Digital album sales in the United Kingdom have topped the 100 million mark for the first time, the industry’s trade association BPI has revealed. It hit the 50 million mark only two years ago. The 10 biggest-selling digital albums of all time have sold more than 250,000 copies. This list consists of:
1. Adele – 21
2. Ed Sheeran – +
3. Lady Gaga – The Fame
4. Kings of Leon – Only By The Night
5. Rihanna – Loud
6. Florence + The Machine – Lungs
7. Coldplay – Mylo Xyloto
8. Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More
9. Plan B – The Defamation of Strickland Banks
10. Bruno Mars – Doo-Wops & Hooligans
BPI chief executive Geoff Taylor said: “Sales of digital albums are surging ahead as British consumers embrace the convenience, value and choice offered by online services. As our athletes compete against the best in the world, British artists have taken the gold and silver positions in the best-selling digital artist albums of all time, and six places in the top ten. With big releases to come from Rita Ora, The Script, Elbow, and Stooshe, digital album sales should continue to grow strongly.”
The news comes after BPI earlier this year said that revenues from downloads and subscriptions overtook revenues from physical CDs in the first quarter of 2012. Digital makes up 34% of all record sales in the UK.
However the overall albums market is not doing that well. Sales fell 13.8% to 43.6 million units in the first half of 2012. They had sold 50.5 million for the same time last year.
- Christie Eliezer, The Music Network