Believe (Cher song)

1998 single by Cher

"Life After Love" redirects here. For other uses, see Life After Love (disambiguation).

"Believe"

Single by Cher
from the album  Believe
Released| October 19, 1998 (1998-10-19)
Recorded| 1998
Studio| Dreamhouse (West London)
Genre|

* Eurodance
* dance-pop
* electropop
* Europop
* dance
* disco

Length| 3:59
Label| Warner Bros.
Songwriter(s)|

* Brian Higgins
* Stuart McLennen
* Paul Barry
* Steven Torch
* Matthew Gray
* Timothy Powell
* Cher (uncredited)

Producer(s)|

* Mark Taylor
* Brian Rawling

Cher singles chronology
| "Paradise Is Here"
(1996)  | "Believe"
(1998)  | "Strong Enough"
(1999)

|
|

Music video
"Believe" on YouTube

"Believe" is a song by the American singer Cher from her 22nd studio album, Believe (1998). It was released as the lead single on October 19, 1998, by Warner Bros. Records. After circulating for months, a demo written by Brian Higgins, Matthew Gray, Stuart McLennen and Timothy Powell, was submitted to Warner's chairman, Rob Dickins, while he was scouting for songs to include on Cher's new album. Aside from the chorus, Dickins was not impressed by the track so he enlisted two more writers, Steve Torch and Paul Barry to complete it. Cher contributed some lyrics but did not receive any songwriting credit. Recording took place at Dreamhouse Studio in West London, while production was handled by Mark Taylor and Brian Rawling.

"Believe" is an upbeat dance-pop and electropop song and departed from Cher's previous music. It featured a pioneering use of the audio processing software Auto-Tune to distort her vocals, which was widely imitated and became known as the "Cher effect". The lyrics describe empowerment and self-sufficiency after a painful breakup. "Believe" received positive reviews; critics praised its production and catchiness, with some deeming it a highlight from the album. The song has been listed as one of Cher's most important releases. At the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards, it was nominated for Record of the Year and won Best Dance Recording, the first and only Grammy Award that Cher has won.

"Believe" topped the record charts in over 23 countries and sold more than 11 million copies worldwide. It is Cher's most successful single, and one of the best-selling singles in music history. "Believe" was the biggest-selling song of 1998 in the United Kingdom, and remains the highest-selling single by a solo female artist. In the United States, it was Cher's fifth number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and it topped the Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1999. The accompanying music video (directed by Nigel Dick) was nominated for Best Dance Video at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards.

Cher has performed the song on many occasions, including the 1999 Brit Awards, the Sanremo Music Festival, as well as on several talk shows and variety programs (in America and abroad). It has since become a fan favorite, and a staple in the setlist of her concert tours. "Believe" has been covered by numerous artists, and it's also been sung or referenced in several feature films and scripted TV shows. Scholars and academics noted the way in which Cher was able to re-invent herself, and yet stay true to her image, while still being able to release music that was fresh and contemporary amidst the more "teen pop"-based music of the period. They also credited the song for restoring Cher's social popularity and further cementing her position as a pop culture icon. "Believe" earned Cher a place in the Guinness Book of World Records, and Rolling Stone listed it among the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

## Writing

[edit]

A demo of "Believe", written by Brian Higgins, Matthew Gray, Stuart McLennen and Timothy Powell, circulated at Warner Records for months. Higgins offered the demo to the English indie dance band Saint Etienne, who turned it down.[1] According to the producer Mark Taylor, "everyone loved the chorus but not the rest of the song".[2] The Warner chairman, Rob Dickins, asked the production house Dreamhouse to work on it; their goal was to make a dance record that would not alienate Cher fans.[2] Two more writers, Steve Torch and Paul Barry, completed a version that Dickins and Cher were happy with.[2]

Cher rewrote the lyrics in the second verse to make the character more assertive: 'I need time to move on, I need love to feel strong / 'Cause I've had time to think it through and maybe I'm too good for you".[3][4][5] Cher felt the song was "too whiny" and wanted to "toughen it up a bit".[6] She said: "A girl can be sad in one verse, but she can’t be sad in two verses." In 2023, she said she regretted not asking for a songwriting credit.[3]

## Recording

[edit]

"Believe" was recorded in mid-1998 at the Dreamhouse studio operated by Metro Productions in Kingston upon Thames, London. It was assembled with Cubase VST on an early model Power Macintosh G3, with synthesizers including a Clavia Nord Rack and an Oberheim Matrix 1000. Cher's vocals were recorded on three TASCAM DA-88 digital audio recorders with a Neumann U67 microphone.[2][7]

Cher's vocals were processed using the pitch correction software Auto-Tune. Auto-Tune was designed to be used subtly to correct sharp or flat notes in vocal performances; however, Taylor used extreme settings to create unnaturally rapid corrections, thereby removing portamento, the natural slide between pitches in singing.[8] Taylor said it was "the most nerve-wracking part of the project", as he was not sure how Cher would react.[2] She insisted the effect remain when Warner wanted it removed.[7] In an attempt to protect their method, the producers initially claimed it was achieved using a vocoder.[8] The effect was widely imitated and became known as the "Cher effect".[8]

## Composition

[edit]

"Believe" is a Eurodance,[9] europop,[10] dance,[9] dance-pop and electropop song.[11][12][13] It contains uncredited samples of "Prologue" & "Epilogue" performed by the Electric Light Orchestra.[14] The track was recorded in the key of F♯ major with a tempo of 133 beats per minute. The song follows a chord progression of F♯–C♯–G♯m–B–F♯–A♯m7–G♯m–D♯m, and Cher's vocal range spans from the low note of F♯3 to the high note of C♯5.[15]

"Believe"

A 15-second sample of "Believe". It is noted for its use of a sound effect on the vocals (using the then newly invented Auto-Tune software), which became known as the "Cher effect".

* * *

Problems playing this file? See media help.

## Critical reception

[edit]

Upon the release, Chuck Taylor from Billboard said that it is "the best darn thing that Cher has recorded in years". He added, "Some songs are so natural, so comfortably sung, that you wonder that somebody didn't think them up decades before. With this, you'll be whirling around the floor, tapping hard on the accelerator to 'Believe,' a simple ode to those feelings that we all search out and cling to. Cher is just a prize here; even her hardy detractors will be fighting the beat on this one."[16] Music critic Robert Christgau highlighted "Believe" as the best song on the album.[17] A reviewer from Entertainment Weekly described the song as "poptronica glaze, the soon-to-be club fave..." and noted Cher's voice as "unmistakable".[18] Deborah Wilker from Knight Ridder said that "her electronically altered vocal" on "Believe" "is like nothing she's ever done."[19]

New York Daily News described the song as a "club track so caffeinated, it not only microwaved her cold career to scorching-hot but gave dance music its biggest hit since the days of disco."[20] They also noted the song's "killer hook and amazing beat."[21] Neil Strauss from The New York Times wrote that "the verses are rich and bittersweet, with the added gimmick of breaking up Cher's voice through an effect that makes her sound robotic. And the choruses are catchy and uplifting, with Cher wailing, "Do you believe in life after love?" All of it bounces over a bed of 80s-style electronic pop. It is a song with a universal theme—a woman trying to convince herself that she can survive a breakup".[22] Another editor, Jim Sullivan, noted the track as a "hooky, defiant, beat-fest of a song".[23]

## Retrospective response

[edit]

In 2019, Bill Lamb from About.com declared it as a "perfect piece of dance-pop", including it in his list of "Top 10 Pop Songs of 1999".[12] AllMusic editor Joe Viglione called "Believe" a "pop masterpiece, one of the few songs to be able to break through the impenetrable wall of late 1990s fragmented radio to permeate the consciousness of the world at large."[24] Another editor, Michael Gallucci, gave a lukewarm review, writing that the Believe album is an "endless, and personality-free, thump session".[25] Stopera and Galindo from BuzzFeed noted it as "iconic", featuring it in their "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s" in 2017.[26] Damon Albarn, frontman of the bands Blur and Gorillaz, called the song "brilliant".[27]

In 2014, Tom Ewing from Freaky Trigger wrote that "Believe" "is a record in the "I Will Survive" mode of embattled romantic defiance – a song to make people who've lost out in love feel like they're the winners." He added that "it's remarkable that it took someone until 1998 to come up with "do you believe in life after love?", and perhaps even more remarkable that it wasn't Jim Steinman, but the genius of the song is how aggressive and righteous Cher makes it sound."[28] Bob Waliszewski of Plugged In (publication) said that Cher "musters self-confidence to deal with a failed romance".[29] In 2018, Dave Fawbert from ShortList described "Believe" as a "really great pop song with, as ever, an absolute powerhouse vocal performance from Cher".[30]

## Chart performance

[edit]

Cher performing "Believe" on the WKTU's "Miracle on 34th Street" show in New York City on December 11, 1998

The song, released as the album's lead single on October 19, 1998,[31] peaked at number one in 21 countries worldwide.[32] It debuted at number 99 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on December 19, 1998.[33] On January 23, 1999, it reached the top 40, and then topped the chart on March 13, making Cher —aged 52 at the time– the oldest female artist to achieve this feat, breaking the record set by Tina Turner who was 44 when she hit No. 1 with "What's Love Got to Do With It" in 1984.[34][a] Cher also set the record for the longest gap between number-one singles on the Hot 100; there was a gap of 33 years and 7 months between her singles "I Got You Babe" and "Believe" reaching number one.[35] "Believe" was ranked as the number-one song of 1999 by Billboard on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot Dance Club Play charts, becoming the biggest single of her entire career. "Believe" became Cher's 17th, and last, top-10 hit in the US.

In the United Kingdom, "Believe" debuted atop the UK Singles Chart on October 25, 1998—for the week ending October 31, 1998—during a week in which the top five singles were all new entries, a first for the chart (not counting the first ever chart).[36][37] The song became Cher's fourth number one in the UK, and remained at the top of the chart for seven consecutive weeks. "Believe" was Britain's biggest-selling song of 1998, and won its writers three Ivor Novello Awards: Best Selling UK Single, Best Song Musically and Lyrically, and International Hit of the Year, respectively, at the 1999 ceremony.[38] On January 31, 2025, "Believe" was certified quintuple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry. As of October 2017, the song has sold 1,830,000 copies in Britain, making it the biggest-selling song by a female artist on the UK Singles Chart.[39] At 52 years old, Cher was the oldest female artist to top the UK charts, a record that has since been broken by Kate Bush, who was 63 when "Running Up That Hill" re-entered the charts and reached number one.[40]

The success of the song not only expanded through each country's singles chart, but also most countries' dance charts. In the United States "Believe" spent 15 weeks on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, five of those weeks at number one, and 22 weeks on the European Hot Dance Charts. "Believe" also set a record in 1999 after spending 21 weeks atop the Billboard Maxi-Singles Sales chart—it was still in the top 10 one year after its entry on the chart.[41] On October 13, 2008, the song was voted number 10 on Australian VH1's Top 10 Number One Pop Songs countdown. "Believe" was nominated for Record of the Year and Best Dance Recording at 42nd Grammy Awards, the latter of which it won.[42][43] Peter Rauhofer (Club 69) won the Grammy Award in 2000 for Best Remixer of the Year for his remix of Cher's "Believe".

## Music video

[edit]

The music video for "Believe" was directed by Nigel Dick. It features Cher in a nightclub in a double role as a singer on stage while wearing a glowing headdress and as a supernatural being in a cage surrounded by many people to whom she is giving advice. The video largely revolves around a woman (played by Katrine De Candole)[44] who is in the club with her friends and sees her ex-boyfriend. Scenes are shown of her clearly disappointed when he walks away from her and then proceeds to dance and make out with another woman in her presence. The version on The Very Best of Cher: The Video Hits Collection is slightly different from the previous version (the version that is also included on the Mallay Believe Bonus VCD) with additional scenes towards the end that were not in the original video. There are also two 'rough' versions of the video as the song was released in Europe before a video was completed. The first is a compilation of scenes from the videos of Cher's previous singles "One by One" and "Walking in Memphis" and the second includes a brief scene of the "Believe" video where Cher sings the chorus while the rest of the video is composed of scenes from "One by One".

The Billboard music critic Chuck Taylor in March 1999 graded the video a "C", praising Cher's appearance but criticizing "an unnecessary subplot about a few kids stalking each other."[45] In Pitchfork, Simon Reynolds wrote that through the combination of cosmetic surgery, makeup and bright lights, "Cher actually looks how Auto-Tune sounds ... Her face and her voice seem to be made out of the same immaterial substance."[46]

## Live performances

[edit]

Cher performed the song during the Do You Believe?, the Farewell Tour, Cher at the Colosseum and the Dressed to Kill Tour. While she would lip-sync the entire song on various television programs, she would only lip-sync the synthesized verses when performing on her Believe and Farewell tours, the Colosseum shows and on the 2002 edition of VH1 Divas Live. Since 1999, the song has been the encore to all of Cher's concerts until her 2014 Dressed to Kill Tour, where the encore is the ballad "I Hope You Find It", a second single from her 25th studio album Closer to the Truth.[47] It returned as the encore at her Classic Cher (2017–2020) shows and stayed in that place for the Here We Go Again Tour (2018–2020) as well.

## Legacy

[edit]

Cher performing "Believe" on the Dressed to Kill Tour in 2014

VH1 placed "Believe" at number 60 in their list of 100 Greatest Dance Songs in 2000[48] and at number 74 in their list of 100 Greatest Songs of the 90s in 2007.[49] In 2007, Rolling Stone placed "Believe" at No. 10 in their list of the "20 Most Annoying Songs"[50] In 2020, British national newspaper The Guardian ranked "Believe" as the 83rd greatest UK number one.[51] "Believe" was placed on the 2021 revised list of Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time".[5]

In July 2020, a digital publication The Pudding carried out a study on the most widely-known songs from the '90s and songs that are most known by Millennials and the people of Generation Z. "Believe" was the sixth song with the highest recognisability rate.[52] In October 2023, Billboard ranked it among the "500 Best Pop Songs of All Time".[53] In 2024, Esquire and Forbes ranked "Believe" numbers 32 and 20 in their lists of the 50 best songs of the '90s.[54][55]

### Accolades

[edit]

Accolades for "Believe"  Year  | Publisher  | Country  | Accolade  | Rank

|
|
|
|

1999  | The Village Voice | United States  | "Top Singles of the 90's"[1][usurped] | 96
2000  | VH1 | United States  | "100 Greatest Dance Songs"[56] | 60
2005  | Blender | United States  | "The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born"[57] | 134
2005  | Bruce Pollock  | United States  | "The 7,500 Most Important Songs of 1944-2000"[58] | *
2007  | VH1  | United States  | "100 Greatest Songs of the 90s"[59] | 74
2007  | Rolling Stone | United States  | "20 Most Annoying Songs"[50] | 10
2012  | Max | Australia  | "1000 Greatest Songs of All Time"[60] | 252
2012  | NME | United Kingdom  | "50 Best-Selling Tracks of the '90s"[61] | 5
2015  | Robert Dimery  | United States  | "1,001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die, and 10,001 You Must Download (2015 Update)"[62] | *
2017  | BuzzFeed | United States  | "The 101 Greatest Dance Songs of the '90s"[26] | 15
2019  | Billboard | United States  | "Billboard's Top Songs of the '90s"[63] | 64
2019  | Elle | United States  | "52 Best 1990s Pop Songs"[64] | 51
2019  | Insider | United States  | "100 of the Best Songs from the '90s"[65] | *
2019  | Insider | United States  | "102 Songs Everyone Should Listen to in Their Lifetime"[66] | *
2019  | Max  | Australia  | "1000 Greatest Songs of All Time"[67] | 892
2019  | Paste Magazine | United States  | "The Best Songs of 1999"[68] | 9
2020  | Glamour | United States  | "53 Best '90s Songs That Are All That and a Bag of Chips"[69] | 14
2020  | The Guardian | United Kingdom  | "The 100 Greatest UK No 1s"[51] | 83
2020  | Cleveland.com | United States  | "Best Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 Song of the 1990s"[70] | 25
2021  | Rolling Stone | United States  | "500 Greatest Songs of All Time"[5] | 337
2022  | Pitchfork | United States  | "The 250 Best Songs of the 1990s"[71] | 23
2022  | Time Out | United Kingdom  | "The 50 Best Gay Songs to Celebrate Pride All Year Long"[72] | 18
2023  | Billboard | United States  | "Best Pop Songs of All Time"[53] | 159
2024  | Cosmopolitan | United States  | "60 of the Best '90s Songs for the Ultimate Throwback Playlist"[73] | 55
2024  | Esquire | United States  | "The 50 Best Songs of the '90s"[54] | 32
2024  | Forbes | United States  | "The 50 Best Songs of the 1990s"[55] | 20

(*) indicates the list is unordered.

## Other versions

[edit]

In May 2012, after successfully auditioning for The X Factor (UK), Ella Henderson, then 16 years old, performed a ballad arrangement of "Believe" after the Bootcamp round, reducing guest judge Nicole Scherzinger to tears.[74] The cover, which was based on Adam Lambert's version performed on American Idol in 2009,[75] was so popular for its slow tempo, emotional interpretation that Henderson released an acoustic performance in 2013 on YouTube[76] and performed it at the National Television Awards on January 23, 2013.[77] Henderson also included a studio version of the cover on a deluxe edition of her debut album Chapter One as part of a pre-order EP called Chapter One Sessions.

In October 2016, the Australian rock band DMA's performed "Believe" for Triple J's Like a Version. It made such an impact on the Australian audience that in the year it was performed, the cover became the highest ranked Like A Version in a Hottest 100 countdown, landing at No. 6 in the 2016 edition of the countdown (this was later surpassed by The Wiggles in 2021). In 2020 it was the only Like A Version to feature in the Hottest 100 of the 2010s countdown landing at No. 41. In 2023, it topped the Triple J Hottest 100 of Like a Version countdown.[78]

In December 2018, Lambert performed his ballad version of "Believe" again in honor of Cher during the 41st annual Kennedy Center Honors; the performance was highly acclaimed, with Cher stating that she was "at a loss for words" and was moved to tears.[79][80] On December 6, 2019, Lambert released a studio version of his version of "Believe" which reached number 23 on the Billboard Digital Song Sales chart on December 21, 2019.[81][82]

## Track listings

[edit]

* US maxi-CD single[83]

1. "Believe" (album version) – 3:59
2. "Believe" (Phat 'N' Phunky club mix) – 7:42
3. "Believe" (Club 69 Phunk club mix) – 8:55
4. "Believe" (Almighty Definitive mix) – 7:36
5. "Believe" (Xenomania Mad Tim and the Mekon club mix) – 9:15
6. "Believe" (Club 69 Future Anthem mix) – 9:20
7. "Believe" (Grip's Heartbroken mix) – 9:12
8. "Believe" (Club 69 Future Anthem dub) – 7:13
9. "Believe" (Club 69 Phunk dub) – 7:04
10. "Believe" (Phat 'N' Phunky "After Luv" dub) – 6:22

* US 7-inch, CD, and cassette single[84][85][86]
* UK cassette single[87]

1. "Believe" (album version) – 3:59
2. "Believe" (Xenomania mix) – 4:20

* UK and European CD1[88]

1. "Believe" – 3:58
2. "Believe" (Almighty Definitive mix) – 7:35
3. "Believe" (Xenomania mix) – 4:20

* UK and European CD2[89]

1. "Believe" – 3:58
2. "Believe" (Grip's Heartbroken mix) – 9:12
3. "Believe" (Club 69 Future mix) – 6:50

* European two-track CD single[90]

1. "Believe" – 3:58
2. "Believe" (Grip's Heartbroken mix) – 9:12

* Australian maxi-CD single[91]

1. "Believe" (Phat 'N' Phunky club mix) – 7:44
2. "Believe" (Xenomania Mad Tim and the Mekon club mix) – 9:16
3. "Believe" (Club 69 Phunk club mix) – 6:50
4. "Believe" (Club 69 Future Anthem mix) – 9:24
5. "Believe" (album version) – 3:58

* Japanese CD single[92]

1. "Believe" – 3:58
2. "Believe" (Almighty Definitive mix) – 7:35
3. "Believe" (Grip's Heartbroken mix) – 9:12

* Japanese remix EP (with "Strong Enough")[93]

1. "Strong Enough" (album version) – 3:44
2. "Strong Enough" (Pumpin' Dolls radio edit) – 3:48
3. "Strong Enough" (Club 69 Future Anthem mix) – 11:00
4. "Strong Enough" (Mark Andrews remix) – 7:55
5. "Believe" (album version) – 3:58
6. "Believe" (Phat 'N' Phunky club mix) – 7:44
7. "Believe" (Almighty Definitive mix) – 7:35
8. "Believe" (Club 69 Phunk club mix) – 8:55

|

## Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits are adapted from the Believe album liner notes.

* Cher – vocals
* Mark Taylor – producer, arranger, programming, keyboards
* Brian Rawling – production
* Brian Higgins – composition
* Stuart McLennen – composition
* Paul Barry – composition
* Steven Torch – composition
* Matthew Gray – composition
* Timothy Powell – composition
* Gipsyland – background vocals, guitar
* Robin Smith – arranger
* Adam Phillips – additional guitars
* Ryan Art – designer
* Michael Lavine – cover art photographer
* Rob Dickins – executive production

## Charts

[edit]

### Weekly charts

[edit]

Weekly chart performance for "Believe"  | Chart (1998–1999)  | Peak
position

|

Australia (ARIA)[94] | 1
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[95] | 2
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[96] | 1
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[97] | 1
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[98] | 1
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[99] | 1
Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[100] | 1
Canada (Nielsen SoundScan)[101] | 2
Costa Rica (Notimex)[102] | 1
Denmark (Tracklisten)[103] | 1
El Salvador (Notimex)[104] | 3
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[105] | 1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[106] | 6
France (SNEP)[107] | 1
France Airplay (SNEP)[108] | 1
Germany (GfK)[109] | 1
Greece (IFPI)[110] | 1
Hungary (Mahasz)[111] | 1
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[112] | 1
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40)[113] | 5
Ireland (IRMA)[114] | 1
Italy (Musica e dischi)[115] | 1
Italy Airplay (Music & Media)[116] | 5
Latvia (Latvijas Top 40)[117] | 1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[118] | 1
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[119] | 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[120] | 1
Norway (VG-lista)[121] | 1
Poland (Music & Media)[122] | 3
Puerto Rico (Notimex)[123] | 4
Scandinavia Airplay (Music & Media)[124] | 1
Scotland (OCC)[125] | 1
Spain (AFYVE)[126] | 1
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[127] | 1
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[128] | 1
UK Singles (OCC)[36] | 1
US Billboard Hot 100[129] | 1
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[130] | 3
US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[131] | 5
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[132] | 1
US Dance Singles Sales (Billboard)[133] | 1
US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[134] | 2
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[135] | 17
2013 weekly chart performance for "Believe"  Chart (2013)  | Peak
position

|

Scotland (OCC)[136] | 93
UK Dance (OCC)[137] | 18
2018 weekly chart performance for "Believe"  Chart (2018)  | Peak
position

|

UK Dance (OCC)[138] | 27
2019 weekly chart performance for "Believe"  Chart (2019)  | Peak
position

|

UK Dance (OCC)[139] | 32
2021 weekly chart performance for "Believe"  Chart (2021)  | Peak
position

|

Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[140] | 73
US Dance/Electronic Digital Songs (Billboard)[141] | 4
Chart (2023–2024)  | Peak
position

|

Canadian Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[142] | 19
Kazakhstan Airplay (TopHit)[143] | 59
UK Singles Downloads (OCC)[144] | 58

### Year-end charts

[edit]

1998 year-end chart performance for "Believe"  | Chart (1998)  | Position

|

Australia (ARIA)[145] | 43
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[146] | 16
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[147] | 4
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[148] | 19
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[149] | 14
France (SNEP)[150] | 24
Germany (Media Control)[151] | 13
Latvia (Latvijas Top 40)[152] | 8
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[153] | 82
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[154] | 53
Norway Christmas Period (VG-lista)[155] | 2
Sweden (Hitlistan)[156] | 6
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[157] | 18
Taiwan (Hito Radio)[158] | 95
UK Singles (OCC)[159] | 1
1999 year-end chart performance for "Believe"  Chart (1999)  | Position

|

Australia (ARIA)[160] | 6
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[161] | 21
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[162] | 48
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[163] | 25
Brazil (Crowley)[164] | 25
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[165] | 13
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[166] | 4
Canada Dance (RPM)[167] | 9
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[168] | 4
France (SNEP)[150] | 13
Germany (Media Control)[169] | 16
Latvia (Latvijas Top 197)[170] | 12
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[171] | 9
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[172] | 7
Norway Winter Period (VG-lista)[173] | 6
Sweden (Hitlistan)[174] | 52
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[175] | 8
UK Singles (OCC)[176] | 124
US Billboard Hot 100[168] | 1
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[168] | 9
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[168] | 18
US Dance Club Play (Billboard)[168] | 1
US Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)[177] | 1
US Top 40 Tracks (Billboard)[168] | 10
2000 year-end chart performance for "Believe"  Chart (2000)  | Position

|

US Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)[178] | 22

### Decade-end charts

[edit]

Decade-end chart performance for "Believe"  Chart (1990–1999)  | Position

|

Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[179] | 86
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[180] | 29
Ireland (IRMA)[181] | 31
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[182] | 17
UK Singles (OCC)[183] | 5
US Billboard Hot 100[168] | 31

### All-time charts

[edit]

All-time chart performance for "Believe"  Chart  | Position

|

UK Singles (OCC)[184] | 17

## Certifications and sales

[edit]

Certifications and sales for "Believe"  Region  | Certification | Certified units/sales

|
|

Australia (ARIA)[185] | 3× Platinum  | 210,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[186] | Platinum  | 50,000*
Belgium (BRMA)[187] | 3× Platinum  | 150,000*
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[188] | Platinum  | 90,000‡
France (SNEP)[189] | Diamond  | 750,000*
Germany (BVMI)[190] | 5× Gold  | 1,250,000^
Italy  | —  | 100,000[191]
Italy (FIMI)[192]
since 2009  | Gold  | 25,000‡
Netherlands (NVPI)[193] | Platinum  | 75,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[194] | Gold  | 5,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ)[195]
digital  | 2× Platinum  | 60,000‡
Norway (IFPI Norway)[196] | 2× Platinum  |
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[197] | Platinum  | 60,000‡
Sweden (GLF)[198] | 3× Platinum  | 90,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[199] | Platinum  | 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[200] | 5× Platinum  | 3,000,000‡
United States (RIAA)[202] | Platinum  | 1,800,000[201]
Summaries
Worldwide  | —  | 11,000,000[203]

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

## Release history

[edit]

Release history and formats for "Believe"  Region  | Date  | Format(s)  | Label(s)  | Ref.

|
|
|
|

United Kingdom  | October 19, 1998  |

* CD
* cassette

| Warner Bros. | [31]
United States  | November 10, 1998  |

* Rhythmic contemporary
* contemporary hit radio

| [204]
1998  | Maxi-CD  |
January 1999  |

* 7-inch vinyl
* CD
* cassette

| [205]
Japan  | January 15, 1999  | CD  | [206]
Canada  | January 19, 1999  | [207]
Japan  | April 21, 1999  | Remix EP  | [208]

## See also

[edit]

* List of number-one singles in Australia during the 1990s
* List of Ultratop 50 number-one hits of 1998 (Belgium)
* List of Ultratop 40 number-one hits of 1999 (Belgium)
* List of number-one singles of 1999 (Canada)
* List of number-one hits of 1998 (Denmark)
* List of number-one hits of 1999 (Denmark)
* List of European number-one hits of 1998
* List of European number-one hits of 1999
* List of number-one singles of 1999 (France)
* List of number-one hits of 1998 (Germany)
* List of number-one hits of 1998 (Italy)
* List of number-one hits of 1999 (Italy)
* List of number-one singles of 1999 (Netherlands)
* List of number-one singles of 1998 (Norway)
* List of number-one singles of 1998 (Spain)
* List of number-one singles of 1999 (Spain)
* List of number-one singles of 2005 (Sweden)
* List of number-one singles of the 1990s (Switzerland)
* List of UK Singles Chart number ones of the 1990s
* List of Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles of 1999
* List of number-one dance singles of 1998 (U.S.)
* List of number-one dance singles of 1999 (U.S.)

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ Excluding Christmas/holiday-themed songs like Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You", which most recently topped the chart when Carey was 54, and Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", which topped the chart when Lee was 78.

## References

[edit]

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200. ^ "British single certifications – Cher – Believe". British Phonographic Industry.
201. ^ "Billboard Vol. 112, No. 6". Billboard. February 5, 2000. p. 20. Retrieved February 17, 2013.
202. ^ "American single certifications – Cher – Believe". Recording Industry Association of America.
203. ^ Dick, Samantha (October 19, 2020). "On This Day: American singer Cher releases her new sound". The New Daily. Retrieved October 1, 2023.
204. ^ "New Releases". Radio & Records. No. 1273\. November 6, 1998. pp. 39, 45.
205. ^ Mayfield, Geoff; Caulfield, Keith; Graybow, Steve (March 13, 1999). "Hot 100 Spotlight". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 11\. p. 111\. "...with standard-length singles added to the retail mix in late January."
206. ^ "ビリーブ | シェール" [Believe | Cher] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 3, 2023.
207. ^ "Album Releases: January 1999". Jam!. Archived from the original on August 29, 2000. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
208. ^ "ストロング・イナフ/ビリーブ・リミックスEP | シェール" [Strong Enough/Believe Remix EP | Cher] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved November 9, 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* About Cher on the official Cher site (mentions "Believe")

* v
* t
* e

Cher

* Albums
* Singles
* Songs
* Films
* Concerts
* Videos
* Awards

Studio albums|

* All I Really Want to Do
* The Sonny Side of Chér
* Chér
* With Love, Chér
* Backstage
* 3614 Jackson Highway
* Chér / Gypsys Tramps & Thieves
* Foxy Lady
* Bittersweet White Light
* Half-Breed
* Dark Lady
* Stars
* I'd Rather Believe in You
* Cherished
* Take Me Home
* Prisoner
* I Paralyze
* Cher
* Heart of Stone
* Love Hurts
* It's a Man's World
* Believe
* Not Commercial
* Living Proof
* Closer to the Truth
* Dancing Queen
* Christmas

Collaborative albums|

* Sonny & Cher discography
* Two the Hard Way
* Black Rose

Soundtrack albums|

* Chastity
* Burlesque

Live albums|

* VH1 Divas Live '99
* VH1 Divas Las Vegas
* Live! The Farewell Tour

Compilation albums|

* Cher's Golden Greats
* Superpak Vol. I and II
* Greatest Hits
* Greatest Hits: 1965–1992
* If I Could Turn Back Time: Cher's Greatest Hits
* The Greatest Hits
* The Very Best of Cher
* Gold
* Icon
* Forever

Tours and residencies|

* Two the Hard Way Tour
* Take Me Home Tour
* Heart of Stone Tour
* Love Hurts Tour
* Do You Believe? Tour
* Living Proof: The Farewell Tour
* Cher
* Dressed to Kill Tour
* Classic Cher
* Here We Go Again Tour

Video releases|

* CherFitness: A New Attitude
* CherFitness: Body Confidence
* Extravaganza: Live at the Mirage
* The Video Collection
* Live in Concert
* The Farewell Tour
* The Very Best of Cher: The Video Hits Collection

Films directed|

* If These Walls Could Talk

Television|

* The Sonny & Cher Nitty Gritty Hour
* The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
* Cher
* The Sonny and Cher Show
* Cher... Special
* Cher... and Other Fantasies
* Standing Room Only: Cher in Concert
* Cher... A Celebration at Caesars
* Cher... at the Mirage
* Sonny & Me: Cher Remembers
* Cher: Live in Concert – From the MGM Grand in Las Vegas
* Cher: The Farewell Tour
* Dear Mom, Love Cher
* Cher & the Loneliest Elephant

Books authored|

* The Ugly Duckling
* Forever Fit
* The First Time
* Cher: The Memoir, Part One

In popular media|

* "The Post-Modern Prometheus"
* "Gypsies, Tramps and Weed"
* "The Unauthorized Rusical"
* "RDR Live!"
* The Cher Show

Related|

* Sonny & Cher
* Sonny Bono
* Gregg Allman
* Chaz Bono
* Elijah Blue Allman
* Sonny & Cher dolls

* Category

* v
* t
* e

Cher singles

1960s singles|

* "All I Really Want to Do"
* "Where Do You Go"
* "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)"
* "Alfie"
* "I Feel Something in the Air"
* "Sunny"
* "Behind the Door"
* "Mama (When My Dollies Have Babies)"
* "Hey Joe"
* "You Better Sit Down Kids"
* "The Click Song"
* "Take Me for a Little While"
* "Yours Until Tomorrow"
* "Chastity's Song (Band of Thieves)"
* "I Walk on Guilded Splinters"
* "For What It's Worth"

1970s singles|

* "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves"
* "The Way of Love"
* "Living in a House Divided"
* "Don't Hide Your Love"
* "Am I Blue?"
* "Half-Breed"
* "Dark Lady"
* "Train of Thought"
* "I Saw a Man and He Danced with His Wife"
* "Rescue Me"
* "Geronimo's Cadillac"
* "Long Distance Love Affair"
* "Pirate"
* "War Paint and Soft Feathers"
* "Take Me Home"
* "Wasn't It Good"
* "It's Too Late to Love Me Now"
* "Hell on Wheels"

1980s singles|

* "I Paralyze"
* "I Found Someone"
* "We All Sleep Alone"
* "Skin Deep"
* "After All"
* "If I Could Turn Back Time"
* "Just Like Jesse James"

1990s singles|

* "Heart of Stone"
* "You Wouldn't Know Love"
* "Baby I'm Yours"
* "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)"
* "Love and Understanding"
* "Save Up All Your Tears"
* "Love Hurts"
* "Could've Been You"
* "When Lovers Become Strangers"
* "Oh No Not My Baby"
* "Whenever You're Near"
* "Many Rivers to Cross"
* "Walking in Memphis"
* "One by One"
* "Not Enough Love in the World"
* "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore"
* "Paradise Is Here"
* "Believe"
* "Strong Enough"
* "All or Nothing"
* "Dov'è l'amore"

2000s singles|

* "The Music's No Good Without You"
* "Song for the Lonely"
* "Alive Again"
* "A Different Kind of Love Song"
* "When the Money's Gone"
* "Love One Another"

2010s singles|

* "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me"
* "Woman's World"
* "I Hope You Find It"
* "Take It Like a Man"
* "I Walk Alone"
* "Fernando"
* "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)"
* "SOS"

2020s singles|

* "Chiquitita"
* "DJ Play a Christmas Song"

Promotional singles|

* "Ringo, I Love You"
* "Superstar"
* "Classified 1A"
* "Carousel Man"
* "Holdin' Out for Love"
* "Bad Love"
* "Rudy"
* "Bang Bang"
* "Main Man"
* "Human"
* "Sirens"
* "Ooga Boo"
* "One of Us"

Other songs|

* "Our Day Will Come"
* "Fernando"
* "Dressed to Kill"

Guest singles|

* "A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday)"
* "Dead Ringer for Love"
* "I Got You Babe"
* "It Ain't Necessarily So"
* "Love Can Build a Bridge"
* "Più che puoi"
* "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered"
* "Stop Crying Your Heart Out"

* Category

Awards for "No Problem"

* v
* t
* e

Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Recording

1990s|

* "Carry On" – Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder (1998)
* "Ray of Light" – Madonna (1999)

2000s|

* "Believe" – Cher (2000)
* "Who Let the Dogs Out" – Baha Men (2001)
* "All for You" – Janet Jackson (2002)
* "Days Go By" – Dirty Vegas (2003)
* "Come into My World" – Kylie Minogue (2004)
* "Toxic" – Britney Spears (2005)
* "Galvanize" – The Chemical Brothers and Q-Tip (2006)
* "SexyBack" – Justin Timberlake featuring Timbaland (2007)
* "LoveStoned/I Think She Knows" – Justin Timberlake (2008)
* "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger (Alive 2007)" – Daft Punk (2009)

2010s|

* "Poker Face" – Lady Gaga (2010)
* "Only Girl (In the World)" – Rihanna (2011)
* "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites" – Skrillex (2012)
* "Bangarang" – Skrillex and Sirah (2013)
* "Clarity" – Zedd featuring Foxes (2014)
* "Rather Be" – Clean Bandit featuring Jess Glynne (2015)
* "Where Are Ü Now" – Jack Ü (Skrillex and Diplo) with Justin Bieber (2016)
* "Don't Let Me Down" – The Chainsmokers featuring Daya (2017)
* "Tonite" – LCD Soundsystem (2018)
* "Electricity" – Silk City and Dua Lipa featuring Diplo and Mark Ronson (2019)

2020s|

* "Got to Keep On" – The Chemical Brothers (2020)
* "10%" – Kaytranada featuring Kali Uchis (2021)
* "Alive" – Rüfüs Du Sol (2022)
* "Break My Soul" – Beyoncé (2023)
* "Rumble" – Skrillex, Fred Again & Flowdan (2024)
* "Neverender" – Justice and Tame Impala (2025)

* v
* t
* e

Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically

1960s|

* "She's Leaving Home" (1968)

1970s|

* "Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?" (1970)
* "Something" (1971)
* "Don't Let It Die" (1972)
* "Without You" (1973)
* "Daniel" (1974)
* "Streets of London"* (1975)
* "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (1978)
* "Baker Street" (1979)

1980s|

* "The Logical Song" (1980)
* "Woman in Love" (1981)
* "Memory" (1982)
* "Have You Ever Been in Love" (1983)
* "Every Breath You Take" (1984)
* "Against All Odds" (1985)
* "Nikita" (1986)
* "Don't Give Up" (1987)
* "Something Inside So Strong" (1988)
* "They Dance Alone (Cueca Solo)" (1989)

1990s|

* "The Living Years" (1990)
* "Sacrifice" (1991)
* "The Whole of the Moon" (1992)
* "Why" (1993)
* "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You" (1994)
* "Think Twice" (1995)
* "Common People" (1996)
* "Too Much Love Will Kill You" (1997)
* "Paranoid Android" (1998)
* "Believe" (1999)

2000s|

* "Strong" (2000)
* "Babylon" (2001)
* "Walk On" (2002)
* "The Other Side" (2003)
* "Leave Right Now" (2004)
* "Dry Your Eyes" (2005)
* "Suddenly I See" (2006)
* "Elusive" (2007)
* "Love Is a Losing Game" (2008)
* "One Day Like This" (2009)

2010s|

* "The Fear" (2010)
* "Becoming a Jackal" (2011)
* "The A Team" (2012)
* "Next to Me" (2013)
* "Strong" (2014)
* "Take Me to Church" (2015)
* "Wasn't Expecting That" (2016)
* "Black Man in a White World" (2017)
* "Magnificent (She Says)" (2018)
* "Nica Libres at Dusk" (2019)

2020s|

* "Age of Anxiety" (2020)
* "God's Own Children" (2021)
* "Seventeen Going Under" (2022)
* "King" (2023)
* "Black Swan" (2024)
* "Mine" (2025)

*Awarded as The Best Song

* v
* t
* e

Triple J Hottest 100 winners

1990s|

* "Asshole" – Denis Leary (1993)
* "Zombie" – The Cranberries (1994)
* "Wonderwall" – Oasis (1995)
* "Buy Me a Pony" – Spiderbait (1996)
* "No Aphrodisiac" – The Whitlams (1997)
* "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)" – The Offspring (1998)
* "These Days" – Powderfinger (1998)

2000s|

* "My Happiness" – Powderfinger (2000)
* "Amazing" – Alex Lloyd (2001)
* "No One Knows" – Queens of the Stone Age (2002)
* "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" – Jet (2003)
* "Take Me Out" – Franz Ferdinand (2004)
* "Wish You Well" – Bernard Fanning (2005)
* "One Crowded Hour" – Augie March (2006)
* "Knights of Cydonia" – Muse (2007)
* "Sex on Fire" – Kings of Leon (2008)
* "Little Lion Man" – Mumford & Sons (2009)

2010s|

* "Big Jet Plane" – Angus & Julia Stone (2010)
* "Somebody That I Used to Know" – Gotye featuring Kimbra (2011)
* "Thrift Shop " – Macklemore and Ryan Lewis featuring Wanz (2012)
* "Riptide" – Vance Joy (2013)
* "Talk Is Cheap" – Chet Faker (2014)
* "Hoops" – The Rubens (2015)
* "Never Be Like You" – Flume featuring Kai (2016)
* "Humble" – Kendrick Lamar (2017)
* "Confidence" – Ocean Alley (2018)
* "Bad Guy" – Billie Eilish (2019)

2020s|

* "Heat Waves" – Glass Animals (2020)
* "Elephant (Like a Version)" – The Wiggles (2021)
* "Say Nothing" – Flume featuring May-a (2022)
* "Paint the Town Red" – Doja Cat (2023)
* "Good Luck, Babe!" – Chappell Roan (2024)

Of All Time|

* "Love Will Tear Us Apart" – Joy Division (1989)
* "Love Will Tear Us Apart" – Joy Division (1990)
* "Smells Like Teen Spirit" – Nirvana (1991)
* "Smells Like Teen Spirit" – Nirvana (1998)
* "Smells Like Teen Spirit" – Nirvana (2009)
* Odyssey Number Five – Powderfinger (20111)
* "Wonderwall" – Oasis (20132)
* "The Less I Know the Better" – Tame Impala (20203)
* "Believe (Like a Version)" – DMA's (20234)
* "Never Tear Us Apart" – INXS (20255)

* 1 Australian Albums
* 2 20 Years of the Hottest 100.
* 3 2010s.
* 4 Like a Version.
* 5 Australian Songs

Links to related articles

* v
* t
* e

Billboard Year-End number one singles (1980–1999)

* 1980: "Call Me" – Blondie
* 1981: "Bette Davis Eyes" – Kim Carnes
* 1982: "Physical" – Olivia Newton-John
* 1983: "Every Breath You Take" – The Police
* 1984: "When Doves Cry" – Prince
* 1985: "Careless Whisper" – Wham! featuring George Michael
* 1986: "That's What Friends Are For" – Dionne & Friends
* 1987: "Walk Like an Egyptian" – The Bangles
* 1988: "Faith" – George Michael
* 1989: "Look Away" – Chicago
* 1990: "Hold On" – Wilson Phillips
* 1991: "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" – Bryan Adams
* 1992: "End of the Road" – Boyz II Men
* 1993: "I Will Always Love You" – Whitney Houston
* 1994: "The Sign" – Ace of Base
* 1995: "Gangsta's Paradise" – Coolio featuring L.V.
* 1996: "Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix)" – Los del Río
* 1997: "Candle in the Wind 1997"/"Something About the Way You Look Tonight" – Elton John
* 1998: "Too Close" – Next
* 1999: "Believe" – Cher

* Complete list
* (1946–1959)
* (1960–1979)
* (1980–1999)
* (2000–2019)
* (2020–present)

* v
* t
* e

Best-selling singles by year in the United Kingdom

1950s|

* 1952: "Here in My Heart" – Al Martino
* 1953: "I Believe" – Frankie Laine
* 1954: "Secret Love" – Doris Day
* 1955: "Rose Marie" – Slim Whitman
* 1956: "I'll Be Home" – Pat Boone
* 1957: "Diana" – Paul Anka
* 1958: "Jailhouse Rock" – Elvis Presley
* 1959: "Living Doll" – Cliff Richard (UK)

1960s|

* 1960: "It's Now or Never" – Elvis Presley
* 1961: "Wooden Heart" – Elvis Presley
* 1962: "I Remember You" – Frank Ifield (UK)
* 1963: "She Loves You" – The Beatles (UK)
* 1964: "Can't Buy Me Love" – The Beatles (UK)
* 1965: "Tears" – Ken Dodd (UK)
* 1966: "Green, Green Grass of Home" – Tom Jones (UK)
* 1967: "Release Me" – Engelbert Humperdinck (UK)
* 1968: "Hey Jude" – The Beatles (UK)
* 1969: "Sugar, Sugar" – The Archies

1970s|

* 1970: "The Wonder of You" – Elvis Presley / "In the Summertime" – Mungo Jerry (UK)
* 1971: "My Sweet Lord" – George Harrison (UK)
* 1972: "Amazing Grace" – Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (UK)
* 1973: "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" – Dawn featuring Tony Orlando
* 1974: "Tiger Feet" – Mud (UK)
* 1975: "Bye Bye Baby" – Bay City Rollers (UK)
* 1976: "Save Your Kisses for Me" – Brotherhood of Man (UK)
* 1977: "Mull of Kintyre" / "Girls' School" – Wings (UK)
* 1978: "Rivers of Babylon" / "Brown Girl in the Ring" – Boney M.
* 1979: "Bright Eyes" – Art Garfunkel

1980s|

* 1980: "Don't Stand So Close to Me" – The Police (UK)
* 1981: "Tainted Love" – Soft Cell (UK) / "Don't You Want Me" – The Human League (UK)
* 1982: "Come On Eileen" – Dexys Midnight Runners (UK)
* 1983: "Karma Chameleon" – Culture Club (UK)
* 1984: "Do They Know It's Christmas?" – Band Aid (UK)
* 1985: "The Power of Love" – Jennifer Rush
* 1986: "Don't Leave Me This Way" – The Communards (UK)
* 1987: "Never Gonna Give You Up" – Rick Astley (UK)
* 1988: "Mistletoe and Wine" – Cliff Richard (UK)
* 1989: "Ride on Time" – Black Box

1990s|

* 1990: "Unchained Melody" – The Righteous Brothers
* 1991: "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" – Bryan Adams
* 1992: "I Will Always Love You" – Whitney Houston
* 1993: "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" – Meat Loaf
* 1994: "Love Is All Around" – Wet Wet Wet (UK)
* 1995: "Unchained Melody" – Robson & Jerome (UK)
* 1996: "Killing Me Softly" – Fugees
* 1997: "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" / "Candle in the Wind 1997" – Elton John (UK)
* 1998: "Believe" – Cher
* 1999: "...Baby One More Time" – Britney Spears

2000s|

* 2000: "Can We Fix It?" – Bob the Builder (UK)
* 2001: "It Wasn't Me" – Shaggy featuring Rikrok (UK)
* 2002: "Anything Is Possible" / "Evergreen" – Will Young (UK)
* 2003: "Where Is the Love?" – Black Eyed Peas
* 2004: "Do They Know It's Christmas?" – Band Aid 20 (UK)
* 2005: "(Is This the Way to) Amarillo" – Tony Christie featuring Peter Kay (UK)
* 2006: "Crazy" – Gnarls Barkley
* 2007: "Bleeding Love" – Leona Lewis (UK)
* 2008: "Hallelujah" – Alexandra Burke (UK)
* 2009: "Poker Face" – Lady Gaga

2010s|

* 2010: "Love the Way You Lie" – Eminem featuring Rihanna
* 2011: "Someone like You" – Adele (UK)
* 2012: "Somebody That I Used to Know" – Gotye featuring Kimbra
* 2013: "Blurred Lines" – Robin Thicke featuring T.I. & Pharrell Williams
* 2014: "Happy" – Pharrell Williams
* 2015: "Uptown Funk" – Mark Ronson (UK) featuring Bruno Mars
* 2016: "One Dance" – Drake featuring Wizkid and Kyla (UK)
* 2017: "Shape of You" – Ed Sheeran (UK)
* 2018: "One Kiss" – Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa (UK)
* 2019: "Someone You Loved" – Lewis Capaldi (UK)

2020s|

* 2020: "Blinding Lights" – The Weeknd
* 2021: "Bad Habits" – Ed Sheeran (UK)
* 2022: "As It Was" – Harry Styles (UK)
* 2023: "Flowers" – Miley Cyrus
* 2024: "Stick Season" - Noah Kahan

Authority control databases |

* MusicBrainz work
* MusicBrainz release group

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