They're the very top of the pops – the UK's million-selling singles. It's still a relatively rare feat, with currently only 175 songs making it to seven figures.
Not all of them managed to make it to Number 1 – 27 million-sellers never hit the top spot – but they've earned their place in British pop history.
Way out in front, with 4.93 million sales is Elton John's double-A Candle in the Wind 97/Something About the Way You Look Tonight, released after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Another charity record is in second, the original Band Aid with Do They Know It's Christmas? on 3.8 million, and the next five songs have all sold over two million copies.
The biggest selling cover version is Boney M's Rivers of Babylon/Brown Girl in the Ring from 1978, shifting 2.03 million, although the originals never charted – the most popular cover version of a song that had already charted is Wet Wet Wet's redo of the Troggs' Love Is All Around, on 1.9 million.
Look back over every Number 1 on the Official UK Singles Chart
The top selling song released in the 21st century goes to Pharrell Williams' Happy, which is eighth with 1.93 million sales, while in 12th is the top selling song never to reach Number 1 – Wham!'s Last Christmas, which was blocked by Band Aid in 1984 and has sold 1.88 million. Cher's Believe, the best-selling song by a female artist, is 17th in the rundown, with 1.83 million.
Frankie Goes to Hollywood's Relax claims the best-selling debut single by a group (2.06m) and Will Young takes the prize for a solo artist with Anything Is Possible/Evergreen (1.79m)
Some stars are just greedy and bag more than one million-seller: 22 acts have two or more entries in the list of the UK's all-time bestselling singles. Way out in front, with an astonishing six, are the Beatles, with their top-selling honour going to 1963 chart-topper She Loves You, on 1.92 million.
Rihanna is up next – she appears on four, with We Found Love (feat Calvin Harris) her biggest, shifting 1.41 million copies. Adele and Pharrell Williams have three million-sellers each – Someone Like You from 2011 is Adele's big one (1.64m) and Pharrell's is Happy.
The UK's best-selling songs of all time
| 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 | LOVE IS ALL AROUND | WET WET WET | 1994 | 1 |
| 11 | MARY'S BOY CHILD/OH MY LORD | BONEY M | 1978 | 1 |
| 12 | LAST CHRISTMAS/EVERYTHING SHE WANTS | WHAM! | 1984 | 2 |
| 13 | I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU | STEVIE WONDER | 1984 | 1 |
| 14 | UNCHAINED MELODY/(THERE'LL BE BLUEBIRDS OVER) THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER | ROBSON GREEN & JEROME FLYNN | 1995 | 1 |
| 15 | (EVERYTHING I DO) I DO IT FOR YOU | BRYAN ADAMS | 1991 | 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 | BLURRED LINES | ROBIN THICKE/TI/PHARRELL | 2013 | 1 |
| 22 | I'LL BE MISSING YOU | PUFF DADDY & FAITH EVANS | 1997 | 1 |
| 23 | UPTOWN FUNK | MARK RONSON FT BRUNO MARS | 2014 | 1 |
| 24 | EYE OF THE TIGER | SURVIVOR | 1982 | 1 |
| 25 | SOMEONE LIKE YOU | ADELE | 2011 | 1 |
| 26 | I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU | WHITNEY HOUSTON | 1992 | 1 |
| 27 | SUMMER NIGHTS | JOHN TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN | 1978 | 1 |
| 28 | DON'T YOU WANT ME? | HUMAN LEAGUE | 1981 | 1 |
| 29 | TWO TRIBES | FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD | 1984 | 1 |
| 30 | GANGSTA'S PARADISE | COOLIO FEATURING L.V. | 1995 | 1 |
| 31 | MY HEART WILL GO ON | CELINE DION | 1998 | 1 |
| 32 | THREE LIONS | BADDIEL & SKINNER & LIGHTNING SEEDS | 1996 | 1 |
| 33 | ...BABY ONE MORE TIME | BRITNEY SPEARS | 1999 | 1 |
| 34 | PERFECT DAY | VARIOUS ARTISTS | 1997 | 1 |
| 35 | CAN'T BUY ME LOVE | THE BEATLES | 1964 | 1 |
| 36 | MOVES LIKE JAGGER | MAROON 5 FEATURING CHRISTINA AGUILERA | 2011 | 2 |
| 37 | CARELESS WHISPER | GEORGE MICHAEL | 1984 | 1 |
| 38 | KARMA CHAMELEON | CULTURE CLUB | 1983 | 1 |
| 39 | TEARS | KEN DODD | 1965 | 1 |
| 40 | SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW | GOTYE FEATURING KIMBRA | 2011 | 1 |
| 41 | WONDERWALL | OASIS | 1995 | 2 |
| 42 | YMCA | VILLAGE PEOPLE | 1978 | 1 |
| 43 | WAKE ME UP | AVICII | 2013 | 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 | (WE'RE GONNA) ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK | BILL HALEY & HIS COMETS | 1955 | 1 |
| 49 | IT WASN'T ME | SHAGGY FEATURING RIKROK | 2001 | 1 |
| 50 | COME ON EILEEN | DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS | 1982 | 1 |
| 51 | THE CARNIVAL IS OVER | THE SEEKERS | 1965 | 1 |
| 52 | I FEEL FINE | THE BEATLES | 1964 | 1 |
| 53 | WE FOUND LOVE | RIHANNA FEATURING CALVIN HARRIS | 2011 | 1 |
| 54 | WE CAN WORK IT OUT/DAY TRIPPER | THE BEATLES | 1964 | 1 |
| 55 | SEX ON FIRE | KINGS OF LEON | 2008 | 1 |
| 56 | WANNABE | SPICE GIRLS | 1996 | 1 |
| 57 | RELEASE ME | ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK | 1967 | 1 |
| 58 | THINK TWICE | CELINE DION | 1994 | 1 |
| 59 | NEVER EVER | ALL SAINTS | 1997 | 1 |
| 60 | CALL ME MAYBE | CARLY RAE JEPSEN | 2012 | 1 |
| 61 | TAINTED LOVE | SOFT CELL | 1981 | 1 |
| 62 | (IS THIS THE WAY TO) AMARILLO | TONY CHRISTIE FT PETER KAY | 2005 | 1 |
| 63 | UNCHAINED MELODY | GARETH GATES | 2002 | 1 |
| 64 | JUST THE WAY YOU ARE (AMAZING) | BRUNO MARS | 2010 | 1 |
| 65 | IT'S LIKE THAT | RUN-D.M.C. VS JASON NEVINS | 1997 | 1 |
| 66 | HEART OF GLASS | BLONDIE | 1979 | 1 |
| 67 | HALLELUJAH | ALEXANDRA BURKE | 2008 | 1 |
| 68 | IMPOSSIBLE | JAMES ARTHUR | 2012 | 1 |
| 69 | TITANIUM | DAVID GUETTA FT SIA | 2011 | 1 |
| 70 | MERRY XMAS EVERYBODY | SLADE | 1973 | 1 |
| 71 | GANGNAM STYLE | PSY | 2012 | 1 |
| 72 | RATHER BE | CLEAN BANDIT FT JESS GLYNNE | 2014 | 1 |
| 73 | PARTY ROCK ANTHEM | LMFAO FEATURING LAUREN BENNETT AND GOONROCK | 2011 | 1 |
| 74 | ALL OF ME | JOHN LEGEND | 2014 | 2 |
| 75 | IT'S NOW OR NEVER | ELVIS PRESLEY | 1960 | 1 |
| 76 | LOVE THE WAY YOU LIE | EMINEM FEATURING RIHANNA | 2010 | 2 |
| 77 | GREEN, GREEN GRASS OF HOME | TOM JONES | 1966 | 1 |
| 78 | DIANA | PAUL ANKA | 1957 | 1 |
| 79 | LET HER GO | PASSENGER | 2012 | 2 |
| 80 | BLUE MONDAY | NEW ORDER | 1983 | ORIGINAL 1983 NO 9 / 1988 Remix NO 3 |
| 81 | FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK | POGUES FT KIRSTY MACCOLL | 1987 | 2 |
| 82 | THINKING OUT LOUD | ED SHEERAN | 2014 | 1 |
| 83 | ANGELS | ROBBIE WILLIAMS | 1997 | 4 |
| 84 | PRICE TAG | JESSIE J FEATURING B.O.B | 2011 | 1 |
| 85 | BRIGHT EYES | ART GARFUNKEL | 1979 | 1 |
| 86 | HEARTBEAT/TRAGEDY | STEPS | 1998 | 1 |
| 87 | EARTH SONG | MICHAEL JACKSON | 1995 | 1 |
| 88 | TORN | NATALIE IMBRUGLIA | 1997 | 2 |
| 89 | ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU | MARIAH CAREY | 1994 | 2 |
| 90 | CAN'T GET YOU OUT OF MY HEAD | KYLIE MINOGUE | 2001 | 1 |
| 91 | I DON'T WANT TO MISS A THING | AEROSMITH | 1998 | 1 |
| 92 | SATURDAY NIGHT | WHIGFIELD | 1994 | 1 |
| 93 | MARY'S BOY CHILD | HARRY BELAFONTE | 1957 | 1 |
| 94 | STRANGER ON THE SHORE | MR ACKER BILK AND HIS PARAMOUNT JAZZ BAND | 1961 | 2 |
| 95 | THE LAST WALTZ | ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK | 1967 | 1 |
| 96 | DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS? | BAND AID 20 | 2004 | 1 |
| 97 | POKER FACE | LADY GAGA | 2009 | 1 |
| 98 | GHOSTBUSTERS | RAY PARKER JR. | 1984 | 2 |
| 99 | CHASING CARS | SNOW PATROL | 2006 | 6 |
| 100 | DON'T GIVE UP ON US | DAVID SOUL | 1976 | 1 |
| 101 | ONLY GIRL (IN THE WORLD) | RIHANNA | 2010 | 1 |
| 102 | SPACEMAN | BABYLON ZOO | 1996 | 1 |
| 103 | NO MATTER WHAT | BOYZONE | 1998 | 1 |
| 104 | ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL (PART 2) | PINK FLOYD | 1979 | 1 |
| 105 | WE ARE YOUNG | FUN FT JANELLE MONAE | 2011 | 1 |
| 106 | I LOVE YOU LOVE ME LOVE | GARY GLITTER | 1973 | 1 |
| 107 | HEY JUDE | THE BEATLES | 1968 | 1 |
| 108 | 2 BECOME 1 | SPICE GIRLS | 1996 | 1 |
| 109 | DANCING QUEEN | ABBA | 1976 | 1 |
| 110 | COUNTING STARS | ONEREPUBLIC | 2013 | 1 |
| 111 | CRAZY | GNARLS BARKLEY | 2006 | 1 |
| 112 | BLUE (DA BA DEE) | EIFFEL 65 | 1999 | 1 |
| 113 | I FEEL LOVE | DONNA SUMMER | 1977 | 1 |
| 114 | HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK | IAN DURY AND THE BLOCKHEADS | 1978 | 1 |
| 115 | THE A TEAM | ED SHEERAN | 2011 | 3 |
| 116 | ROAR | KATY PERRY | 2013 | 1 |
| 117 | I BELIEVE/UP ON THE ROOF | ROBSON & JEROME | 1995 | 1 |
| 118 | BACK FOR GOOD | TAKE THAT | 1995 | 1 |
| 119 | USE SOMEBODY | KINGS OF LEON | 2008 | 2 |
| 120 | BLEEDING LOVE | LEONA LEWIS | 2007 | 1 |
| 121 | DON'T STOP BELIEVIN' | JOURNEY | 1982 | 6 (2010) |
| 122 | THAT'S MY GOAL | SHAYNE WARD | 2005 | 1 |
| 123 | TELETUBBIES SAY "EH-OH!" | TELETUBBIES | 1997 | 1 |
| 124 | I REMEMBER YOU | FRANK IFIELD | 1962 | 1 |
| 125 | UNCHAINED MELODY | THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS | 1965 | 1 |
| 126 | DIAMONDS | RIHANNA | 2012 | 1 |
| 127 | PURE AND SIMPLE | HEAR'SAY | 2001 | 1 |
| 128 | FIREWORK | KATY PERRY | 2010 | 3 |
| 129 | RIDE ON TIME | BLACK BOX | 1989 | 1 |
| 130 | LOSE YOURSELF | EMINEM | 2002 | 1 |
| 131 | ROLLING IN THE DEEP | ADELE | 2011 | 2 |
| 132 | I WILL SURVIVE | GLORIA GAYNOR | 1979 | 1 |
| 133 | FAME | IRENE CARA | 1982 | 1 |
| 134 | RULE THE WORLD | TAKE THAT | 2007 | 2 |
| 135 | LA LA LA | NAUGHTY BOY FT SAM SMITH | 2013 | 1 |
| 136 | RED RED WINE | UB40 | 1983 | 1 |
| 137 | UPTOWN GIRL | BILLY JOEL | 1983 | 1 |
| 138 | THE YOUNG ONES | CLIFF RICHARD & THE SHADOWS | 1962 | 1 |
| 139 | SAILING | ROD STEWART | 1975 | 1 |
| 140 | STAND & DELIVER! | ADAM AND THE ANTS | 1981 | 1 |
| 141 | DON'T YOU WORRY CHILD | SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA/MARTIN | 2012 | 1 |
| 142 | GIVE ME EVERYTHING | PITBULL FEATURING NE-YO, AFROJACK AND NAYER | 2011 | 1 |
| 143 | WHITE CHRISTMAS | BING CROSBY WITH THE KEN DARBY SINGERS AND JOHN SCOTT TROTTER ORCHESTRA | 1942 | 5 (1977) - since 1952 |
| 144 | BAD ROMANCE | LADY GAGA | 2009 | 1 |
| 145 | THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT | TIGHT FIT | 1982 | 1 |
| 146 | MYSTERIOUS GIRL | PETER ANDRE FEATURING BUBBLER RANX | 1995 | 1 |
| 147 | SUGAR SUGAR | THE ARCHIES | 1969 | 1 |
| 148 | FIGHT FOR THIS LOVE | CHERYL COLE | 2009 | 1 |
| 149 | HERO | ENRIQUE IGLESIAS | 2002 | 1 |
| 150 | DON'T CRY FOR ME ARGENTINA | JULIE COVINGTON | 1976 | 1 |
| 151 | MAMBO NO.5 (A LITTLE BIT OF...) | LOU BEGA | 1999 | 1 |
| 152 | DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART | ELTON JOHN & KIKI DEE | 1976 | 1 |
| 153 | CAN WE FIX IT? | BOB THE BUILDER | 2000 | 1 |
| 154 | WHERE IS THE LOVE | BLACK EYED PEAS | 2003 | 1 |
| 155 | SAVE YOUR KISSES FOR ME | BROTHERHOOD OF MAN | 1976 | 1 |
| 156 | JAR OF HEARTS | CHRISTINA PERRI | 2011 | 4 |
| 157 | WHOLE AGAIN | ATOMIC KITTEN | 2001 | 1 |
| 158 | DON'T SPEAK | NO DOUBT | 1997 | 1 |
| 159 | WHEN WE COLLIDE | MATT CARDLE | 2010 | 1 |
| 160 | I'D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING | THE NEW SEEKERS | 1971 | 1 |
| 161 | YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE | GERRY & THE PACEMAKERS | 1963 | 1 |
| 162 | STARSHIPS | NICKI MINAJ | 2012 | 2 |
| 163 | UNDER THE MOON OF LOVE | SHOWADDYWADDY | 1976 | 1 |
| 164 | WHAT MAKES YOU BEAUTIFUL | ONE DIRECTION | 2011 | 1 |
| 165 | TIE A YELLOW RIBBON ROUND THE OLE OAK TREE | DAWN FEATURING TONY ORLANDO | 1973 | 1 |
| 166 | ESPECIALLY FOR YOU | KYLIE MINOGUE & JASON DONOVAN | 1988 | 1 |
| 167 | MAKE YOU FEEL MY LOVE | ADELE | 2008 | 4 |
| 168 | EYE LEVEL | THE SIMON PARK ORCHESTRA | 1972 | 1 |
| 169 | LONG HAIRED LOVER FROM LIVERPOOL | LITTLE JIMMY OSMOND | 1972 | 1 |
| 170 | FORGET YOU | CEE LO GREEN | 2011 | 1 |
| 171 | GRENADE | BRUNO MARS | 2011 | 1 |
| 172 | PARADISE | COLDPLAY | 2011 | 1 |
| 173 | NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP | RICK ASTLEY | 1987 | 1 |
| 174 | DON'T LOOK BACK IN ANGER | OASIS | 1996 | 1 |
| 175 | SEXY AND I KNOW IT | LMFAO | 2011 | 5 |
©2018 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.
* Sales for White Christmas have only been counted since the inception of the chart in 1952.
