January 3, 201214 yr Official Charts Company data for the U.K. for the full year of 2011 reveal four million-selling albums and two million-selling singles, with female artists taking five of the top ten titles in each list. Combined sales of the top ten albums stood at 12.34 million, and 9.26 million for the top ten singles (complete lists below) . As reported, Adele's "21" (XL Recordings), released in January, was 2011's biggest-selling U.K. album, with sales of 3,772,000. That compared to total sales of 1,841,148 in 2010 for that year's champion, Take That's "Progess" (Polydor/Universal), although that album was only on sale for the last 48 days of the year. It sold another 484,000 last year. The 2011 runner-up, trailing Adele by close to 2.5 million units, was Michael Bublé's "Christmas" (Reprise/Warner Music) with 1,292,000, although again that festive album was only released in October. Bublé also had the 2010 runner-up with his previous release "Crazy Love," which has now achieved a remarkable treble: Released in October 2009, it sold 1.197 million copies to the end of that year for a No. 3 placing, then 1.227 million last year to finish No. 2, and another 410,000 units in 2011, ending at No. 20. The No. 3 artist album for 2011 was Bruno Mars' "Doo-Wops & Hooligans" (Elektra/Warner Music), with 1.214 million sales, while Adele's previous album "19" came fourth with 1.210 million. It had placed No. 16 in its year of release, 2008, with 479,000 sales. Coldplay landed at No. 5 on the 2011 artist album tally with "Mylo Xyloto" (Parlophone/EMI), selling 907,000 to Dec. 31, while Def Jam/Universal's Rihanna also had two releases in the top ten: "Loud" at No. 6 (876,000) and the current "Talk That Talk" at No. 10 with 655,000. Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" (Interscope/Universal) sold 821,000 in 2011 to finish No. 7 (its forerunner "The Fame" had been No. 3 for 2010 and No. 2 for 2009). Jessie J's debut "Who You Are" (Lava/Universal Island) posted 805,000 sales for a No. 8 finish and this week's No. 1, Ed Sheeran's debut album "+" (Asylum/Warner Music), 791,000 to year-end, landing the No. 9 spot. Amy Winehouse's posthumous "Lioness: Hidden Treasures" set (Universal Island) just missed the 2011 top ten, landing at No. 11 with 638,000 sales from its Dec. 2 release to the end of the year. Top 20 U.K. Albums Of 2011 01 21 - ADELE 3,772,000 02 CHRISTMAS - MICHAEL BUBLE 1,292,000 03 DOO-WOPS & HOOLIGANS - BRUNO MARS 1,214,420 04 19 - ADELE 1,210,410 05 MYLO XYLOTO - COLDPLAY 907,000 06 LOUD - RIHANNA 876,000 07 BORN THIS WAY - LADY GAGA 821,000 08 WHO YOU ARE - JESSIE J 805,000 09 + - ED SHEERAN 791,000 10 TALK THAT TALK - RIHANNA 655,000 11 LIONESS: HIDDEN TREASURES - AMY WINEHOUSE 638,000 12 IN CASE YOU DIDN'T KNOW - OLLY MURS 597,000 13 THE LADY KILLER - CEE LO GREEN 560,000 14 NOEL GALLAGHER'S HIGH FLYING BIRDS - NOEL GALLAGHER 492,000 15 PROGRESS - TAKE THAT 484,000 16 UP ALL NIGHT - ONE DIRECTION 468,000 17 NO MORE IDOLS - CHASE & STATUS 461,000 18 4 - BEYONCE 451,000 19 GREATEST HITS - WESTLIFE 423,000 20 CRAZY LOVE - MICHAEL BUBLE 410,000 link
January 5, 201214 yr Bit of a step down in sales from the last few albums but very impressive in its own right
January 5, 201214 yr I actually think its brilliant, you need to think when MX came out which was end of october. VLV and X&Y came out june time so are bound to have more higher end of year sales. I'd be interested to see how it fairs in a years time and copy yearly sales
January 10, 201214 yr ^:nod: I mean, she has a beautiful voice, yeah we know that, but come on, GET OVER IT, PEOPLE! I'm sorry :| What I really mean is : didn't she release 19 a while ago ? :thinking: 21 worked so well that it actually got people to buy her previous album ? :thinking:
January 10, 201214 yr ^ Exactly. :nod: 19 came out when she was 19. :D 21 is still #1 in the US. STILL?! She's 23 now. Make it stop.
January 10, 201214 yr 2 Adeles in the top 5. Why? Because 21 was a big hit, then people went out and bought 19. Simple.
January 10, 201214 yr Because 21 was a big hit, then people went out and bought 19. Simple. Well duh. I'm not wondering about that. The question is, what's SO special about her and 21 for it to become such a huge hit? I guess it's just that she's different (and better?) from the electro-dance hits so she stands out...
January 10, 201214 yr ^:nod: Maybe it's some sort of response to all the craziness going on in the world (of music or not): her albums have some simple & emotional songs in which sometimes you recognize yourself, I guess.
January 11, 201214 yr Adele is popular because she is different. It's also because her style of music appeals to the pop fans aswell. That mysterious mix of Soul and Alternative really does not belong in our generation. And that what makes her popular. Something brand new, out of the blue. Sounds we have never heard before, like Set Fire To the Rain or Lovesong.
January 12, 201214 yr Well duh. I'm not wondering about that. The question is, what's SO special about her and 21 for it to become such a huge hit? I guess it's just that she's different (and better?) from the electro-dance hits so she stands out... Her style; Strong voiced woman singing over 60's inspired pop music. Rolling In the Deep is a big reason, also.
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