The ten best-selling music singles in history, from Bing Crosby's White Christmas to Elton John's Candle in the Wind, ranked by estimated worldwide sales.
Updated July 30, 202610 ranked3 sources
Quick answer: 1. "White Christmas" — Bing Crosby, 2. "Candle in the Wind 1997" / "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" — Elton John, 3. "Silent Night" — Various Artists, 4. "(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His Comets, 5. "I Will Always Love You" — Whitney Houston, 6. "It's Now or Never" — Elvis Presley, 7. "We Are the World" — USA for Africa, 8. "Hound Dog" / "Don't Be Cruel" — Elvis Presley, 9. "I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The Beatles, 10. "Bohemian Rhapsody" — Queen.
Music singles have been the backbone of the recording industry for over a century, evolving from 78 RPM shellac records to vinyl, cassette singles, CDs, digital downloads, and streaming. The best-selling single of all time remains Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" (1942), with over 50 million copies sold — a record that has stood for more than 80 years.
This list ranks the top ten best-selling music singles by estimated worldwide sales, based on data from Guinness World Records, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and international certification bodies. Sales figures include physical singles, digital downloads, and, where applicable, streaming-equivalent units.
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Estimated sales (millions of copies)
Estimated sales (millions of copies)
"White Christmas" — Bing Crosby
50 million copies
"Candle in the Wind 1997" / "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" — Elton John
33 million copies
"Silent Night" — Various Artists
30 million copies
"(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His Comets
25 million copies
"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney Houston
24 million copies
"It's Now or Never" — Elvis Presley
20 million copies
"We Are the World" — USA for Africa
20 million copies
"Hound Dog" / "Don't Be Cruel" — Elvis Presley
18 million copies
"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The Beatles
15 million copies
"Bohemian Rhapsody" — Queen
12 million copies
The ranking
1
"White Christmas" — Bing Crosby
Written by Irving Berlin and recorded by Bing Crosby in 1942, "White Christmas" is recognized by Guinness World Records as the best-selling single of all time, with estimated sales of over 50 million copies worldwide. The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and became the most-recorded Christmas song in history. Its nostalgic lyrics about a traditional Christmas struck a powerful chord with soldiers serving in World War II.
"Candle in the Wind 1997" / "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" — Elton John
Elton John's re-recorded "Candle in the Wind 1997," performed at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, is the best-selling single since the modern singles chart era began in the 1950s. The song sold over 33 million copies worldwide, with 11 million in the UK alone. All proceeds from the single were donated to Diana's charities. The original 1973 version had been written about Marilyn Monroe.
The Christmas carol "Silent Night" (originally "Stille Nacht") was composed in 1818 by Franz Xaver Gruber with lyrics by Joseph Mohr. As a recorded single, it has sold over 30 million copies worldwide across hundreds of versions by different artists. Bing Crosby's 1935 recording is the most famous version, but the song has been recorded by virtually every major artist in history, making it one of the most-recorded songs ever.
Artist: Various artistsRelease year: 1818 (original) / 1935 (Crosby)Songwriter: Franz Xaver Gruber / Joseph MohrCertification: N/A (multiple versions)
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4
"(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His Comets
Recorded in 1954, "Rock Around the Clock" became the anthem of the emerging rock and roll generation after it was featured in the 1955 film Blackboard Jungle. The song sold over 25 million copies worldwide and spent eight weeks at number one on the Billboard charts. It is widely credited with bringing rock and roll into the mainstream and is considered one of the most influential singles ever recorded.
Artist: Bill Haley & His CometsRelease year: 1954Songwriter: Max C. Freedman / Jimmy DeKnightCertification: N/A (pre-certification era)
5
"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston's powerful rendition of "I Will Always Love You," originally written and recorded by Dolly Parton, was the lead single from the 1992 film The Bodyguard. The song spent 14 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 — a record at the time — and won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year. It sold over 24 million copies worldwide and is the best-selling single by a female artist in history.
Elvis Presley's "It's Now or Never" was based on the Italian song "O Sole Mio" and became one of the biggest hits of his career. Released in 1960 while Presley was serving in the U.S. Army, the song sold over 20 million copies worldwide. It topped the charts in both the US and UK and showcased Presley's powerful vocal range, moving beyond rock and roll into a more operatic pop style.
Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones, "We Are the World" brought together 46 of the biggest names in music in 1985 to raise funds for African famine relief. The charity single sold over 20 million copies worldwide and won four Grammy Awards. The recording session, which included artists like Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, and Bob Dylan, became a legendary moment in music history.
Artist: USA for Africa (supergroup)Release year: 1985Songwriter: Michael Jackson / Lionel RichieCertification: 4× Platinum (RIAA)
8
"Hound Dog" / "Don't Be Cruel" — Elvis Presley
Released as a double A-side single in 1956, "Hound Dog" and "Don't Be Cruel" together sold over 18 million copies worldwide. "Hound Dog" was originally a blues song recorded by Big Mama Thornton in 1952, but Presley's rock and roll version became an iconic hit. The songs spent 11 consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard charts, a record that stood for decades.
Artist: Elvis PresleyRelease year: 1956Songwriter: Jerry Leiber / Mike Stoller (Hound Dog)Certification: 7× Platinum (RIAA)
9
"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The Beatles
The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was the song that launched the British Invasion in the United States. Released in late 1963 in the UK and early 1964 in the US, the single sold over 15 million copies worldwide. Its appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964 was watched by over 73 million viewers, making it a watershed moment in pop culture history.
Artist: The BeatlesRelease year: 1963Songwriter: Lennon–McCartneyCertification: Gold (RIAA)
10
"Bohemian Rhapsody" — Queen
Queen's operatic masterpiece "Bohemian Rhapsody" was released in 1975 and defied all conventions of what a pop single could be. At nearly six minutes long, with no chorus, it featured a cappella harmonies, a hard rock section, and an operatic middle. The song sold over 12 million copies worldwide and gained a second life in the 1990s after being featured in the film Wayne's World. It is the most-streamed song from the 20th century.
"Candle in the Wind 1997" / "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" — Elton John
Elton John
1997
Elton John / Bernie Taupin
11× Platinum (RIAA)
3
"Silent Night" — Various Artists
Various artists
1818 (original) / 1935 (Crosby)
Franz Xaver Gruber / Joseph Mohr
N/A (multiple versions)
4
"(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His Comets
Bill Haley & His Comets
1954
Max C. Freedman / Jimmy DeKnight
N/A (pre-certification era)
5
"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston
1992
Dolly Parton
8× Platinum (RIAA)
6
"It's Now or Never" — Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
1960
Aaron Schroeder / Wally Gold
N/A (pre-certification era)
7
"We Are the World" — USA for Africa
USA for Africa (supergroup)
1985
Michael Jackson / Lionel Richie
4× Platinum (RIAA)
8
"Hound Dog" / "Don't Be Cruel" — Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
1956
Jerry Leiber / Mike Stoller (Hound Dog)
7× Platinum (RIAA)
9
"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The Beatles
The Beatles
1963
Lennon–McCartney
Gold (RIAA)
10
"Bohemian Rhapsody" — Queen
Queen
1975
Freddie Mercury
4× Platinum (RIAA)
How we ranked this
Singles are ranked by estimated worldwide sales in millions of copies, combining physical single sales, digital downloads, and streaming-equivalent units where available. Data is sourced from Guinness World Records, RIAA certifications, the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), and Wikipedia's compiled list of best-selling singles. Historical sales figures are estimates, as no single organization has tracked global music sales consistently throughout history. Figures reflect the most recent available data as of 2026.
FAQ
What is the best-selling single of all time?
Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" (1942) is recognized by Guinness World Records as the best-selling single of all time, with estimated sales of over 50 million copies worldwide.
How do single sales compare across different eras?
Comparing sales across eras is difficult because of changing consumption patterns. Physical singles dominated until the mid-2000s, followed by digital downloads, and now streaming. The IFPI considers a digital track purchase roughly equivalent to 0.3 of a physical single.
Why are there multiple Christmas songs on this list?
Christmas songs like "White Christmas" and "Silent Night" have decades of cumulative sales across many holiday seasons and multiple recorded versions, giving them a long tail of sales that most regular singles cannot achieve.