Saturday, July 28, 2012

Cher's Best-Selling Solo Singles of All-Time!

Superstar Cher has sold tens of millions of singles during the last half-a-dozen decades. We take a look at the ten singles of Cher's back-catalogue that sold the most numbers.

1. 'Believe'
Released in 1998, sold 7,886,272 copies

Clearly, Cher's number one selling single of all-time is this 1998 dance hit. It topped the charts in most of the the world's top music markets – US, UK, Germany, France – paving the way for its identically-titled parent album to become a huge-seller. Of course, the song with its famous electronically-enhanced vocals has became a staple part of Cher's live shows, being the encore to each concert she has performed since the song's worldwide success.

2. 'Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves'
Released in 1971, sold 2,961,078 copies

The second of Cher's best-selling hits of all-time is this 1971 classic - which was her first solo number one hit in America. Lifted as the first single from Cher's self-titled album from that year, the song spent two weeks atop the American singles chart, a total of nine weeks in the top ten and went top five in at least half-a-dozen other countries, including the UK.

3. 'Half Breed'
Released in 1973, sold 2,132,501 copies

Cher's second American chart-topper, which also spent two weeks at number 1, spent a total of twenty weeks on the charts, beating her first. The song was the first - and only - US single released from her 1973 hit album "Half-Breed".

4. 'If I Could Turn Back Time'
Released in 1989, sold 1,988,655 copies

This sing-along rock anthem is one of Cher's signature tunes. Taken from her massive-selling 'Heart of Stone' album, this song has for it perhaps Cher's most famous music video ever. Looking a million dollars, the then-43-year-old Cher parades in front of a large group of sailors on a battleship - yes, a battleship! The much-applauded video, which almost-always lands a place on sexiest music video lists, was partially banned by MTV due to her skimpy outfit in it!

5. 'The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)'
Released in 1990, sold 1,698,991 copies

Whilst this song is celebrated as a classic movie track in territories such as the UK – where it spent five weeks atop the singles chart – for its inclusion on the soundtrack of the film 'Mermaids', the single failed to climb any higher than a moderate number 33 in America, matching the film's moderate success there. Thankfully, other countries in Europe and Australia joined the UK public in making this song a big hit.

6. 'Dark Lady'
Released in 1974, sold 1,674,394 copies

Recorded whilst "Half Breed" was climbing up the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, Cher hit the number 1 spot on that very chart for the third time in less than two-and-a-half years with this single, which was the title track to her 1974 album.

7. 'Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)'
Released in 1966, sold 1,474,030 copies

Although Cher had a recording career on her own alongside her work as part of Sonny & Cher, it's common knowledge that Sonny still called most of the shots for her solo efforts. Of course, he wrote this number for it to be featured on her second solo hit album "The Sonny Side of Chér". The track climbed all the way to number 2 on the American singles chart, being kept off the top spot by old pals The Righteous Brothers, whom Cher had once recorded backing vocals for. The song also reached number 3 in the UK whilst holding onto top 20 positions in Australia, Germany and Italy amongst many others.

8. 'Strong Enough'
Released in 1999, sold 1,098,281 copies

It would have taken a near-miracle for the follow-up to the smash-hit 'Believe' to match the success of its predecessor, though at the same time its follow-up was destined to be a hit. 'Strong Enough', a disco-influenced pop anthem kind of in the same vein as Gloria Gaynor's 'I Will Survive', was released as the second single from the album 'Believe' and became yet another million-seller for Cher when it was released ion 1999.

9. 'Take Me Home'
Released in 1979, sold 1,076,054 copies

Yet another disco track was this track - released in early 1979. It marched up the charts with several other notable hits of the genre, to give Cher her fourth Gold-certified American hit of the decade. It spent eighteen weeks on the chart, including two weeks at its peak position of number 8. The track served as the title track and debut single of her first album released that year.

10. 'I Found Someone'
Released in 1987, sold 993,043 copies

After a whopping five-year absence from recording music to concentrate on a hugely successful film career, Cher returned to the music charts with this Laura Branigan-cover in 1987, taken from her self-titled album from that same year. It was a hugely successful year for her; her three(!) films released in 1987 received critical-acclaim and this track gave her a US top 10 and UK top 5 smash hit to top it all off with. Directed by Cher, this song's big-budgeted music video features Cher in her trademark black-leotard-with-holes (what else can you call it?) outfit.

Any surprises?

1 comment:

  1. Cher can do no wrong in my eyes. She will always be in the art's forever. Her music has sold at #1 she can sing, dance, act, direct, and be creative in all she does. Her #1 fan in NJ. Love Rita.

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