Posted January 12, 200916 yr Take That crowned top albums act of 2008 09:44 | Monday January 12, 2009 By Ben Cardew Take That earned bragging rights as 2008’s biggest-selling albums act, despite The Circus just missing out to Duffy’s Rockferry for top-selling album of the year. As we outline in our market round-up of the year (see this week’s issue of Music Week), The Circus shifted 1.45m copies in just four weeks to become the year’s second biggest artist album, behind Rockferry’s 1.68m. However, the Mancunian group’s back catalogue sold a further 600,000 units in 2008, earning them the title of the year’s top act. The Circus also recorded the year’s four highest weekly sales. And the vintage boy band were not the only veteran act to report strong sales: Neil Diamond chalked up sales of 0.92m – including his first number one album in 16 years in Home Before dark – to finish as the year’s 10th best-selling artist. Meanwhile, Elvis Presley was the year’s 19th most popular artist, with sales of 0.58m from 63 albums represented in the year’s 10,000 biggest sellers. Similarly, Johnny Cash had 53 titles among the top 10,000, Bob Dylan had 45 and David Bowie and Frank Sinatra had 33 apiece. Overall, album sales for 2008 totalled 133.6m, according to Official Charts Company figures, down just 3.2% on 2007, while singles sales grew 33.0% to hit 115.1m – some 26m more than the previous record of 89.1m shipped in 1979. “It was a very positive end to the year,” says Universal UK chairman and CEO David Joseph, whose company again came out on top of market share statistics for both singles and albums. “The year was feeling OK but then came the terrible retail news. There were a couple of weeks where we were trying to sort that out, to make sure that the releases people wanted were in stores. “When the direct supply and distribution was established we started to see the numbers coming in and we thought, ‘This could be amazing.’ When people are cutting down on their expensive, luxury spending, records can benefit. Also, there was a very good release schedule. The two combined.”
January 13, 200916 yr Thanks for posting this Martin and huge well done to them,they really deserved this as sales have been excellent
January 13, 200916 yr Sales since Christmas have been appalling though - even taking into account other albums are doing just as badly. Its down to 5 in the midweeks and I wouldn't be surprised if its outside the top 10 come Sunday. It needs a stab in the arm now with a decent single release. Come on Take That - get Up All Night out NOW! Norma
January 13, 200916 yr for me the album has succeeded my expectations i never though the album would be any wher enear as successful as beautiful world,the album will stay top 10 this week i think but the fact so many cheap cd's on sale its the cheaper albums getting the sales,,album sales overall are so bad but the singles are selling quite strong even if the album drops and drops up all night will see it rocket back up the charts and drive the 2 millionth sale in for the circus
