10 Nineties Songs That Sold Over 1 Million Copies
1. Elton John - Candle In The Wind
The entire world froze on the 31st of August 1997. The tragic news of Princess Diana's accident broke the hearts of millions of people. As tributes poured out from the public, Elton John took it upon himself to dedicate a song to the late princess.
Originally written in 1973 to commemorate the passing of Marilyn Monroe, the singer rewrote the soulful ballad in Diana's honour. Teaming up with original songwriter Bernie Taupin, the two brought in Sir George Michael to help bring new life to the old track.
The new version went on to become the second highest selling single, behind Nat King Cole's 'White Christmas'. As of 2017 the track had sold 33 million units worldwide, nearly 5 million just from the UK market. It broke countless records and was the first ever track to be certified Diamond in the US. Elton stayed at number one in the UK for only five weeks, but the American market embraced the song even more, keeping it number one on the Billboard Charts for an incredible fourteen weeks.
Profits from the release were donated directly to Diana's memorial fund, raising £38 million. The fund has been used to help humanitarian efforts at home and abroad until it's closure in 2012.