Best Selling Songs Chart - About Music

Here are the top selling songs of all-time and their rankings. The list contains all the best songs based on physical sales, digital sales and streaming units based on our formula. The list is updated on a daily basis, and new songs are being added everyday. You can filter between different categories such as: best selling songs of each year or decade, genres, and genders.

In the physical era, which started in the early 1900’s, singles sales were really low, and much different from today. Back then, it was hard for singles to reach 3M sales, and there were only a few songs to actually breakthrough and sell huge amounts. Unlike singles, albums were actually booming in sales, and many preferred to buy albums instead of singles.

People weren't just buying music; they were investing in a complete experience. Albums were the real stars, offering a curated journey instead of just individual tracks. In a world dominated by vinyl records and other physical formats, folks were drawn to the allure of a full album, savoring the narrative woven by their favorite artists.

The early 1900s weren't just about music sales; it was a conscious decision to dive into a broader musical story. Each record purchased wasn't just a transaction; it was a connection, a shared journey between the listener and the artist's complete body of work.

When the digital era started, album sales have declined and singles have started to rise. Songs began to sell and dominate the market, for example: Poker Face selling over 20M digital copies. In the chart, you can see so many popular hits that benefited from digital sales (and in some cases, from streaming as well), like Rolling In The Deep, Firework, Problem and more.

The charts witnessed a fresh evolution, with songs now benefiting not just from digital sales but also from views and streams on platforms like Spotify and YouTube. This pivotal transition marked a turning point in how we define musical success, emphasizing not only individual sales but the collective engagement of a global audience in the immersive world of streaming.

But this period was quite short, as streaming began to take over, and songs started to benefit from views and streams from streaming services.

Unlike the western world, the digital era in Asia was still big even in late 2019, and only saw a big decline this decade. Multiple kpop artists like BTS, BLACKPINK, TWICE, IU, EXO and Red Velvet completely took over the digital scene, and showed their dominance. But that’s not the only difference between the two worlds, because Physical market in Asia is also growing, and it’s not a rare sight to see kpop artists selling 1M copies in a single week nowadays.

While the digital era faced a downturn elsewhere, Asia maintained its stronghold, thanks to passionate fan support and the global influence of K-pop. K-pop isn't just about music; it's a cultural force, creating global fan communities. The blend of digital dominance and the unexpected revival of physical sales showcases Asia's vibrant music scene.

Spotify has gained a huge following, thanks to how easy it is to use, but also for revealing numbers. Fans from all around the world anticipate the daily charts, and also check their favorite artists' streaming totals on a daily basis.

Daily charts are like the global hangout spot, where everyone checks out what's hot and keeps tabs on their favorite artists' streams every day. It's like an instant connection between artists and fans, with streaming numbers turning into a real-time, interactive experience.

Unfortunately, not all streaming services reveal their numbers, for example, Apple Music. So we can only estimate how many streams a song has.

A few of the best selling songs of all-time include Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You," a tune that just swept us all off our feet with its catchy beats, making it a global anthem. And then there's Adele's "Rolling in the Deep," a soulful masterpiece that hits you right in the feels, earning its spot on this epic list. Oh, and who can forget Justin Bieber's "Sorry"? It's not just a chart-topper; it's a cultural staple, proving that the Biebs knows how to dish out tracks that not only climb the charts but also become part of our everyday jam.