What is the greatest selling song of all time?

The best-selling single of all time, recognized by Guinness World Records, is Bing Crosby's "White Christmas," with estimated sales exceeding 50 million copies, predating modern chart systems but holding the record for physical singles. For the post-1950s era, Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997" / "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" is the biggest-selling single, with around 33 million copies sold.

What is the biggest selling song of all time?

According to Guinness World Records, Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" (1942) is the best-selling single worldwide, with estimated sales of over 50 million copies.

What is the #1 song of all time?

There's no single "number one song of all time" because it depends on the criteria (sales, streams, cultural impact, critical acclaim), but Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" is often cited as the best-selling single ever by sales, while Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" holds records for streaming/digital certifications, and critics' lists (like Rolling Stone's list) favor songs like Aretha Franklin's "Respect" or Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone".

What song has 1 trillion streams?

Global Streams Hit 1 Trillion in 2023, Miley Cyrus' 'Flowers' Tops List.

Who has the most #1 hit songs ever?

The Beatles have the most No. 1 hits among all acts in the chart's history, with 20.

The Top Selling Singles Of All Time (Physical Copies)- Best Selling Songs- Greatest Music- Playlist

Who has sold the most records ever?

The Beatles: With over 1 billion records sold worldwide, The Beatles are often hailed as the most successful and influential band in the history of popular music. Their innovative approach to songwriting and recording has set the standard for countless artists who followed.

What is the longest running #1 song ever?

Progression of most weeks at number one

Songs that tied the current record at a given time are noted below the table. The current record holder is "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey at 22 weeks, and the longest record held is "One Sweet Day" by Carey and Boyz II Men with 8,554 days.

Who sold 1 billion records?

While exact numbers vary and are often debated, Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson are frequently cited as artists who have sold over 1 billion records, with Elvis often called the best-selling solo artist and Michael Jackson the best-selling artist overall when group sales are considered alongside solo work. The Beatles, as a group, also have figures approaching or exceeding 1 billion units in some estimates, making them top contenders.

What is the biggest money making song of all time?

“White Christmas” – Bing Crosby (1942)

To this day, it's the best-selling single of all time, with more than 50 million copies sold.

What's the catchiest song ever written?

Perhaps unsurprisingly — considering stadiums full of fans have been chanting the lyrics at sporting events for years — Queen's 1977 anthem "We Are the Champions" claimed the title of "catchiest song of all time" based on Pawley and Müllensiefen's analysis.

What is the most successful song in history?

There's no single "most successful song" as success is measured differently (sales, streams, cultural impact), but Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" holds Guinness World Records for best-selling single ever (50+ million physical copies pre-digital), while Elton John's "Candle in the Wind 1997" is the biggest-selling single since chart systems began, and Xiao Zhan's "Spotlight" is the top-selling digital single, showing different eras of success. For streaming, Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" and The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" are contenders for most-streamed. 

What is the most played song ever?

There's even a dispute over the exact title. Yet “It's a Small World,” also known as “It's a Small, Small World” and “It's a Small World (After All),” is very likely the most played song in music history — nearly 50 million times.

What is the #1 song ever?

There's no single "number one song of all time" because it depends on the criteria (sales, streams, cultural impact, critical acclaim), but Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" is often cited as the best-selling single ever by sales, while Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" holds records for streaming/digital certifications, and critics' lists (like Rolling Stone's list) favor songs like Aretha Franklin's "Respect" or Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone".

What is the most played song on YouTube?

The most played song on YouTube is "Baby Shark Dance" by Pinkfong, holding the top spot by a significant margin with over 16 billion views, far surpassing any other video, including music clips. While "Baby Shark" dominates overall, Luis Fonsi's "Despacito" ft. Daddy Yankee remains the most-viewed traditional music video (non-children's song) on the platform, with nearly 9 billion views. 

Who is the most streamed artist of all time?

Taylor Swift are the most-streamed artists ever on Spotify with 117,699,289,576 streams as of January 16, 2026. Streaming dominates the music industry, accounting for a whopping 69% of global recorded music sales, with Spotify claiming the lion's share.