Albums Sales

Over recent years, trends in music sales have begun to make a change toward a more digital market. In 2009 the BBC wrote an article about the fall in album sales giving way to a rise in digital sales. Overall album sales had decreased by 3.5% over the year despite downloaded album sales increasing massively by 56.1% consisting of 1 eighth of the total sold. This has become a growing trend and 2011 became the sixth year in a row where album sales have dropped. Despite this trend, singles sales are still increasing. In 2009 152 million singles were sold (up by 32.7% from the previous year) with 98% of those being digital downloads.

One of the most insteresting things in regards to albums is that none of the top 30 highest grossing albums were released after 2000. Michael Jackson's Thriller tops the list with 110 million estimated copies sold worldwide - over doubling the next highest; Back in Black by AC/DC at 49 million.

 

Here are the top 10 biggest selling albums of all time (Excluding Soundtracks & Compilations):

1. Thriller - Michael Jackson (1982) - 110 Million

2. Back In Black - AC/DC (1980) - 50 Million

3. Dark Side Of The Moon - Pink Floyd (1973) - 50 Million

4. Bad - Michael Jackson (1987) - 45 Million

5. Bat Out Of Hell - Meat Loaf (1977) - 43 Million

6. Rumours - Fleetwood Mac (1977) - 40 Million

7. Come On Over - Shania Twain (1997) - 40 Million

8. Led Zeppelin IV - Led Zeppelin (1971) - 37 Million

9. Dangerous - Michael Jackson (1991) - 33 Million

10. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles (1967) - 32 Million

 

In the UK alone, the biggest selling album of all time is 'Greatest Hits' by Queen, which was released in 1981, and has sold over 6 million copies. Like I previously mentioned, there is a lack of albums that were released after 2000, with 2 in the top 15 - Bacxk To Black by Amy Winehouse (12th), and 21 by Adele (5th).

 

Here is the top 10 biggest selling albums in the UK:

1. Greatest Hits - Queen (1981) - 6 Million

2. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles (1967) - 5 Million

3. Gold - ABBA (1992) - 5 Million

4. (What's The Story) Morning Glory? - Oasis (1995) - 4.5 Million

5. 21 - Adele (2011) - 4.3 Million

6. Thriller - Michael Jackson (1982) - 4.2 Million

7. Brothers In Arms - Dire Straits (1985) - 4.1 Million

8. Dark Side Of The Moon - Pink Floyd (1973) - 4.1 Million

9. Bad - Michael Jackson (1987) - 4 Million

10. Greatest Hits II - Queen (1991) - 3.7 Million