#22

Vance Joy - Riptide

 

 

Originally a long running #10 hit, this has became a huge and consistent streamer and was the #40 single of 2023.

 

Estimated sales: 3.98 million

Year: 2013

Chart run: 35-18-(10)-14-13-12-15-27-30-34-39-43-52-57-49-70-67-72-74-59-62-/-66-61-37-49-61-53-41-38-37-40-45-47-51-50-49-52-57-55-53-51-65-/-73-/-49-42-56-53-58-62-67-61-72-70-/-74-64-/-61-67–/-69-69-71-/-72-70–/-67-70-70-/-71-69-75-/-69-49-49-57-58-64-68-69-74-/-70 (78 weeks)

 

#21

The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale Of New York

 

 

The Christmas #2 of 1987, which despite various online campaigns over the years and 19 straight years reaching the Top 20 is yet to ascend to #1.

 

Estimated sales: 4.06 million including 1.28 million purchases

Year: 1987

Chart run: 40-19–8-(2)-2-4-19-39-68-/-64-49-38-36–69-/-3-5–12-41-63-/-46-23-10-6-13-/-33-12-8-4-9-/-62-44-19-13-12-19-/-57-31-18-18-12-/-75-51-27-26-19-17-/-47-23-15-13-13-68-/-53-27-15-18-12-32–/-53-16-15-14-24-/-67-18-11-11-17-/-58-20-15-13-46-/-66-16-18-15-15-/-55-10-7-7-5-/-66-18-10-11-4-/-71-22-14-4-/-63-26-8-4-5-6-5-/-44-16-7-7-7-4-5-/-57-30-14-9-13-9-/-53-18-4-5-6-6 (118 weeks)

 

#20

Tones And I - Dance Monkey

 

 

A record 24 weeks at #1 in Australia for this, and 11 in the UK makes it the most for a female lead artist.

 

Estimated sales: 4.10 million

Year: 2019

Chart run: 60-48-40-31-19-14-7-(1)-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-10-20-5-6-10-14-12-14-15-18-21-19-18-16-14-15-14-14-19-23-22-21-22-26-25-24-28-26-26-33-34-33-37-40-41-42-45-47-42-40-43-49-51-52-49-49-58-62-62-/-38-43-46-49-47-45-47-48-47-55-60-60-56-55–/-67-74 (83 weeks)

 

#19

Hozier - Take Me To Church

 

 

A sleeper hit which eventually climbed to #2 in the UK, with a hard hitting accompanying video.

 

Estimated sales: 4.13 million

Year: 2013

Chart run: 49-49-35-28-26-32-31-33-34-34-25-31-32-27-22-20-23-10-5-3-3-(2)-3-2-2-2-4-6-6-7-8-10-15-16-17-16-19-22-24-26-28-31-35-33-43-39-39-43-47-47-42-39-46-49-53-53-52-56-66-66-65-69-69-/-62-/-70-55 (66 weeks)

 

#18

John Legend - All Of Me

 

 

The 3rd biggest song of 2014 behind "Happy" and "Rather Be", but now ahead of both of those.

 

Estimated sales: 4.14 million including 1.29 million purchases

Year: 2013

Chart run: 72-28-29-9-8-6-3-5-(2)-4-4-4-5-4-3-6-6-5-10-10-9-11-13-14-20-19-17-15-19-19-24-23-22-23-29-18-22-23-26-4-14-22-31-34-40-41-44-36-37-33-33-39-24-29-34-39-43-40-47-54-58-65-62-66-64-70-71-75-/-72-/-74-70-73-/-75-75-/-74 (75 weeks)

 

#17

Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee & Justin Bieber - Despacito

 

 

This was considered instrumental in the renewed mainstream interest in Spanish-language pop music, and for a long time the most viewed YouTube video of all time until "Baby Shark" overtook.

 

Estimated sales: 4.18 million

Year: 2017

Chart run: 70-22-4-(1)-1-1-1-1-1-2-1-1-1-2-1-1-4-6-7-10-13-20-23-25-27-31-32-34-37-36-38-41-52-64-72-71-58-26-49-60-64-65-66-/-73-/-75-73-/-75/-71–/-75 (49 weeks)

 

#16

Adele - Someone Like You

 

 

Her first UK #1 which flew to the top following a performance at the 2011 Brit Awards.

 

Estimated sales: 4.22 million including 1.68 million purchases

Year: 2011

Chart run: 36-33-47-(1)-1-1-1-2-1-2-3-6-12-11-14-17-21-20-24-27-29-34-30-30-28-35-33-35-40-33-27-17-24-32-32-31-33-41-43-45-50-48-56-49-51-50-49-27-28-40-43-53-51-58-41-32-46-57-61-65-/-62-75-/-66-/-74-/-74-34-45-67-74-67 (72 weeks)

 

#15

Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars - Uptown Funk

 

 

An '80s inspired funk track which is the latest released song to achieve 1 million purchases.

 

Estimated sales: 4.38 million including 1.68 million purchases

Year: 2014

Chart run: (1)-2-1-1-1-1-1-1–2-3-3-3-6-9-8-8-5-8-12-12-12-11-12-14-16-18-19-18-21-19-28-28-30-32-32-35-35-41-43-36-43-39-47-50-48-49-48-53-61-/-72-/-71-55-53-73-/-74-/-74-71-68-/-71-75-/-75 (61 weeks)

 

#14

Drake featuring Wizkid and Kyla - One Dance

 

 

The longest running UK #1 this century, which sampled British house singer Kyla's "Do You Mind".

 

Estimated sales: 4.41 million

Year: 2016

Chart run: 21-(1)-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-5-5-6-8-8-8-9-9-14-17-19-19-21-22-25-27-27-25-28-33-38-36-42-24-37-38-38-38-40-38-46-60-71-68-/-75-74-/-75 (53 weeks)

 

#13

George Ezra - Shotgun

 

 

The third single from "Staying At Tamara's" and his only UK #1 to date.

 

Estimated sales: 4.45 million

Year: 2018

Chart run: 35-42-54-51-53-49-51-46-41-20-8-4-2-(1)-1-2-2-2–2-2-1-1-3-3-17-14-16-10-14-20-24-26-30-31-27-30-41-39-37-33-7-16-22-26-28-31-32-27-26-31-31-29-31-35-38-37-30-43-42–46-51-46-52-53-51-52-46-51-47-45-44-47-49-54–50-57-63-66-68-71-/-73-/-73-50-41-41-48-/-72-74-68-/-72-/-75 (91 weeks)

 

#12

The Weeknd - Blinding Lights

 

 

A late 2019 release which blew up in the New Year, and is now the most streamed song on Spotify worldwide.

 

Estimated sales: 4.51 million

Year: 2019

Chart run: 12-17-20-41-11-10-8-4-2-(1)-1-2-1-1-1-2-2-1-1-1-2-2–5-7-7-9-11-10-13-14-12-16-16-16-22-20-21-26-33-29-21-26-26-25-31-31-33-32-31-36-38-39-36-46-39-50-66-44-13-18-23-23-26-20-24-24-26-33-30-34-33-38-46-40-40-45-48-50-48-35-42-41-46-51-47-52-47-47-51-45-45-59-56-62-65-64-63-62-65-72-67-68-70-69-/-39-/-73-/-74 (106 weeks)

 

#11

Oasis - Wonderwall

 

 

The most streamed song in the UK that was released before the turn of the century, held off #1 by Robson and Jerome.

 

Estimated sales: 4.58 million including 1.53 million purchases

Year: 1995

Chart run: (2)-3-4-5-8-11-10-7-6-5-6-9-18-22-25-32–30-43-59-67-67-/-60-74-71-75-72-/-36-52-60-61-63-68-61-50-62-/-38-/-57-75-/-69-71-71 (40 weeks)

 

#10

Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud

 

 

Reaching #1 on its 19th week in the UK Top 40, and the video features a contemporary dance routine between Ed and Brittany Cherry.

 

Estimated sales: 4.72 million

Year: 2014

Chart run: 26-25-29-23-28-20-18-16-13-17-18-24-19-18-17-10-4-2-(1)-2-2-4-4-1-2-3-3-3-3-5-6-8-7-7-10-12-14-19-20-19-16-19-24-26-26-26-30-30-31-32-31-28-34-35-42-35-42-35-38-42-45-46-47-47-49-51-52-51-58-58-59-55-50-57-58-/-68-58-71-/-70-74-73-68-74-/-49-55-58-64-63-52-62-71-69-70 (91weeks)

 

#9

Elton John - Something About The Way You Look Tonight / Candle In The Wind '97

 

 

The most purchased song of all time by far in the UK, released following the death of Princess Diana.

 

Estimated sales: 4.96 million including 4.95 million purchases

Year: 1997

Chart run: (1)-1-1-1-1-3-3-4-5-7-11-10-11-10-11-10-13-21-32-39-53-64-60-67 (24 weeks)

 

 

#8

Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas Is You

 

 

The 1994 Christmas #2, which after consistent very strong chart showings in the streaming age finally ascended to #1 in 2020.

 

Estimated sales: 5.00 million including 1.26 million purchases

Year: 1994

Chart run: 5-2-2-2-8-28–50-/-59-/-46-23-8–4-6-20-/-50-45-37-17-12-17-25-/-51-29-19-21-18-/-48-22-23-25-31-/-64-27-12-11-17-/-56-30-20-21-20-55-/-68-47-14-12-13-30-/-68-52-17-16-18-20-/-25-13-12-11-37-/-72-29-6-8-5-5-/-34-22-5-2-4-4-/-65-34-6-5-4-2–/-59-34-8-6-8-2-/-60-21-14-2-(1)-1-2-2-/-69-44-24-3-4-4-4-3-/-56-36-18-8-1-2-4-2-/-40-28-16-6-2-3-3-3 (115 weeks)

 

#7

Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are The Days Of Our Lives

 

 

"Bohemian Rhapsody" is the third most purchased song of all time in the UK, topping the charts both on its own in 1975 and as a double A side in 1991.

 

Estimated sales: 5.23 million including 2.63 million purchases

Year: 1975

Chart run: 47-17-9-(1)-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-3-6-16-32-36-/-1-1-1-1-1-2-4-10-16-13-21-36-53-55-/-53-46-45-52-50-75-/-48-65-68-/-71-64-62-60-64-73-70 (47 weeks)

 

 

#6

Ed Sheeran - Perfect

 

 

2017 Christmas #1 thanks to a version featuring Beyoncé, and as well as being #6 of all time this was the year end #6 in both 2017 and 2018.

 

Estimated sales: 5.44 million

Year: 2017

Chart run: 4-5-7-12-16-23-25-29-32-31-37-43-52-59–59-64–50-/-34-19-13-11-7-6-6-6-4-3-(1)-1-1-1-1-1-3-7-18-19-22-24-25-25-23-26-28-31-33-38-48-43-42-48-51-44-46-53-53-58-53-58-58-63–58-59-57-60-61-61-57-55-62-59-63-56-61-59-66-69-71-75-74-75-/-40-56-61-69-75-/-65-73-/-75-75-/-71-/-56-52-49-36-49-46-50-50-51-48-50-43-48-46-47-41-44-43-46-41-40-37-35-42-43-44-45-47-49-48-48-49-/-66-74-75-/-70-66-57-69-/-70-71 (130 weeks)

 

#5

Wham! - Last Christmas / Everything She Wants

 

 

"Last Christmas" was the most purchased song of all time not to have reached #1 until it finally reached the top in 2020.

 

Estimated sales: 5.56 million including 1.92 million purchases

Year: 1984

Chart run: 2-2-2-2-2-3-8–11-21-33-38-51-67-/-32-10-6-6-14-36-68-/-50-23-14-16-40-/67-36-26-27-45-/-53-39-41-34-/-57-53-56-61-/-55-26-28-34-/-55-34-41-35-/-44-40-36-68-/-39-36-35-28–/-65-27-24-18-54-/-75-19-20-16-7-/-29-6-3-3-2-/-52-14-7-7-3-/-43-13-7-5-3–/-44-20-3-2-2-3-(1)-/-28-4-3-3-3-2-/-71-42-22-9-3-1-2-1-/-37-26-14-5-1-1-1-1 (108 weeks)

 

 

#4

Lewis Capaldi - Someone You Loved

 

 

Crowned the most streamed song of all time in the UK upon the official charts 70th anniversary in November 2022.

 

Estimated sales: 5.64 million

Year: 2019

Chart run: 66-29-13-10-9-3-3-(1)-1-1-1-1-1-1-2-3-4–3-4–3-3-3-3-11-14-10-13-14-19-22-25-23-19-23-21-27-28-24-19-23-18-20-23-25-31-28-26-34-27-38-58-15-7-7-10-9-6-7-6-6-8-10-28-30-36-36-36-37-44-43-37-38-45-47-46-46-42-40-45-47-48-55-53-54-55-60-59-56-51-50-55-56-56-53-55-59-58-61-70-/-45-46-52-50-51-47-42-50-48-53-55-56-60-68-/-72-68-66-69-74-71-/-75-/-72-/-75-73-/-75-/-63-67-68-/-65-66-/-75-/-49-51-49-53-59-71-57-62-61-66-74-73-70-73-/-71-67-66-58-62-/-67-67-59-/-67-69-68-/-68-/-74 (159 weeks)

 

#3

The Killers - Mr Brightside

 

 

A huge digital life and an even bigger streaming life for this, but still only 1 week in the Top 20.

 

Estimated sales: 5.76 million including 1.06 million purchases

Year: 2004

Chart run: (10)-26-38-60-/-73-/-64-/-60-73-/-70-/-59-75-/-48-47-52-/-50-47-/-58-52-59-/-57-/-75-29-28-36-67-/-74-/-69-73-/-53-65-/-49-/-73-73-/-75-/-69-55-45-45-53-55-50-/-72-74-/-72-/-54-68-/-75-/-72-/-68-71-74-68-69-72-/-73-67-/-69-73-/-72-74-/-61-68-68-/-73-74-70-68-/-74-/-51-/-71-74-/-74-/-72-69-71-69-72-58-65-64-74-72-64-57-55-57-61-67-66-61-63-61-67-65-61-61-69-70-67-70-73-/-73-/-54-/-75-70-65-65-64-63-58-60-62-69–65-69-/-75-/-73-62-57-57-63–55-58-56-53-62-63-61-63-55-61-57-54-53-55-57-70-/-31-43-48-52-57-61-67-71-70-61-63-65-66-63-72-/-75-71-65-/-72-58-66-66-63-62-64-58-60 (164 weeks)