It's probably already passed 1m sales given those are just its 2010s figures.

'When We Were Young' really stood the test of time. It's her 5th biggest song on Spotify ever. Well deserved as it's such a beautiful song :wub:

40. PRETTY GIRL- Maggie Lindemann (1,164,000)

 

 

PEAK POSITION: 8

YEAR: 2017

 

I had never heard this track until the countdown! Anyway this was her first major label release at just 18 though it remains her only hit in this country.

 

Of the song she said “"'Pretty Girl' was inspired by my experiences growing up on social media and being constantly judged and underestimated based on the superficial, which is something I think a lot of girls are going through right now. Being on the set of 'Pretty Girl' with all of the amazing girls was so much fun, just hanging out and getting into trouble. We had a good time, and I think it shows, especially in the shots outside where we got to be a bit sassier."

 

 

39. INTO YOU- Ariana Grande (1,168,000)

 

 

PEAK POSITION: 14

YEAR: 2016

 

Grande’s third track on this countdown and a song that never even made the top 10 here but was still a million seller and had some Max Martin help in the writing. Not bad sales for a fourth release from an album.

 

 

40. PRETTY GIRL- Maggie Lindemann (1,164,000)

 

I had never heard this track until the countdown! Anyway this was her first major label release at just 18 though it remains her only hit in this country.

 

This is another case that is almost the same as Starley - the vast majority of its sales came from the Cheat Codes x CADE remix. I don't recommend you looking that up though if you've not heard it before, it's dreadful. (I have never heard the original version but I have to imagine it's probably better than the remix).

 

'When We Were Young' feels like one of Adele's least relevant singles from the last 2 albums so the fact that it's comfortably a millionaire and this high up the list even so is pretty remarkable! I really like it but I can see why it's overshadowed by other songs from her that are pretty similar.

38. YOUR SONG- Rita Ora (1,178,000)

 

 

PEAK POSITION: 7

YEAR: 2017

 

Ora’s first single in 2 years saw her back in the top 10 thanks in part to a certain Ed Sheeran who co-wrote and provides backing vocals on this song. It would act as the first single on her second album “Phoenix” despite being released a year before the album.

 

Ora revealed “It was the last song I recorded for the album, we (Ed Sheeran and her) were talking and I said I have my friends on the album and I’d really love for him to be involved but he was on a world tour so maybe next time, and he said “Funny you should say that because I just wrote this song” and so he sent the demo over. I recorded it the next day and it just worked for the album”

 

 

37. I KNEW YOU WERE TROUBLE- Taylor Swift (1,188,000)

 

 

PEAK POSITION: 2

YEAR: 2012

 

Becoming Swift’s biggest UK hit to that point this was held off the top spot here by Will.i.am and Britney Spears “Scream & Shout” in early 2013 and was popularly thought to be about her relationship with John Mayer. Another Max Martin creation whilst lyrically Swift ponders “The song is about being frustrated with yourself because here you are heart-broken and you knew when you first saw that person you saw all these red flags and you just went for it anyway, so shame on me”.

 

 

Pretty Girl was quite a shock on here didn’t realise that was so big!

 

When We Were Young, Into You, Your Song and I Knew You Were Trouble :heart:

 

lol at Your Song being the last song recorded for the album yet the album come like a year later surely she meant what was the album at the time but she then recorded more.

lol at Your Song being the last song recorded for the album yet the album come like a year later surely she meant what was the album at the time but she then recorded more.

Yeah, that didn't make sense to me either :lol:

 

'Your Song' is pretty great though, as is 'I Knew You Were Trouble', both fine examples of how pop songs should sound in the 2010s.

36. SKINNY LOVE- Birdy (1,204,000)

 

 

PEAK POSITION: 17

YEAR: 2011

 

Winning that open mic competition at age 12 was the precursor to Birdy’s career which started with this track when she was the ripe old age of just 15! The cover of the Bon Ivor track marks the first of our double platinum tracks of the decade and is the highest non top 15 hit on the rundown- helped by its use in a few “X Factor” episodes over the years.

 

 

35. SET FIRE TO THE RAIN- Adele (1,210,000)

 

 

PEAK POSITION: 11

YEAR: 2011

 

Third official single from “21” and its smallest seller incredibly at a mere 1.2 million. It was a US chart topper but missed the top 10 entirely here and has no official promo as the singer was recovering from Vocal surgery at the time.

 

It was nearly never a single with the label deciding in the end “Our research found more programmer preference for ‘Set Fire to the Rain’. Both ‘Rumour Has It’ and ‘Fire’ came back strong, but ‘Fire’ was a bit stronger. It’s a better plan to go with ‘Fire’ over ‘Rumour’ at pop and adult radio. Everyone, from radio to the buying public, seems to be on board.”

 

Set Fire to the Rain is epic; that and Turning Tables are my favourites from 21 by a long way.

Think it’s 4 down and 4 to go for Adele.

Where’s Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato?

 

I think it has sold over 900k

Edited November 1, 20204 yr by Henry G

'Set Fire To The Rain' is probably my favourite Adele song, sucks that it stalled outside the top 10 here but it did at least become her third #1 on the trot in the US to make up for it!

 

The less said about Birdy's Bon Iver evisceration the better. At least with 'exile' going top 10 it is no longer the highest charting Justin Vernon adjacent song though.

Where’s Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato?

 

I think it has sold over 900k

 

I had it on around 750k at the end of 2019 (over 800,000 now) but there is a margin of error on my calculations as noted in the OP so it may have made the list. it was certified Platinum in April 18 but hasn't charted since, the most recent list on her best sellers put "Heart Attack" on 549k (Aug 2020) and her 6th best seller, with "Up" on 1.06 million and her 2nd best seller. Figures aren't given for her 3rd, 4th or 5th best sellers (of which "Sorry Not Sorry" is the third) so there's a huge range of speculation on them apart from the fact they are all platinum at least (600,000+)

Adele getting a US #1 but a UK #11 with Set Fire To The Rain feels so strange but it was a massive hit despite its peak.

 

Top tier Adele but then again I could say that about most of her releases they are all strong!

 

Birdy :wub: I love her cover of Skinny Love!

34. HOW LONG WILL I LOVE YOU- Ellie Goulding (1,211,000)

 

 

PEAK POSITION: 3

YEAR: 2013

 

A flop single by the Waterboys in 1990 was turned into a “millionaire” track by Goulding who used this song as her second single from “Halcyon Days” and for the benefit of Children In Need that year. It came with two promo’s – one using clips from the film “About Time” which doesn’t actually feature the track, and the other from a short film “Tom & Issy” which starred Goulding.

 

 

33. DON’T BE SO HARD ON YOURSELF- Jess Glynne (1,243,000)

 

 

PEAK POSITION: 1

YEAR: 2015

 

Glynne’s fifth chart topper in under 2 years, this was released the week before her debut album “I Laugh When I Cry” and debuted straight at the top spot. That equalled the record held by Cheryl Cole of most UK chart toppers by female artists though of course Glynne’s tally included guest vocals on hits by Route 94, Tinie Tempah and Clean Bandit. Glynne stated "When I was meeting my publisher, managers and label and everything was happening for me, I was going through a really hard time. I had my heart broken and I was in a dark place. It was even harder because my dreams were coming true and I had to put a smile on my face every day and power through”.

 

 

LOVE that Ellie song :wub: :wub: :wub: Makes me think of my young nephew everytime I hear it so there’s definite sentimental value to it. I’d also say that Jess’s best solo song is Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself! Such an anthem.

Somehow I often forget that Don't Be So Hard peaked at number one