The biggest-earning songs ever

Biggest-Earning Songs

Music brings people together all over the world and helps artists make a lot of money. Some songs earn huge amounts through sales, streaming, radio, and licensing.

These songs are special because they show how music styles change over time. They also prove how powerful good melodies and lyrics can be.

This list shows some of the highest-earning songs ever. It includes both old classics and new hits that still earn big money and stay loved by fans.

White Christmas – Bing Crosby

Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” is the best-selling single ever, with over 50 million copies sold around the world. It was written by Irving Berlin for the 1942 movie Holiday Inn. The song touched people during wartime because it brought feelings of peace and home.

It stayed at number one on the Billboard chart for 11 weeks and went back to number one many times. All versions together have sold over 100 million copies. It won an Academy Award for Best Original Song. Though it started slow, it became a huge hit, making lots of money every year.

Shape of You – Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” came out in January 2017 and went straight to number one on the UK chart. It stayed there for 13 weeks in a row, plus one more week later. By July 2017, it had 184 million streams in the UK.

It sold over 5 million copies there and was Ed’s best-selling song. In the U.S., it was the top-selling song of 2017, with over 2.3 million copies sold.

It topped charts in many countries, like France, Australia, and the Philippines. It was streamed over 4 billion times on Spotify and broke several music chart records worldwide.

Despacito – Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee (feat. Justin Bieber)

“Despacito” by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee, with Justin Bieber on the remix, became one of the most money-making songs ever. In just six months, it had 4.6 billion streams across YouTube, Spotify, and more.

Spotify had about 1.1 billion streams. The video has passed 5 billion views on YouTube and has become one of the most-watched videos ever.

In the U.S., it stayed number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 16 weeks, tying the record. It hit number one in 35 countries and made tens of millions of dollars from streaming, radio, and sales all over the world.

Candle in the Wind 1997 – Elton John

Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind 1997” was a tribute to Princess Diana. It came out in September 1997 and became the fastest-selling song ever in the UK, selling 658,000 copies on the first day and over 1.5 million in the first week.

It sold about 4.94 million total copies in the UK and 33 million worldwide, making it the second-best-selling single ever. In the U.S., it was number one for 14 weeks and sold around 8.8 million copies, with 11 million shipped. All money from the song went to Princess Diana’s charity. It was also the first U.S. Diamond single.

In the Summertime – Mungo Jerry

“In the Summertime” by Mungo Jerry is one of the best-selling songs ever. It sold around 30 million copies worldwide and is the biggest-selling single by a British band. The song was number one in at least 26 countries and stayed at number one in the UK for seven weeks.

It also reached number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It won awards like the Ivor Novello and a Sony/ATV honor. In France, it became the fastest and biggest-selling record at that time. Many people call it the most-played and most-loved summer song ever.

Silent Night – Bing Crosby

Bing Crosby’s version of “Silent Night” has sold about 30 million copies around the world. It was recorded in 1935 and became his biggest hit from the 1930s. This song is one of the best-selling Christmas singles ever and is ranked one of the best-selling single of all time.

Only Crosby’s “White Christmas” (over 50 million copies) and Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind 1997” (33 million) sold more. Bing’s version of “Silent Night” is the most famous and highest-selling version ever made.

Rock Around the Clock – Bill Haley & His Comets

“Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley & His Comets is the biggest-selling vinyl rock and roll single ever, with at least 25 million copies sold. The total sales, including all versions, are estimated at around 30 million copies.

It was the first rock and roll song to reach number one on both the US and UK charts, staying at number one for eight weeks in the US. It was also the first million-selling single in the UK, with over 1.4 million copies sold there. Bill Haley & His Comets sold over 60 million records worldwide.

I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” sold over 24 million copies worldwide. It’s the best-selling single ever by a female solo artist and was the top song in the world in 1992. It stayed at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 weeks, tying the record for solo artists.

It also topped other U.S. charts, including 14 weeks on the Single Sales chart and 11 weeks on both the Airplay and R&B charts. In the UK, it sold 1.55 million copies and went 2× Platinum. It sold over 810,000 copies in Japan and won two Grammy Awards in 1994.

All I Want for Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” has sold 16 million copies worldwide. It’s the best-selling Christmas song in the U.S. and is certified Diamond in the U.S., Australia, Canada, and Sweden.

Mariah earns about $2.6–3 million every year from the song, and she’s made over $75 million total since it came out. It’s the first Christmas song to get more than 2 billion streams on Spotify.

Every December, it climbs back to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and streaming charts. The song is a huge holiday hit and keeps breaking records every year.

Old Town Road – Lil Nas X (feat. Billy Ray Cyrus)

“Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus is the highest-certified song ever by the RIAA. It went 14× Platinum in 2021 and later reached 16× and even 17× Platinum, meaning it sold 16–17 million units in the U.S.

It also became the fastest song in U.S. history to get a Diamond award for 10 million units. The song broke the Billboard Hot 100 record by staying at No. 1 for 19 weeks.

It was a viral hit with hundreds of millions of streams on different platforms, helping it become one of the most successful songs ever.

Bohemian Rhapsody – Queen

Queen’s song “Bohemian Rhapsody” is the most-streamed song from the 20th century, with over 1.6 billion streams in 2018 and over 2 billion on Spotify by 2025. It hit number one on the UK chart twice, first in 1975 for nine weeks, and again in 1991 for five weeks after Freddie Mercury died.

The song is certified Diamond in the US, meaning it sold over 10 million units. It has sold more than 6 million copies worldwide. The 2018 Bohemian Rhapsody movie made the song even more popular, tripling Queen’s streams and boosting their music earnings.

Hey Jude – The Beatles

The Beatles’ song “Hey Jude” is one of their most famous and top-earning hits. It has over 1.5 billion streams on Spotify and is their third most-streamed song after “Here Comes the Sun” and “Let It Be.” It was released in August 1968 and hit number one in the UK, US, and other countries.

It sold over 9 million physical copies and 1.83 million digital copies. Even though it’s not their most-streamed song, it remains one of their biggest and most loved.

Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana has over 2.3 billion streams on Spotify as of 2025. It’s their most streamed and most popular song. The track helped make Nirvana famous and played a big role in the huge success of their album Nevermind.

It was the lead single and helped bring grunge music to the mainstream. People around the world still know and love it. The song is one of the most iconic and powerful songs of the 1990s.

I Want to Hold Your Hand – The Beatles

“I Want to Hold Your Hand” is one of The Beatles’ biggest songs ever. It has about 477 million streams on Spotify as of May 2025, placing it in their top 10 most-streamed songs, but not as high as “Here Comes the Sun” or “Come Together.”

It is their best-selling single worldwide, with over 12 million copies sold. The song came out in 1963 and was their first number-one hit in the U.S., starting with Beatlemania. It is still a big part of their legacy today, earning money from streams, licensing, and airplay. It remains a major hit worldwide.

Thriller 25 – Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson’s Thriller 25 sold 688,000 copies in the U.S. in 2008, making it the best-selling catalog album that year. It sold 3 million copies worldwide in 12 weeks.

Thriller is certified 34× Platinum by the RIAA, meaning 34 million units sold in the U.S. It’s the first and only album to go 30× Diamond. Worldwide sales are between 70 million and 100 million, with some reports saying over 100 million.

The enduring legacy of Michael Jackson became even more evident after his death in June 2009, as the album became even more popular.

Perfect – Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran’s song “Perfect” hit number one in both the UK and US, including the duet with Beyoncé. It sold over 1 million copies in the UK and was the Christmas number one in 2017, staying at the top for six weeks.

In the US, it was the seventh best-selling song of 2017 and the best-selling song of 2018, with 1.34 million copies sold in 2017 and 1.3 million in 2018. It has over 3.6 billion streams on Spotify and billions of views on YouTube.

Recently, there’s been growing buzz around the question, is Ed Sheeran ready to trade pop for country? The singer has openly discussed his desire to make a full transition to country music.

Which of these highest-earning songs is your all-time favorite? Share your thoughts!

Read More From This Brand:

• All ‘White Lotus’ Star Receives an Equal Pay
• Minecraft Movie Shines Despite Rotten Reviews
• How Kevin Hart Boosted Earnings with Back-End Strategies

Don’t forget to follow us for more exclusive content right here on MSN

If you liked this story, you’ll LOVE our FREE emails. Join today and be the first to get stories like this one

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.