List of best-selling singles
Best-selling physical singles -- 7–7.9 million copies
Table:
Artist
Single
Released
Sales
(in millions)
Source

Nelly and Kelly Rowland
"Dilemma"
2002
7.6
[56][57]

Christina Aguilera
"Genie in a Bottle"
1999
7
[58]

The Beatles
"Can't Buy Me Love"
1964
7
[5]

The Black Crowes
"Hard to Handle"
1990
7
[59]

Chic
"Le Freak"
1978
7
[60]

Danyel Gérard
"Butterfly"
1971
7
[5][61]

Las Ketchup
"The Ketchup Song (Aserejé)"
2002
7
[62]

Scott McKenzie
"San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)"
1967
7
[63]

Alanis Morissette
"Uninvited"
1998
7
[64]

Queen
"Another One Bites the Dust"
1980
7
[65]

Julie Rogers
"The Wedding"
1964
7
[5][66]

Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
"Amazing Grace"
1972
7
[5][67]

Roy Orbison
"Oh, Pretty Woman"
1964
7
[68]

Spice Girls
"Wannabe"
1996
7
[69]

Ricky Valance
"Tell Laura I Love Her"
1960
7
[70]

Taking into account the accompanying table as well as the article excerpts provided at the end.

Respond to the question below: What is the topic of the single released in 2002 with 7.6 million sales ? Respond with the correct answer (omit explanations) in JSON format as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}.

Cornell Iral Haynes Jr. ( born November 2 , 1974 ) , known professionally as Nelly , is an American rapper , singer , songwriter , entrepreneur , investor , and occasional actor from St. Louis , Missouri . Nelly embarked on his music career with Midwest hip hop group St. Lunatics in 1993 and signed to Universal Records in 1999 . Under Universal , Nelly began his solo career in the year 2000 , with his debut album Country Grammar , of which the featured title-track and the single Ride wit Me were top ten hits . The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200 and went on to peak at number one . Country Grammar is Nelly 's best-selling album to date , selling over 8.4 million copies in the United States . His following album , Nellyville , produced the number-one hits Hot in Herre and Dilemma ( featuring Kelly Rowland ) . Other singles included Work It ( featuring Justin Timberlake ) , Air Force Ones ( featuring Murphy Lee and St. Lunatics ) , Pimp Juice and # 1 . With the same-day dual release of Sweat , Suit ( 2004 ) and the compilation Sweatsuit ( 2006 ) , Nelly continued to generate many chart-topping hits . Sweat debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200 chart , selling 342,000 copies in its first week . In the same week of release , Suit debuted at number one , selling around 396,000 copies in its first week on the same chart . Nelly 's fifth studio album , Brass Knuckles , was released on September 16 , 2008 , after several delays . It produced the singles Party People ( featuring Fergie ) , Stepped on My J ' z ( featuring Jermaine Dupri and Ciara ) and Body on Me ( featuring Akon and Ashanti ) .
Kelendria Trene Kelly Rowland ( born February 11 , 1981 ) is an American singer , songwriter , dancer , actress , and television presenter . She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny 's Child , one of the world 's best-selling girl groups of all time . During the group 's two-year hiatus , Rowland released her first solo album , Simply Deep ( 2002 ) , which debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart and sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide . It included the number-one single Dilemma with Nelly , as well as the UK top-five hits Stole and Ca n't Nobody . Rowland also ventured into acting with starring roles in the successful films Freddy vs. Jason ( 2003 ) and The Seat Filler ( 2005 ) . Following the disbandment of Destiny 's Child in 2006 , Rowland released her second album , Ms. Kelly ( 2007 ) , which produced the international top-ten hits Like This and Work . In 2009 , she hosted the first season of The Fashion Show and was featured on David Guetta 's When Love Takes Over , which hit number one in many countries . Its success influenced Rowland to explore dance music on her third album Here I Am ( 2011 ) , which spawned the UK top-ten singles Commander and Down for Whatever . She became a judge on the eighth season of The X Factor UK in 2011 as well as the third season of The X Factor USA in 2013 . Rowland 's fourth album , Talk a Good Game ( 2013 ) , became her third top-ten album on the US Billboard 200 chart . She married her manager , Tim Weatherspoon , and gave birth to their son in 2014 . Since then , Rowland has continued her television career by hosting Chasing Destiny in 2016 and starring as a coach on The Voice Australia since 2017 .
Dilemma is a song by American rapper Nelly , featuring American singer Kelly Rowland . It was released on June 25 , 2002 as the third single from Nelly 's second studio album Nellyville ( 2002 ) , and the lead single from Rowland 's debut solo studio album Simply Deep ( 2002 ) , becoming one of the best selling singles of all time . The song depicts the declaration of forbidden love by a female lover in a committed relationship , and the predicament the male protagonist must face . During the 55th Anniversary of the US Billboard Hot 100 issue of Billboard magazine , the song was ranked at number seventy-five on the all-time Hot 100 songs while at the end of 2009 was named the eleventh most successful song from 2000 to 2009 , on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs of the Decade . The song won a Grammy Award for Best Rap/Sung Performance at the 45th Annual Grammy Awards on 23 February 2003 . Dilemma was accredited internationally with sixteen certifications .
Christina María Aguilera ( /ˌæɡɪˈlɛərə/ , Spanish : [ aɣiˈleɾa ] ; born December 18 , 1980 ) is an American singer , songwriter , actress and television personality . Her accolades include five Grammy Awards , one Latin Grammy Award , and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . Aguilera ranked at number 58 on Rolling Stone 's list of 100 Greatest Singers of All Time in 2008 , and was included on Time 's annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2013 . With estimated sales of 75 million records , she is one of the world 's best-selling music artists . Born in Staten Island of New York City and raised in Pennsylvania , Aguilera appeared on television shows in her early years , before gaining a recording contract with RCA Records in 1998 . Her self-titled debut album , released in 1999 , reached number one in the US and spawned three US number-one singles : Genie in a Bottle , What a Girl Wants , and Come On Over Baby ( All I Want Is You ) . While recognized as a prominent figure in the contemporary teen pop scene , Aguilera sought to assume artistic control with Stripped ( 2002 ) and its lead single Dirrty , which displayed her sexually emancipated persona and generated considerable controversy . The second single from the album , Beautiful , received favorable response for its empowering lyrics and became an anthem for the LGBT community . Aguilera scored her second US number-one album with Back to Basics ( 2006 ) , which drew inspiration from early 20th-century jazz , soul , and blues , and spawned the top-ten singles Ai n't No Other Man , Hurt , and Candyman . Her next three albums , Bionic ( 2010 ) , Lotus ( 2012 ) , and Liberation ( 2018 ) , all experimented with various musical styles and reached the top ten in the US . Besides solo materials , Aguilera earned chart-topping entries with collaborations including Lady Marmalade , Moves like Jagger , Feel This Moment , and Say Something . Alongside her music career , Aguilera starred in the film Burlesque ( 2010 ) and was a coach on six seasons of the singing competition television series The Voice from 2011 to 2016 .
Genie in a Bottle is a song recorded by American singer Christina Aguilera from her self-titled debut album released in 1999 . It was written by Pam Sheyne , Steve Kipner and David Frank , and produced by Kipner and Frank . The song was released on June 22 , 1999 , by RCA Records as the album 's lead single . It is a teen pop and dance-pop song which incorporates elements from R & B . Lyrically , Genie in a Bottle uses sexual references to talk about the theme of self-respect . Genie in a Bottle received generally favorable reviews from contemporary music critics , most of whom praised the song 's lyrics and Aguilera 's vocals on the track . The single achieved commercial success , peaking atop the record charts of 21 countries . In the United States , the song peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) , having sold more than 1.4 million copies in the country . A music video for Genie in a Bottle was directed by Diane Martel and shot in Malibu , California . The video was well received by media outlets and gained a lot of play on music channels including VH1 , BET and was featured heavily on the MTV program Total Request Live . Genie in a Bottle has been widely recognized as one of Aguilera 's signature songs , and was credited with establishing her name in the music industry . Aguilera recorded two remakes of Genie in a Bottle and included them on her albums : a Spanish version entitled Genio Atrapado was included on Mi Reflejo ( 2000 ) , and an electropop-oriented version entitled Genie 2.0 was included on Keeps Gettin ' Better : A Decade of Hits ( 2008 ) .
Ca n't Buy Me Love is a song composed by Paul McCartney ( credited to Lennon-McCartney ) and released by the English rock band the Beatles on the A-side of their sixth British single , with You Ca n't Do That as the B-side , in March 1964 . The song was then released on the group 's third UK album A Hard Day 's Night . In September 2015 , the Beatles donated the use of their recording of the song to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals for a television commercial .
The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in 1984 . Their discography includes eight studio albums , four live albums and several charting singles . The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer George Drakoulias and released their debut album , Shake Your Money Maker , the following year . The follow-up , The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion , reached the top of the Billboard 200 in 1992 . After a hiatus between 2002 and 2005 , the band regrouped and toured for several years before releasing Warpaint in 2008 , which hit number 5 on the Billboard chart . After the release of a greatest hits/acoustic double album Croweology in August 2010 , the band started a 20th anniversary tour that was followed by a second hiatus . After touring in 2013 , the band announced another break-up in 2015 . The band reformed in late 2019 to announce a 2020 tour in support of the 30th anniversary of Shake Your Money Maker with no original members except Chris and Rich Robinson . The band sold more than 30 million albums , and is listed at number 92 on VH1 's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock . They were labeled by Melody Maker as The Most Rock ' n ' Roll Rock ' n ' Roll Band in the World and the readers of Rolling Stone voted them 'Best New American Band ' in 1990 .
Hard to Handle is a 1968 song written by American soul star Otis Redding along with Al Bell and Allen Jones . Originally recorded by Redding , it was released in 1968 as the B-side to Amen ( shortly after the singer 's sudden death in 1967 ) . The song also appears on the 1968 album The Immortal Otis Redding . Redding 's version reached # 38 on the Billboard R & B charts and # 51 on the pop charts . Numerous covers of the song exist , most notably a 1990 blues rock take on the track by band The Black Crowes .
Chic ( /ʃiːk/ SHEEK , French : [ ʃik ] ) , currently called Nile Rodgers & Chic , is an American band that was organized in 1972 by guitarist Nile Rodgers and bassist Bernard Edwards . It recorded many commercially successful disco songs , including Dance , Dance , Dance ( Yowsah , Yowsah , Yowsah ) ( 1977 ) , Everybody Dance ( 1977 ) , Le Freak ( 1978 ) , I Want Your Love ( 1978 ) , Good Times ( 1979 ) , and My Forbidden Lover ( 1979 ) . The group regarded themselves as a rock band for the disco movement that made good on hippie peace , love and freedom . In 2017 , Chic was nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the eleventh time .
Le Freak is a song by American R & B band Chic . It was the band 's third single and first Billboard Hot 100 and R & B number-one song . Along with the tracks I Want Your Love and Chic Cheer , Le Freak scored number one on the disco charts for seven weeks . The single achieved sales of 7 million and also scored number seven in the UK Singles Chart . Billboard magazine ranked it as the number 3 song for 1979 . The song was ranked number 21 on Billboard magazine 's top 100 songs of the first 55 years of the Hot 100 chart . In 2018 , it was selected for preservation in the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress as being culturally , historically , or artistically significant .
Danyel Gérard ( born Gérard Daniel Kherlakian , 7 March 1939 ) is a French pop singer and composer .
Butterfly is a pop song , written and recorded by the French singer-songwriter , Danyel Gérard ( born Gerard Daniel Khertakian , 7 March 1939 , Paris ) in the late 1960s . It was initially a hit in the French language . In the early 1970s English language words were written , and Gerard recorded it again in the United States . In 1971 he also did German , Spanish and Italian versions . Butterfly was a very popular song internationally , selling over seven million copies . Many other musicians recorded it , both in instrumental and vocal versions . In the U.S. , that list included Eydie Gormé , Goldie Hawn and Eddy Arnold . The single was Number 1 in Germany for fifteen weeks in summer 1971 . It also reached # 2 in South Africa . It reached Number 11 ( and spent 12 weeks ) in the UK Singles Chart in October 1971 . Lack of further chart activity in the UK saw both singer and song branded as a one-hit wonder . It also appeared in the first compilation album put together specifically for telemarketing in the UK , K-Tel 's 20 Dynamic Hits .
Las Ketchup is a Spanish girl group , founded by flamenco record producer Manuel Queco Ruiz . The group is best known for the 2002 hit single , The Ketchup Song ( Aserejé ) , a single that sold over 7 million copies worldwide . The group 's debut studio album , Hijas del Tomate , has sold over 2 million copies worldwide , but the second did not achieve the same success . The group has not released any singles since 2006 , but still performs together publicly around Spain and other countries . In 2016 , the group performed their hit The Ketchup Song ( Aserejé ) as an interval during the first semi final of the Swedish pre-selection to the Eurovision Song Contest , Melodifestivalen .
The Ketchup Song ( Aserejé ) is the debut single by Spanish pop group Las Ketchup , taken from their debut studio album Hijas del Tomate ( 2002 ) . It was released on 10 June 2002 , and became an international hit later that year . In addition to the original Spanish version , the song exists in forms with Spanglish and Portuguese verses , although the nonsensical chorus is identical in all three versions . This song reached number-one in the United Kingdom , as well as 26 other countries worldwide . As of 2006 , the song has sold over 7 million copies worldwide , making it one of the best-selling singles of all time . The song tells the story of a pimp-like gypsy ( afrogitano ) with mystical qualities . Just after its release , the song became controversial because of conspiracy theories that it had cryptic references to Satanism , the devil and Hell . The song 's dance routine was a novelty in the early 2000s . Furthermore , the song and its dance moves were featured in the 2012 game Just Dance 4 .
Scott McKenzie ( born Philip Wallach Blondheim III ; January 10 , 1939 - August 18 , 2012 ) was an American singer and songwriter . He was best known for his 1967 hit single and generational anthem , San Francisco ( Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair ) .
San Francisco ( Be Sure to Wear [ Some ] Flowers in Your Hair ) is a psychedelic pop song , written by John Phillips , and sung by Scott McKenzie . The song was produced and released in May 1967 by Phillips and Lou Adler , who used it to promote their Monterey International Pop Music Festival held in June of that year . John Phillips played guitar on the recording and session musician Gary L. Coleman played orchestra bells and chimes . The bass guitar of the song was supplied by session musician Joe Osborn . Hal Blaine played drums . The song became one of the best-selling singles of the 1960s in the world , reaching the fourth position on the US charts and the number one spot on the UK charts . In Ireland , the song was number one for one week , in New Zealand the song spent five weeks at number one , and in Germany it was six weeks at number one . McKenzie 's version of the song has been called the unofficial anthem of the counterculture movement of the 1960s , including the Hippie , Anti-Vietnam War and Flower power movements .
Alanis Nadine Morissette ( born June 1 , 1974 ) is a Canadian-American singer , songwriter , record producer , and actress . Known for her emotive mezzo-soprano voice , Morissette began her career in Canada in the early 1990s with two mildly successful dance-pop albums . Afterwards , as part of a recording deal , she moved to Holmby Hills , Los Angeles and in 1995 released Jagged Little Pill , a more rock-oriented album which sold more than 33 million copies globally and is her most critically acclaimed work . Her follow-up album , Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie , was released in 1998 . Morissette assumed creative control and producing duties for her subsequent studio albums , including Under Rug Swept ( 2002 ) , So-Called Chaos ( 2004 ) , and Flavors of Entanglement ( 2008 ) . Her eighth studio album and most recent to date , Havoc and Bright Lights , was released in 2012 . Morissette has sold more than 75 million records worldwide and has been dubbed the Queen of Alt-Rock Angst by Rolling Stone .
Uninvited is a song by Canadian-American recording artist and songwriter Alanis Morissette , released as a single from the soundtrack of City of Angels in February 1998 , becoming Morissette 's first new recording since her international debut album , Jagged Little Pill ( 1995 ) . After the release of the album , Morissette was considered one of the biggest music stars , and many fans anxiously awaited a follow-up . Morissette wrote the song , whilst the production was handled by Morissette herself and Rob Cavallo . Uninvited is driven by four piano notes and builds to an instrumental climax , and haunting atmosphere accompanied by cryptic lyrics .
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1970 . Their classic line-up was Freddie Mercury ( lead vocals , piano ) , Brian May ( guitar , vocals ) , Roger Taylor ( drums , vocals ) and John Deacon ( bass ) . Their earliest works were influenced by progressive rock , hard rock and heavy metal , but the band gradually ventured into more conventional and radio-friendly works by incorporating further styles , such as arena rock and pop rock . Before forming Queen , May and Taylor had played together in the band Smile . Mercury was a fan of Smile and encouraged them to experiment with more elaborate stage and recording techniques . He joined in 1970 and suggested the name Queen . Deacon was recruited in March 1971 , before the band released their eponymous debut album in 1973 . Queen first charted in the UK with their second album , Queen II , in 1974 . Sheer Heart Attack later that year and A Night at the Opera in 1975 brought them international success . The latter featured Bohemian Rhapsody , which stayed at number one in the UK for nine weeks and helped popularise the music video format . The band 's 1977 album News of the World contained We Will Rock You and We Are the Champions , which have become anthems at sporting events . By the early 1980s , Queen were one of the biggest stadium rock bands in the world .
Another One Bites the Dust is a song by the British rock band Queen . Written by bass guitarist John Deacon , the song featured on the group 's eighth studio album The Game ( 1980 ) . The song was a worldwide hit , charting number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks , from 4 October to 18 October ( their second number-one single in the country ) . The song spent 15 weeks in the Billboard top 10 ( the longest running top ten song of 1980 ) , including 13 weeks in the top five , and 31 weeks total on the chart ( more than any other song in 1980 ) . It reached number two on the Hot Soul Singles chart and the Disco Top 100 chart , and number seven on the UK Singles Chart . The song is credited as Queen 's best-selling single , with sales of over 7 million copies . This version was ranked at number 34 on Billboard 's All-Time Top Songs . The song won an American Music Award for Favorite Rock Single and also garnered a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal . Another One Bites the Dust has been covered , remixed and sampled by many artists since its release , and has also appeared in TV shows , commercials , films and other media . The song is also commonly used at sports events , aimed at the defeated opponent .
Julie Rogers ( born Julie Rolls , 6 April 1943 , Bermondsey , London , England ) is an English pop singer . She is best known for her multi-million selling song , The Wedding .
The Wedding , sometimes credited as The Wedding ( La Novia ) , is a popular song by Joaquin Prieto from 1964 recorded by British singer Julie Rogers . The song was included on Rogers ' extended play from 1964 , which was also titled The Wedding , and has appeared on various compilation albums in the years since its release .
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards ( Carabiniers and Greys ) ( SCOTS DG ) is a cavalry regiment of the British Army , and the senior Scottish regiment . The regiment , through the Royal Scots Greys , is the oldest surviving Cavalry Regiment of the Line in the British Army . The regiment is currently based at Leuchars Station , as part of the Scottish 51st Infantry Brigade .
Amazing Grace is a Christian hymn published in 1779 , with words written in 1772 by the English poet and Anglican clergyman John Newton ( 1725-1807 ) . Newton wrote the words from personal experience . He grew up without any particular religious conviction , but his life 's path was formed by a variety of twists and coincidences that were often put into motion by others ' reactions to what they took as his recalcitrant insubordination . He was pressed ( conscripted ) into service in the Royal Navy . After leaving the service , he became involved in the Atlantic slave trade . In 1748 , a violent storm battered his vessel off the coast of County Donegal , Ireland , so severely that he called out to God for mercy . This moment marked his spiritual conversion but he continued slave trading until 1754 or 1755 , when he ended his seafaring altogether . He began studying Christian theology . Ordained in the Church of England in 1764 , Newton became curate of Olney , Buckinghamshire , where he began to write hymns with poet William Cowper . Amazing Grace was written to illustrate a sermon on New Year 's Day of 1773 . It is unknown whether there was any music accompanying the verses ; it may have been chanted by the congregation . It debuted in print in 1779 in Newton and Cowper 's Olney Hymns but settled into relative obscurity in England .
Roy Kelton Orbison ( April 23 , 1936 - December 6 , 1988 ) was an American singer , songwriter , and musician known for his impassioned singing style , complex song structures , and dark , emotional ballads . Many critics described his music as operatic , nicknaming him the Caruso of Rock and the Big O . While most male rock-and-roll performers in the 1950s and 1960s projected a defiant masculinity , many of Orbison 's songs conveyed vulnerability . He performed standing still , wearing black clothes to match his dyed black hair and dark sunglasses . Orbison began singing in a rockabilly and country-and-western band in high school . He was signed by Sam Phillips , of Sun Records , in 1956 , but his greatest success came with Monument Records . From 1960 to 1966 , 22 of his singles reached the Billboard Top 40 , and he wrote or co-wrote almost all that rose to the Top 10 , including Only the Lonely ( 1960 ) , Running Scared ( 1961 ) , Crying ( 1961 ) , In Dreams ( 1963 ) , and Oh , Pretty Woman ( 1964 ) . Soon afterward , he was struck by a number of personal tragedies while his record sales declined . In the 1980s , Orbison experienced a resurgence in popularity following the success of several cover versions of his songs . In 1988 , he co-founded the Traveling Wilburys , a rock supergroup , with George Harrison , Bob Dylan , Tom Petty , and Jeff Lynne . Orbison died of a heart attack in December 1988 at the age of 52 . One month later , Orbison 's song You Got It ( 1989 ) , co-written with Lynne and Petty , was released as a solo single and became his first hit to reach the U.S. Top 10 in nearly 25 years .
Oh , Pretty Woman or Pretty Woman is a song recorded by Roy Orbison , written by Orbison and Bill Dees . It was released as a single in August 1964 on Monument Records and spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 from September 26 , 1964 , the second single by Orbison to top the US charts . It was also Orbison 's third single to top the UK Singles Chart ( for a total of three weeks ) . The record ultimately sold seven million copies and marked the high point in Orbison 's career . Within months of its release , in October 1964 , the single was certified gold by the RIAA . At the year 's end , Billboard ranked it the number four song of 1964 . Oh , Pretty Woman was eventually the basis for the 1990 film Pretty Woman starring Julia Roberts and the 2018 Broadway musical Pretty Woman : The Musical .
The Spice Girls are an English pop girl group formed in 1994 . The group comprises Melanie Brown , also known as Mel B ( Scary Spice ) , Melanie Chisholm , also known as Mel C ( Sporty Spice ) , Emma Bunton ( Baby Spice ) , Geri Halliwell ( Ginger Spice ) , and Victoria Beckham ( Posh Spice ) . They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single Wannabe in 1996 ; it hit number one in 37 countries and commenced their global success . Their debut album Spice sold more than 31 million copies worldwide , becoming the best-selling album by a female group in history . Their follow-up album , Spiceworld sold over 20 million copies worldwide . The Spice Girls have sold 85 million records worldwide , making them the best-selling girl group of all time , one of the best-selling pop groups of all time , and the biggest British pop success since The Beatles . Among the highest profile acts in 1990s popular culture , Time called them arguably the most recognizable face of Cool Britannia , the mid-1990s celebration of youth culture in the UK . Measures of their success include international record sales , a 2007-2008 reunion tour , a 2019 reunion tour , vast merchandising enterprises , iconic symbolism such as Halliwell 's Union Jack dress representing girl power , and a film , Spice World . The group became one of the most successful marketing engines ever , earning up to $ 75 million per year , with their global gross income estimated at $ 500-800 million by May 1998 . Under the guidance of their mentor and manager Simon Fuller , the Spice Girls embraced merchandising and became a regular feature of the British and global press . In 1996 , Top of the Pops magazine gave each member of the group aliases , which were adopted by the group and media . According to Rolling Stone journalist and biographer David Sinclair , Scary , Baby , Ginger , Posh , and Sporty were the most widely recognised group of individuals since John , Paul , George , and Ringo .
Wannabe is the debut single by English girl group the Spice Girls . Written and composed by the group members in collaboration with Matt Rowe and Richard Biff Stannard during the group 's first professional songwriting session , it was produced by Rowe and Stannard for the group 's debut album , Spice , released in November 1996 . The song was written , composed , and recorded very quickly ; but the result was considered lacklustre by their label , and was sent to be mixed by Dave Way . The group was not pleased with the result , and the recording was mixed again , this time by Mark Spike Stent . Wannabe is an uptempo dance-pop song which features Mel B and Geri Halliwell rapping . The lyrics , which address the value of female friendship over the heterosexual bond , became an iconic symbol of female empowerment and the most emblematic song of the group 's Girl Power philosophy . Despite receiving mixed reviews from music critics , the song won for Best British-Written Single at the 1997 Ivor Novello Awards and for British Single of the Year at the 1997 Brit Awards . Wannabe was heavily promoted by the group . Its music video , directed by Johan Camitz , became a big success on the British cable network The Box , which sparked press interest in the group . Subsequently , the song had intensive radio airplay across the United Kingdom , while the group performed it on television programmes and started doing interviews and photo shoots for teen magazines . Responding to the wave of public interest in the group , Virgin released the song as the group 's debut single in June 1996 , well ahead of the planned release date of the Spice album . Wannabe topped the UK Singles Chart for seven weeks and has received a double Platinum certification by the British Phonographic Industry ( BPI ) .
Ricky Valance ( born 10 April 1939 ) is a Welsh singer . He is best known for the number one single Tell Laura I Love Her , which sold over a million copies in 1960 .
Tell Laura I Love Her , a teenage tragedy song written by Jeff Barry and Ben Raleigh , was an American Top Ten popular music hit for singer Ray Peterson in 1960 on RCA Victor Records , reaching # 7 on the U.S . Billboard Hot 100 chart . Later that same year , the song was recorded and released by Ricky Valance in the United Kingdom , where it went all the way to the # 1 spot in the UK Singles Chart . Tell Laura I Love Her has been a hit in 14 countries , and has sold over seven million copies . Tell Laura I Love Her is the tragic story of a teenage boy named Tommy who is desperately in love with a girl named Laura . Although they are only teenagers , he wants to marry her , so he enters a stock car race , hoping to win , and use the prize money to buy Laura a wedding ring . The second verse tells how the boy 's car overturned and burst into flames - though no-one knows how it happened . Tommy is fatally injured and his last words are Tell Laura I love her . My love for her will never die . In the final verse , Laura prays inside the chapel , where she can still hear Tommy 's voice intoning the title one more time , before it fades out .