Michael - Worldwide Singles/Tracks Sales
Michael's single sales are much less well documented than his album sales.
On this page, we have listed Michael's solo singles - Motown and CBS/Epic/Sony - in order of release, together with known or estimated sales figures, plus all known certifications. Motown sales are official figures, as of 1990 (rounded to the nearest 100) - see HERE for full details.
No such figures have ever been released for Michael's post-Motown singles, and certifications - although a useful indicator - don't tell the whole story. For example, Billie Jean gained a RIAA Platinum Award in the States, denoting a shipment of 1 million - but the single actually sold closer to two million copies.
Note: singles such as Somebody's Watching Me & We Are The World, which featured Michael but weren't credited to him, are not included in this listing. Nor does the list include singles originally credited to the Jackson 5, but credited to Michael as well when reissued, e.g. I Want You Back.
Many thanks to Hanboo for posting SoundScan sales figures on ukmix, to MJDangerous for all his hard work on ukmix, and to Dean Ryan of mjinf.co.uk, for permission to quote the official UK CBS/Epic sales figures on his site.
KEY:
TOTAL = total estimated worldwide single sales (including digital downloads).
CERT. = total sales according to known certifications & sales figures.
| TOTAL | CERT. | Single/Track & Sales |
| MOTOWN SINGLES | ||
| 2,500,000 | 2,343,860 | Got To
Be There Motown 1990 = 2,245,900 / USA Digital = 97,960 |
| 3,160,000 | 3,013,740 | Rockin' Robin Motown 1990 = 2,897,300 / USA Digital = 116,440 |
| 1,400,000 | 1,321,600 | I Wanna Be Where You Are Motown 1990 = 1,321,600 |
| 300,000 | 278,900 | Ain't No Sunshine Motown 1990 = 278,900 |
| 3,300,000 | 2,994,340 | Ben Motown 1990 = 2,865,000 / USA Digital = 129,340 |
| 16,000 | 15,300 | Morning Glow Motown 1990 = 15,300 |
| 360,000 | 341,100 | With A Child's Heart Motown 1990 = 341,100 |
| 13,000 | 12,300 | Music And Me Motown 1990 = 12,300 |
| 5,000 | 5,000 | Doggin' Around Motown 1990 = 5,000 |
| 430,000 | 403,300 | We're Almost There Motown 1990 = 403,300 |
| 925,000 | 861,100 | Just A Little Bit Of You Motown 1990 = 861,100 |
| 1,900,000 | 1,756,200 | One Day In Your Life Motown 1990 = 1,756,200 / UK = 797,100 |
| 160,000 | 145,900 | Happy (Love Song From 'Lady
Sings The Blues') Motown 1990 = 145,900 |
| 840,000 | 788,100 | Farewell My Summer Love Motown 1990 = 788,100 |
| 94,000 | 89,100 | Girl You're So Together Motown 1990 = 89,100 |
| 1,000 | 1,000 | Touch The One You Love Motown 1990 = 1,000 |
| 11,000 | 10,200 | Twenty-Five Miles Motown 1990 = 10,200 |
| 15,421,000 | 14,381,040 | MOTOWN TOTAL |
| CBS / EPIC / SONY SINGLES & TRACKS | ||
| 125,000 | Ease On Down The Road | |
| 62,500 | A Brand New Day | |
| 62,500 | You Can't Win | |
| 4,100,000 | 2,623,800 | Don't Stop 'Til You Get
Enough USA Platinum = 1 million, Digital = 1,259,000 / UK Silver = 250,000 / Japan = 18,000 / New Zealand Platinum = 20,000 / Europe Digital = 76,800 |
| 3,450,000 | 1,533,410 | Rock With You USA Platinum = 1 million, Digital = 521,410 / Japan = 2,000 / New Zealand Gold = 10,000 |
| 1,425,000 | 735,100 | Off The Wall USA Gold = 500,000, Digital = 219,100 / Japan = 16,000 |
| 1,360,000 | 598,470 | She's Out Of My Life USA Gold = 500,000, Digital = 98,470 |
| 40,000 | Girlfriend | |
| 100,000 | 88,330 | Working Day And Night USA Digital = 88,330 |
| 2,820,000 | 1,191,400 | The Girl Is Mine USA Gold = 1 million, Digital = 121,400 / Japan = 60,000 / New Zealand Gold = 10,000 |
| 9,190,000 | 5,188,600 | Billie Jean USA Platinum = 1 million, Digital = 1,882,000 / UK = 738,000 / Canada 2 x Platinum = 200,000 / France Platinum = 1 million (Sales = 1,088,700) / Japan = 40,000 / New Zealand Gold = 10,000 / Europe Digital = 198,900 |
| 7,035,000 | 4,385.900 | Beat It USA Platinum = 1 million, Digital = 1,575,000 / Japan = 84,000 / UK Silver = 250,000 / Canada Platinum = 100,000 / France Platinum = 1 million (Sales = 1,182,000) / Holland Gold = 40,000 / New Zealand Gold = 10,000 / Europe Digital = 144,900 |
| 2,775,000 | 602,720 | Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' Japan = 14,000 / USA Digital = 588,720 |
| 1,660,000 | 439,300 | Human Nature USA Digital = 403,400 / Europe Digital = 35,900 |
| 2,030,000 | 1,002,000 | P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) USA Digital = 1,002,000 |
| 3,650,000 | 1,862,470 | Say Say Say USA Platinum = 1 million, Digital = 84,470 / Canada Platinum = 100,000 / Japan = 178,000 / France Gold = 500,000 |
| 6,705,000 | 4,884,400 | Thriller USA Platinum = 1 million, Digital = 2,343,000 / Japan = 103,000 / UK Silver = 250,000 / France Platinum = 1 million / Europe Digital = 188,400 |
| 100,000 | 69,400 | The Lady In My Life USA Digital = 69,400 |
| 2,910,000 | 1,423,370 | I Just Can't Stop Loving You USA Gold = 1 million, Digital = 86,370 / Japan = 32,000 / New Zealand Silver = 5,000 / UK = 300,000 |
| 2,470,000 | 985,610 | Bad France Silver = 200,000 (Sales = 298,000) / Japan = 32,000 / UK = 235,000 / USA Digital = 346,310 / Europe Digital = 74,300 |
| 2,575,000 | 1,440,850 | The Way You Make Me Feel USA Digital = 1,094,000 / Japan = 5,000 / UK = 275,000 / Europe Digital = 66,850 |
| 2,330,000 | 1,552,820 | Man In The Mirror Japan = 3,000 / UK = 50,000 / USA Digital = 1,281,000 / Europe Digital = 205,600 |
| 225,000 | Get It | |
| 1,920,000 | 563,640 | Dirty Diana UK = 130,000 / USA Digital = 308,240 / Europe Digital = 97,800 |
| 1,100,000 | 120,140 | Another Part Of Me UK = 65,000 |
| 2,555,000 | 1,511,250 | Smooth Criminal USA Digital = 1,015,000 / France Silver = 200,000 / UK = 175,000 / Europe Digital = 121,250 |
| 700,000 | 329,350 | Leave Me Alone UK = 250,000 / USA Digital = 79,350 |
| 220,000 | 60,000 | Liberian Girl UK = 60,000 |
| 3,700,000 | 2,588,320 | Black Or White USA SoundScan = 758,000, Digital = 616,870 / UK = 345,000 / Australia 2 x Platinum = 140,000 / Canada Gold = 50,000 / France Silver = 125,000 (Sales = 267,400) / Germany Gold = 250,000 / Japan = 34,000 / New Zealand Platinum = 20,000 / Europe Digital = 107,050 |
| 2,000,000 | 1,020,960 | Remember The Time USA SoundScan = 576,000, Digital = 259,960 / Australia Gold = 35,000 / UK = 150,000 |
| 860,000 | 440,080 | In The Closet USA SoundScan = 272,000, Digital = 73,080 / Australia Gold = 35,000 / UK = 60,000 |
| 680,000 | 326,390 | Jam USA SoundScan = 246,000, Digital = 35,390 / UK = 45,000 |
| 720,000 | 269,570 | Who Is It USA SoundScan = 180,000, Digital = 39,570 / UK = 50,000 |
| 2,250,000 | 1,418,280 | Heal The World USA SoundScan = 304,000, Digital = 115,780 / UK = 455,000 / Germany Gold = 250,000 / France Silver = 125,000 (Sales = 204,000) / Europe Digital = 89,500 |
| 420,000 | 80,890 | Give In To Me Australia Gold = 35,000 / New Zealand Gold = 5,000 / USA Disgital = 40,890 |
| 1,600,000 | 888,680 | Will You Be There USA SoundScan = 493,000, Digital = 265,680 / New Zealand Gold = 5,000 / UK = 125,000 |
| 125,000 | 62,340 | Gone Too Soon UK = 20,000 / USA Digital = 42,340 |
| 2,690,000 | 1,452,630 | Scream / Childhood USA SoundScan = 719,000, Digital = 187,630 / UK Gold = 400,000 / Japan = 4,000 / Australia Gold = 35,000 / New Zealand Gold = 5,000 / France = 93,000 |
| 4,250,000 | 2,743,850 | You Are Not Alone USA SoundScan = 1.056 million, Digital = 295,900 / UK = 650,000 / Australia Platinum = 70,000 /France Gold = 250,000 (Sales = 291,700) / Germany Gold = 250,000 / New Zealand Gold = 5,000 / Switzerland Gold = 25,000 / Austria Gold = 25,000 / Europe Digital = 85,250 |
| 4,120,000 | 2,578,500 | Earth Song UK = 1.073 million / France Gold = 250,000 / Germany 2 x Platinum = 1 million / Switzerland Platinum = 50,000 / Norway Gold = 10,000 / Austria Platinum = 50,000 / USA Digital = 52,800 / Europe Digital = 93,700 |
| 2,420,000 | 1,639,780 | They Don't Care About Us USA SoundScan = 327,000, Digital = 161,280 / UK = 270,000 / Australia Gold = 35,000 / France Silver = 125,000 (Sales = 209,500) / Germany Platinum = 500,000 / Norway Gold = 10,000 / Austria Gold = 25,000 / Europe Digital = 102,000 |
| 600,000 | 160,000 | Why France Silver = 125,000 (Sales = 160,000) |
| 700,000 | 255,000 | Stranger In Moscow USA SoundScan ~ 90,000 / UK = 165,000 |
| 75,000 | 46,540 | Smile USA Digital = 46,540 |
| 1,250,000 | 664,000 | Blood On The Dance Floor USA SoundScan = 189,000 / Australia Gold = 35,000 / Germany Gold - 250,000 / New Zealand Gold = 5,000 / UK = 185,000 |
| 475,000 | 150,000 | History / Ghosts UK = 150,000 |
| 1,320,000 | 723,730 | You Rock My World France Gold = 250,000 / Australia Gold = 35,000 / Japan = 8,000 / Norway Gold = 10,000 / UK = 250,000 / USA Digital = 170,730 |
| 60,000 | 20,000 | Cry UK = 20,000 |
| 100,000 | 77,070 | Butterflies USA Digital = 77,070 |
| 290,000 | 110,000 | One More Chance USA SoundScan = 30,000 / UK = 80,000 |
| 350,000 | 280,000 | Visionary - The Video Singles
(20 dual-disc reissues released individually) UK = 200,000 / Italy = 80,000 |
| 200,000 | The Girl Is Mine 2008 | |
| 200,000 | 77,770 | Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
2008 USA SoundScan Downloads = 77,770 |
| 50,000 | Billie Jean 2008 | |
| 60,000 | Beat It 2008 | |
| 75,000 | 49,050 | We Are The World (Demo) USA Digital = 49,050 |
| 96,728,270 | 51,315,140 | CBS / EPIC / SONY TOTAL |
| 112,149,270 | 65,696,180 | TOTAL SOLO SINGLE SALES |