List of best selling singles (UK) - Definition and Overview

This is a list of best-selling singles in the United Kingdom. Do They Know It's Christmas?, Unchained Melody and Mary's Boy Child all appear twice.

2002 list

In November 2002, to mark the 50th anniversary of the first British singles chart, The Official UK Charts Company issued the following list of Britain's best-selling singles since 1952. Audited sales figures to the end of September 2002 are given in brackets.

1. Something About The Way You Look Tonight / Candle In The Wind 97 – Elton John, 1997 (4.8 million)
2. Do They Know It's Christmas? – Band Aid, 1984 (3.51 million)
3. Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen, 1975, re-released 1991 (2.13 million)
4. Mull of Kintyre / Girls School – Wings, 1977 (2.05m)
5. Rivers Of Babylon / Brown Girl In The Ring – Boney M, 1978 (1.99m)
6. Relax – Frankie Goes to Hollywood, 1983 (1.91m)
7. She Loves You – The Beatles, 1963 (1.89m)
8. You're The One That I Want – John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, 1978 (1.87m)
9. Unchained Melody – Robson Green & Jerome Flynn, 1995 (1.82m)
10. Mary's Boy Child – Oh My Lord – Boney M, 1978 (1.79m)
11. Love Is All Around – Wet Wet Wet, 1994 (1.78m)
12. Anything Is Possible / Evergreen – Will Young, 2002 (1.77m)
13. I Just Called To Say I Love You – Stevie Wonder, 1984 (1.77m)
14. I Want To Hold Your Hand, 1963 – The Beatles (1.75m)
15. Barbie Girl – Aqua, 1997 (1.72m)
16. Believe – Cher, 1998 (1.67m)
17. Perfect Day, 1997 – Various Artists (1.54m)
18. (Everything I Do) I Do It For You – Bryan Adams, 1991 (1.52m)
19. Tears – Ken Dodd, 1965 (1.52m)
20. Can't Buy Me Love – The Beatles, 1964 (1.52m)
21. Summer Nights – John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, 1978 (1.51m)
22. Two Tribes – Frankie Goes to Hollywood, 1984 (1.51m)
23. Imagine – John Lennon, 1975 (1.48m)
24. Baby One More Time – Britney Spears, 1998 (1.45m)
25. Don't You Want Me – Human League, 1981 (1.43m)
26. Last Christmas – Wham, 1984 (1.42m)
27. I Feel Fine – The Beatles, 1964 (1.41m)
28. I'll Be Missing You – Puff Daddy & Faith Evans, 1997 (1.4m)
29. Karma Chameleon – Culture Club, 1983 (1.4m)
30. The Carnival is Over – The Seekers, 1965 (1.4m)
31. Rock Around the Clock – Bill Haley and his Comets, 1955 (1.39m)
32. We Can Work It Out / Day Tripper – The Beatles, 1965 (1.38m)
33. Y.M.C.A. – The Village People, 1978 (1.38m)
34. Careless Whisper – George Michael, 1984 (1.36m)
35. Release Me – Engelbert Humperdinck, 1967 (1.36m)
36. I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston, 1992 (1.35m)
37. The Power Of Love – Jennifer Rush, 1985 (1.32m)
38. Unchained Melody – Gareth Gates, 2002 (1.31m)
39. My Heart Will Go On – Céline Dion, 1998 (1.31m)
40. Wannabe – Spice Girls, 1996 (1.26m)
41. Killing Me Softly – Fugees, 1996
42. Never Ever – All Saints, 1997
43. Gangsta's Paradise – Coolio featuring LV, 1995
44. Diana – Paul Anka, 1957
45. Think Twice – Céline Dion, 1994
46. It's Now Or Never – Elvis Presley, 1960
47. Green Green Grass Of Home – Tom Jones, 1966
48. Come On Eileen – Dexy's Midnight Runners & the Emerald Express, 1982 (1.2m)
49. It Wasn't Me – Shaggy featuring RikRok, 2001
50. Heart Of Glass – Blondie, 1979
51. Mary's Boy Child – Harry Belafonte, 1957
52. The Last Waltz – Engelbert Humperdinck, 1967
53. Bright Eyes – Art Garfunkel, 1979
54. Tragedy / Heartbeat – Steps, 1998
55. Don't Give Up On Us – David Soul, 1976
56. I Love You Love Me Love – Gary Glitter, 1974
57. Tainted Love – Soft Cell, 1981
58. Stranger on the Shore – Mr. Acker Bilk, 1961
59. It's Like That (remix) – Run DMC vs Jason Nevins, 1998
60. Teletubbies Say Eh-Oh! – Teletubbies, 1997 (1.1m)
61. Spaceman – Babylon Zoo, 1996
62. I Remember You – Frank Ifield, 1962
63. I Believe / Up On The Roof – Robson Green & Jerome Flynn, 1995
64. Saturday Night – Whigfield, 1994
65. Pure and Simple – Hear'Say, 2001
66. No Matter What – Boyzone, 1998
67. 2 Become 1 – Spice Girls, 1996
68. The Young Ones – Cliff Richard & the Shadows, 1962
69. Earth Song – Michael Jackson, 1995
70. Can't Get You Out Of My Head – Kylie Minogue, 2001
71. Blue (Da Ba Dee) – Eiffel 65, 1999
72. Can We Fix It? – Bob the Builder, 2000
73. Merry Christmas Everybody – Slade, 1973
74. Save Your Kisses For Me – Brotherhood Of Man, 1976
75. Eye Level (TV Theme From Van Der Valk) – Simon Park Orchestra, 1973
76. Blue Monday – New Order, 1983 (1m)
77. Long Haired Lover From Liverpool – Little Jimmy Osmond, 1972
78. Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2 – Pink Floyd, 1979
79. Don't Cry For Me, Argentina – Julie Covington, 1976
80. Eye Of The Tiger – Survivor, 1982
81. I'd Like To Teach the World To Sing – The New Seekers, 1971 (0.99m)
82. Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree – Dawn featuring Tony Orlando, 1973
83. Stand and Deliver – Adam and the Ants, 1981
84. Under The Moon Of Love – Showaddywaddy , 1976
85. Torn – Natalie Imbruglia, 1997
86. Especially For You – Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan, 1988 (0.98m)
87. Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick – Ian and the Blockheads, 1978
88. Sugar Sugar – The Archies, 1969
89. The Lion Sleeps Tonight (Wimoweh) – Tight Fit, 1982
90. The Next Time / Bachelor Boy – Cliff Richard & the Shadows, 1962
91. Fame – Irene Cara, 1982
92. Theme From Ghostbusters – Ray Parker Jr., 1984
93. Uptown Girl – Billy Joel, 1983
94. Ride On Time – Black Box, 1989 (0.97m)
95. Telstar – The Tornados, 1962
96. Wonderwall – Oasis, 1995
97. Amazing Grace – Band of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards, 1972 (0.96m)
98. Back For Good – Take That, 1995
99. Sailing – Rod Stewart (0.95m), 1975
100. Mississippi – Pussycat (0.94m), 1976

Additions since 2002

• Mysterious Girl – Peter Andre. Mysterious Girl sold a combined total of 1,011,000 from its original 1995 release, and its 1996 and 2004 re-releases.
• Do They Know It's Christmas? – Band Aid 20 sold over 1,000,000 in 2004.

See also

• Best-selling singles by year
• Christmas number one singles