LONDON, UK (BPI/ www.bpi.co.uk) - The third quarter of 2004 concluded the best 12 months for album sales in UK record industry history, with shipments hitting an all-time high of 237 million units.
Figures released from UK record companies' trade association the BPI show recorded music sales set for another all-time high.
A record 237m albums were shipped in the 12 months to September 2004 with 51.9 million albums in the third quarter, a 3.0% increase year-on-year.
British record companies generated �1,218.4million in sales revenue in the 12 months to the end of September, an increase of 2.7% on a year ago.
A high proportion of these sales can be attributed to new British artists such as Keane and The Streets - who both featured in the quarter's top 10 bestsellers.
With new British music dominating the charts in 2004, half of the third quarter's top 20 artist albums were by UK artists. Of those, eight were debut or second albums.
BPI Chairman Peter Jamieson said: "We should be proud of the achievements of British artists in particular and the resilience of the UK music market in general.
With the industry continuing to invest in new British talent whilst embracing the opportunities provided by new technology there are strong indicators that the market vitality will only get better. The consumer is responding positively to the new choices available on DVD, via download and on mobile platforms."
Highlights:
- New British artists drive UK album sales, 11 of the Top 20 albums for the quarter were British-signed, with four by debut acts. The Top Five singles were all by UK artists.
- Downloads drive single-track sales up 9.4% in the third quarter with 1.75 million sales
- More impressive gains in music DVD sales - quarterly sales are up 52.1% on 2003
Top 20 Artist Albums, 12 months to end Sept 2004
1. LIFE FOR RENT, DIDO
2. FRIDAY'S CHILD, WILL YOUNG
3. ELEPHUNK, BLACK EYED PEAS
4. CALL OFF THE SEARCH, KATIE MELUA
5. NUMBER ONES, MICHAEL JACKSON
6. IN TIME - THE BEST OF - 1988-2003, REM
7. FEELS LIKE HOME, NORAH JONES
8. HOPES AND FEARS, KEANE
9. A PRESENT FOR EVERYONE, BUSTED
10. GREATEST HITS, RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS
11. PERMISSION TO LAND, DARKNESS
12. SCISSOR SISTERS, SCISSOR SISTERS
13. GREATEST HITS, GUNS N' ROSES
14. CONFESSIONS, USHER
15. TWENTYSOMETHING, JAMIE CULLUM
16. ANASTACIA, ANASTACIA
17. SONGS ABOUT JANE, MAROON 5
18. THREE, SUGABABES
19. A GRAND DON'T COME FOR FREE, STREETS
20. TURNAROUND, WESTLIFE
(Contact Matt Phillips on 020 7803 1326 for further information).
