What does this say about the record industry over the last decade?

1. 1,789,919 Will Young - Evergreen
2. 1,329,740 Gareth Gates - Unchained Melody
3. 1,180,700 Shaggy - It Wasn't Me
4. 1,126,433 Alexandra Burke - Hallelujah
5. 1,100,233 Tony Christie - Is This The Way To Amarillo
6. 1,094,000 Band Aid 20 - Do They Know It's Christmas
7. 1,078,400 Hear'Say - Pure And Simple
8. 1,037,235 Kylie Minogue - Can't Get You Out Of My Head
9. 939,000 Atomic Kitten - Whole Again
10. 931,652 Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love
11. 874,444 Shayne Ward - That's My Goal
12. 853,151 Bob the Builder - Can We Fix It
13. 820,053 Gnarls Barkley - Crazy
14. 751,243 X Factor Finalists - Hero
15. 747,000 DJ Otzi - Hey Baby
16. 745,000 Westlife - Uptown Girl
17. 742,472 Enrique Iglesias - Hero
18. 710,000 S Club 7 - Don't Stop Movin'
19. 700,069 Leona Lewis - A Moment Like This
20. 685,343 All Saints - Pure Shores
21. 659,662 Nelly / Kelly Rowland - Dillema
22. 654,304 Lady GaGa - Just Dance
23. 652,861 Lady GaGa - Poker Face
24. 642,001 Sonique - It Feel So Good
25. 634,380 Eminem - Stan
26. 634,000 Black Eyed Peas - Where Is The Love?
27. 621,700 Rihanna - Umbrella
28. 618,576 Baha Man - Who Let The Dogs Out?
29. 585,000 Shaggy - Angel
30. 578,092 Robbie Williams - Rock DJ
31. 573,125 Gareth Gates - Anyone Of Us
32. 554,756 Shakira - Whenever, Wherever
33. 552,407 Eamon - I Don't Want You Back
34. 551,527 Gareth Gates - Spirit In The Sky
35. 550,000 R Kelly - Ignition
36. 538,591 Las Ketchup - The Ketchup Song
37. 535,664 Duffy - Mercy
38. 530,742 Fragma - Toca's Miracle
39. 526,740 Crazy Frog - Axel F
40. 523,242 Spiller - Groovejet

Oh dear, I find that quite sad.
I must have heard over 40 much better songs from the 2000s, most of which never get any real air play because they were not produced by the majors.

A truly depressing collection of cartoon characters, karaoke acts novelty songs and dreary rappers. Surprised not to see "Angels" in there though.

I think Angels was '98 or '99.

Yes it's a shit list for a shit decade in a shit century.

It illustrates the fall of the majors and the rise of the power of intelligent marketing (essentially Simon Cowell).

But it's not all bad.

One offs have always been the power tracks of our time and "novely hits" have always been the huge sellers (Who Let The Dogs Out - no surprise; Tubthumping was enormous in the 90s - a clever, catchy idea and melody has always dominated sales).

Lady Gaga interesting. Poker Face will become her biggest hit.

Quick question please - what is the source for this data?

The SIMON COWELL TOP 40 ?

Reality TV has killed the chart as a true reflection of competition.

These are the latest figures as tabulated by the a couple of music forums using up-to-date sales figures from Music Week/OCC etc:

1. Will Young - Evergreen/Anything Is Possible 1,800,000
2. Gareth Gates - Unchained Melody 1,400,000
3. Tony Christie - Is This The Way To Amarillo 1,190,892
4. Shaggy - It Wasn't Me 1,190,000
5. Band Aid 20 - Do They Know It's Christmas 1,140,000
6. Alexandra Burke - Hallelujah 1,126,433
7. Kylie Minogue - I Can't Get You Out Of My Head 1,100,000
8. Shayne Ward - That's My Goal 1,100,000
9. Hear'Say - Pure & Simple 1,075,000
10. Bob The Builder - Can We Fix It 1,009,000

11. Atomic Kitten - Whole Again 960,000
12. Leona Lewis - Bleeding Love 951,296
13. Gnarls Barkley - Crazy 942,000
14. Leona Lewis - A Moment Like This 851,290
15. Enrique Iglesias - Hero 789,000
16. DJ Otzi - Hey Baby 776,000
17. X Factor Finalists - Hero 769,000
18. Westlife - Uptown Girl 758,365
19. Nelly & Kelly Rowland - Dilemma 750,000
20. Eminem ft Dido - Stan 750,000

21. S Club7 - Don't Stop Moving 740,000
22. All Saints - Pure Shores 720,000
23. Baha Men - Who Let The Dogs Out 707,000
24. Elvis vs JXL - A Little Less Conversation 695,000
25. Kings of Leon - Sex on fire 666,600
26. Lady GaGa - Just Dance - 656,379
27. Lady GaGa - Poker Face 652,861
28. Sonique - Feels So Good 650,000
29. Black Eyed Peas - Where Is The Love 629,000
30. Rihanna - Umbrella 628,500

31. Take That - Rule The World 627,137
32. Shakira - Whenever Wherever 620,000
33. S Club 7 - Never Had A Dream Come True 620,000
34. Robbie Williams - Rock DJ 615,000
35. Girls Aloud - Sound Of The Underground 613,798
36. James Blunt - You're Beautiful 605,000
37. Shaggy - Angel 591,000
38. Las Ketchup - Ketchup Song 590,000
39. Shakira - Hips Don't Lie 580,000
40. Spiller ft Sophie Ellis Bexter - Groovejet (Why Does It Feel So Good) 577,000

41. Gareth Gates -Anyone Of Us (Stupid Mistake) 575,000
42. Eamon - f*** It (I Don't Want U Back) 575,000
43. Leann Rimes - Can't Fight The Moonlight 570,000
44. Kings Of Leon - Use Somebody 568,734
45. Michael Andrews Ft Gary Jules - Mad World 565,000
46. Gareth Gates Ft The Kumars - Spirit In The Sky 558,000
47. Duffy - Mercy 556,500
48. Wheatus - Teenage Dirtbag 555,000
49. Leona Lewis - Run 554,170
50. Crazy Frog - Axel F 550,000

51. Eminem - Lose Yourself 550,000
52. Nickelback - Rockstar 541,200
53. Snow Patrol - Chasing Cars 537,650
54. Eminem - Without Me 535,000
55. Katy Perry - I kissed a girl 535,000
56. Fragma - Tocas Miracle 533,000 (Not including 2008 remix sales)
57. Beyonce - If I were a boy 531,070
58. Daniel Bedingfield - Gotta Get Thru This 530,000
59. Madonna - Hung Up 530,000
60. Take That - Patience 529,250

61. Mika - Grace Kelly 528,000
62. Afroman - Because I Got High 525,000
63. Will Young - Leave Right Now 520,000
64. Scissor Sisters - I Don't Feel Like Dancin 520,000
65. R Kelly - Ignition (Remix) 515,000
66. Pussycat Dolls - Don't Cha 510,000
67. Liberty X - Just A Little 501,000
68. Daniel Bedingfield - If You're Not The One 500,000
69. Mark Ronson & Amy Winehouse - Valerie 493,800
70. James Morrison ft. Nelly Furtado - Broken Strings 493,233


71. Ronan Keating - If Tomorrow Never Comes 493,000
72. Nickelback - How You Remind Me 491,000
73. Craig David - Fill Me In 490,000
74. Christina Aguilera/Mya/ Pink & Lil Kim- Lady Marmalade 490,000
75. S Club 7 - Reach 485,000
76. Leon Jackson - When You Believe 481,000
77. Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood 477,000
78. DJ Pied Piper & The M.O.C. - Do You Really Like It? 476,000
79. Timbaland & One Republic - Apologize 475,000
80. DJ Sammy - Heaven 471,000

81. Kelly and Ozzy Osbourne - Changes 471,000
82. Eminem - The Real Slim Shady 470,000
83. Katy Perry - Hot n cold 469,730
84. Estelle feat. Kanye West - American Boy 466,100
85. Sugababes - About You Now 466,000
86. Gabrielle - Rise 457,000
87. Dizzee Rascal feat Calvin Harris - Dance with me 456,890
88. Modjo - Lady 456,000
89. Pink - So what 454,450
90. Girls Aloud - The Promise 451,489

91. Basshunter - Now You’re Gone 451,350
92. Nizlopi - JCB Song 450,000
93. Britney Spears - Oops!...I Did It Again 450,000
94. Madonna and Justin Timberlake - 4 minutes 445,000
95. Sam Sparro - Black & Gold 441,610
96. Destiny's Child - Independent Women 440,000
97. Lily Allen - The Fear 435,633
98. Flo Rida feat T Pain - Low 430,000
99. La Roux - In For The Kill 429,622
100. The Killers - Human 427,600

Generally if a figure is "rounded" it's been provided recently by the OCC in one of it's many chart-based programmes for the various TV music channels (e.g. Top 50 Love Songs of the 2000s, Top 100 Songs by Female Artists). If the figure is exact it's been reported on by Music Week.

Thank you itsmyparty, its' fascinating reading.

Out of further interest, which forums? I would like to contribute.

Also if I wanted to republish the data elsewhere, who would I have to credit?

Once you get out of the one off novelty records and the Reality stars it is interesting that S CLUB 7 are one of the most successful acts of the 2000s.......

Very few consistent performers in that list outside the reality stars....

No major dominating bands like in the 60s - 70s - 80s and 90s.