | 1963 | 1 |
| 155 | JAR OF HEARTS | CHRISTINA PERRI | 2011 | 4 |
| 156 | DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA | JULIE COVINGTON | 1976 | 1 |
| 157 | DON'T LOOK BACK IN ANGER | OASIS | 1996 | 1 |
| 158 | DON'T SPEAK | NO DOUBT | 1997 | 1 |
| 159 | MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE | ADELE | 2008 | 4 |
| 160 | WHOLE AGAIN | ATOMIC KITTEN | 2001 | 1 |
| 161 | CAN WE FIX IT? | BOB THE BUILDER | 2000 | 1 |
| 162 | SAVE YOUR KISSES FOR ME | BROTHERHOOD OF MAN | 1976 | 1 |
| 163 | STARSHIPS | NICKI MINAJ | 2012 | 2 |
| 164 | WHAT MAKES YOU BEAUTIFUL | ONE DIRECTION | 2011 | 1 |
| 165 | NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP | RICK ASTLEY | 1987 | 1 |
| 166 | PARADISE | COLDPLAY | 2011 | 1 |
| 167 | ESPECIALLY FOR YOU | KYLIE MINOGUE & JASON DONOVAN | 1988 | 1 |
| 168 | I'D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING | THE NEW SEEKERS | 1971 | 1 |
| 169 | WHEN WE COLLIDE | MATT CARDLE | 2010 | 1 |
| 170 | UNDER THE MOON OF LOVE | SHOWADDYWADDY | 1976 | 1 |
| 171 | MY WAY | FRANK SINATRA | 1969 | 5 |
| 172 | IRIS | GOO GOO DOLLS | 1998 | 3 |
| 173 | TIE A YELLOW RIBBON ROUND THE OLE OAK TREE | DAWN FEATURING TONY ORLANDO | 1973 | 1 |
| 174 | GRENADE | BRUNO MARS | 2011 | 1 |
| 175 | FORGET YOU | CEE LO GREEN | 2011 | 1 |
| 176 | EYE LEVEL | THE SIMON PARK ORCHESTRA | 1972 | 1 |
| 177 | SEXY AND I KNOW IT | LMFAO | 2011 | 5 |
| 178 | LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL | LITTLE JIMMY OSMOND | 1972 | 1 |
| 179 | SHAKE IT OFF | TAYLOR SWIFT | 2014 | 2 |
©2022 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.
* Sales for White Christmas have only been counted since the inception of the chart in 1952.
