<P> According to Guinness World Records, "White Christmas" (1942) by Bing Crosby is the best - selling single worldwide, with estimated sales of over 50 million copies . The song recognized as "the best - selling single of all time" was released before the pop / rock singles - chart era and "was listed as the world's best - selling single in the first - ever Guinness Book of Records (published in 1955) and--remarkably--still retains the title more than 50 years later ." Guinness World Records states that double A-side charity single "Candle in the Wind 1997" / "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" (1997) by Elton John, a tribute to the late Diana, Princess of Wales, is "the biggest - selling single since UK and US singles charts began in the 1950s, having accumulated worldwide sales of 33 million copies," making it the second - best - selling single of all time . </P> <P> The list is split between physical (mainly CD and vinyl) singles and digitally downloaded tracks which first became available to purchase in the early 2000s . </P>

Who has the best selling single of all time