List of Platinum singles in the United Kingdom awarded before 2000

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See also List of Platinum singles in the United Kingdom awarded since 2000, List of million-selling singles in the United Kingdom.

Contents

On 1 April 1973 the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) launched the Certified Awards scheme for singles and albums. From then until 1988, Platinum was awarded to singles with sales or shipments of 1 million (with double or triple Platinum being introduced in 1985). [1]

In 1989, the thresholds were changed so that a single with sales or shipments of 600,000 became eligible for Platinum (and any multiples thereof). The only song to be certified Platinum during both periods is "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen (in its original release in 1975 and again in 1991 following the death of Freddie Mercury), while the Spice Girls had the most Platinum singles awarded before 2000 with eight. [2] This total has been passed in the 21st century by Rihanna with 13.

Awards from 1973–1988 (1 million units)

2× Platinum (available 1985 onwards)

Only one single was ever awarded a multi-Platinum certification during the 1 million unit era, although "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid would also have qualified.

ArtistSongDate releasedDate certified
Platinum
Date certified
2× Platinum
Wings "Mull of Kintyre"November 1977December 1977November 1986

Platinum (1973–1988)

ArtistSongDate releasedDate certified
Platinum
Simon Park Orchestra "Eye Level"November 1972January 1978
Gary Glitter "I Love You Love Me Love"November 1973January 1974
Slade "Merry Xmas Everybody"December 1973December 1980
John Lennon "Imagine"October 1975February 1981
Queen "Bohemian Rhapsody"October 1975January 1976
Brotherhood of Man "Save Your Kisses for Me"March 1976May 1976
David Soul "Don't Give Up on Us"December 1976February 1977
Boney M. "Rivers of Babylon" / "Brown Girl in the Ring"April 1978May 1978
Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta "You're the One That I Want"May 1978July 1978
Olivia Newton-John & John Travolta "Summer Nights"September 1978October 1978
Village People "Y.M.C.A."November 1978January 1979
Boney M "Mary's Boy Child – Oh My Lord"November 1978December 1978
Art Garfunkel "Bright Eyes"January 1979May 1979
Blondie "Heart of Glass"January 1979February 1979
Pink Floyd "Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)"November 1979January 1980
Human League "Don't You Want Me"November 1981January 1982
Dexys Midnight Runners "Come On Eileen"June 1982September 1982
Culture Club "Karma Chameleon"September 1983October 1983
Frankie Goes to Hollywood "Relax"January 1984March 1984
Frankie Goes to Hollywood "Two Tribes"June 1984June 1984
George Michael "Careless Whisper"July 1984September 1984
Stevie Wonder "I Just Called to Say I Love You"August 1984September 1984
Band Aid "Do They Know It's Christmas?"November 1984December 1984
Wham! "Last Christmas"December 1984January 1985
Jennifer Rush "The Power of Love"May 1985November 1985

Awards from 1989–1999 (600,000 units)

Multi-Platinum

Only one single was awarded a multiple above double: "Candle in the Wind 1997"/"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" by Elton John which is certified as 9× Platinum for shipping over 5.4 million units, following the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997.

9× Platinum

ArtistSongDate releasedDate certified
multi-Platinum
Elton John "Candle in the Wind 1997"/"Something About the Way You Look Tonight"September 1997October 1997

2× Platinum

ArtistSongDate releasedDate certified
double platinum
Bryan Adams "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You"June 1991September 1991
Whitney Houston "I Will Always Love You"October 1992January 1993
Wet Wet Wet "Love Is All Around"May 1994August 1994
One Direction "Little Things"November 2012December 2022
Robson & Jerome "Unchained Melody/White Cliffs of Dover"May 1995May 1995
Fugees "Killing Me Softly"June 1996August 1996
Spice Girls "Wannabe"July 1996December 1996
Puff Daddy featuring Faith Evans "I'll Be Missing You"June 1997August 1997
Aqua "Barbie Girl"October 1997December 1997
All Saints "Never Ever"November 1997January 1998
Various Artists"Perfect Day"November 1997January 1998
Teletubbies "Teletubbies say "Eh-oh!""December 1997December 1997
Robbie Williams "Angels"December 1997December 1998
Celine Dion "My Heart Will Go On"February 1998April 1998
Cher "Believe"October 1998January 1999
Britney Spears "...Baby One More Time"February 1999March 1999

Awarded triple platinum after 2000
Also awarded double platinum in 2013


Platinum awards

ArtistSongDate releasedDate certified
Platinum
Jive Bunny and the Mastermixers "Swing the Mood"August 1989August 1989
Black Box "Ride On Time"August 1989October 1989
Band Aid II "Do They Know It's Christmas?"December 1989April 1990
Sinéad O'Connor "Nothing Compares 2 U"January 1990March 1990
Elton John "Sacrifice"May 1990September 1990
The Righteous Brothers "Unchained Melody"October 1990November 1990
Vanilla Ice "Ice Ice Baby"October 1990January 1991
Queen "Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are the Days of Our Lives"December 1991December 1991
Charles & Eddie "Would I Lie to You?"October 1992January 1993
Ace of Base "All That She Wants"May 1993June 1993
UB40 "(I Can't Help) Falling in Love with You"May 1993July 1993
Meat Loaf "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)"September 1993November 1993
Mr Blobby "Mr Blobby"November 1993December 1993
Take That "Babe"December 1993January 1994
All4One "I Swear"June 1994September 1994
Whigfield "Saturday Night"September 1994September 1994
Pato Banton "Baby Come Back"September 1994November 1994
Celine Dion "Think Twice"October 1994January 1995
East 17 "Stay Another Day"November 1994December 1994
Rednex "Cotton Eye Joe"December 1994February 1995
Take That "Back for Good"March 1995April 1995
The Rembrandts "I'll Be There for You"August 1995July 1997
Simply Red "Fairground"September 1995November 1995
Coolio featuring L.V. "Gangsta's Paradise"October 1995November 1995
Everything but the Girl "Missing"October 1995January 1996
Robson & Jerome "I Believe (1953 song)/Up on the Roof"October 1995November 1995
Oasis "Wonderwall"October 1995January 1996
Boyzone "Father and Son"November 1995January 1996
Michael Jackson "Earth Song"November 1995December 1995
Babylon Zoo "Spaceman"January 1996January 1996
Robert Miles "Children"February 1996April 1996
Oasis "Don't Look Back in Anger"February 1996April 1996
Take That "How Deep Is Your Love"February 1996March 1996
Mark Morrison "Return of the Mack"March 1996May 1996
Gina G "Ooh Aah... Just a Little Bit"March 1996May 1996
Peter Andre "Mysterious Girl"May 1996August 1996
Baddiel, Skinner & The Lightning Seeds "Three Lions"June 1996July 1996
Louise "Naked"June 1996December 1996
Spice Girls "Wannabe"July 1996August 1996
Spice Girls "Say You'll Be There"October 1996October 1996
Toni Braxton "Un-Break My Heart"October 1996January 1997
Robson & Jerome "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted"October 1996January 1997
The Prodigy "Breathe"November 1996January 1997
Dunblane"Knockin' on Heaven's Door"December 1996December 1996
Spice Girls "2 Become 1"December 1996December 1996
Spice Girls "Mama / Who Do You Think You Are"March 1997March 1997
R. Kelly "I Believe I Can Fly"March 1997June 1997
Hanson "MMMBop"May 1997June 1997
Oasis "D'You Know What I Mean?"July 1997July 1997
Will Smith "Men in Black"August 1997August 1997
Chumbawamba "Tubthumping"August 1997October 1997
Spice Girls "Spice Up Your Life"October 1997October 1997
Natalie Imbruglia "Torn"October 1997December 1997
All Saints "Never Ever"November 1997December 1997
Janet Jackson "Together Again"December 1997January 1998
Spice Girls "Too Much"December 1997January 1998
Savage Garden "Truly Madly Deeply"February 1998May 1998
Leann Rimes "How Do I Live?"March 1998July 1998
Run–D.M.C. vs. Jason Nevins "It's Like That"March 1998March 1998
Baddiel, Skinner & The Lightning Seeds "3 Lions '98"June 1998July 1998
B*Witched "C'est la Vie"June 1998July 1998
Spice Girls "Viva Forever"July 1998August 1998
Pras Michel featuring ODB & Mýa "Ghetto Supastar (That Is What You Are)"August 1998August 1998
Boyzone "No Matter What"August 1998August 1998
Stardust "Music Sounds Better with You"August 1998November 1998
Steps "Heartbeat / Tragedy"November 1998January 1999
Bryan Adams featuring Melanie C "When You're Gone"November 1998February 1999
Spice Girls "Goodbye"December 1998December 1998
Chef "Chocolate Salty Balls"December 1998February 1999
Boyzone "When the Going Gets Tough"March 1999March 1999
Mr. Oizo "Flat Beat"March 1999April 1999
TLC "No Scrubs"March 1999July 1999
Martine McCutcheon "Perfect Moment"April 1999May 1999
Shania Twain "That Don't Impress Me Much"May 1999July 1999
Shanks & Bigfoot "Sweet Like Chocolate"May 1999June 1999
S Club 7 "Bring It All Back"June 1999July 1999
ATB "9 PM (Till I Come)"June 1999July 1999
Ricky Martin "Livin' la Vida Loca"July 1999August 1999
Lou Bega "Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit of...)"August 1999September 1999
Eiffel 65 "Blue (Da Ba Dee)"September 1999October 1999
Cliff Richard "Millennium Prayer"November 1999December 1999
Westlife "I Have a Dream" / "Seasons in the Sun"December 1999December 1999

Certified 2× Platinum since 2000

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References

  1. "Certified Awards – A Timeline" (PDF). BPI. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  2. "British single certifications – Spice Girls". British Phonographic Industry.Select singles in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Spice Girls in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.