Digital Songs

The Digital Songs or Digital Song Sales chart (previously named Hot Digital Songs)[1] ranks the best-selling digital songs in the United States, as compiled by Nielsen SoundScan and published by Billboard magazine. Although it originally started tracking song sales the week of October 30, 2004,[2] it officially debuted in the issue dated January 22, 2005, and merged all versions of a song sold from digital music distributors.[3] Its data was incorporated in the Hot 100 three weeks later. Since October 2004, digital sales have been incorporated into many of Billboard's music singles charts.[4] The decision was based on the dramatic increase of the digital market while commercial single sales in a physical format were becoming negligible.[5]

Billboard logo (From 2013)

The first number one song on the Digital Songs chart was "Just Lose It" by Eminem.[6]

The chart's current number one as of the issue dated February 6, 2021, is "Drivers License" by Olivia Rodrigo.[7]

Song records

Songs with most weeks at number one

• 17 weeks

Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber – "Despacito" (2017)

• 16 weeks

Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus – "Old Town Road" (2019)

• 13 weeks

Flo Rida featuring T-Pain – "Low" (2007–08)

Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars – "Uptown Funk" (2015)

The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey – "Closer" (2016)

• 12 weeks

BTS – "Dynamite" (2020–21)[8]

• 11 weeks

Pharrell Williams – "Happy" (2014)

• 10 weeks

The Black Eyed Peas – "Boom Boom Pow" (2009)

The Black Eyed Peas – "I Gotta Feeling" (2009)

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz – "Thrift Shop" (2013)

Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell – "Blurred Lines" (2013)

Justin Timberlake – "Can't Stop the Feeling!" (2016)

Ed Sheeran – "Shape of You" (2017)

Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper – "Shallow" (2018–19)

Top 10 single-week download sellers

1. Adele – "Hello" (1,112,000) November 14, 2015[9]

2. Flo Rida – "Right Round" (636,000) February 28, 2009

3. Adele – "Hello" (635,000) November 21, 2015[10]

4. Taylor Swift – "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" (623,000) September 1, 2012[11]

5. Kesha – "Tik Tok" (610,000) January 9, 2010

6. Taylor Swift – "I Knew You Were Trouble" (582,000) January 12, 2013[12]

7. Bruno Mars – "Grenade" (559,000) January 8, 2011

8. Katy Perry – "Roar" (557,000) August 31, 2013[13]

9. Taylor Swift – "Shake It Off" (544,000) September 6, 2014[14]

10. Gotye featuring Kimbra – "Somebody That I Used to Know" (542,000) April 28, 2012[15]

Biggest first-week sales

1. Adele – "Hello" (1,112,000) November 14, 2015

2. Flo Rida – "Right Round" (636,000) February 28, 2009

3. Taylor Swift – "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" (623,000) September 1, 2012

4. Katy Perry – "Roar" (557,000) August 31, 2013

5. Taylor Swift – "Shake It Off" (544,000) September 6, 2014

6. Justin Bieber – "Boyfriend" (521,000) April 14, 2012

7. Maroon 5 featuring Wiz Khalifa – "Payphone" (493,000) May 5, 2012

8. The Black Eyed Peas – "Boom Boom Pow" (465,000) April 18, 2009

9. Lady Gaga – "Born This Way" (448,000) February 26, 2011

10. Ariana Grande featuring Iggy Azalea – "Problem" (438,000) May 17, 2014

Biggest jump to number one

• 66-1: will.i.am and Britney Spears – "Scream & Shout" (December 15, 2012)
• 57-1: Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens and Drew Seeley – "Breaking Free" (February 11, 2006)
• 50-1: Taio Cruz featuring Ludacris – "Break Your Heart" (March 20, 2010)
• 50-1: Lee Greenwood – "God Bless the U.S.A." (July 18, 2020)
• 42-1: Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth – "See You Again" (April 18, 2015)
• 38-1: Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean – "Hips Don't Lie" (June 17, 2006)
• 35-1: Kelly Clarkson – "Piece by Piece" (March 19, 2016)
• 34-1: J Balvin and Willy William featuring Beyoncé – "Mi Gente" (October 21, 2017)
• 33-1: Billie Eilish – "No Time to Die" (February 29, 2020)
• 28-1: Katy Perry – "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" (July 2, 2011)

Longest climb to number one

• 26 weeks

The All-American Rejects – "Dirty Little Secret" (2005–06)

• 25 weeks

The Fray – "How to Save a Life" (2006)

Train – "Hey, Soul Sister" (2009–10)

• 24 weeks

Lady Gaga featuring Colby O'Donis – "Just Dance" (2008–09)

• 23 weeks

Adele – "Set Fire to the Rain" (2011–12)

• 20 weeks

Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin — "I Like It" (2018)

Source: [16]

Song achievements

• "I Gotta Feeling" by The Black Eyed Peas holds the record for biggest selling digitally downloaded in the U.S, with current digital sales of over 8,000,000 copies sold. The song was also the first to pass the 6, 7 and 8 million of downloads [17]
• "Low" by Flo Rida featuring T-Pain was the first song to pass the 4 and 5 million of downloads. It was also named the Top Digital Song of the 2000s decade.[18]
• Soulja Boy's "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" was the first song to pass the 3 million of downloads.[19]
• Daniel Powter's "Bad Day" was the first song to pass the 2 million of downloads.[20]
• "Hollaback Girl" by Gwen Stefani was the first song in history to surpass one million downloads.[21]
• "Right Round" by Flo Rida holds the record for the largest debut/overall sales week for a male for a digital song with 636,000 downloads.[22]
• "Rolling in the Deep" by Adele holds the record for the most digitally downloaded song in a calendar year. [23]
• "Payphone" by Maroon 5 featuring Wiz Khalifa holds the record for the largest debut/overall sales week for a group for a digital song with 493,000 downloads.[24]
• "We Are Young" by Fun. featuring Janelle Monáe is the first song to log seven weeks of 300,000 or more in digital sales.[25]
• "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz is the first song to log eight and also nine weeks of 300,000 or more in digital sales.[26]
• "Blurred Lines" by Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell is the first song to log ten weeks of 300,000 or more in digital sales and the first song to log four weeks of 400,000 or more in digital sales.
• "Somebody That I Used to Know" by Gotye featuring Kimbra is the first song to log three weeks of 400,000 or more in digital sales.
• "Hello" by Adele surpassed the 4 million mark in its thirteenth week, faster than any other song in digital history.
• "Hello" by Adele holds the record for the largest debut/overall sales week for a digital song with 1,112,000 downloads and the largest non-debut sales week for a digital song with 635,000 downloads. It is also the first song to debut with 1 million downloads sold in a week and to log two weeks of 600,000 in digital sales.
• "Lean on Me" by Bill Withers is the oldest song to reach number one on the Digital Songs chart. The song was released on April 21, 1972 and reached the top, following Withers' death, on the chart dated April 18, 2020.[27]

Album records

• Teenage Dream by Katy Perry holds the record for most digital number-ones from one album, with five. "California Gurls" featuring Snoop Dogg, "Teenage Dream," "Firework," "E.T." featuring Kanye West and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" have all topped the chart.
• 1989 and Reputation by Taylor Swift each have four number ones on the chart. "Shake It Off", "Blank Space", "Out of the Woods" and "Bad Blood" reached number one from 1989 while "Look What You Made Me Do", "...Ready for It?", "Gorgeous" and "Call It What You Want" topped the chart from Reputation.

Artist records

Artists with the most number-one hits

1. Taylor Swift (21)[28]

2. Rihanna (14)

3. Justin Bieber (13)

4. Drake (12) (tie)

5. Katy Perry (11) (tie)

5. Eminem (11) (tie)

7. Bruno Mars (9) (tie)

7. Beyoncé (9) (tie)

9. Lady Gaga (8)

10. Britney Spears (7) (tie)

10. Justin Timberlake (7) (tie)

10. Ariana Grande (7) (tie)

Artists with most weeks at number one

1. Taylor Swift (43)

2. Rihanna (40)

3. Katy Perry (37)

4. Justin Bieber (32)

5. Bruno Mars (29)

Self-replacement at number one

• Mariah Carey – "All I Want for Christmas Is You" (two non-consecutive weeks) → "Don't Forget About Us" (one week) (December 31, 2005)
• T.I. – "Whatever You Like" (one week) → "Live Your Life" (T.I. featuring Rihanna) (one week) (October 18, 2008)
• Beyoncé – "If I Were a Boy" (one week) → "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" (two weeks) (December 6, 2008)
• The Black Eyed Peas – "Boom Boom Pow" (ten weeks) → "I Gotta Feeling" (ten weeks) (June 27, 2009)
• Glee Cast – "Teenage Dream" (one week) → "Forget You" (one week) (December 4, 2010)
• Iggy Azalea – "Problem" (Ariana Grande featuring Iggy Azalea) (three weeks) → "Fancy" (Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX) (four weeks) (June 7, 2014)
• Taylor Swift – "Shake It Off" (four non-consecutive weeks) → "Out of the Woods" (one week) (November 1, 2014)
• Jordan Smith – "Somebody to Love" (one week) → "Mary, Did You Know?" (one week) (January 2, 2016)
• Drake – "Pop Style" (Drake featuring The Throne) (one week) → "One Dance" (Drake featuring Wizkid and Kyla) (one week) (April 30, 2016)
• Justin Bieber – "Despacito" (Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber) (seventeen non-consecutive weeks) → "I'm the One" (DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne) (one week) (May 20, 2017)
• Taylor Swift – "Look What You Made Me Do" (one week) → "...Ready for It?" (one week) (September 23, 2017)
• Drake – "God's Plan" (eight non-consecutive weeks) → "Nice for What" (one week) (April 21, 2018)

Simultaneously occupying the top two positions

• Mariah Carey: December 31, 2005

1. "Don't Forget About Us"
2. "All I Want for Christmas Is You"

• Beyoncé: December 6, 2008

1. "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)"
2. "If I Were a Boy"

• The Black Eyed Peas: June 27, 2009 through July 4, 2009

1. "I Gotta Feeling"
2. "Boom Boom Pow"

• Kesha: January 23, 2010[29]

1. "Tik Tok"
2. "Blah Blah Blah" (featuring 3OH!3)

• Taylor Swift: September 22, 2012[30]

1. "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together"
2. "Ronan"

• Iggy Azalea: May 17, 2014 through June 21, 2014

1. "Problem" (Ariana Grande featuring Iggy Azalea)
2. "Fancy" (Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX) (songs switched positions on June 7, 2014)

• Taylor Swift: November 1, 2014

1. "Out of the Woods"
2. "Shake It Off"

• Prince: May 14, 2016

1. "Purple Rain"
2. "When Doves Cry"

• Ed Sheeran: January 28, 2017

1. "Shape of You"
2. "Castle on the Hill"

• Justin Bieber: May 20, 2017 through May 27, 2017 and June 17, 2017 through July 1, 2017

1. "I'm the One" (DJ Khaled featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo, Chance the Rapper and Lil Wayne)
2. "Despacito" (Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber) (songs switched positions on May 27, 2017)

• Taylor Swift: September 23, 2017

1. "...Ready for It?"
2. "Look What You Made Me Do"

• Ed Sheeran: January 3, 2018

1. "Perfect" (Ed Sheeran duet with Beyoncé)
2. "River" (Eminem featuring Ed Sheeran)

• Cardi B: June 30, 2018 through July 14, 2018

1. "Girls Like You" (Maroon 5 featuring Cardi B)
2. "I Like It" (Cardi B, Bad Bunny and J Balvin)

• Lady Gaga: October 20, 2018

1. "Shallow" (Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper)
2. "I'll Never Love Again"

• Lady Gaga: October 27, 2018 through November 3, 2018

1. "Shallow" (Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper)
2. "Always Remember Us This Way"

• The Weeknd: December 14, 2019

1. "Heartless"
2. "Blinding Lights"

• BTS: March 7, 2020

1. "On"
2. "My Time"

• Kenny Rogers: April 4, 2020

1. "The Gambler"
2. "Islands in the Stream" (Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton)

• Bill Withers: April 18, 2020

1. "Lean on Me"
2. "Ain't No Sunshine"

• BTS: October 17, 2020

1. "Dynamite"
2. "Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)" (Jawsh 685 x Jason Derulo x BTS )

• BTS: December 5, 2020

1. "Life Goes On"
2. "Blue & Grey"

• BTS: December 19, 2020

1. "Life Goes On"
2. "Dynamite"

Artist achievements

• Katy Perry is the first artist in digital history to top 300,000 downloads in weekly sales with eight different songs. She has done it with "Hot n Cold", "California Gurls", "Firework", "E.T.", "The One That Got Away", "Part of Me", "Roar", and "Dark Horse".[31]
• Rihanna was named the Digital Songs Artist of the 2000s decade.[32]
• David Cook holds the record for most debuts and total songs charting in one week with 14.[33]
• Miley Cyrus is the youngest female artist to debut at number one with 226,000 downloads with her song "Party in the U.S.A.". "Party" is also tied with Psy's "Gangnam Style" for the record of most weeks at #1 without topping the Billboard Hot 100, with six weeks each.[34]
• Taylor Swift is the only artist to top 500,000 downloads in weekly sales with four different songs. She has done it with "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together", "I Knew You Were Trouble", "Shake It Off", and "Blank Space". She also holds the record for the most number one debuts with 19 songs. [35]
• Adele is the first and only artist to top 1 million downloads in weekly sales with a song. She has done it with "Hello".
• Ed Sheeran is the first artist to debut two songs at the top two spots for the same week. He has done it with "Shape of You" and "Castle on the Hill".[36]
• Lauren Daigle holds the record for the highest-ever debut by a contemporary Christian artist. She achieved this when "You Say" debuted at #5 on the chart dated July 28, 2018.[37]
• Lady Gaga is the first artist to debut three songs in the top 10 and the first artist to occupy the top four spots for the same week. She has done it with "Shallow", "I'll Never Love Again", "Always Remember Us This Way" and "Is That Alright?" on the week dated October 20, 2018. [38]
• Lady Gaga is the first and only artist to simultaneously occupy the top three spots in two consecutive weeks. She achieved this on the week dated October 20, 2018 (see above) and on the chart dated October 27, 2018 with "Shallow", "Always Remember Us This Way" and "I'll Never Love Again".[39]
• BTS is the first act to debut six songs in the top 10 and the first act to occupy the top six spots for the same week. They achieved this with "Life Goes On", "Blue & Grey", "Stay", "Telepathy", "Dis-ease" and "Fly To My Room" on the week dated December 5, 2020.[40]
• BTS is the first and only act to occupy the top two spots on four separate occasions. They achieved this on March 7, 2020 with "On" and "My Time", October 17, 2020 with "Dynamite" and "Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)", December 5, 2020 with "Life Goes On" and "Blue & Grey", and December 19, 2020 with "Life Goes On" and "Dynamite".

See also

• Hot Digital Tracks
• Digital distribution
• Music download

References

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2. "Digital Song Sales - Week of October 30, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
3. "New Mix for Digital Rankings". Billboard. 117 (4): 6. January 22, 2005. Retrieved March 22, 2013.
4. Grein, Paul (March 20, 2013). "Week Ending March 17, 2013. Songs: The Great Chart Robbery Of 2013". Yahoo!. Yahoo!. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
5. "Billboard updated album charts". Billboard. Retrieved June 2, 2008.
6. "Digital Song Sales Chart - October 30, 2004". Billboard. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
7. Trust, Gary (February 1, 2021). "Olivia Rodrigo's 'Drivers License' No. 1 on Hot 100 For 3rd Week, Dua Lipa's 'Levitating' Hits Top Five". Billboard. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
8. Trust, Gary (January 4, 2021). "24kGoldn's 'Mood' Returns to No. 1 on Hot 100, Dua Lipa's 'Levitating' Lifts to Top 10". Billboard. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
9. Trust, Gary (November 2, 2015). "Adele Says 'Hello' to No. 1 Hot 100 Debut; First Song to Sell 1 Million Downloads in a Week". Billboard. Retrieved November 2, 2015.
10. Trust, Gary (November 9, 2015). "Adele's 'Hello' Tops Hot 100 for Second Week; Ariana Grande, Meghan Trainor Hit Top 10". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2015.
11. Caulfield, Keith (August 21, 2012). "Official: Taylor Swift's 'Never' Song Sells 623,000; Sets Female Digital Record". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 21, 2012.
12. Caulfield, Keith (January 3, 2013). "Taylor Swift's 'Red,' 'Les Mis' Soundtrack Lead Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved January 3, 2013.
13. Caulfield, Keith (August 21, 2013). "Luke Bryan Nets No. 1 Album, Katy Perry's 'Roar' Tops Digital Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
14. Caulfield, Keith (August 27, 2014). "Wiz Khalifa Earns First No. 1 Album On Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
15. Caulfield, Keith (April 18, 2012). "Lionel Richie's 'Tuskegee' Hits No. 1 on Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 18, 2012.
16. "Drake's 'In My Feelings' Leads Billboard Hot 100 for Seventh Week, Ariana Grande's 'God Is A Woman' Hits Top 10". Billboard. August 27, 2018. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
17. Week Ending June 24, 2012. Songs: Elton & The Peas | Chart Watch (NEW) - Yahoo! Music
18. "Digital Songs of the decade". Billboard.com. Retrieved February 5, 2011.
19. Grein, Paul (June 26, 2013). "Week Ending June 23, 2013. Songs: Miley's Comeback Hit | Chart Watch (NEW) - Yahoo Music". Music.yahoo.com. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
20. Chart Watch Extra: Thank You, Daniel Powter | Chart Watch - Yahoo! Music
21. Mitchell, Gail (December 17, 2005). "Green Day, 50 Cent Come Up Big In Vegas". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 117 (51): 21. ISSN 0006-2510.
22. "Flo Rida Topples Single-Week Download Mark". Billboard. January 12, 2008. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
23. "Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Adele break World Records with digital music sales". Guinness World Records. September 7, 2012. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
24. Caulfield, Keith (April 25, 2012). "Billboard 200: Lionel Richie Holds Off Jason Mraz, Stays At No. 1". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved April 25, 2012.
25. Latest Music News, Band, Artist, Musician & Music Video News | Billboard
26. Caulfield, Keith (March 13, 2013). "Luke Bryan Scores First No. 1 Album on Billboard 200 Chart". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
27. Anderson, Trevor (April 14, 2020). "Bill Withers Has Top 2 Best-Selling Songs of the Week". Billboard. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
28. "Taylor Swift Debuts at No. 1 on Hot 100 With 'Cardigan,' Is 1st Artist to Open Atop Hot 100 & Billboard 200 in Same Week". August 3, 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
29. "Digital Songs: Jan 23, 2010". Billboard.com. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
30. "Digital Songs: Sep 22, 2012". Billboard.com. Retrieved May 30, 2014.
31. Week Ending April 10, 2011. Songs: It’s Katy’s World | Chart Watch - Yahoo! Music
32. "Digital Songs Artist of the decade". Billboard.com. Retrieved February 5, 2011.
33. "David Cook Sizzles With Record Chart Debuts". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved May 28, 2008.
34. "Usher's 'OMG' Stands Pat Atop Hot 100, Miley Tames Top 10". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
35. "Taylor Swift Ties Rihanna for Most Digital Song Sales No. 1s With Debut of 'Gorgeous'". Retrieved October 30, 2017.
36. "Ed Sheeran Debuts Atop Hot 100 With 'Shape of You' & in Top 10 With 'Castle on the Hill'". Billboard.com. January 17, 2017.
37. "Lauren Daigle's 'You Say' Soars to No. 1 on Hot Christian Songs Chart". Billboard. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
38. "Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper hold Top 4 spots on Digital Songs Chart". Gaga Media. October 15, 2018. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
39. "Digital Song Sales – October 27, 2018". Retrieved November 6, 2018.
40. "Digital Song Sales – December 5, 2020". Retrieved December 1, 2020.

External links

• Current Billboard Digital Songs chart