Last year the OCC published on their web site very accurate figures for both Sales and Combined sales (i.e. with streams added on) for every single which has now sold more than 1 million copies in the UK (The millionaires Club). I am sure you have a copy.

 

http://www.officialcharts.com/chart-news/t...evealed__20459/

 

I thought I would take a few hours and compare these OCC sales with certifications in the BPI database.

A number of singles need to be upgraded (mainly pre-1994 singles) and some singles have never been certified (pre-1973 singles).

I have included the 50 major upgrades below.

 

 

The following singles need to be upgraded.

Band Aid - Do they know it’s Christmas - from 1P to 6 times Platinum

Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody - from 1P to 4P

John Travolta - You’re the one I want - from 1P to 3P

Frankie goes to Hollywood - Relax - from 1P to 3P

Boney M - Rivers of Babylon - from 1P to 3P

Boney M - Mary’s boy child - from 1P to 3P

Stevie Wonder - I just called to say I love you - from 1P to 3P

Survivor - Eye of the tiger - from 1P to 3P

Wham! - Last Christmas - from 1P to 3P

(also stated as Wham on BPI database)

 

Wings - Mull of Kintyre - from 2P to 3P

Bryan Adams - Everything I do - from 2P to 3P

Wet Wet Wet - Love is all around - from 2P to 3P

Robson Green - Unchained Melody - from 2P to 3P

 

 

John Lennon - Imagine - from P to 2P

Human League - Don’t you want me - from P to 2P

John Travolta - Summer nights - from P to 2P

Frankie goes to Hollywood - Two tribes - from P to 2P

George Michael - Careless whisper - from P to 2P

Culture Club - Karma Chameleon - from P to 2P

Dexys midnight runners - Come on Eileen - from P to 2P

Baddiel, Skinner, Light Seeds - 3 Lions - from P to 2P

Village people - YMCA - from P to 2P

Jennifer Rush - The power of love - from P to 2P

Celine Dion - Think twice - from P to 2P

Blondie - Heart of glass - from P to 2P

Steps - Heartbeat/Tragedy - from P to 2P

Michael Jackson - Earthsong - from P to 2P

Pink Floyd - Another brick in the wall - from P to 2P

Whigfield - Saturday night - from P to 2P

Art Garfunkel - Bright eyes - from P to 2P

Take That - Back for good - from P to 2P

Slade - Merry Christmas everyone - from P to 2P

(also stated as Merry Xmas everyone on BPI database)

 

 

New order - Blue Monday - from Gold to 2P

Abba - Dancing Queen - from G to 2P

UB40 - Red red wine - from G to 2P

Ray Parker jnr - Ghost busters - from G to 2P

Soft Cell - Tainted love - from G to 2P

 

Beatles - Hey Jude - from Silver to 2P

 

The following singles from the 1960s were never certified.

Beatles - She loves you - 3P

Beatles - I want to hold your hand - 3P

Beatles - Can’t buy me love - 2P

Beatles - I feel fine - 2P

Beatles - Day tripper - 2P

Seekers - The carnival is over - 2P

Ken Dodd - Tears - 2P

Englebert Humperdinck - Release me - 2P

Elvis Presley - It’s now or never - 2P

Tom Jones - Green green grass of home - 2P

Paul Anka - Diana - 2P

Bill Haley - Rock around the clock - 2P

 

All of these 50 singles have a minimum of 1,200,000 sales (with streams included).

 

 

The following million sellers could be upgraded from Silver to Platinum.

WHITE CHRISTMAS - BING CROSBY

HAPPY XMAS (WAR IS OVER) - JOHN LENNON & YOKO ONO

MY WAY - FRANK SINATRA

MY SWEET LORD - GEORGE HARRISON

YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE - GERRY & THE PACEMAKERS

 

 

The following million sellers have never been certified.

STRANGER ON THE SHORE - MR ACKER BILK

MARY'S BOY CHILD - HARRY BELAFONTE

THE LAST WALTZ - ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK

I REMEMBER YOU - FRANK IFIELD

THE YOUNG ONES - CLIFF RICHARD & THE SHADOWS

HELP! - THE BEATLES

I'D LIKE TO TEACH THE WORLD TO SING - THE NEW SEEKERS

 

Of course there are many other singles pre-1973 which could be upgraded to Gold or Platinum but I don’t have time at present.

Also in the 60s DISC magazine presented Silver Disc awards for singles shipping over 250,000 copies so these could be certified as Silver (200,000) on the BPI database.

 

And then you can start to upgrade albums (if sales are known).

 

This all assumes that you can add streams to historical sales. Some people do not agree and would prefer physical sales to remain on a separate historical list and to have a streams only list. And some people don’t even agree with adding digital downloads to viny/CD sales.

Edited May 9, 20187 yr by ben08

Streams shouldnt count towards cumulative sales, especially for songs pre stream era. Also With playlists people dont choose what they listen to so they should not count.