The Official Charts Company has unveiled the Diamond Dozen
- the 12 artists who have sold more than 10m singles in the history of the UK
‘s Official Singles Chart.
This definitive list of chart royalty is published to
coincide with the Diamond Jubilee of both Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and
the UK’s Official Singles Chart - both celebrating 60 glorious years of
heritage in 2012 - the list forms part of a BBC Radio 2 show running from 2pm
till 5pm on Bank Holiday Monday (June 4).
In November 1952, five months after Queen Elizabeth II took
the throne, the first ever Official Singles Chart was published in the New
Musical Express. To mark this joint Jubilee, the Official Charts Company has
compiled the definitive list of the biggest singles artists of all time, to be
counted down by BBC Radio 2's Tony Blackburn in a special Jubilee Bank Holiday
Monday show.
The list reveals The Beatles at the top, having sold the most
chart singles over the past 60 years in the UK, followed by Elvis Presley and
Sir Cliff Richard - all three have sold more than 20m singles in the UK. Once
again Madonna is the first female artist in the list, completing the Top 5 at
#4 on 17.6m right before Michael Jackson (15.3m).
Martin Talbot, managing director of the Official Charts
Company, adds, “The Diamond Dozen, from the Beatles to Kylie, with Rihanna,
Madonna, Elvis and Bowie in between, is truly the cream of music makers over
the past six decades years. Over the past 60 years, the Official Singles Chart
has provided the musical soundtrack to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s reign -
and these artists have been her entertainers.”
Here is the full list, which also of course includes Pet Shop Boys, Duran Duran, Prince and Diana Ross:
| 1 | THE BEATLES |
| 2 | ELVIS PRESLEY |
| 3 | CLIFF RICHARD |
| 4 | MADONNA |
| 5 | MICHAEL JACKSON |
| 6 | ELTON JOHN |
| 7 | QUEEN |
| 8 | ABBA |
| 9 | DAVID BOWIE |
| 10 | RIHANNA |
| 11 | PAUL McCARTNEY |
| 12 | KYLIE MINOGUE |
| 13 | ROLLING STONES |
| 14 | ROD STEWART |
| 15 | TAKE THAT |
| 16 | STEVIE WONDER |
| 17 | OASIS |
| 18 | EMINEM |
| 19 | WHITNEY HOUSTON |
| 20 | SPICE GIRLS |
| 21 | GEORGE MICHAEL |
| 22 | ROBBIE WILLIAMS |
| 23 | THE BEE GEES |
| 24 | U2 |
| 25 | SHAKIN' STEVENS |
| 26 | BRITNEY SPEARS |
| 27 | STATUS QUO |
| 28 | LADY GAGA |
| 29 | BOYZONE |
| 30 | BLONDIE |
| 31 | SLADE |
| 32 | THE BLACK EYED PEAS |
| 33 | BONEY M |
| 34 | WESTLIFE |
| 35 | CELINE DION |
| 36 | BEYONCE |
| 37 | UB40 |
| 38 | OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN |
| 39 | MARIAH CAREY |
| 40 | TOM JONES |
| 41 | MADNESS |
| 42 | THE POLICE |
| 43 | WHAM! |
| 44 | PHIL COLLINS |
| 45 | DIANA ROSS |
| 46 | THE JAM |
| 47 | BRYAN ADAMS |
| 48 | PET SHOP BOYS |
| 49 | DAVID GUETTA |
| 50 | ADAM ANT |
| 51 | DURAN DURAN |
| 52 | FRANK SINATRA |
| 53 | FRANKIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD |
| 54 | PRINCE |
| 55 | KATY PERRY |
| 56 | WET WET WET |
| 57 | EVERLY BROTHERS |
| 58 | SHADOWS |
| 59 | PINK |
| 60 | COLDPLAY |
6 comments:
I'm still reeling at the thought that bloody Rihanna has sold so many singles. (And as for Eminem...) Jx
You and me both!!! And Black Eyed Peas - really???
But the fact that Rihanna made the top 10 and Kylie did not is of course nothing but a scandal!!!
I think they should exclude downloads from this chart (and all charts, if truth be told). How can one compare sales of vinyl singles and CDs (which are vastly more expensive, against the cost of living) to someone downloading a ringtone? Jx
I couldn't agree more!!! To me, comparing people buying physical formats and buying some MP3s from their phone (or whatever) are two very different things!
Also, I think it shows a lot more dedication to to actual song/artist if people actually go to the stores and buy the release, instead of downloading it cheap on a whim, not liking it and just deleating it since it didn't really cost anything to begin with!
That said, the industry is of course doing everything they can to kill the physical formats. Can you believe that the maxi single of Madonna's "Girl Gone Wild" is still two weeks away from release in the UK???
The music industry has really gone tits-up lately. I know that downloads are considered to be "the future" (lord knows they cost the labels fuck all to produce), but when it comes to it having something solid and shiny in your hand is worth any amount of online stuff :-) Jx
Congrats to KYLIE! "Queen Of Singles" http://shineonandon.blogspot.com/2012/06/kylie-officially-honoured-as-uks-queen.html
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