thumb|"White Christmas" sunget af Bing Crosby (billedet) er den mest solgte single på verdensplan.
Ifølge Guinness World Records er julesangen "White Christmas" skrevet af Irving Berlin og sunget af Bing Crosby fra 1942 den bedste sælgende single på verdensplan med et estimeret salg på over 50 millioner eksemplarer. Sangen, der anses som den bedst sælgende single nogensinde, blev udgivet før pop/rock-single æraen, og allerede i den første udgave af Guinness Rekordbog (1955) blev den anset som den bedst sælgende single og bemærkelsesværdigt har singlen fortsat denne titel mere end 50 år senere. Guinness World Records anfører, at dobbelt A-singlen "Candle in the Wind 1997/Something About the Way You Looke Tonight" af Elton John fra 1997, en hyldest til den afdøde Prinsesse Diana, er "den bedst sælgende single siden Storbritannien og USA begyndte med der singlehitlister i 1950'erne, og har en samlet salg på over 33 millioner eksemplarer", hvilket gør det til den næstbedst sælgende single nogensinde.
De kunstnere, der har udgivet flest singler på listen, er Elvis Presley og Katy Perry, med seks sange hver, og Lady Gaga, Beyoncé og Britney Spears med fem hver. Det samlede salg for hver af dem er henholdsvis 53 millioner, ~40 millioner, ~47 millioner, ~35 millioner og 33 millioner.
På grund af muligheden for at downloade kommercielt musik sælges oftere singler frem for hele albummer, en øget popularitet der ser ud til at have smittet af på salget af musik i fysiske formater. Listen er derfor opdelt i digitale og fysiske singler (CD og vinyl). Transportable musikafspillere, der gør det nemt at høre sange fra forskellige kunstnere, siges at have været en stor faktor i dette.
Singler, hvis salg er en samling af de tilgængelige markeder, i stedet for et verdensomspændende salg, er angivet med kursiv. Disse salgstal er derfor hverken komplettet eller definitive.
Bedst sælgende fysiske singler
15 millioner eksemplarer eller flere Kunstner Single Udgivet Genre Salg(i millioner) KildeBing Crosby "White Christmas" 1942 Julemusik, Pop 50Elton John "Candle in the Wind 1997"/"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" 1997 Pop 33 Bing Crosby "Silent Night" 1935 Christmas, Pop 30 Bill Haley & His Comets "Rock Around the Clock" 1954 Rock & Roll 25 Elvis Presley "It's Now or Never" 1960 Pop 22 USA for Africa "We Are the World" 1985 Pop 20 The Ink Spots "If I Didn't Care" 1939 Doo-wop 19 Baccara "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie" 1977 Disco 16 Celine Dion"My Heart Will Go On" 1997 Pop 15
10–14,9 millioner eksemplarer Kunstner Single Udgivet Genre Salg(i millioner) KildeABBA "Fernando" 1976 Pop 10 Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman "Time to Say Goodbye" 1996 Operatic pop 12 Andrea Bocelli on singing to thousands, losing his sight and making a fortune July 2, 2011, Daily MailOfficial Decca website Decca RecordsBand Aid "Do They Know It's Christmas?" 1984 Christmas, Pop 11,7 Britney Spears "...Baby One More Time" 1998 Pop 10 The Beatles "I Want to Hold Your Hand" 1964 Rock 12 Bryan Adams "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" 1991 Rock 10 Carl Douglas "Kung Fu Fighting" 1974 Disco 11 Cher"Believe" 1998 Pop, Dance 11 Elvis Presley "Hound Dog" 1956 Rock & roll 10 George McCrae "Rock Your Baby" 1974 Disco 11 Gloria Gaynor "I Will Survive" 1978 Disco 14 Kylie Minogue "Can't Get You Out of My Head" 2001 Dance-pop 10 Kylie Minogue | Music - The GuardianKyu Sakamoto "Sukiyaki" 1961 Pop 13 (Translation )Los del Rio "Macarena" 1995 Dance-pop/Latin pop 11 Mariah Carey "All I Want for Christmas Is You" 1994 Christmas 12 Middle of the Road "Chirpy Chirpy Cheep Cheep" 1971 Pop 10 Mills Brothers "Paper Doll" 1943 Country 11 The Monkees "I'm a Believer" 1966 Pop 10 Panjabi MC "Mundian To Bach Ke" 1998 Bhangra 10 Procol Harum "A Whiter Shade of Pale" 1967 Progressive Rock 10 Roger Whittaker "The Last Farewell" 1975 Pop 11 Roy Acuff "Wabash Cannonball" 1942 Country 10 Scorpions "Wind of Change" 1991 Hard Rock 14Van McCoy & the Soul City Symphony "The Hustle" 1975 Disco 10 Village People "Y.M.C.A." 1978 Pop, Disco 12 Whitney Houston "I Will Always Love You" 1992 R&B 12
7–9,9 millioner eksemplarer Kunstner Single Udgivet Genre Salg(i millioner) Kildea-ha "Take on Me" 1985 Synthpop 7 The Animals "The House of the Rising Sun" 1964 Rock 8 Aqua "Barbie Girl" 1997 Bubblegum dance 8 Ashanti "Foolish" 2002 R&B 7.2 The Beatles "Can't Buy Me Love" 1964 Rock 7 The Beatles "Hey Jude" 1968 Rock 8 Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z "Crazy in Love" 2003 R&B 8 Chic"Le Freak" 1978 Disco 7 Christina Aguilera "Genie in a Bottle" 1999 Pop 7 Danyel Gérard "Butterfly" 1971 Pop 7 Gene Autry "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" 1949 Christmas, Pop 8 Green Day "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" 2004 Alternative rock 7 Julie Rogers "The Wedding" 1964 Pop 7 Las Ketchup "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" 2002 Beach/Latin pop 7 Mahalia Jackson "Move On Up a Little Higher" 1948 Gospel 8 Koster, Rick. Louisiana Music: A Journey from R&B to Zydeco, Jazz to Country, Blues to Gospel, Cajun psMusic... (2002), Da Capo Press, page 271 - Mary Hopkin "Those Were the Days" 1968 Pop 8 Modern Talking "You're My Heart, You're My Soul" 1984 Synthpop 8 Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit" 1991 Grunge 8 Paul Anka "Diana" 1957 Pop 9 Puff Daddy featuring Faith Evans and 112 "I'll Be Missing You" 1997 East Coast hip hop, R&B 7,2
Queen "Another One Bites the Dust" 1980 Funk rock 7 Ricky Martin "Livin' la Vida Loca" 1999 Latin pop 8 Ricky Valance "Tell Laura I Love Her" 1960 Pop 7 Royal Scots Dragoon Guards "Amazing Grace" 1972 Hymn 7 Roy Orbison "Oh, Pretty Woman" 1964 Rock & roll 7 Scott McKenzie "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" 1967 Pop 7 Shakira "Whenever, Wherever" 2001 Latin pop 8,5 Shocking Blue "Venus" 1969 Pop 7,5 Survivor "Eye of the Tiger" 1982 Hard Rock 8,5
5–6,9 millioner eksemplarer Kunstner Single Udgivet Genre Salg(i millioner) Kilde1910 Fruitgum Company "Simon Says" 1968 Bubblegum Pop 5 ABBA "Waterloo" 1974 Pop 5 The Archies "Sugar, Sugar" 1969 Bubblegum pop 6 The Beatles "She Loves You" 1963 Rock 5 Bee Gees "Massachusetts" 1967 Pop 5 Billy Swan "I Can Help" 1974 Country, Pop 5 Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters "Jingle Bells" 1943 Christmas, Pop 6 Bonnie Tyler "It's a Heartache" 1977 Country rock 6 Bonnie Tyler "Total Eclipse of the Heart" 1983 Power ballad 6 Britney Spears "Oops!... I Did It Again" 2000 Dance-pop 6 Brotherhood of Man "Save Your Kisses for Me" 1976 Pop 6 The Eurovision Song Contest - The Official History. O'Connor, John Kennedy. Carlton Books 2007 The Chipmunks "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)" 1958 Children, Christmas, Pop 5 Coolio ft. L.V. "Gangsta's Paradise" 1995 Gangsta rap 5,9
Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mýa and Pink "Lady Marmalade" 2001 Pop 5,2 Culture Club"Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" 1982 New Wave 6,5 Culture Club"Karma Chameleon" 1983 New Wave 5 Dawn "Knock Three Times" 1971 Pop 6 Dawn featuring Tony Orlando "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" 1973 Pop 6 Elvis Presley "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" 1960 Pop 5 Elvis Presley "Don't Be Cruel" 1956 Rock & roll 6 Elvis Presley "Love Me Tender" 1956 Acoustic 5 Elvis Presley "Surrender" 1961 Pop 5 Eminem "Stan" 2000 Alternativ hiphop 5 Enigma "Sadeness (Part I)" 1990 New Age, Ambient techno 5 Engelbert Humperdinck "Release Me" 1967 Pop 5 Gene Austin "My Blue Heaven" 1927 Pop 5 Gene Autry "That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine" 1939 Pop 5 George Harrison "My Sweet Lord" 1970 Folk rock, Gospel 5 George Michael "Careless Whisper" 1984 Pop 6 Harry Simeone Chorale "The Little Drummer Boy" 1958 Pop 6 The Jackson 5 "I Want You Back" 1969 R&B 6 The Jackson 5 "I'll Be There" 1970 Pop 5 Janet Jackson "Together Again" 1997 Pop 6 Jeannie C. Riley "Harper Valley PTA" 1968 Pop, Country 5 John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John "You're the One That I Want" 1978 Pop rock 6,6 Kaoma "Lambada" 1989 Lambada 5 Jerry Lee Lewis "Great Balls of Fire" 1957 Rock and roll 5 Jerry Lee Lewis "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On" 1957 Rock and roll 6 Madonna "Like a Prayer" 1989 Gospel, Pop rock 5 Madonna "Vogue" 1990 Dance-pop, House, Disco 6 Michael Jackson "Beat It" 1983 Rock 5
Michael Jackson "Billie Jean" 1983 R&B 5,6
Michael Jackson "Thriller" 1984 Funk 6,3
Mitch Miller "March from Bridge on the River Kwai" 1957 March 5 The Monkees "Daydream Believer" 1967 Pop rock 5 Mungo Jerry "In the Summertime" 1970 Pop 6 Musical Youth "Pass the Dutchie" 1982 Reggae 5 Neil Diamond "Cracklin' Rosie" 1970 Pop 6 The New Seekers "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" 1971 Pop/Folk 6 Nini Rosso "Il Silenzio" 1965 Pop 5 The Partridge Family "I Think I Love You" 1970 Pop 5 Queen "Bohemian Rhapsody" 1976 Rock opera 6,4 Shakira "Underneath Your Clothes" 2002 Pop 5 Simon & Garfunkel "Bridge Over Troubled Water" 1970 Soft rock 6 Spice Girls "Wannabe" 1996 Pop 6 Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler "Ballad of the Green Berets" 1966 Pop 5 Terry Jacks "Seasons in the Sun" 1974 Pop 5 Three Dog Night "Joy to the World" 1971 Rock 5 Tino Rossi "Petit Papa Noël" 1946 Christmas 5,7 Tom Jones "Delilah" 1968 Pop 5 Tommy James and the Shondells "Crimson and Clover" 1968 Psychedelic pop 5 The Tornados "Telstar" 1962 Pop 5 Vernon Dalhart "The Prisoner's Song" 1924 Country 6 Wings "Mull of Kintyre" 1977 Rock 6
Bedste sælgende digitale singler
10 millioner eksemplarer eller flere Kunstner Single Udgivet Genre Salg(i millioner) KildeXiao ZhanLight2020Pop44Wang YiboNo Sense2019Pop16.9Adele "Rolling in the Deep" 2010 Soul 13,5
Bruno Mars "Just the Way You Are" 2010 Pop 12,5 Bruno Mars "Grenade" 2010 Pop 10,2 The Black Eyed Peas "Boom Boom Pow" 2009 Hip hop 10,7 The Black Eyed Peas "I Gotta Feeling" 2009 Dance-pop 14,6 Carly Rae Jepsen "Call Me Maybe" 2012 Pop 12,5Eminem featuring Rihanna "Love the Way You Lie" 2010 Hip hop 11 Flo Rida featuring T-Pain "Low" 2007 Hip hop 10,12
Gotye featuring Kimbra "Somebody That I Used to Know" 2011 Alternative rock, indie pop 13 Jason Mraz "I'm Yours" 2008 Pop, Folk rock 10 Kesha "Tik Tok" 2009 Electropop 14 LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock "Party Rock Anthem" 2011 Electro-house 13,9 Lady Gaga "Poker Face" 2008 Electropop 12,5 Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera "Moves like Jagger" 2011 Pop 10,7 PSY "Gangnam Style" 2012 K-pop 10,3
Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean "Hips Don't Lie" 2006 Latin pop 10
7–9,99 millioner eksemplare Kunstner Single Udgivet Genre Salg(i millioner) KildeAdele "Someone like You" 2011 Soul 7,53
Avril Lavigne "Girlfriend" 2007 Pop punk 7,3 Beyoncé "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" 2008 R&B 7,6
Korea Sales (2010 only):The Black Eyed Peas "My Humps" 2005 Hip hop 8 The Black Eyed Peas "The Time (Dirty Bit)" 2010 Dance 7,3 Eminem "Lose Yourself" 2002 Hardcore hip hop 7
Exile "Lovers Again" 2007 Pop 7 fun. featuring Janelle Monáe "We Are Young" 2011 Indie pop 9.6 Jennifer Lopez featuring Pitbull "On the Floor" 2011 Dance 8,4 Journey "Don't Stop Believin'" 1981 Rock 7,42 Katy Perry "Firework" 2010 Dance-pop 8,17
Katy Perry "I Kissed a Girl" 2008 Pop rock 8 Lady Gaga "Bad Romance" 2009 Electropop 9,7 Lady Gaga "Born This Way" 2011 Electropop 8,2 Lady Gaga featuring Colby O'Donis "Just Dance" 2008 Electropop 9,74 Lady Gaga featuring Beyoncé "Telephone" 2010 Electropop 7,4 Leona Lewis "Bleeding Love" 2008 Pop 7,7 Lil Wayne featuring Static Major "Lollipop" 2008 Rap 9,1 Madonna "Hung Up" 2005 Dance-pop, disco 9 Maroon 5 "Payphone" 2012 Pop 9,1 Michel Teló "Ai Se Eu Te Pego" 2011 Sertanejo 7,2 Nicki Minaj "Starships" 2012 Eurodance 7,2 P!nk "So What" 2008 Pop rock 7,8 Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack, and Nayer "Give Me Everything" 2011 Electro-house, Dance-pop 8,2 Taio Cruz "Dynamite" 2010 Pop 7,14
Taylor Swift "Love Story" 2008 Country, Pop 8 Thelma Aoyama "Soba ni Iru ne" 2008 Pop 8,2 Train "Hey, Soul Sister" 2009 Pop 7,6 Utada Hikaru "Flavor of Life" 2007 Pop 8 (Translation )
5–6,99 millioner eksemplarer Kunstner Single Udgivet Genre Salg(i millioner) KildeAdele "Set Fire to the Rain" 2011 Pop, Soul 5,90