The biggest-selling song of each decade
The most popular song from each decade can often reveal a lot about the cultural and political climate from which they were born. While the most successful tracks of each decade might not be the best pieces of music the period had to offer, they become historical artefacts, part of a time capsule reflecting the events that defined an era. So, which songs defined each decade with the highest amount of sales? This article will examine the most popular singles from each decade in the United Kingdom, beginning with the 1950s.
Music was rapidly changing at this point, with rock and roll emerging as a popular genre thanks to artists such as Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly. However, Bill Haley and his Comets scored the biggest hit of the decade with ‘Rock Around the Clock’, one of the most influential rock and roll recordings of all time, which subsequently brought the genre into mainstream consciousness. It shifted 1,390,000 copies and stayed at number one for weeks.
The following decade saw the development of rock and roll as new instruments and recording techniques became increasingly popular. At the forefront of the 1960s were The Beatles, who took the world by storm with their innovative approach to music. Despite their experimental cuts in the latter half of the decade, one of their earliest singles, ‘She Loves You’, reigned supreme in terms of sales. The short pop track sold over 1.89 million copies, encapsulating an era obsessed with Beatlemania. Other songs by The Beatles which made it into the top ten best-selling singles of the 1960s include ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ and ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’.
The best-selling single of the 1970s is perhaps the most unsurprising on this list. Selling over 2.62 million copies in the UK alone, Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ defined the ’70s with its theatrical, epic nature. Not only is the song one of Queen’s signature tracks, but it remains one of the most beloved rock songs in popular culture. When it was first released, it remained number one for nine weeks before returning to its top spot in 1991.
As synths became one of the most favoured instruments and people wore more neon than ever before, the song that sold the most units in the United Kingdom during the 1980s was Band Aid’s charity single ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’. Released in 1984, the song became an instant festive classic, and it remains practically impossible to get through December without hearing the song. With contributions from the likes of Boy George, U2, Duran Duran, Paul Weller, Phil Collins and Wham!, ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ truly encapsulated an era.
The 1990s, meanwhile, gave way to grunge, with Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ becoming one of the era’s most popular songs, signalling alternative rock’s burgeoning presence in the mainstream. However, it was trumped by Elton John’s ‘Something About the Way You Look Tonight’/’Candle In the Wind 1997’, released in tribute to the late Princess Diana. The song currently boasts 4.94 million sales.
Into the 2000s now, and the UK’s top ten best-selling single list is overwhelmingly riddled with X-Factor and Pop Idol contestants, from Gareth Gates to Alexandra Burke. Taking the top spot is Will Young, who won the first series of Pop Idol in 2002. His single ‘Anything Is Possible’/’Evergreen’ became the UK’s fastest-selling debut single, with over 1.80 million copies sold. Young might not be a big name in music now, but he evidently made a significant impact on British pop music during the early 2000s.
As we reach the final decade on this list, it’s important to give a fair warning that the best-selling single of the 2010s is easily the most insufferable. The only answer could be Ed Sheeran’s ‘Shape of You’, which has shifted 5.72 million digital and physical copies. Since its release in 2017, the song has been inescapable, constantly playing on television and radio stations, so it’s no surprise that ‘Shape of You’ has been crowned the most successful song of the decade.
The biggest-selling song of each decade:
- 1950s: ‘Rock Around the Clock’ – Bill Haley and the Comets
- 1960s: ‘She Loves You’ – The Beatles
- 1970s: ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ – Queen
- 1980s: ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ – Band Aid
- 1990s: ‘Something About the Way You Look Tonight’/’Candle In the Wind 1997’ – Elton John
- 2000s: ‘Anything Is Possible’/’Evergreen’ – Will Young
- 2010s: ‘Shape of You’ – Ed Sheeran
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