Adele and Ed Sheeran push digital albums sales over the 100 million milestone

According to the Official Charts Company’s latest sales data published by the music industry trade body The BPI, sales of digital albums have now soared past the 100 million mark in the UK.

This landmark has been boosted by Adele’s 21 and Ed Sheeran’s + which have been downloaded more than any other albums in the UK since records began. The news follows solid growth in the digital market where revenues from downloads and subscriptions overtook income from physical CDs and records in the first quarter of 2012. Digital now accounts for 34% of the total albums market.

The impressive landmark has been achieved in a little more than six years since records of digital sales began in April 2006 and only two years since the industry celebrated sales of 50 million digital albums in the UK.

“Sales of digital music are at an all-time high as British consumers embrace new services and enjoy the convenience and variety of music they offer,” commented BPI Chief Executive Geoff Taylor. “There’s something for all music fans at a price to suit everyone’s pocket and with interactive features which transform music services into more than just online shops.

“The fact that UK artists account for more than half of the top ten best-selling digital artist albums of all time shows that British music is as popular as ever with music lovers at home,” he added. “ With big releases from Rita Ora, The Script, Elbow, and Stooshe, expected in the weeks ahead, we look forward to continued growth in the digital market.”

The top-selling album last week was Now That’s What I Call Music! 82, which shifted 45,000 copies online. In the first week that digital album sales were recorded in 2006, the Number 1 was This New Day by indie-rock band Embrace, with just under 2,000 digital sales. Some 64,000 albums were downloaded in that week – the weekly average for digital album sales is now almost eight times that at 500,000 downloads.

2006: Digital sales were recorded from April 2006 onwards / 2012: Sales year-to-date (week 30)

The biggest-selling digital albums of all time led by Adele, Ed Sheeran and Lady Gaga all sold more than 250,000 copies online.

The Official Top 10 biggest selling digital albums of all time are as follows:

© 2012 The Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

The Official biggest selling digital albums of each year are as follows:

* Sales year-to-date (week 30)

© 2012 The Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.

100 Million Album Sales on MUZU.TV.