The Beatles, Elvis, Cliff Richard named best-selling UK singles acts
Published Jun 5 2012, 16:35 BST | By Tom Eames
The Beatles have been named the best-selling singles act of all time in the UK.The legendary band beat Elvis Presley and Sir Cliff Richard to the number one placing, while Madonna and Michael Jackson completed the top five.
© Rex Features
© Esquire / Matt Irwin
The specially commissioned Top 60 of the past 60 years from The Official Charts Company was broadcast by Tony Blackburn on BBC Radio 2 yesterday (June 4).
Rihanna was the most recent artist to make the top ten, beating the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones and Kylie Minogue to the tenth position.
Sir Elton John, Queen, ABBA and David Bowie completed the top ten, while Take That as a collective are higher than Robbie Williams at 15 and 22 respectively.
Lower down the chart, Britney Spears, Lady GaGa and Black Eyed Peas feature at 26, 28 and 32.
BBC Radio 2's Head of Music Jeff Smith said: "This list is intriguing; Adele is missing and we've all forgotten just how huge artists such as Shakin' Stevens, Boney M and UB40 were in the UK in the '70s and '80s."
The Top 60 biggest selling singles acts of all time in the UK are:
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. Bee Gees
24. U2
25. Shakin' Stevens
26. Britney Spears
27. Status Quo
28. Lady Gaga
29. Boyzone
30. Blondie
31. Slade
32. Black Eyed Peas
33. Boney M
34. Westlife
35. Celine Dion
36. Beyoncé
37. UB40
38. Olivia Newton John
39. Mariah Carey
40. Tom Jones
41. Madness
42. Police
43. Wham!
44. Phil Collins
45. Diana Ross
46. 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
Telling that no reality TV acts are there, considering that type of programme has been going for more than a decade. I suppose Girls Aloud might be there or thereabouts.
November 9th 2012 at 5:12pm
Happy to see that older artists like Mariah Carey, Celine Dion and even the likes of Diana Ross are still on the list!
June 6th 2012 at 11:24am(+1 like)
The greatest band ever. Top 9 are legends. Shocked The Bee Gees are so low. Legends.
June 6th 2012 at 10:59am(+1 like)
I am Adele surprised isnt in it
June 6th 2012 at 8:20am
If this was a list of best selling albums then yes I'm sure she's be there, but she's not had that many selling singles.
June 6th 2012 at 9:50am(+1 like)
well if radio 1, 2, global radio and mtv and other music channels have their way, madonnas position in this chart will drop as idiots who know nowt about music seem intent to ignore her latest cd/singles, girl gone wild, give me all youre lovin are good songs and dont desrve their lowly chart positions, madonna aint the only artist to suffer this - kylie, britney, the feeling and alexandra burke are all suffering the same.......
June 5th 2012 at 10:40pm(+2 likes)