Posted July 17, 200916 yr Ultimate Chart 2002 [amended] by Simon W and Fiesta: The Ultimate Chart was first broadcast on 7th September 2002 and celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Singles Chart by setting out the top 100 selling singles in UK from 1952 to 2002. Since then, there have been some reappraisals of 1990s singles sales as the chart compiler The Official Charts Company has: 1) gathered together details of over the counter record sales direct from companies (shipments less returns) and 2) built better computer models of the marketplace through experience. The new estimates (mainly covering 1994 to 1996) are apparent from sales mentioned in Music Week and in charts broadcast on music channels over the last couple of years, such as “Boybands of the 90s”, “Top 100 90s debuts”, “90s R ‘n’ B hits”, and “Top 40 of the 90s”. Fiesta, like me, has spent many years gathering together facts and figures, and recently we pooled our resources to put together an updated Ultimate Chart. We have used the same cut-off date. The corrected estimates of 1994 to 1996 produce quite a few changes. There were 71 million sellers between 1952 and 2002. We don’t believe that there are any other singles that sold over 930,000 copies; the closest are probably What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For - Emil Ford and the Checkmates (1959), and Help! - The Beatles (1965), both having sold around 920,000. The advent of downloads has meant that many of the top 100 have sold quite a few thousand since 2002 without being officially re-released or making the published singles charts. This makes it impossible to produce an accurate up-to-date top 100 in 2009 without breaking into the OCC computer. We may have to wait until the 60th anniversary in 2012 for a new list. It should be quite accurate but no doubt there are some mistakes! Any comments are very welcome: The Ultimate Chart (amended) The UK’s Best-Selling Singles, 14th November 1952 to W/E 7th September 2002 Title Artist Year Sales 1 Something About The Way You Look Tonight / Candle In The Wind 1997 Elton John 1997 4,864,611 2 Do They Know It’s Christmas? Band Aid 1984 3,550,000 3 Bohemian Rhapsody Queen 1975 2,130,000 4 Mull Of Kintyre / Girls School Wings 1977 2,050,000 5 Rivers Of Babylon / Brown Girl In The Ring Boney M 1978 1,985,000 6 You’re The One That I Want John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John 1978 1,975,000 7 Relax Frankie Goes To Hollywood 1983 1,910,000 8 She Loves You The Beatles 1963 1,890,000 9 Mary’s Boy Child-Oh My Lord Boney M 1978 1,790,000 10 Evergreen / Anything Is Possible Will Young 2002 1,779,938 11 I Just Called To Say I Love You Stevie Wonder 1984 1,775,000 12 I Want To Hold Your Han The Beatles 1963 1,750,000 13 Barbie Girl Aqua 1997 1,722,418 14 Believe Cher 1998 1,672,108 15 Perfect Day Various 1997 1,548,538 16 (Everything I Do) I Do It For You Bryan Adams 1991 1,527,824 17 Tears Ken Dodd 1965 1,521,000 18 Can’t Buy Me Love The Beatles 1964 1,520,000 19 Summer Nights John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John 1978 1,515,000 20 Two Tribes Frankie Goes To Hollywood 1984 1,510,000 21 Imagine John Lennon 1975 1,486,581 22 Baby One More Time Britney Spears 1999 1,450,154 23 Don’t You Want Me Human League 1981 1,430,000 24 Last Christmas Wham! 1984 1,420,000 25 I Feel Fine The Beatles 1964 1,410,000 26 I’ll Be Missing You Puff Daddy, Faith Evans feat. 112 1997 1,409,688 27 Karma Chameleon Culture Club 1983 1,405,000 28 The Carnival Is Over The Seekers 1965 1,400,000 29 (We’re Gonna) Rock Around The Clock Bill Haley and his Comets 1955 1,392,000 30 Unchained Melody / White Cliffs Of Dover Robson Green and Jerome Flynn 1995 1,390,000 31 Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out The Beatles 1965 1,385,000 32 YMCA Village People 1978 1,380,000 33 Careless Whisper George Michael 1984 1,365,995 34 Release Me Engelbert Humperdinck 1967 1,365,000 35 I Will Always Love You Whitney Houston 1992 1,355,055 36 The Power Of Love Jennifer Rush 1985 1,321,530 37 Unchained Melody Gareth Gates 2002 1,318,714 38 My Heart Will Go On Celine Dion 1998 1,312,551 39 Love Is All Around Wet Wet Wet 1994 1,300,000 40 Never Ever All Saints 1997 1,254,604 41 Diana Paul Anka 1957 1,240,000 42 It’s Now Or Never Elvis Presley with the Jordanaires 1960 1,210,000 43 The Green Green Grass Of Home Tom Jones 1966 1,205,000 44 Come On Eileen Dexy’s Midnight Runners and Emerald Express 1982 1,201,000 45 It Wasn’t Me Shaggy 2001 1,180,708 46 Heart Of Glass Blondie 1979 1,180,000 47 Wannabe Spice Girls 1996 1,180,000 48 Mary’s Boy Child Harry Belafonte 1957 1,175,000 49 Killing Me Softly Fugees 1996 1,170,000 50 The Last Waltz Engelbert Humperdinck 1967 1,160,000 51 Bright Eyes Art Garfunkel 1979 1,155,000 52 Heartbeat / Tragedy Steps 1998 1,150,285 53 Don’t Give Up On Us David Soul 1976 1,145,000 54 I Love You Love Me Love Gary Glitter 1973 1,140,000 55 Tainted Love Soft Cell 1981 1,135,000 56 Stranger On The Shore Acker Bilk 1961 1,130,000 57 It’s Like That Run DMC with Jason Nevins 1983 1,119,905 58 Teletubbies Say Eh-Oh! Teletubbies 1997 1,107,235 59 I Remember You Frank Ifield 1962 1,096,000 60 Pure And Simple Hear’Say 2001 1,078,434 61 No Matter What Boyzone 1998 1,074,192 62 2 Become 1 Spice Girls 1996 1,072,073 63 The Young Ones Cliff Richard 1962 1,052,000 64 Can’t Get You Out Of My Head Kylie Minogue 2001 1,037,235 65 Blue (Da Ba Dee) Eiffel 65 1999 1,023,536 66 Gangsta’s Paradise Coolio feat. L.V. 1995 1,020,000 67 Can We Fix It? Bob The Builder 2000 1,008,777 68 Merry Xmas Everybody Slade 1973 1,006,500 69 Save Your Kisses For Me Brotherhood Of Man 1976 1,006,200 70 Eye Level Simon Park Orchestra 1972 1,005,500 71 Blue Monday New Order 1983 1,001,400 72 Long Haired Lover From Liverpool Little Jimmy Osmond 1972 998,000 73 Another Brick In The Wall (Part II) Pink Floyd 1979 995,000 74 Don’t Cry For Me Argentina Julie Covington 1976 993,000 75 Eye Of The Tiger Survivor 1982 990,000 76 I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing The New Seekers 1971 990,000 77 Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree Dawn featuring Tony Orlando 1973 988,000 78 Stand And Deliver Adam and the Ants 1981 985,000 79 Under The Moon Of Love Showaddywaddy 1976 985,000 80 Torn Natalie Imbruglia 1997 982,324 81 Especially For You Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan 1988 982,000 82 Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick Ian and The Blockheads 1978 979,100 83 Sugar Sugar Archies 1969 979,000 84 The Lion Sleeps Tonight Tight Fit 1982 978,000 85 The Next Time / Bachelor Boy Cliff Richard 1962 976,000 86 Fame Irene Cara 1982 975,000 87 Ghostbusters Ray Parker Junior 1984 974,001 88 Uptown Girl Billy Joel 1983 974,000 89 Ride On Time Black Box 1989 973,850 90 Telstar Tornados 1962 967,000 91 Amazing Grace Royal Scots Dragoon Guards 1972 962,000 92 Sailing Rod Stewart 1975 955,000 93 Mississippi Pussycat 1976 947,000 94 Spaceman Babylon Zoo 1996 945,000 95 My Sweet Lord George Harrison 1971 940,000 96 Whole Again Atomic Kitten 2001 935,000 97 Dancing Queen ABBA 1976 935,000 98 Think Twice Celine Dion 1994 930,000 99 Say You’ll Be There Spice Girls 1996 930,000 100 I Will Survive Gloria Gaynor 1979 930,000
July 17, 200916 yr I think its now official that Oasis 'Wonderwall', Robbie Williams 'Angels' and Natalie Imbruglia 'Torn' have made a million. But I'm not sure is Peter Andre-Mysterious Girl' counts. Good reading though.
July 17, 200916 yr I think its now official that Oasis 'Wonderwall', Robbie Williams 'Angels' and Natalie Imbruglia 'Torn' have made a million. But I'm not sure is Peter Andre-Mysterious Girl' counts. Good reading though. Torn has passed the million mark 1,037,379 http://www.buzzjack.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=95676
July 17, 200916 yr The figure for Celine Dion, Think Twice, is incorrect. It actually sold around 1.3 million, the amount quoted doesnt include sales from 1994 when it first charted as it continued to chart well into 1995.
July 17, 200916 yr Author The figure for Celine Dion, Think Twice, is incorrect. It actually sold around 1.3 million, the amount quoted doesnt include sales from 1994 when it first charted as it continued to chart well into 1995. Thanks for your input. The Ultimate Chart of 7th September 2002 gave a figure of 1,234,982. We have taken the new figure of 930,000 by estimating the sales in relation to its position from the Top 40 of the 1990s recently broadcast on VH1 and TMF music TV channels. The estimate is around 225,000 in 1994 and and over 700,000 in 1995, making about 930,000 by 1999.
July 17, 200916 yr I think its now official that Oasis 'Wonderwall', Robbie Williams 'Angels' and Natalie Imbruglia 'Torn' have made a million. But I'm not sure is Peter Andre-Mysterious Girl' counts. Good reading though. True about Wonderwall and Angels. In fact - I'm sure someone posted a thread here a little while ago announcing just exactly when the Oasis song had hit the landmark million. I'm fairly certain that Back For Good (yes I had to get TT in somewhere didn't I? :lol: ) has sold over 950,000 as well. Norma (and I'm going to stop signing my name from now on!)
July 17, 200916 yr Norma (and I'm going to stop signing my name from now on!) Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo :nono: It's like a piece of furniture that lights up the room.
July 17, 200916 yr 'Dancing Queen's Sales are far too low. I know someone at The OCC. He told me only last Week, that 'Dancing Queen' has sold about 920,000 on Vinyl, (1976), & CD, (1992). Those are Alan Jones estimates. (I estimate more like 940,000 for it). Anyhow, you have to add in the 85,000, that it has sold on Download, in recent Years. That gives it 1,005,000 Sales - by Alan's estimates - and a No.71 place in the Top 100. So the ABBA Single is 26 places too low. (It would be No.65 in the List, by my estimates - but, Alan's will do). NOTE - IF there is a 2010 Virgin 'Hit Singles' Book, it is almost certain that it will have an up-date of the Top 100 Best Selling Singles in it. Edited July 17, 200916 yr by zeus555
July 17, 200916 yr Author 'Dancing Queen's Sales are far too low. I know someone at The OCC. He told me only last Week, that 'Dancing Queen' has sold about 920,000 on Vinyl, (1976), & CD, (1992). Those are Alan Jones estimates. (I estimate more like 940,000 for it). Anyhow, you have to add in the 85,000, that it has sold on Download, in recent Years. That gives it 1,005,000 Sales - by Alan's estimates - and a No.71 place in the Top 100. So the ABBA Single is 26 places too low. (It would be No.65 in the List, by my estimates - but, Alan's will do). NOTE - IF there is a 2010 Virgin 'Hit Singles' Book, it is almost certain that it will have an up-date of the Top 100 Best Selling Singles in it. Very interesting figures that you discovered. I agree with you that to date it is higher but the chart above is to 2002, not subsequent sales. So in 2002 it had sold around 935,000 copies. A few weeks ago (w/e 11-07-2009) Music Week had an article about downloads since iTunes began in June 2004. Dancing Queen from its position in the 1970s chart appears to have sold over 120,000 on download. Therefore its total to date is over 1,060,000 I would guess.
July 17, 200916 yr I agree with you that to date it is higher but the chart above is to 2002, not subsequent sales. So in 2002 it had sold around 935,000 copies. Ooops - you're right! I guess some of us - me included (but I have an excuse ... I'm very ancient) didn't read your header right! Norma
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