Pop music is the soundtrack to everyday life, from the car radio to the most-streamed songs on the planet. It has made some of the richest entertainers in history and broken records that once seemed impossible. Here are 15 fun facts about the pop music industry.
1“Pop” is short for “popular”.
The term “pop music” took off in the 1950s, when rock and roll exploded among teenagers. Today it usually means catchy, mainstream songs with a strong chorus, but originally it simply meant whatever music was popular.
2The music industry began with Thomas Edison.
Edison invented the phonograph in 1877, the first machine that could record and play back sound. In 1887 Emile Berliner invented the gramophone, which played flat discs that were much easier to mass-produce, and the record industry was born.
3The UK’s first singles chart was printed in 1952.
The New Musical Express published Britain’s first singles chart on 14 November 1952. The first number one was “Here in My Heart” by Al Martino.
4Thriller is the best-selling album of all time.
Michael Jackson’s Thriller, released in 1982, is estimated to have sold more than 70 million copies worldwide, more than any other album. Seven of its nine songs became US top ten hits.
5The Beatles are the best-selling act in history.
The Beatles have sold hundreds of millions of records and still hold the record for the most number one albums in the UK.
6The Jackson 5 had four number ones in a row.
The Jackson 5’s first four singles on Motown, starting with “I Want You Back” in 1969, all went to number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, the first time any act had done this.
7Britain’s best-selling single was a tribute to Princess Diana.
Elton John’s “Something About the Way You Look Tonight / Candle in the Wind 1997”, released after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, sold almost 5 million copies in the UK and around 33 million worldwide.
8Britain’s best-selling album is by Queen.
Queen’s Greatest Hits, first released in 1981, is the best-selling album in UK chart history, with more than 7 million copies sold.
9Paul McCartney was the UK’s first billionaire musician.
In 2024 the Sunday Times Rich List named Sir Paul McCartney as Britain’s first musician worth more than £1 billion.
10Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour is the highest-grossing tour ever.
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, which ran from 2023 to the end of 2024, earned more than $2 billion in ticket sales, the most of any concert tour in history.
11One songwriter is behind dozens of number ones.
The Swedish songwriter and producer Max Martin has written or co-written more US number one hits than anyone except Paul McCartney and John Lennon, for stars including Britney Spears, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift.
12New music now comes out on Fridays.
In July 2015, the music industry moved to a single worldwide release day, Friday. Before that, new songs came out on Mondays in the UK and Tuesdays in the US.
13“Blinding Lights” became Spotify’s most-streamed song.
The Weeknd’s 2019 hit was the first song to pass 4 billion streams on Spotify, and has stayed at the top of the service’s all-time chart.
14K-pop conquered the American charts.
In 2020, BTS became the first South Korean act to reach number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, with “Dynamite”.
15“Last Christmas” took 36 years to reach number one.
Wham!’s “Last Christmas”, first released in 1984, finally reached number one in the UK in January 2021, the longest wait for a number one in chart history.
FAQs about the pop music industry
What is the best-selling album of all time?
Michael Jackson’s Thriller (1982), with estimated worldwide sales of more than 70 million copies.
Who is the best-selling music artist of all time?
The Beatles are generally recognised as the best-selling music act in history.
What is the UK’s best-selling single?
Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind 1997”, which sold almost 5 million copies in the UK.
Sources and further reading
Explore more: facts about the Beatles.
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