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We’ve had Oasis and Blur battling it out, the Spice Girls inspired a generation with Girl Power and some musicians started to disappear such as the likes of Cher, Phil Collins and many other artists, although some did have one last say before they disappeared from the limelight. So, let’s look at some of the best-selling singles of the 90s.
Elton John - Candle in the Wind
This could be considered on of the most poignant singles of the 90s. Released just before the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, it was dedicated to her memory. It is now known as the biggest selling number one single of all time, with almost 5 million copies sold. It spent five weeks at number one in the UK.
Britney Spears - …Baby One More Time
Britney hit the music scene like a whirlwind, as the 17-year-old became adored by teenagers of all ages and genders. She captured a completely new audience with her naive personality, although the song defined her career. Globally, it sold over 10 million copies and it also reached number one in the UK. It is one of the best-selling singles of all time.
Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You
Whitney Houston was already a global superstar before the 90s arrived but “I will always love you” was originally written and recorded by Dolly Parton. However, Whitney Houston made the song her own for the 1992 film The Bodyguard. The song reached number one in the UK charts and remained there for ten weeks, selling over 1.5 million copies.
Spice Girls – Wannabe
The Spice Girls transformed the image of pop music and created a platform for women to be whoever they wanted to be. Wannabe was upbeat, exciting and completely different from anything heard before, but it certainly sets the tone of the 90s. This was their debut single and was released in 1996. It held the top spot for seven weeks, selling 1.4 million copies.
Barbie Girl – Aqua
For some, this might have been the ultimate cheesy song of the 90s (and there were a few) but Barbie Girl by Aqua was certainly different. It was released in 1997 by the Danish-Norwegian pop group, although it did reach number one in the UK and managed to sell 1.84 million copies, which means that quite a few people actually enjoyed listening to the song!
Believe – Cher
Cher already had a long and distinguished career, but she decided to dip her toe into the waters of dance music, and it came off sounding pretty good. The song came from her 22nd studio album and was released in 1998. Six days later, it became number one in the UK for seven consecutive weeks. The sales figures are not too shabby either, as it managed to sell 1.9 million copies.
Love is All Around – Wet Wet Wet
Wet Wet Wet were massive during the early 90s and this could be seen in their re-release of Love is All Around which was initially recorded by the Troggs in the 60s. Wet Wet Wet released their version in 1992 and it was the soundtrack for the film Four Weddings and a Funeral. It spent 15 weeks at number one in the UK and has sold almost 2 million copies in the UK.
If we are going to cover the best-selling album of the 1990s, then this accolade goes to Oasis - who else? The band were inspirational throughout the decade but their album What’s the Story Morning Glory sold almost five million copies.
CD and Vinyl is back!
The 90s really did kickstart a new movement in music, with vinyl disappearing and CDs taking over cassettes. However, CDs and Vinyl are now making a comeback, as people are looking to capture a touch of nostalgia. Many of us also love the retro feel of Vinyl and CDs.
To ensure your collection remains in pristine condition, it makes sense to store your tunes in our clear plastic storage boxes.