This article needs to be updated. (September 2015) |
A music download is the transfer of music as a digital file from a provider (such as iTunes) to a device capable of playing it; legal sales of music downloads have been monitored and charted in the United Kingdom since 2004. As of 4 January 2023, the UK's most downloaded song of all the time was "As It Was" by Harry Styles, which became the U.K.'s top-selling single and album.[1] In 2021, "Bad Habits" by Ed Sheeran became one of the most streamed song of the year. In the year of 2020, "Head & Heart" by Joel Corry Ft. MNEK became one of the most trending songs of the time. As for in 2010s songs by singers like Rihanna, Adele, Vance Joy, Sia, James Arthur became famous.
Besides, as per 9 September 2014, the UK's most-downloaded song of all time is "Happy" by Pharrell Williams, which topped both the UK Singles Downloads Chart and UK Singles Chart.[2]
The first single to sell 1 million downloads in the UK was "I Gotta Feeling" by The Black Eyed Peas[3] and "Someone like You" and "Set Fire to the Rain" by Adele are the best-selling downloads by a female artist.[2] The best-selling song not to top the UK Singles Chart is "Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera, whilst the best-selling song not to top the Download Chart is "Love the Way You Lie" by Eminem featuring Rihanna, which peaked at number two.[2]
Most-downloaded songs
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| No. | Artist | Song | Record label | Year | Peak position |
Copies sold[a] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pharrell Williams | "Happy" | Sony | 2013 | 1 | 1,922,000[4] |
| 2 | Adele | "Someone Like You" | Beggars | 2011 | 1 | 1,637,000+[5] |
| 3 | Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams | "Blurred Lines" | Universal | 2013 | 1 | 1,620,000+ |
| 4 | Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera | "Moves Like Jagger" | Universal | 2011 | 2 | 1,500,000+ |
| 5 | Gotye featuring Kimbra | "Somebody That I Used to Know" | Universal | 2012 | 1 | 1,470,000+ |
| 6 | Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams | "Get Lucky" | Sony | 2013 | 1 | 1,400,000+ |
| 7 | The Black Eyed Peas | "I Gotta Feeling" | Universal | 2009 | 1 | 1,350,000+ |
| 8 | Avicii | "Wake Me Up" | Universal | 2013 | 1 | 1,340,000+ |
| 9 | Rihanna featuring Calvin Harris | "We Found Love" | Universal | 2011 | 1 | 1,337,000+ |
| 10 | Kings of Leon | "Sex on Fire" | Sony BMG | 2008 | 1 | 1,293,000+ |
| 11 | Carly Rae Jepsen | "Call Me Maybe" | Universal | 2012 | 1 | 1,264,000+ |
| 12 | Bruno Mars | "Just the Way You Are" | Warner | 2010 | 1 | 1,247,000+ |
| 13 | Psy | "Gangnam Style" | Universal | 2012 | 1 | 1,229,000+ |
| 14 | LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett and GoonRock | "Party Rock Anthem" | Universal | 2011 | 1 | 1,229,000+ |
| 15 | Jessie J featuring B.o.B | "Price Tag" | Universal | 2012 | 1 | 1,188,000+ |
| 16 | Eminem featuring Rihanna | "Love the Way You Lie" | Universal | 2010 | 2 | 1,173,000+ |
| 17 | Little Mix | "Shout Out To My Ex" | Syco | 2016 | 1 | 1,159,827+ |
| 18 | David Guetta featuring Sia | "Titanium" | EMI | 2012 | 1 | 1,158,000+ |
| 19 | Little Mix | "Black Magic" | Syco | 2015 | 1 | 1,146,000+ |
| 20 | Lady Gaga | "Poker Face" | Warner | 2009 | 1 | 1,131,000+ |
| 21 | Passenger | "Let Her Go" | Nettwerk | 2012 | 1 | 1,114,000+ |
| 22 | Rihanna | "Only Girl (In the World)" | Universal | 2010 | 1 | 1,103,000+ |
| 23 | fun. featuring Janelle Monáe | "We Are Young" | Warner | 2012 | 1 | 1,095,000+ |
| 24 | Kings of Leon | "Use Somebody" | Sony BMG | 2008 | 2 | 1,068,000+ |
| 25 | James Arthur | "Impossible" | Sony | 2012 | 1 | 1,053,000+ |
| 26 | Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne | "Rather Be" | Warner | 2014 | 1 | 1,053,000+ |
| 27 | Ed Sheeran | "The A Team" | Warner | 2011 | 3 | 1,053,000 |
| 28 | Little Mix | "Touch" | Syco | 2016 | 3 | 1,041,000+ |
| 30 | Rihanna | "Diamonds" | Universal | 2012 | 1 | 1,006,000 |
| 31 | Naughty Boy featuring Sam Smith | "La La La" | Universal | 2013 | 1 | 1,000,000+ |
| 32 | Katy Perry | "Firework" | EMI | 2010 | 3 | 1,000,000+ |
| 33 | Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo, Afrojack and Nayer | "Give Me Everything" | Sony | 2011 | 1 | 1,000,000+ |
| 34 | Adele | "Rolling in the Deep" | Beggars | 2011 | 2 | 1,000,000+ |
| 35 | Journey | "Don't Stop Believin'" | Sony | 2010 | 6 | 1,000,000 |
| 36 | Lady Gaga | "Bad Romance" | Universal | 2009 | 1 | 1,000,000 |
| 37 | Katy Perry | "Roar" | Universal | 2013 | 1 | 990,000 |
| 38 | Swedish House Mafia featuring John Martin | "Don't You Worry Child" | Universal | 2012 | 1 | 980,000 |
| 39 | LMFAO | "Sexy and I Know It" | Universal | 2011 | 5 | 974,000 |
| 41 | Nicki Minaj | "Starships" | Universal | 2012 | 2 | 967,000 |
| 42 | CeeLo Green | "Forget You" | Warner | 2010 | 1 | 963,000 |
| 43 | Bruno Mars | "Grenade" | Warner | 2011 | 1 | 949,000 |
Most-downloaded songs by year
editReferences
edit- ^ Smirke, Richard (4 January 2023). "Harry Styles Helps UK Music Streams Cross 150 Billion Mark for First Time in 2022". Billboard. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
- ^ a b c d Copsey, Rob (9 September 2014). "Pharrell's Happy now the UK's most downloaded track of all time". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
- ^ Kaufman, Gil (14 September 2011). "Adele, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber Land New Guinness Records". MTV. Viacom International Inc. Archived from the original on 13 September 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
- ^ Moss, Liv (19 June 2015). "The Official 40 biggest songs of the decade revealed". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 December 2016.
- ^ Moss, Liv (26 April 2017). "Official Top 20 Biggest Selling Singles Of All Time By Female Artists". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 April 2017.