#1 single by a female artist?

[LatinoSTAR]

"I will Always love you' was definatley a much bigger hit than "Believe", I Love Both Those Songs, But I Think "I Will Always Love You" is the biggest single for a female solo artist, It was No. 1 for 14 consecutive weeks on the Hot 100, while Believe only stayed for 4 consecutive weeks, but who knows?

 

[starlight70]

If you refer to another thread, you should know that the biggest single for a female solo artist now is Mariah Carey's We Belong Together. Anyway, I Will Always Love You is bigger than Believe.

But why did you state 2007? These songs are old.

 

[starlight70]

Here - I got this from Wikipedia... the references are given there...

"Believe" was written by a number of writers which include Paul Barry, Matt Gray, Brian Higgins, Stuart McLellan, Timothy Powell and Steven Torch. The song, released and recorded in 1998, peaked at number one in 23 countries worldwide [1]. On the week ending March 13, 1999, it reached number one in the Billboard Hot 100, making Cher the oldest female artist (at the age of 52)[2] to perform this feat. It also was ranked as the number-one song of 1999 by Billboard, and became the biggest single in her entire career. In the UK, "Believe" spent seven weeks at number one [3] in the UK singles chart and became the best selling single by a female artist there. [4]

In March 2007, the United World Chart ranked "Believe" as the nineteenth most successful song in music history. Referring to that same list, "Believe" is also the most successful song released by a solo female musician; [5], the biggest selling single ever for Warner Bros. Records and the biggest selling dance song ever having sold over 10 million copies worldwide. [6] It was also one of the song with most weeks in the top ten, it stayed in the top ten for twenty-eight weeks, being beaten by Nelly Furtado with "Say It Right" for twenty-nine weeks and James Blunt with "You're Beautiful" for thirty-seven weeks

The success of the song not only expanded through each country's singles chart, but also most country's dance charts. In the United States "Believe" spent 23 weeks on the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart and 22 weeks on the European Hot Dance Charts. "Believe" also set a record in 1999 after spending 21 weeks in the top spot of the Billboard Hot Dance Singles Sales chart, impressively it was still in the top ten even one year after its entry on the chart. [7]. Its immense popularity also managed for Believe to become the most played song in radio at the time after being played 1,500,000 times.

It stated 'most successful', and not 'biggest'. However, you should be aware that it was referring to that chart only.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Believe_(Cher_song)

 

[Fucker29]

This record belongs to Mariah Carey with "One Sweet Day" wich spent 16 weeks at the #1 spot. Her 2nd biggest single is "We Belong Together" wich spent 14 weeks on the #1 spot, being one of the very top biggest most successful singles in history. "One Sweet Day" holds the record up to this day still though...

 

[vrfkdcp2398]

Yep, I agree that you have to separate sales and chart performance...just because someone has a song that's stayed at #1 on the charts the longest doesn't mean that they've sold the most. Worldwide, Whitney Houston has the best selling single by a solo female artist with I Will Always Love You, but Cher did better than her on chart performance with her song Believe.

If you refer to another thread, you should know that the biggest single for a female solo artist now is Mariah Carey's We Belong Together.

I think here in the United States, We Belong Together sold more than I Will Always Love because the Internet wasn't available way back in 1992 when Whitney's song was out and since now in recent years there's much more of a population of people and that more people are getting songs the most inexpensive way by downloading off of the Internet, I think that was able to make We Belong Together bigger than I Will Always Love You here in the U.S.

 

[starlight70]

This record belongs to Mariah Carey with "One Sweet Day" wich spent 16 weeks at the #1 spot. Her 2nd biggest single is "We Belong Together" wich spent 14 weeks on the #1 spot, being one of the very top biggest most successful singles in history. "One Sweet Day" holds the record up to this day still though...

Do note that One Sweet Day is a duo effort - Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men. So, counting only solo effort, well, it is still We Belong Together.

But We Belong Together was only mega huge in USA. Here's the chart achievement -

Australian ARIA Singles Chart 1 (2 weeks)
Brazil Hot 100 Singles Chart 1 (1 week)
Canadian BDS Airplay Chart 1 (4 weeks)
Dutch Singles Chart 2
New Zealand RIANZ Singles Chart 2
UK Singles Chart 2
Spanish Singles Chart 3
Irish Singles Chart 3
Israeli Singles Chart 1 (2 weeks)
Philippine Top Hits 1
Denmark Singles Chart 3
Switzerland Singles Chart 4
Norway Singles Chart 9
German Singles Chart 11
French Singles Chart 12
USA Billboard Hot 100 1 (14 weeks)
United World Singles Chart 1 (5 weeks)


This is what I can get from Wikipedia too on Whitney's I Will Always Love You:

The single became an international success, hitting #1 in the United Kingdom, ten weeks; and Australia's ARIA Singles chart for ten weeks. It also hit pole position in Austria, Belgium, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Germany, France, Denmark, The Netherlands, and several other European, South American, and African countries. It is the only single to have ever top the US, and Australian charts for at least ten weeks. It currently shares the record for ten consecutive weeks atop the UK charts with Rihanna's Umbrella.


And this is Cher's Believe:

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 1
Argentinian Singles Chart 9
Australian ARIA Singles Chart 1
Austrian Singles Chart 2
Belgian Singles Chart 11
Brazilian Airplay Chart 1
Croatian Singles Chart 1
Canadian Singles Chart 2
Danish Singles Chart 1
Dutch Mega Top 50 Singles Chart 1
Dutch Top 40 1
European Singles Chart 1
Finnish Singles Chart 6
French Singles Chart 1
German Singles Chart 1
Irish Singles Chart 1
Israeli Singles Chart 1
Italian Singles Chart 1
Latvian Singles Chart 1
Mexican Singles Chart 1
New Zealand's Singles Chart 1
Norwegian Singles Chart 1
Polish Singles Chart 1
Spanish Singles Chart 1
Swedish Singles Chart 1
Swiss Singles Chart 1
UK Singles Chart 1
United World Chart 1


Just judge from the No.1 positions.

The competition for the world position is between Cher and Whitney. Mariah did not look that good outside of USA.

 

[vrfkdcp2398]

That's very informative, starlight70, thanks!!

This record belongs to Mariah Carey with "One Sweet Day" wich spent 16 weeks at the #1 spot. Her 2nd biggest single is "We Belong Together" wich spent 14 weeks on the #1 spot, being one of the very top biggest most successful singles in history. "One Sweet Day" holds the record up to this day still though...

Yeah, I remember "One Sweet Day", in fact I remember rooting for her, buying the single and calling local radio stations for increasing airplay, I mean didn't everybody just love her back in the day?...but I gotta tell ya, even though I've never met Mariah, I don't think it has to take a rocket scientist to figure out that the sweet demure look of hers back then was all just a phony facade.

 

[starlight70]

Worldwide, Whitney Houston has the best selling single by a solo female artist with I Will Always Love You, but Cher did better than her on chart performance with her song Believe.

I think here in the United States, We Belong Together sold more than I Will Always Love because the Internet wasn't available way back in 1992.

vrfkdcp, your words lingered in my head, and I checked with Wikipedia again for some facts, and interestingly, this is what I got from several pages of Wikipedia.


Worldwide Alleged Sales
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_singles_worldwide

At least 10 million copies

Celine Dion - My Heart Will Go On 1997
Cher - Believe 1998
Madonna - Hung Up 2005
Patti Page - Tennessee Waltz 1950
(Shakira feat Wyclef Jean - Hips Don't Lie 2006)
Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You 1992


At least 5 million copies

Avril Lavigne - Complicated 2002
Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time 1999
Britney Spears - Oops!...I Did It Again 2000
Britney Spears - Toxic 2004
Cher - The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss) 1990
Cher - Strong Enough 1999
Debbie Boone - You Light Up My Life 1977
Gwen Stefani - The Sweet Escape 2007
Janet Jackson - Together Again 1997
Jeannie C. Riley - Harper Valley PTA 1968
Julie Rogers - The Wedding 1964
Kylie Minogue - Can't Get You Out Of My Head 2001
Madonna - Music 2000
Madonna - Vogue 1990
Madonna - American Pie
Madonna - Sorry 2005
Mariah Carey - We Belong Together 2005
Mary Hopkin - Those Were the Days 1968
Nelly Furtado - Say It Right 2007
(Rihanna feat Jay-Z - Umbrella 2007)
Shakira - Whenever, Wherever 2001
Utada Hikaru - Flavor of Life 2007


Sales in the USA only
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best_selling_singles_(USA)


Over 4 million:

* "I Will Always Love You", Whitney Houston
* "I Think We're Alone Now", Tiffany


Over 2 million:

* "...Baby One More Time", Britney Spears
* "Bad Girls", Donna Summer
* "Believe", Cher
* "Emotion", Samantha Sang
* "Fantasy", Mariah Carey
* "Hot Stuff", Donna Summer
* "I Will Survive", Gloria Gaynor
* "If Your Girl Only Knew", Aaliyah
* "Knock On Wood", Amii Stewart
* "Mickey", Toni Basil
* "Mr Big Stuff", Jean Knight
* "Nobody's Supposed to Be Here", Deborah Cox
* "Vogue", Madonna
* "You Light Up My Life", Debby Boone


If anyone should need reference, they are in those sites. Interestingly, and I was surprised to know that Madonna did score ok with her singles from Confessions. And to know that Tiffany shared the glamor with Whitney Houston in the USA for sales over 4 million copies. Like wow.

I added Shakira and Rihanna's singles, although they are not solo efforts.

 

[starlight70]

Its Mariah -- DUH!

We Belong Together

End of conversation.

DUH. Stats said Mariah's ass was kicked. It's the other ladies. And DUH, I like Mariah.

 

[Fucker29]

I dont get why people are using wikipedia as a resource for info. I mean, you do realize that it's not a very trust worthy place to go to right? Specially when it comes to things as albums sales and such...

 

[Fucker29]

Do note that One Sweet Day is a duo effort - Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men. So, counting only solo effort, well, it is still We Belong Together.

True, but it's still her song and on her album so we shouldnt discredit it.

 

[Fucker29]

watever.. u hear more about madonna now anyways... boo ya mooriah SCAREY! ol jk i like mariah but not as much as madonna

LOL! I fuckin love the "Mooriah Scarey" alias.

 

[starlight70]

I dont get why people are using wikipedia as a resource for info. I mean, you do realize that it's not a very trust worthy place to go to right? Specially when it comes to things as albums sales and such...

Because it still provides some info and some references. Not for academic work, but it does not mean that it fails. I wouldn't have provided if it did not provide the sources it got the information from. Did you bother to click the links provided and verify it for yourself?

 

[vrfkdcp2398]

vrfkdcp, your words lingered in my head, and I checked with Wikipedia again for some facts, and interestingly, this is what I got from several pages of Wikipedia.

Okay, so I was mistaken. I thought it was on sales that We Belong Together did better than I Will Always Love You, when it's actually the other way around.

soo why do people lie on there?

I think Wikipedia is pretty accurate. If they do make a mistake with the facts, they can re-edit. The thing is, there's many writers for Wikipedia, but if there's a writer that's a fan or a "hater" of a particular celebrity, then some of the things they write about them might seem misleading. So what you could do is, if you notice something on there that isn't completely objective, you could just contact the ones who run Wikipedia via email to notice the mistake so that they could take action.

 

[hotpies]

wouldnt trust the Aria charts of australia what doesnt sell get sent back to suppliers but never get taken off the total copies sold...

 

[Fucker29]

Because it still provides some info and some references. Not for academic work, but it does not mean that it fails. I wouldn't have provided if it did not provide the sources it got the information from. Did you bother to click the links provided and verify it for yourself?

Please, I've been all over wikipedia.
When it comes to sales and such most sites and sources have different "versions" of the story, so to speak...

 

[ross_1986]

So it's a tie then?

 

[ross_1986]

well both songs are good but whitney has lost respect from alot because shes a crack whore.. Cher has class..

What's the difference if she is/was a crack whore? This thread is about statistics. Her drug habits don't change the success of "I will Always Love You".