Million-Selling Singles - everyHit.com
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Million-Selling Singles
The first single to sell a million copies in Britain alone was Bill Haley's "Rock Around The Clock." Released in 1955, it took until 1957 to attain this landmark achievement. Below is a list of all million-sellers since "Rock Around The Clock" in chronological order of the date upon which they achieved their millionth sale!
The first date refers to the year in which the track sold its millionth copy. This can differ significantly from the year of release / peak chart success (the second date shown).
Key:        M - a million+ sold 'over the counter'       MM - 2 million+ sold 'over the counter'  etc.
               (M) - a re-issue pushed 'over the counter' sales above a million         m - a million to retail.
Year
I Want To Hold Your Hand
  10
We Can Work It Out / Day Tripper
  15
Green Green Grass Of Home
  16
I Love You Love Me Love
  19
Save Your Kisses For Me
  21
Don't Give Up On Us
  22
Mull Of Kintyre / Girl's School
  24
Rivers Of Babylon / Brown Girl In The Ring
  26
You're The One That I Want
  27
Mary's Boy Child - Oh My Lord
  29
I Just Called To Say I Love You
  40
Do They Know It's Christmas
  41
Last Christmas / Everything She Wants
  42
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You
  46
I Will Always Love You
  47
Unchained Melody / (There'll Be Blue Birds Over) The White Cliffs Of Dover
  51
Something About The Way You Look Tonight / Candle in The Wind 1997
  61
My Heart Will Go On
  65
Run DMC vs Jason Nevins
It's Like That
Can't Get You Out Of My Head
  76
Do They Know It's Christmas?
  79
(Is This The Way To) Amarillo
  80
Oasis
Wonderwall
Three further titles are believed to have sold a million+ to retail  (ie. not over the counter).    They are:
  -
Another Brick In The Wall Part 2    (0.995m)
  -
Mysterious Girl    (0.930m)
Key:        M - a million+ sold to customers       MM - 2 million+ sold to customers  etc.
               (M) - a re-issue pushed sales to customers above a million         m - a million to retail only.
Three titles have sold a million in two forms:
�  "Unchained Melody" - Robson & Jerome (1995) and Gareth Gates (2002)
�  "Mary's Boy Child" - Harry Belafonte (1957) and Boney M (1978) (though the latter was a medley with "Oh My Lord").
�  "Do They Know It's Christmas?" - Band Aid (1984) and Band Aid 20 (2004) (As the original performance of "Do They Know It's Christmas?" was the 'B side' to the versions by Band Aid II and Band Aid 20, it has 'stealth' sales of over 5 million).
The singles which have sold a million but failed to make number one are:
� Mr Acker Bilk - "Stranger On The Shore" (no. 2)
� Wham - "Last Christmas" (no. 2)
� Oasis - "Wonderwall" (no. 2)
� Natalie Imbruglia - "Torn" (no. 2)
� New Order - "Blue Monday" (no. 3)
� Robbie Williams - "Angles" [a million shipped] (no. 4)
� Bing Crosby - "White Christmas" (no. 5)
Quickest to sell a million copies:
�  "Candle In The Wind '97" - Elton John (five days in 1997).
Longest time to sell a million:
�  "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby (35 years from 1942 to 1977).
Run Of Million Sellers:
On three occasions in chart history, three successive number 1 singles have gone on to sell a million copies:
�
June to September 1984:
Frankie Goes To Hollywood - "Two Tribes" � George Michael - "Careless Whisper" � Stevie Wonder - "I Just Called To Say I Love You."
�
October 1995 to January 1996:
Coolio featuring L.V. - "Gangsta's Paradise" � Robson Green and Jerome Flynn - "I Believe/Up On The Roof" � Michael Jackson - "Earth Song."
�