A girl group is a popular music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. Girl groups have been popular at least since the heyday of the Boswell Sisters beginning in the 1930s, but the term "girl group" also denotes the wave of American female pop singing groups who flourished in the late 1950s and early 1960s between the decline of early rock and roll and the British Invasion, many of whom were influenced by doo-wop style. This article covers only girl groups from that era and later.
Sales figures records in most countries are not available before the 1990s, so it is difficult to accurately determine best-selling records, either by country or worldwide. Certification levels have been used for most countries, but certification was not common until the 1970s in the US and UK, and later in other countries. In addition, in many countries certification is for shipments of a record to retailers, rather than actual sales. Complicating matters further, the changes from 2010 onwards as certifications have become based on combined sales figures and streaming instead of sales alone.
As a result, these tables should not be considered finalized of the best-selling records by girl groups in each country.
Best-selling girl groups worldwide
Groups with claimed total record sales of more than 20 million:
| Artist | Country of origin | Number of members | Period active | Genre | Studio albums | Claimed sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spice Girls | United Kingdom | 5 → 4 → 5 → 4 | 1994–2000, 2007–2008, 2012, 2018–2019 (9 years) |
| 3 | 100 million |
| The Supremes | United States | 4 → 3 | 1959–1977, 1983, 2000 (20 years) |
| 29 | 100 million |
| Little Mix | United Kingdom | 4 → 3 | 2011–2022 (11 years) |
| 6 | 75 million |
| The Andrews Sisters | United States | 3 | 1925–1953, 1956–1967 (39 years) |
| 12 | 75 million |
| 2NE1 | South Korea | 4 → 3 → 4 | 2009–2016, 2024–present (10 years) | K-pop | 2 | 66 million |
| TLC | United States | 3 → 2 | 1991–present (35 years) |
| 5 | 65 million |
| AKB48 | Japan | Rotational | 2005–present (21 years) | J-pop | 8 | 60 million |
| Destiny's Child | United States | 4 → 3 | 1997–2006 (9 years) |
| 5 | 60 million |
| The Pussycat Dolls | United States | 6 → 5 | 2003–10, 2019–2021 (7 years) |
| 2 | 54 million |
| Twice | South Korea | 9 | 2015–present (11 years) | K-pop | 7 | 47 million |
| Girls' Generation | South Korea | 9 → 8 | 2007–2017, 2022 (11 years) | K-pop | 10 | 45 million |
| Davichi | South Korea | 2 | 2008–present (18 years) | K-pop | 3 | 42 million |
| Bananarama | United Kingdom | 3 → 2 → 3 → 2 | 1980–present (46 years) | Pop | 11 | 40 million |
| The Pointer Sisters | United States | 2 → 3 → 4 → 3 → 4 | 1969–present (57 years) |
| 16 | 40 million |
| T-ara | South Korea | 6 → 7 → 8 → 7 → 6 → 4 | 2009–2017, 2020–present (15 years) | K-pop | 4 | 35 million |
| Fifth Harmony | United States | 5 → 4 | 2012–2018 (6 years) |
| 3 | 33 million |
| Wonder Girls | South Korea | 5 → 4 | 2007–2017 (10 years) | K-pop | 3 | 31 million |
| The Nolans | United Kingdom | 5 → 4 → 5 → 4 → 3 → 2 → 4 → 5 | 1974–2005, 2009, 2020–2022 (34 years) |
| 23 | 30 million |
| Sistar | South Korea | 4 | 2010–2017 (7 years) | K-pop | 2 | 28 million |
| Morning Musume | Japan | Rotational | 1997–present (29 years) | J-pop | 16 | 22 million |
| Blackpink | South Korea | 4 | 2016–present (10 years) |
| 2 | 20 million |
| En Vogue | United States | 4 → 3 | 1989–present (37 years) |
| 8 | 20 million |
| Speed | Japan | 4 | 1996–2001, 2003, 2008–2012 (10 years) | J-pop | 5 | 20 million |
Best-selling girl group singles
Worldwide
It is extremely difficult to assess worldwide sales of singles, due to the lack of auditing in many countries, and that no country officially tracked sales before the 1990s. In the second edition of The Book of Golden Discs, author Joseph Murrell calculated a worldwide sales figure of 18 million singles for Baccara's "Yes Sir, I Can Boogie", but this figure is disputed and has never been officially confirmed. Other claimed worldwide sales figures for singles by girl groups are shown in the table below:
| Released | Single | Group | Confirmed sales | Claimed sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | Total available sales: 6.820 million
| 7 million |
| 2002 | "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" | Las Ketchup | Total available sales: 5.063 million
| 7 million |
| 2005 | "Don't Cha" | The Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes | Total available sales: 4.337 million
| 6 million |
Highest-certified singles
A list of the highest-certified singles, based on worldwide certified and confirmed unit sales (including both digital sales and equivalent track streams).
| Artist | Single | Released | Certified sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign | "Work from Home" | 2016 | 9.518 million |
| TLC | "No Scrubs" | 1999 | 9.02 million |
| Icona Pop featuring Charli XCX | "I Love It" | 2012 | 8.04 million |
| Spice Girls | "Wannabe" | 1996 | 7.16 million |
| The Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes | "Don't Cha" | 2005 | 6.278 million |
| Little Mix | "Black Magic" | 2015 | 6.092 million |
| Destiny's Child | "Say My Name" | 1999 | 5.821 million |
| Fifth Harmony | "Worth It" | 2015 | 4.915 million |
| The Ronettes | "Sleigh Ride" | 1963 | 4.41 million |
| Las Ketchup | "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" | 2002 | 4.271 million |
| Little Mix | "Shout Out to My Ex" | 2016 | 3.445 million |
| t.A.T.u. | "All the Things She Said" | 2002 | 3.441 million |
| Destiny's Child | "Survivor" | 2001 | 3.355 million |
| Destiny's Child | "Lose My Breath" | 2004 | 3.25 million |
| The Pussycat Dolls | "When I Grow Up" | 2008 | 3.135 million |
| SWV | "Weak" | 1993 | 3.03 million |
| The Pussycat Dolls featuring Snoop Dogg | "Buttons" | 2006 | 3.003 million |
| Diana Ross & the Supremes | "Someday We'll Be Together" | 1969 | 3 million |
| TLC | "Waterfalls" | 1995 | 2.935 million |
| Spice Girls | "2 Become 1" | 1996 | 2.919 million |
| All Saints | "Never Ever" | 1997 | 2.865 million |
| Spice Girls | "Say You'll Be There" | 1996 | 2.425 million |
| Destiny's Child | "Independent Women Part I" | 2000 | 2.394 million |
| Spice Girls | "Spice Up Your Life" | 1997 | 2.301 million |
| En Vogue | "Don't Let Go (Love)" | 1996 | 2.29 million |
| Earth, Wind & Fire with the Emotions | "Boogie Wonderland" | 1979 | 2.285 million |
| Little Mix | "Touch" | 2016 | 2.28 million |
| Destiny's Child featuring T.I. and Lil Wayne | "Soldier" | 2004 | 2.265 million |
| Destiny's Child | "Cater 2 U" | 2005 | 2.23 million |
| The Supremes | "Where Did Our Love Go" | 1964 | 2.215 million |
| Little Mix featuring Stormzy | "Power" | 2017 | 2.145 million |
| Little Mix | "Wings" | 2012 | 2.16 million |
| Galantis, David Guetta and Little Mix | "Heartbreak Anthem" | 2021 | 2.005 million |
| The Supremes | "I Hear a Symphony" | 1965 | 2 million |
| Diana Ross & the Supremes | "Love Child" | 1968 | 2 million |
| Xscape | "Just Kickin' It" | 1993 | 2 million |
Notes:
- Sales figures obtained from certifying bodies alone
Australia
Singles certified platinum or more by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Only includes certifications since 1989, when ARIA took over compiling the Australian charts. From November 2014 onwards paid-for audio streams were included in the Australian singles chart and counted towards sales and certifications.
Certifications based on sales only
| Released | Single | Group | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | "I Love It" | Icona Pop featuring Charli XCX | 5× Platinum |
| 2002 | "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" | Las Ketchup | 3× Platinum |
| 2012 | "Wings" | Little Mix | |
| 1995 | "Waterfalls" | TLC | 2× Platinum |
| 1996 | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | |
| 1997 | "Never Ever" | All Saints | |
| 2000 | "Say My Name" | Destiny's Child | |
| "Poison" | Bardot | ||
| "Independent Women" | Destiny's Child | ||
| 2001 | "Whole Again" | Atomic Kitten | |
| 2005 | "Don't Cha" | The Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes | |
| 2013 | "Change Your Life" | Little Mix | |
| 1994 | "Whatta Man" | Salt-N-Pepa with En Vogue | Platinum |
| 1998 | "C'est la Vie" | B*Witched | |
| "Rollercoaster" | |||
| "Finally Found" | Honeyz | ||
| "Viva Forever" | Spice Girls | ||
| "Goodbye" | |||
| 1999 | "No Scrubs" | TLC | |
| "Unpretty" | |||
| 2000 | "Shackles (Praise You)" | Mary Mary | |
| 2004 | "Lose My Breath" | Destiny's Child | |
| 2005 | "Push the Button" | Sugababes | |
| "Stickwitu" | The Pussycat Dolls | ||
| 2006 | "Buttons" |
Certifications based on sales + on-demand digital streaming
| Released | Single | Group | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | "Work from Home" | Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign | 6× Platinum |
| 2014 | "Ugly Heart" | G.R.L. | 4× Platinum |
| 2014 | "You Ruin Me" | The Veronicas | 3× Platinum |
| 2017 | "Shout Out to My Ex" | Little Mix | |
| 2015 | "Worth It" | Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink | 2× Platinum |
| "Black Magic" | Little Mix | ||
| 2016 | "Secret Love Song" | Little Mix featuring Jason Derulo | |
| "Hair" | Little Mix featuring Sean Paul | ||
| 2017 | "Touch" | Little Mix | |
| 2023 | "Cupid" | Fifty Fifty featuring Sabrina Carpenter | |
| 2014 | "If You Love Someone" | The Veronicas | Platinum |
| 2016 | "All in My Head (Flex)" | Fifth Harmony featuring Fetty Wap | |
| "In My Blood" | The Veronicas | ||
| 2018 | "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" | Blackpink | |
| "Kiss and Make Up" | Dua Lipa and Blackpink | ||
| "Woman Like Me" | Little Mix featuring Nicki Minaj | ||
| 2019 | "Kill This Love" | Blackpink | |
| 2020 | "How You Like That" | ||
| "Ice Cream" | Blackpink and Selena Gomez | ||
| 2025 | "Touch" | Katseye |
Brazil
Based on certifications awarded by Pro-Música Brasil. Single certifications have only been awarded since 2008, and have included audio and video streaming from 2017 onwards.
| Released | Single | Group | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | "Kill This Love" | Blackpink | 2× Diamond |
| 2015 | "Black Magic" | Little Mix | Diamond |
| 2018 | "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" | Blackpink | |
| "Woman Like Me" | Little Mix featuring Nicki Minaj | ||
| 2020 | "Sour Candy" | Lady Gaga and Blackpink | |
| "How You Like That" | Blackpink | ||
| "Ice Cream" | Blackpink and Selena Gomez | ||
| 2022 | "Shut Down" | Blackpink | |
| 2016 | "Hair" | Little Mix | 3× Platinum |
| "Shout Out to My Ex" | |||
| 2017 | "Reggaetón Lento (Remix)" | CNCO and Little Mix | |
| 2020 | "Lovesick Girls" | Blackpink | |
| "Pretty Savage" | |||
| 2016 | "Touch" | Little Mix | 2× Platinum |
| 2017 | "Power" | Little Mix featuring Stormzy | |
| 2018 | "Forever Young" | Blackpink | |
| 2022 | "Pink Venom" | ||
| "Typa Girl" | |||
| 2012 | "Wings" | Little Mix | Platinum |
| 2013 | "Move" | ||
| 2014 | "Salute" | ||
| 2015 | "Love Me Like You" | ||
| 2016 | "Secret Love Song" | Little Mix featuring Jason Derulo | |
| 2017 | "No More Sad Songs" | Little Mix featuring Machine Gun Kelly | |
| 2018 | "Only You" | Cheat Codes and Little Mix | |
| 2019 | "Think About Us" | Little Mix | |
| 2020 | "Oh My God" | I-dle | |
| "Bet You Wanna" | Blackpink featuring Cardi B | ||
| "Crazy Over You" | Blackpink | ||
| "Love to Hate Me" | |||
| "Sweet Melody" | Little Mix | ||
| 2024 | "Armageddon" | Aespa |
Canada
Singles certified gold or more by the Music Canada.
Certifications based on sales only
| Released | Single | Group | Certification | Sales (Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | "Goodbye" | Spice Girls | 2× Platinum | 200,000 |
| 1986 | "Venus" | Bananarama | Platinum | 100,000 |
| 1984 | "Neutron Dance" | The Pointer Sisters | Gold | 50,000 |
| "Jump (For My Love)" |
Certifications based on sales + on-demand digital streaming
| Released | Single | Group | Certification | Sales (Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | "Work from Home" | Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign | 5× Platinum | 400,000 |
| 2023 | "Cupid" | Fifty Fifty | 3× Platinum | 240,000 |
| 2015 | "Worth It" | Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink | 2× Platinum | 160,000 |
| 2020 | "How You Like That" | Blackpink | ||
| 1995 | "Waterfalls" | TLC | Platinum | 80,000 |
| 2015 | "Black Magic" | Little Mix | ||
| 2016 | "All In My Head (Flex)" | Fifth Harmony featuring Fetty Wap | ||
| "Shout Out to My Ex" | Little Mix | |||
| "Touch" | ||||
| 2018 | "Kiss and Make Up" | Dua Lipa and Blackpink | ||
| 2020 | "Ice Cream" | Blackpink and Selena Gomez | ||
| 2022 | "Pink Venom" | Blackpink | ||
| "Shut Down" | ||||
| 2024 | "Touch" | Katseye | ||
| 2025 | "Gnarly" | |||
| "Gabriela" | ||||
| 1994 | "Creep" | TLC | Gold | 40,000 |
| 2018 | "Woman Like Me" | Little Mix | ||
| 2020 | "Sour Candy" | Lady Gaga and Blackpink | ||
| 2024 | "Debut" | Katseye |
Denmark
| Released | Single | Group | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | "Work from Home" | Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign | 2× Platinum |
| 1963 | "Sleigh Ride" | The Ronettes | Platinum |
| 1979 | "Boogie Wonderland" | Earth, Wind & Fire with the Emotions | |
| 1984 | "I'm So Excited" | The Pointer Sisters | |
| 1999 | "No Scrubs" | TLC | |
| "Say My Name" | Destiny's Child | ||
| 2001 | "Survivor" | ||
| 2015 | "Worth It" | Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink | |
| 2016 | "Shout Out to My Ex" | Little Mix | |
| 1966 | "You Can't Hurry Love" | The Supremes | Gold |
| 1982 | "It's Raining Men" | The Weather Girls | |
| 1995 | "Waterfalls" | TLC | |
| 1996 | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | |
| 2001 | "Whole Again" | Atomic Kitten | |
| 2006 | "Wait a Minute" | The Pussycat Dolls featuring Timbaland | |
| 2014 | "Wild Wild Love" | Pitbull featuring G.R.L. | |
| "Ugly Heart" | G.R.L. | ||
| 2015 | "The Girl Is Mine" | 99 Souls featuring Destiny's Child and Brandy | |
| "Black Magic" | Little Mix | ||
| "Love Me or Leave Me" | |||
| 2016 | "Secret Love Song" | Little Mix featuring Jason Derulo | |
| 2017 | "Power" | Little Mix featuring Stormzy | |
| "Reggaetón Lento (Remix)" | CNCO and Little Mix | ||
| 2018 | "Woman Like Me" | Little Mix featuring Nicki Minaj | |
| 2021 | "Heartbreak Anthem" | Galantis, David Guetta and Little Mix |
France
Certifications based on sales only
| Released | Single | Group | Certification | Sales (Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | Diamond | 750,000 |
| 2001 | "Toutes les femmes de ta vie" | L5 | ||
| 2002 | "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" | Las Ketchup | ||
| 1996 | "Say You'll Be There" | Spice Girls | Gold | 250,000 |
| "2 Become 1" | ||||
| 1997 | "I Wanna Be the Only One" | Eternal featuring BeBe Winans | ||
| "Who Do You Think You Are" | Spice Girls | |||
| "Spice Up Your Life" | ||||
| "Too Much" | ||||
| 1998 | "Stop" | |||
| "Viva Forever" | ||||
| 1999 | "No Scrubs" | TLC | ||
| 2000 | "Pure Shores" | All Saints |
Certifications based on sales + on-demand digital streaming
| Released | Single | Group | Certification | Sales + streaming (Based on certifications) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | "Work from Home" | Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign | Diamond | 250,000 |
| 2019 | "Kill This Love" | Blackpink | Platinum | 200,000 |
| 2020 | "How You Like That" | |||
| 2025 | "Jump" | |||
| 2018 | "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" | Gold | 100,000 | |
| 2022 | "Pink Venom" | |||
| "Shut Down" |
Germany
Certifications based on sales only
| Released | Single | Group | Certification | Sales (Based on certifications) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" | Las Ketchup | 2× Platinum | 1,000,000 |
| 2001 | "Whole Again" | Atomic Kitten | Platinum | 500,000 |
| "Daylight in Your Eyes" | No Angels | |||
| 1996 | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | ||
| 2006 | "Shame" | Monrose | 3× Gold | 450,000 |
| 1996 | "Waterfalls" | TLC | Gold | 250,000 |
| "Don't Let Go (Love)" | En Vogue | |||
| 1997 | "Who Do You Think You Are"/"Mama" | Spice Girls | ||
| 1998 | "Viva Forever" | |||
| 2000 | "Overload" | Sugababes | ||
| 2005 | "Push the Button" |
Certifications based on sales + on-demand digital streaming
| Released | Single | Group | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "All the Things She Said" | t.A.T.u. | 2× Platinum |
| 2005 | "Don't Cha" | The Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes | |
| 2016 | "Work from Home" | Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign | Platinum, 3× Gold |
| 2016 | "Worth It" | Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink | Platinum |
| 1982 | "It's Raining Men" | The Weather Girls | Gold |
| "I'm So Excited" | The Pointer Sisters | ||
| 1999 | "Say My Name" (Timbaland remix) | Destiny's Child featuring Static Major | |
| 2000 | "Independent Women Part I" | Destiny's Child | |
| 2001 | "Survivor" | ||
| 2004 | "Lose My Breath" | ||
| 2006 | "Beep" | The Pussycat Dolls featuring will.i.am | |
| 2007 | "About You Now" | Sugababes | |
| 2008 | "When I Grow Up" | The Pussycat Dolls | |
| 2016 | "Shout Out To My Ex" | Little Mix |
- Note: Certification levels in Germany have changed several times over the years – the certification level for a gold single was 250,000 until the end of 2002, 150,000 between 2003 and mid-2014, and 200,000 from mid-2014 onwards. These different levels are reflected in the table above.
- From January 2014 onwards, paid-for audio streams were included in the German singles chart and counted towards sales and certifications.
Italy
| Released | Single | Group | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | "Work from Home" | Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign | 3× Platinum |
| 2012 | "I Love It" | Icona Pop featuring Charli XCX | 2× Platinum |
| 2015 | "Worth It" | Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink | |
| 1996 | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | Platinum |
| 1963 | "Be My Baby" | The Ronettes | Gold |
| "Sleigh Ride" | |||
| 1966 | "You Can't Hurry Love" | The Supremes | |
| 1999 | "No Scrubs" | TLC | |
| 2001 | "Survivor" | Destiny's Child | |
| 2002 | "All the Things She Said" | t.A.T.u. | |
| 2005 | "Don't Cha" | The Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes | |
| 2015 | "Black Magic" | Little Mix | |
| 2016 | "All in My Head (Flex)" | Fifth Harmony featuring Fetty Wap | |
| "Sin Contrato" | Maluma featuring Fifth Harmony | ||
| "Shout Out to My Ex" | Little Mix | ||
| "Touch" | |||
| 2018 | "Kiss and Make Up" | Dua Lipa and Blackpink | |
| 2020 | "How You Like That" | Blackpink | |
| 2021 | "Heartbreak Anthem" | Galantis, David Guetta and Little Mix |
Japan
The ten biggest-selling girl group singles in Japan based on total sales (May 2020):
| Released | Single | Group | Detailed Sales | Total Sales | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physical | Downloads | Ringtones | ||||
| 2010 | "Heavy Rotation" | AKB48 | 880,761 | 1,500,000 | 750,000 | 3,130,761 |
| 2011 | "Flying Get" | 1,625,849 | 1,000,000 | 500,000 | 3,125,849 | |
| 2011 | "Everyday, Katyusha" | 1,608,299 | 1,000,000 | 500,000 | 3,108,299 | |
| 2018 | "Teacher Teacher" | 2,922,460 | — | — | 2,922,460 | |
| 2017 | "Negaigoto no Mochigusare" | 2,649,234 | — | — | 2,649,234 | |
| 2013 | "Koi Suru Fortune Cookie" | 1,533,955 | 1,000,000 | — | 2,533,955 | |
| 2016 | "Tsubasa wa Iranai" | 2,499,785 | — | — | 2,499,785 | |
| 2010 | "Gee" | Girls' Generation | 206,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,250,000 | 2,456,000 |
| 2012 | "Manatsu no Sounds Good" | AKB48 | 1,822,220 | 500,000 | — | 2,322,220 |
| 2011 | "Mr. Taxi" | Girls' Generation | 174,365 | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 2,174,365 |
| 2009 | "Mister" | Kara | 145,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 2,145,000 |
| 2013 | "Sayonara Crawl" | AKB48 | 1,955,800 | 100,000 | — | 2,055,800 |
- From January 2014, RIAJ changed calculation method for Detailed Sales and the Gold Record.
New Zealand
Singles certified platinum or more by Recorded Music NZ. Since November 2014 certifications for singles have included streaming, and therefore cannot be compared to certifications from before this date.
Certifications based on sales only
| Released | Single | Group | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | "Whole Again" | Atomic Kitten | 2× Platinum |
| 2002 | "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" | Las Ketchup | |
| 1995 | "Waterfalls" | TLC | Platinum |
| 1996 | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | |
| "Say You'll Be There" | |||
| 1997 | "I Wanna Be the Only One" | Eternal featuring BeBe Winans | |
| "Spice Up Your Life" | Spice Girls | ||
| 1998 | "Viva Forever" | ||
| "Rollercoaster" | B*witched | ||
| "Goodbye" | Spice Girls | ||
| 1999 | "No Scrubs" | TLC |
Certifications based on sales + on-demand digital streaming
| Released | Single | Group | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | "No Scrubs" | TLC | 8× Platinum |
| 2000 | "Say My Name" | Destiny's Child | 4× Platinum |
| 1995 | "Waterfalls" | TLC | 3× Platinum |
| 2005 | "Don't Cha" | The Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes | |
| 2013 | "Crooked Smile" | J. Cole featuring TLC | 2× Platinum |
| 2016 | "Work from Home" | Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign | |
| 1966 | "You Can't Hurry Love" | The Supremes | Platinum |
| 1979 | "Boogie Wonderland" | Earth, Wind and Fire with the Emotions | |
| 1981 | "Slow Hand" | The Pointer Sisters | |
| 1982 | "It's Raining Men" | The Weather Girls | |
| 1984 | "I'm So Excited" | The Pointer Sisters | |
| "Jump (For My Love)" | |||
| 1989 | "Eternal Flame" | The Bangles | |
| 1993 | "Weak" | SWV | |
| "Right Here" | |||
| 1994 | "Whatta Man" | Salt-N-Pepa with En Vogue | |
| 1999 | "Bills, Bills, Bills" | Destiny's Child | |
| 2000 | "Shackles (Praise You)" | Mary Mary | |
| "Jumpin', Jumpin'" | Destiny's Child | ||
| "Independent Women Part I" | |||
| "Pure Shores" | All Saints | ||
| 2001 | "Survivor" | Destiny's Child | |
| "Bootylicious" | |||
| 2002 | "All the Things She Said" | t.A.T.u. | |
| 2004 | "Soldier" | Destiny's Child featuring T.I. and Lil Wayne | |
| 2005 | "Girl" | Destiny's Child | |
| "Cater 2 U" | |||
| "Push the Button" | Sugababes | ||
| 2006 | "Buttons" | The Pussycat Dolls featuring Snoop Dogg | |
| "Stickwitu" | The Pussycat Dolls | ||
| 2007 | "About You Now" | Sugababes | |
| 2008 | "When I Grow Up" | The Pussycat Dolls | |
| 2016 | "Secret Love Song" | Little Mix featuring Jason Derulo | |
| 2018 | "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" | Blackpink | |
| "Kiss and Make Up" | Dua Lipa and Blackpink | ||
| 2019 | "Kill This Love" | Blackpink | |
| 2020 | "How You Like That" | ||
| 2023 | "Cupid" | Fifty Fifty |
South Korea
- Prior to Gaon Music Chart establishment (pre–2010)
The Gaon Music Chart, which was later renamed the Circle Chart, was established in January 2010. As a result, there are no available official sales data for singles released prior to that time. Nevertheless, there are unofficial claimed sales for some earlier releases.
| Released | Song | Group | Claimed sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | "Gee" | Girls' Generation | 5,000,000 |
| 2008 | "Nobody" | Wonder Girls | 4,600,000 |
| 2009 | "I Don't Care" | 2NE1 | 4,500,000 |
- Prior to certification (2010–2017)
South Korea experienced a decline in digital music sales volume which began in late 2012. The price of digital downloads was greatly inflated, and as a result, no girl group songs released since 2013 have surpassed the three million sales mark.
| Released | Song | Group | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | "Roly-Poly" | T-ara | 4,411,209 |
| "Don't Say Goodbye" | Davichi | 4,021,547 | |
| "So Cool" | Sistar | 4,011,945 | |
| "Be My Baby" | Wonder Girls | 3,919,684 | |
| "I Am the Best" | 2NE1 | 3,795,020 | |
| "Cry Cry" | T-ara | 3,783,925 | |
| 2012 | "Lovey-Dovey" | 3,758,864 | |
| 2011 | "The Boys" | Girls' Generation | 3,623,330 |
| "Good Bye Baby" | Miss A | 3,589,321 | |
| 2012 | "Loving U" | Sistar | 3,438,000 |
| "Alone" | 3,422,141 | ||
| 2010 | "Bad Girl Good Girl" | Miss A | 3,334,684 |
| 2011 | "Ugly" | 2NE1 | 3,324,861 |
| 2010 | "Oh!" | Girls' Generation | 3,316,889 |
| 2011 | "Hot Summer" | f(x) | 3,046,546 |
| 2010 | "I Go Crazy Because of You" | T-ara | 3,042,224 |
| 2011 | "Lonely" | 2NE1 | 3,040,386 |
| "Starlight Moonlight" | Secret | 3,016,717 |
- After certification (2018–present)
The Circle Chart stopped releasing download sales in December 2017. However, the chart began implementing record certifications in April 2018, at a level of 2,500,000 sales per Platinum level. Every song released since 1 January 2018 is eligible for a certification.
| Released | Song | Group | Certification | Sales (Based on certifications) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | "Bboom Bboom" | Momoland | Platinum | 2,500,000 |
| "Starry Night" | Mamamoo | |||
| "Travel" | Bolbbalgan4 | |||
| "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" | Blackpink | |||
| "Forever Young" | ||||
| "Bad Boy" | Red Velvet | |||
| "Power Up" | ||||
| "Dance The Night Away" | Twice | |||
| "What Is Love?" | ||||
| "Yes or Yes" |
Spain
| Released | Single | Group | Certification |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | "Work from Home" | Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign | 2× Platinum |
| 1963 | "Be My Baby" | The Ronettes | Platinum |
| 1982 | "I'm So Excited" | The Pointer Sisters | |
| 1996 | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | |
| 2012 | "I Love It" | Icona Pop featuring Charli XCX | |
| 2016 | "Sin Contrato" | Maluma featuring Fifth Harmony | |
| 2018 | "Kiss and Make Up" | Dua Lipa and Blackpink | |
| 1963 | "Sleigh Ride" | The Ronettes | Gold |
| 1966 | "You Can't Hurry Love" | The Supremes | |
| 1979 | "Boogie Wonderland" | Earth, Wind & Fire with the Emotions | |
| 1982 | "It's Raining Men" | The Weather Girls | |
| 1999 | "No Scrubs" | TLC | |
| "Say My Name" | Destiny's Child | ||
| 2002 | "All the Things She Said" | t.A.T.u. | |
| 2005 | "Don't Cha" | The Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes | |
| 2015 | "Worth It" | Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink | |
| 2016 | "Shout Out to My Ex" | Little Mix | |
| 2018 | "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" | Blackpink | |
| 2019 | "Kill This Love" | ||
| 2020 | "How You Like That" | ||
| 2021 | "Heartbreak Anthem" | Galantis, David Guetta and Little Mix |
Sweden
There were few certifications awarded in Sweden before 1996, so singles before this date are not represented in this list. There have been three different certification levels since 1996: from 1996 to June 2003 the gold/platinum levels for singles were 15,000/30,000, from July 2003 to September 2010 the levels were 10,000/20,000, and from October 2010 onwards, when streaming was included in the certification levels, the levels have been 20,000/40,000. The tables below reflect these changes in certification levels.
Certifications based on sales only
| Released | Single | Group | Certification | Sales (Based on certifications) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)" | Las Ketchup | 4× Platinum | 120,000 |
| 1998 | "Spice Up Your Life" | Spice Girls | Platinum | 30,000 |
| 1999 | "Unpretty" | TLC | ||
| 2001 | "Need to Know (Eenie Meenie Miny Moe)" | Excellence | ||
| "Independent Women Part 1" | Destiny's Child | |||
| 2002 | "All the Things She Said" | t.A.T.u. | ||
| "Never Let It Go" | Afro-dite | |||
| 2005 | "Push the Button" | Sugababes | 20,000 | |
| 1996 | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | Gold | 15,000 |
| 1997 | "I Wanna Be the Only One" | Eternal featuring BeBe Winans | ||
| 1997 | "Mama" | Spice Girls | ||
| 1998 | "Viva Forever" | |||
| "Goodbye" | ||||
| 1999 | "No Scrubs" | TLC | ||
| 2001 | "Survivor" | Destiny's Child |
Certifications based on sales + on-demand digital streaming
| Released | Single | Group | Certification | Sales + streaming (Based on certifications) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | "Work from Home" | Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign | 4× Platinum | 160,000 |
| 2015 | "Emergency" | Icona Pop | 2× Platinum | 80,000 |
| 2012 | "I Love It" | Icona Pop featuring Charli XCX | Platinum | 40,000 |
| 2014 | "Sledgehammer" | Fifth Harmony | ||
| 2015 | "Worth It" | Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink |
Switzerland
| Released | Single | Group | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | "All The Things She Said" | t.A.T.u | 40,000 |
| 1996 | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | 25,000 |
| 1998 | "Viva Forever" | ||
| 1997 | "Never Ever" | All Saints | |
| 2001 | "Whole Again" | Atomic Kitten | 20,000 |
| 2004 | "Lose My Breath" | Destiny's Child | |
| 2005 | "Don't Cha" | The Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes | |
| 2016 | "Shout Out to My Ex" | Little Mix | |
| 2017 | "Reggaetón Lento (Remix)" | CNCO and Little Mix | |
| 2018 | "Woman Like Me" | Little Mix feat. Nicki Minaj | 10,000 |
United Kingdom
Since July 2014, certifications have included audio streams so they cannot be compared to sales-only certifications before this date. The ten biggest-selling girl group singles in the United Kingdom:
Physical and digital sales only (before July 2014)
| Released | Single | Group | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | 1,400,000 |
| 1997 | "Never Ever" | All Saints | 1,363,504 |
| 1996 | "2 Become 1" | Spice Girls | 1,150,000 |
| 2001 | "Whole Again" | Atomic Kitten | 1,021,465 |
| 1996 | "Say You'll Be There" | Spice Girls | 968,244 |
| 1998 | "C'est la Vie" | B*Witched | 925,000 |
| 1998 | "Goodbye" | Spice Girls | 896,000 |
| 1997 | "Spice Up Your Life" | 887,000 | |
| 2000 | "Pure Shores" | All Saints | 815,000 |
| 1997 | "Mama"/"Who Do You Think You Are" | Spice Girls | 732,000 |
Physical and digital sales + on-demand digital streaming (after July 2014)
The following singles have been certified platinum or higher by the BPI in the UK.
| Released | Single | Group | Certification | Units |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | "No Scrubs" | TLC | 5× Platinum | 3,000,000 |
| 1996 | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | 4× Platinum | 2,400,000 |
| 2016 | "Shout Out to My Ex" | Little Mix | ||
| 2015 | "Black Magic" | Little Mix | 3× Platinum | 2,300,000 |
| 2000 | "Say My Name" | Destiny's Child | 1,800,000 | |
| 2016 | "Work from Home" | Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign | ||
| "Touch" | Little Mix | |||
| 2017 | "Power" | Little Mix featuring Stormzy | ||
| 2015 | "Secret Love Song" | Little Mix featuring Jason Derulo | ||
| 2017 | "Reggaetón Lento (Remix)" | Little Mix with CNCO | 2× Platinum | 1,400,000 |
| 2007 | "About You Now" | Sugababes | 1,250,000 | |
| 1963 | "Sleigh Ride" | The Ronettes | 1,200,000 | |
| 1997 | "2 Become 1" | Spice Girls | ||
| "Spice Up Your Life" | ||||
| 1998 | "C'est la Vie" | B*Witched | ||
| 2000 | "Pure Shores" | All Saints | ||
| 2001 | "Survivor" | Destiny's Child | ||
| "Whole Again" | Atomic Kitten | |||
| 2002 | "All the Things She Said" | t.A.T.u. | ||
| "Sound of the Underground" | Girls Aloud | |||
| 2005 | "Don't Cha" | The Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes | ||
| 2015 | "The Girl Is Mine" | 99 Souls featuring Destiny's Child and Brandy | ||
| 2018 | "Woman Like Me" | Little Mix featuring Nicki Minaj | ||
| 2021 | "Heartbreak Anthem" | Little Mix, Galantis and David Guetta | ||
| 2012 | "Wings" | Little Mix | Platinum | 1,100,000 |
| 2020 | "Sweet Melody" | |||
| 2016 | "Hair" | Little Mix featuring Sean Paul | 927,000 | |
| 2017 | "No More Sad Songs" | Little Mix featuring Machine Gun Kelly | 848,000 | |
| 2015 | "Love Me Like You" | Little Mix | 811,000 | |
| 1998 | "I Wanna Be the Only One" | Eternal | 728,000 | |
| 2001 | "Bootylicious" | Destiny's Child | 646,000 | |
| 2013 | "Move" | Little Mix | 684,000 | |
| 2018 | "Only You" | Little Mix and Cheat Codes | 615,000 | |
| 1963 | "Be My Baby" | The Ronettes | 600,000 | |
| 1964 | "Dancing in the Street" | Martha and the Vandellas | ||
| "Baby Love" | The Supremes | |||
| 1966 | "You Can't Hurry Love" | |||
| 1979 | "Boogie Wonderland" | Earth, Wind & Fire with the Emotions | ||
| 1982 | "It's Raining Men" | The Weather Girls | ||
| 1984 | "I'm So Excited" | The Pointer Sisters | ||
| 1995 | "Waterfalls" | TLC | ||
| 1996 | "Don't Let Go (Love)" | En Vogue | ||
| 1998 | "Stop" | Spice Girls | ||
| 1999 | "Bills, Bills, Bills" | Destiny's Child | ||
| 2000 | "Jumpin', Jumpin'" | |||
| "Independent Women Part I" | ||||
| "Shackles (Praise You)" | Mary Mary | |||
| 2002 | "The Promise" | Girls Aloud | ||
| "The Tide Is High (Get the Feeling)" | Atomic Kitten | |||
| 2004 | "Lose My Breath" | Destiny's Child | ||
| 2005 | "Push the Button" | Sugababes | ||
| 2008 | "When I Grow Up" | The Pussycat Dolls | ||
| 2009 | "Jai Ho! (You Are My Destiny)" | The Pussycat Dolls and A. R. Rahman featuring Nicole Scherzinger | ||
| 2010 | "Higher" | The Saturdays | ||
| 2012 | "What About Us" | The Saturdays featuring Sean Paul | ||
| "Black Heart" | Stooshe | |||
| 2014 | "Salute" | Little Mix | ||
| "Ugly Heart" | G.R.L | |||
| 2015 | "Worth It" | Fifth Harmony | ||
| 2020 | "Break Up Song" | Little Mix | ||
| 2021 | "Kiss My (Uh-Oh)" | Little Mix and Anne-Marie | ||
| "Confetti" | Little Mix |
United States
Sales figures of records in the US were not tracked accurately until May 1991, when Nielsen SoundScan started recording sales of singles and albums electronically at point of sale, rather than relying on figures provided to them by record store staff. As a result, there are no reliable sales figures available before this date, and therefore it is not possible to rank the best-selling singles by girl groups in the US in sales order.
Since 2013 certifications have included legal on-demand digital streams – separate figures for the pure sales component of singles released after 2013 are not available so they cannot be compared to sales-only certifications before this date.
Certifications based on sales only
RIAA sales certifications began in the US in 1958 – there are very few records with certifications before this date. Until 1988 a million-seller received a gold certification (and a two million-seller received a platinum certification). From 1989 onwards the levels were revised so that a million-seller received a platinum certification instead, with multi-platinum awards for multiple million sales. However, these pre- and post-1989 certification levels are not currently reflected in the RIAA database.
The following singles have been certified by RIAA as selling one million copies or more in the US.
| Released | Single | Group | Certification | Certified sales | Reported sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certifications issued up to 1988 | |||||
| 1977 | "Best of My Love" | The Emotions | Gold | 1,000,000 | 1,800,000 |
| 1965 | "A Lover's Concerto" | The Toys | |||
| 1971 | "Want Ads" | Honey Cone | |||
| "Stick-Up" | |||||
| 1975 | "Lady Marmalade" | Labelle | |||
| "Fly, Robin, Fly" | Silver Convention | ||||
| 1976 | "Get Up and Boogie" | ||||
| 1977 | "Angel in Your Arms" | Hot | |||
| 1979 | "Boogie Wonderland" | Earth, Wind & Fire with the Emotions | |||
| "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else" | The Jones Girls | ||||
| "We Are Family" | Sister Sledge | ||||
| "Fire" | The Pointer Sisters | ||||
| 1980 | "Sukiyaki" | A Taste of Honey | |||
| "He's So Shy" | The Pointer Sisters | ||||
| 1981 | "Slow Hand" | ||||
| 1982 | "We Got the Beat" | The Go-Go's | |||
| Certifications issued from 1989 onwards | |||||
| 1996 | "Wannabe" | Spice Girls | Platinum | 1,000,000 | 2,910,000 |
| 1969 | "Someday We'll Be Together" | Diana Ross & the Supremes | 2,000,000 | ||
| 1974 | "When Will I See You Again" | The Three Degrees | 2,000,000 | ||
| 1977 | "Best of My Love" | The Emotions | 1,800,000 | ||
| 1995 | "Creep" | TLC | 1,400,000 | ||
| 1997 | "Don't Let Go (Love)" | En Vogue | 1,300,000 | ||
| 1998 | "No, No, No" | Destiny's Child | 1,300,000 | ||
| 1995 | "Waterfalls" | TLC | 1,200,000 | ||
| 1997 | "G.H.E.T.T.O.U.T." | Changing Faces | 1,200,000 | ||
| 1998 | "Lately" | Divine | 1,100,000 | ||
| 1968 | "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" | Diana Ross & the Supremes and The Temptations | 1,000,000 | ||
| 1987 | "Push It" | Salt-N-Pepa | |||
| 1989 | "Expression" | ||||
| 1990 | "Hold On" | En Vogue | |||
| 1992 | "Ain't 2 Proud 2 Beg" | TLC | |||
| "Baby-Baby-Baby" | |||||
| 1993 | "Whatta Man" | Salt-N-Pepa with En Vogue | |||
| 1994 | "Stroke You Up" | Changing Faces | |||
| 2005 | "Don't Cha" | The Pussycat Dolls featuring Busta Rhymes | |||
| "Stickwitu" | The Pussycat Dolls | ||||
| 2006 | "Buttons" | The Pussycat Dolls featuring Snoop Dogg | |||
| 2008 | "Damaged" | Danity Kane | |||
| "I Hate This Part" | The Pussycat Dolls | ||||
| 1961 | "Please Mr. Postman" | The Marvelettes | Gold | 500,000 | |
| 1964 | "Dancing in the Street" | Martha and the Vandellas | |||
| "Baby Love" | The Supremes | 1,000,000 | |||
| 1965 | "Stop! In the Name of Love" | 1,000,000 | |||
| "Don't Mess with Bill" | The Marvelettes | ||||
| 1986 | "Walk Like an Egyptian" | The Bangles | |||
Certifications based on sales + on-demand digital streaming
| Released | Single | Group | Certification | Certified sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certifications issued from 2013 onwards | ||||
| 1999 | "No Scrubs" | TLC | 5× Platinum | 5,000,000 |
| 2016 | "Work from Home" | Fifth Harmony featuring Ty Dolla Sign | ||
| 1963 | "Sleigh Ride" | The Ronettes | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000 |
| 1993 | "Weak" | SWV | ||
| 1999 | "Say My Name" | Destiny's Child | ||
| 2015 | "Worth It" | Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink | ||
| 1993 | "Just Kickin' It" | Xscape | 2× Platinum | 2,000,000 |
| 1992 | "Right Here" | SWV | Platinum | 1,000,000 |
| 1993 | "I'm So into You" | |||
| "Understanding" | Xscape | |||
| 1995 | "Who Can I Run To" | |||
| 1999 | "Bills, Bills, Bills" | Destiny's Child | ||
| 2000 | "Jumpin', Jumpin'" | |||
| "Independent Women Part I" | ||||
| "Shackles (Praise You)" | Mary Mary | |||
| 2001 | "Survivor" | Destiny's Child | ||
| "Bootylicious" | ||||
| 2004 | "Lose My Breath" | |||
| "Cater 2 U" | ||||
| 2005 | "Soldier" | Destiny's Child featuring T.I. and Lil Wayne | ||
| 2014 | "Boss" | Fifth Harmony | ||
| "Sledgehammer" | ||||
| 2016 | "All in My Head (Flex)" | Fifth Harmony featuring Fetty Wap | ||
| 2025 | "Strategy" | Twice | ||
In addition, the following singles have been stated as selling one million copies or more in the US – however, they have not been certified by the RIAA.
| Released | Single | Group |
|---|---|---|
| 1954 | "Mr. Sandman" | The Chordettes |
| 1958 | "Lollipop" | |
| 1961 | "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" | The Shirelles |
| 1962 | "Soldier Boy" | |
| "He's a Rebel" | The Crystals | |
| 1963 | "He's So Fine" | The Chiffons |
| "Da Doo Ron Ron" | The Crystals | |
| "My Boyfriend's Back" | The Angels | |
| "Be My Baby" | The Ronettes | |
| 1964 | "Chapel of Love" | The Dixie Cups |
| "Where Did Our Love Go" | The Supremes | |
| "Come See About Me" | ||
| "Leader of the Pack" | The Shangri-Las | |
| 1965 | "Stop! In the Name of Love" | The Supremes |
| "Back in My Arms Again" | ||
| "Nothing but Heartaches" | ||
| "I Hear a Symphony" | ||
| 1966 | "My World Is Empty Without You" | |
| "You Can't Hurry Love" | ||
| "You Keep Me Hangin' On" | ||
| 1967 | "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" | |
| "The Happening" | ||
| "Reflections" | Diana Ross and the Supremes | |
| 1968 | "Love Child" | |
| 1970 | "Up the Ladder to the Roof" | The Supremes |
| 1971 | "Stoned Love" | |
| "Nathan Jones" | ||
| "Floy Joy" |
Best-selling girl group albums
See also
- List of best-selling music artists
- List of best-selling singles
- List of best-selling albums
- List of girl groups
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