List of best-selling singles of the 2010s in the United Kingdom

For the purposes of calculating sales, a single is currently defined by the Official Charts Company (OCC) as either a 'single bundle' having no more than four tracks and not lasting longer than 25 minutes or one digital audio track not longer than 15 minutes with a minimum sale price of 40 pence.[2] The rules have changed many times as technology has developed, the most notable being the inclusion of digital downloads in 2004 and of digital audio streaming in 2014. During the 2010s, sales of singles have been monitored by the OCC and compiled weekly as the UK Singles Chart.

"Happy" by Pharrell Williams (pictured) is the UK's most downloaded song of all time and best-selling single since 2010 with sales of over 1,920,000.[1]

Since July 2014, the UK Singles Chart has been based on streaming figures as well as physical/digital purchases, however the OCC still compiles a 'sales' (only) chart.[3]

Best-selling singles based on paid-for sales

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The biggest selling single in the 2010s in the UK based on paid-for sales is "Happy" by Pharrell Williams, which has sold over 1,920,000 copies.[1] During the decade, 37 singles released in the 2010s sold over 1 million copies—the highest number to achieve this within the decade of their release.[1][4] Due to the growth of streaming and the consequent fall in paid for sales during the 2010s, all of the highest selling singles are from the first half of the decade, with Uptown Funk being the most recently released single to achieve sales of one million copies.

Sales figures are derived from the OCC list published on 19 September 2017.[1]

Best-selling singles of the 2010s in the UK
No. Single Artist Year Copies
sold
Chart
peak
1 "Happy" Pharrell Williams 2013 1,921,805 1
2 "Blurred Lines" Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams 2013 1,667,615 1
3 "Uptown Funk" Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 2014 1,647,310 1
4 "Someone like You" Adele 2011 1,644,597 1
5 "Moves Like Jagger" Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera 2011 1,536,041 2
6 "Somebody That I Used to Know" Gotye featuring Kimbra 2012 1,515,527 1
7 "Wake Me Up!" Avicii featuring Aloe Blacc 2013 1,483,346 1
8 "Get Lucky" Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams 2013 1,471,356 1
9 "We Found Love" Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris 2011 1,415,416 1
10 "Call Me Maybe" Carly Rae Jepsen 2012 1,358,631 1
11 "Just the Way You Are (Amazing)" Bruno Mars 2010 1,331,684 1
12 "Impossible" James Arthur 2012 1,310,169 1
13 "Gangnam Style" Psy 2012 1,304,437 1
14 "Titanium" David Guetta featuring Sia 2012 1,300,566 1
15 "Party Rock Anthem" LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock 2011 1,284,335 1
16 "Rather Be" Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne 2014 1,283,122 1
17 "All of Me" John Legend 2013 1,259,708 2
18 "Love the Way You Lie" Eminem featuring Rihanna 2010 1,258,763 2
19 "Let Her Go" Passenger 2013 1,243,336 2
20 "Price Tag" Jessie J featuring B.o.B 2011 1,228,371 1
21 "Thinking Out Loud" Ed Sheeran 2014 1,219,184 1
22 "Only Girl (In the World)" Rihanna 2010 1,162,460 1
23 "Starships" Nicki Minaj 2012 1,162,065 2
24 "We Are Young" fun. featuring Janelle Monáe 2012 1,145,195 1
25 "Counting Stars" OneRepublic 2013 1,132,526 1
26 "The A Team" Ed Sheeran 2011 1,118,825 3
27 "Roar" Katy Perry 2013 1,112,787 1
28 "Diamonds" Rihanna 2012 1,098,959 1
29 "Firework" Katy Perry 2010 1,091,743 3
30 "Rolling in the Deep" Adele 2010 1,086,347 2
31 "La La La" Naughty Boy featuring Sam Smith 2013 1,070,199 1
32 "Give Me Everything" Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer 2011 1,050,457 1
33 "Don't You Worry Child" Swedish House Mafia featuring John Martin 2012 1,018,874 1
34 "When We Collide" Matt Cardle 2010 1,017,149 1
35 "Jar of Hearts" Christina Perri 2011 1,018,874 4
36 "What Makes You Beautiful" One Direction 2011 1,010,042 1
37 "Forget You" CeeLo Green 2010 1,002,504 1
38 "Sexy and I Know It" LMFAO 2011 999,080 5
39 "Grenade" Bruno Mars 2010 997,862 1
40 "Paradise" Coldplay 2011 995,808 1

Best-selling songs of the 2010s based on combined sales

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From 2014 streaming has counted towards sales (sometimes called "combined sales" or "chart sales") at the rate of 100 streams equal to one download or physical purchase, although the singles chart no longer uses this ratio. These are the biggest selling songs released in the 2010s based on combined physical, download and streaming sales.

As of September 2017, there were 146 songs released in the 2010s with over a million combined sales, nine of these with over 2 million.[1] In October 2017, "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran became the first song from the decade to reach 3 million combined sales.[5]

Position Song Artist Peak Year Sales Streaming equivalent Combined sales
1 "Shape of You" Ed Sheeran 1 2017 754,754 2,121,706 4,200,000[5]
2 "Uptown Funk" Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars 1 2014 1,647,310 1,076,160 2,723,470
3 "Happy" Pharrell Williams 1 2013 1,921,805 707,851 2,629,657
4 "Thinking Out Loud" Ed Sheeran 1 2014 1,219,184 1,302,119 2,521,302
5 "One Dance" Drake featuring Wizkid & Kyla 1 2016 553,973 1,791,007 2,344,981
6 "Rather Be" Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne 1 2014 1,283,122 935,575 2,218,697
7 "Sorry" Justin Bieber 1 2015 724,188 1,443,719 2,167,907
8 "All of Me" John Legend 2 2014 1,259,708 896,418 2,156,126
9 "Love Yourself" Justin Bieber 1 2015 718,549 1,340,666 2,059,215
10 "Someone Like You" Adele 1 2011 1,644,597 351,772 1,996,369
11 "Wake Me Up!" Avicii 1 2013 1,483,346 484,035 1,967,381
12 "Take Me to Church" Hozier 2 2013 934,466 1,017,851 1,952,317
13 "Blurred Lines" Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams 1 2013 1,667,615 284,004 1,951,619
14 "Cheerleader (Felix Jaehn Remix)" Omi 1 2014 861,086 1,057,439 1,918,526
15 "Despacito (Remix)" Luis Fonsi featuring Daddy Yankee and Justin Bieber 1 2017 566,425 1,334,174 1,900,599
16 "Hello" Adele 1 2015 948,618 906,431 1,855,050
17 "What Do You Mean?" Justin Bieber 1 2015 533,581 1,320,256 1,853,837
18 "Let Her Go" Passenger 2 2012 1,243,336 589,019 1,832,354
19 "Get Lucky" Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams 1 2013 1,471,356 349,989 1,821,344
20 "Cheap Thrills" Sia 2 2015 517,082 1,247,640 1,764,721
21 "Moves Like Jagger" Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera 2 2011 1,536,041 207,813 1,743,854
22 "Somebody That I Used to Know" Gotye featuring Kimbra 1 2011 1,515,527 212,192 1,727,719
23 "Pompeii" Bastille 2 2013 959,693 749,011 1,708,704
24 "7 Years" Lukas Graham 1 2015 653,657 1,054,211 1,707,868
25 "We Found Love" Rihanna 1 2011 1,415,416 288,533 1,703,948
26 "Waves" Mr Probz 1 2013 933,555 757,402 1,690,957
27 "Castle on the Hill" Ed Sheeran 2 2017 478,716 1,192,607 1,671,322
28 "Stay with Me" Sam Smith 1 2014 834,622 832,637 1,667,260
29 "Titanium" David Guetta ft. Sia 1 2011 1,300,566 351,632 1,652,198
30 "Counting Stars" OneRepublic 1 2013 1,132,526 507,982 1,640,508

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Copsey, Rob (19 September 2017). "The UK's Official Chart 'millionaires' revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 September 2017.
  2. ^ "Rules for Chart Eligibility: Singles" (PDF). London: Official Charts Company. April 2013. p. 4. Retrieved 1 June 2015.
  3. ^ Lane, Dan (24 July 2014). "Clean Bandit's Rather Be hits 1 million UK sales!". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  4. ^ "The UK's million selling singles". Official Charts Company. 12 February 2015. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  5. ^ a b Jones, Alan (14 October 2017). "Official Charts Analysis: Post Malone secures second week atop singles chart". Music Week. Retrieved 14 October 2017.