11 Record-Breaking iTunes Songs

Image via Complex Original

Adele's No. 1 smash hit sold 5.8 million downloads over the past calendar year (across all paid platforms). Meanwhile, the only traces of hip-hop on the iTunes Top 10 are Pitbull (with a Ne-Yo hook), Nicki Minaj (with one of the most sing-songy tunes of her career), and Kanye's feature on a Katy Perry record.

The rest of 2011's iTunes Top 10 in order:

#2. LMFAO f/ Lauren Bennett & GoonRock “Party Rock Anthem" (5.5 million downloads) 

#3. Katy Perry "Firework"(5.09 million downloads)

#4. Bruno Mars "Grenade" 

#5. Cee-Lo Green "Forget You"

#6. Pitbull f/ Ne-Yo, Afrojack & Nayer "Give Me Everything"

#7. Katy Perry f/ Kanye West "E.T."

#8. Maroon 5 f/ Christina Aguilera "Moves Like Jagger"

#9. Foster The People "Pumped Up Kicks"

#10. Nicki Minaj "Super Bass"

The Takeaway: Is it a wrap for rap on the pop charts?

Kesha's breakout hit was the top-selling digital track of 2010, moving 12.8 million copies that year. As of February 2011—the last time iTunes released sales figures—the Benny Blanco and Dr. Luke–produced track was still holding on to the #10 spot.

The Takeaway: Is "feeling like P. Diddy" better than actually being P. Diddy?

The sexy British pop singer won the TV show X-Factor in 2006. Her 2007 torch song was America's best-selling digital song of 2008. By February 2011 "Bleeding Love" was still hanging in strong at the #9 position.

The Takeaway: Not all artists who get their start on TV shows end up flopping like Ruben Studdard.

The 2008 lead single from Taylor Swift's Fearless album, "Love Story" moved over 5 million digital downloads the year it was released. The song has continued to perform strongly enough to land a spot on the February 2011 list. 

The Takeaway: Blondes still have more fun.

The longest-running No. 1 single of 2008 went on to become the most downloaded track of the 2000s. This tune may be about getting low, but its sales figures could hardly be much higher.

The Takeaway: The first rap song to earn a spot on iTunes' February 2011 list is also the first song by a male artist, or by a nonwhite artist.

Lady Gaga's 2008 debut single moved over 400,000 downloads in one week, ushering in the era of Gaga mania. The Red One–produced track has gone on to become one of the biggest hits in iTunes history.

The Takeaway: Everybody knows Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta's a motherfuckin' Monster.

The first song by a rock band to make our list, this 2008 release became only the sixth song in history to move 4 million paid downloads. It's still selling briskly enough to rank pretty high on iTunes Feb. 2011 list.

The Takeaway: With record-breaking sales and a gorgeous wife, it's good to be Chris Martin. If we were in his shoes, we'd be singing "Long live life" too.

Originally released on a limited edition EP in 2005, the reggae-tinged love song "I'm Yours" was not available on iTunes until 2008. Since then it has sold well over 5 million copies and counting.

The Takeaway: Nothing beats a cheesy reggae-flavored love song.

Will.I.Am and the Peas posse have this digital game on lock. Their chart-topping 2008 release swiftly broke the 4 million download mark, and has hung on to become one of two BEP entries on iTunes Feb. 2011 list.

The Takeaway: The Peas rule—and those other pop rap contenders are so 2000 and late.

The second single from Gaga's diamond-selling debut album did even better than the first, selling over 6.5 million digital downloads as of the start of 2012. That was more than enough to give Lady Gaga her second entry on iTunes Feb 2011 list.

The Takeaway: Maybe you can't read her poker face, but Gaga's numbers are loud and clear.

Released in March of 2009, this David Guetta–produced banger went straight from the clubs of Ibiza to the top of the iTunes charts. In March 2011, it became the first song in digital history to sell over 7 million digital copies—in the U.S. alone.

The Takeaway: The next time Will.I.Am says "I got my money, let's spend it up," make sure you take him up on the offer.