Adele tops the list of the 10 biggest music acts in the world in 2015

A list of the world's biggest music artists of last year has been released; and half the acts are British.

According to international music body IFPI, five of the 10 biggest selling recording artists across the globe last year hailed from the UK, with Adele taking the top spot on the Global Recording Artist chart.

The superstar sold over 15 million copies of her latest album 25 worldwide last year since its release in November, including 2.65 million in the UK alone (according to Official Charts data). 

Adele's success marks the seventh time in the last decade that a British artist has topped an IFPI global chart. Prior to the introduction of the Global Recording Artist chart in 2013 (which counts album and singles sales), British acts who featured in IFPI’s global top albums chart were: Amy Winehouse in 2007 (Back to Black), Coldplay in 2008 (Viva La Vida), Susan Boyle in 2009 (I Dreamed A Dream) and Adele in 2011 and 2012 (21).  In 2013 One Direction topped IFPI’S Global Recording Artist chart in its inaugural year.

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Taking second place is Ed Sheeran, whose studio album x has now sold more than 10 million copies worldwide since its release in June 2014. Other British acts in the Top 10 are One Direction at 5, Coldplay at 6, and Sam Smith takes eighth.

Canadian artists also fared well with three spots on the Top 10, with Justin Bieber finishing the highest at Number 4, while Drake is at 9 and The Weeknd at 10.

The remainder of the Top 10 is made up of two US acts: Taylor Swift at 3 and Maroon 5 at Number 7.

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On the continued success of British artists across the globe, Geoff Taylor, Chief Executive BPI & BRIT Awards, said:  “It’s fantastic that British artists continue to dominate the world stage. The global success of Adele, Ed Sheeran, One Direction, Coldplay and Sam Smith among others not only promotes a dynamic vision of UK creativity, but, crucially, helps to keep the door open for the next generation of British talent coming through.”

The IFPI Global Recording Artist of 2015 Top 10

1. Adele (UK)
2. Ed Sheeran (UK)
3. Taylor Swift (USA)
4. Justin Bieber (Canada)
5. One Direction (UK)
6. Coldplay (UK)
7. Maroon 5 (USA)
8. Sam Smith (UK)
9. Drake (Canada)
10. The Weeknd (Canada)