List of best-selling albums of the 2010s in the United Kingdom

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Adele's two albums released in the decade, 21 and 25, are the top two best-sellers of the 2010s, while 19 (released in 2008) also features at #13 for the decade. Adele - Live 2016, Glasgow SSE Hydro 03.jpg
Adele's two albums released in the decade, 21 and 25 , are the top two best-sellers of the 2010s, while 19 (released in 2008) also features at #13 for the decade.
2010s in music in the UK
Events
Charts
←2000s
2020→
Ed Sheeran features three times in the top ten, with x (#3), / (#4) and + (#7) Ed Sheeran-6886 (cropped).jpg
Ed Sheeran features three times in the top ten, with x (#3), ÷ (#4) and + (#7)
Sam Smith features twice on the list, with In the Lonely Hour (#6), which was the best-selling debut album of the 2010s, and The Thrill of It All (#93) Sam Smith Lollapalooza 2015-9 (cropped).jpg
Sam Smith features twice on the list, with In the Lonely Hour (#6), which was the best-selling debut album of the 2010s, and The Thrill of It All (#93)

The UK Albums Chart is a music chart compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC) that calculates the best-selling artist albums of the week in the United Kingdom. [1] Since 2005, the chart has been based on the sales of both physical and digital albums, on the condition that the album was available in both formats. In January 2007, the rules were changed so that legal downloads of all albums, irrespective of whether a physical copy was available, were eligible to chart. [2] Further changes occurred in February 2015 when audio streaming was included for the first time. [3]

Contents

On 11 December 2019, the OCC announced their list of the top 100 best-selling albums between January 2010 and December 2019. The best-selling album of the decade is Adele's 21 , which sold 6 million following its release in January 2011. Adele is also one of two artists to achieve three million-selling albums since 2010 with 19 (released in 2008 but sold over a million copies since 2010), 21 and 25 . The other is Ed Sheeran with + , x and ÷ . Sheeran is also the only artist to feature in the top 10 three times. [4]

Best-selling albums since 2010

Rihanna has three albums on this list, with Loud (#11), Talk That Talk (#41) and Unapologetic (#80) Rihanna V Festival 2011 cropped.jpg
Rihanna has three albums on this list, with Loud (#11), Talk That Talk (#41) and Unapologetic (#80)
Coldplay have three albums, with Mylo Xyloto (#18), A Head Full of Dreams (#27) and Ghost Stories (#94) Coldplay - December 2008.jpg
Coldplay have three albums, with Mylo Xyloto (#18), A Head Full of Dreams (#27) and Ghost Stories (#94)
Mumford & Sons have two albums, with Sigh No More (#17) and Babel (#32) MS2015.jpg
Mumford & Sons have two albums, with Sigh No More (#17) and Babel (#32)
Florence and the Machine (lead singer Florence Welch pictured) feature twice, with Lungs (#24) and Ceremonials (#67) Florence and the machine 2007 London.jpg
Florence and the Machine (lead singer Florence Welch pictured) feature twice, with Lungs (#24) and Ceremonials (#67)
Taylor Swift features twice, 1989 (#25) and Red (#96) Taylor Swift 043 (18117777270).jpg
Taylor Swift features twice, 1989 (#25) and Red (#96)
Olly Murs features four times, with Right Place Right Time (#19), In Case You Didn't Know (#32), Never Been Better (#65) and Olly Murs (#72) OllyMurs2.jpg
Olly Murs features four times, with Right Place Right Time (#19), In Case You Didn't Know (#32), Never Been Better (#65) and Olly Murs (#72)
Ellie Goulding features twice, with Halcyon (#26) and Lights (#71) Ellie Goulding - Ilosaarirock 2014 3.jpg
Ellie Goulding features twice, with Halcyon (#26) and Lights (#71)
One Direction have three albums, with Up All Night (#29), Take Me Home (#45) and Four (#100) One Direction 2, 2013.jpg
One Direction have three albums, with Up All Night (#29), Take Me Home (#45) and Four (#100)
Little Mix feature twice, with Glory Days (#39) and Get Weird (#70) Little Mix 3 (38835878051).jpg
Little Mix feature twice, with Glory Days (#39) and Get Weird (#70)
No. [4] TitleArtistPeak
position		Year of
release		Sales
(where available) [lower-alpha 1] 		No. of times
Platinum [lower-alpha 2]
1 21 Adele 120116,000,000 [6] 17×
2 25 120153,600,00012×
3 x Ed Sheeran 120143,600,000 [7] 12×
4 ÷ 120173,400,000 [7] 11×
5 Christmas Michael Bublé 120112,950,0009×
6 In the Lonely Hour Sam Smith 120142,590,0008×
7 + Ed Sheeran120112,443,0008×
8 Our Version of Events Emeli Sandé 120122,430,0008×
9 Progress Take That 120102,390,0008×
10 The Greatest Showman Various Artists120172,130,0007×
11 Loud Rihanna 120101,997,5006×
12 Crazy Love Michael Bublé12009†1,890,3006×
13 19 Adele12008†2,450,0008×
14 AM Arctic Monkeys 120131,800,0006×
15 Doo-Wops & Hooligans Bruno Mars 120101,713,000 [8] 5×
16 The Fame / The Fame Monster Lady Gaga 12009†1,578,0005×
17 Sigh No More Mumford & Sons 22009†1,561,8005×
18 Mylo Xyloto Coldplay 120111,536,7005×
19 Wanted on Voyage George Ezra 120141,420,200 [9] 4×
20 Teenage Dream / Teenage Dream: The Complete Confection Katy Perry 120101,304,325 [10] 4×
21 The Defamation of Strickland Banks Plan B 120101,399,400 [11] 4×
22 Right Place Right Time Olly Murs 120121,380,000 [12] 4×
23 Who You Are Jessie J 220111,270,000 [13] 4×
24 Purpose Justin Bieber 220151,200,0004×
25 Lungs Florence and the Machine 12009†1,813,557 [14] 6×
26 1989 Taylor Swift 120141,500,000 [15] 5×
27 Halcyon / Halcyon Days Ellie Goulding 120121,200,0004×
28 A Head Full of Dreams Coldplay120151,375,805 [16] 4×
29 I Cry When I Laugh Jess Glynne 120151,200,0004×
30 Human Rag'n'Bone Man 120171,200,0004×
31 If I Can Dream Elvis Presley 120151,062,4574×
32 Babel Mumford & Sons120121,064,3384×
33 Greatest Hits Bon Jovi 220101,200,0003×
34 Born to Die Lana Del Rey 120121,174,000 [17] 3×
35 Up All Night One Direction 120111,086,4343×
36 In Case You Didn't Know Olly Murs120111,105,000 [12] 3×
37 Time Flies... 1994–2009 Oasis 120101,200,0003×
38 Greatest Hits... So Far!!! Pink 520101,050,000 [18] 3×
39 Glory Days Little Mix 120161,014,800 [19] 3×
40 Sunny Side Up Paolo Nutini 12009†1,033,0003×
41 Take Me Home One Direction120121,103,5003×
42 Talk That Talk Rihanna120111,000,0003×
43 Recovery Eminem 120101,030,000 [20] 3×
44 Unorthodox Jukebox Bruno Mars12012987,8543×
45 Born This Way Lady Gaga120111,020,8003×
46 Gold: Greatest Hits ABBA 11992†18×
47 Legend Bob Marley and the Wailers 11984†12×
48 18 Months Calvin Harris 12012923,8613×
49 Staying at Tamara's George Ezra120181,000,300 [21] 3×
50 Rumours Fleetwood Mac 11977†13×
51 Curtain Call: The Hits Eminem 12005†7×
52 The Ultimate Collection Whitney Houston 32007†5×
53 Greatest Hits Foo Fighters 42009†4×
54 Back to Black Amy Winehouse 12006†13×
55 Bad Blood Bastille 120131,000,6403×
56 Midnight Memories One Direction120133×
57 Come Around Sundown Kings of Leon 12010915,300 [22] 3×
58 Number Ones Michael Jackson 12003†9×
59 The Truth About Love Pink12012907,000 [18] 3×
60 Nothing but the Beat David Guetta 120113×
61 The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac620026×
62 Disc-Overy Tinie Tempah 120103×
63 The Element of Freedom Alicia Keys 12009†3×
64 Lioness: Hidden Treasures Amy Winehouse 120112×
65 Never Been Better Olly Murs 12014863,000 [12] 2×
66 All Over the World: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra Electric Light Orchestra 12005†3×
67 Ceremonials Florence and the Machine 120112×
68 Chaos and the Calm James Bay 12015824,540 [23] 2×
69 Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds 12011864,600 [24] 2×
70 Get Weird Little Mix 22015883,000 [25] 3×
71 Lights Ellie Goulding 120102x
72 Olly Murs Olly Murs 220102x
73 My World / My World 2.0 Justin Bieber 320102x
74 To Be Loved Michael Bublé 120133x
75 Science & Faith The Script 120102x
76 Every Kingdom Ben Howard 420112x
77 Jake Bugg Jake Bugg 120122x
78 A Perfect Contradiction Paloma Faith 220142x
79 4 Beyoncé 120112x
80 Unapologetic Rihanna 120122x
81 The Lady Killer Cee Lo Green 320102x
82 No More Idols Chase & Status 220112x
83 The Marshall Mathers LP 2 Eminem 120132x
84 Only By the Night Kings of Leon 12008†10x
85 Swings Both Ways Robbie Williams 120132x
86 Decade in the Sun: Best of Stereophonics Stereophonics 22008†5x
87 In and Out of Consciousness: Greatest Hits 1990-2010 Robbie Williams 120102x
88 Fall to Grace Paloma Faith 220122x
89 Greatest Hits Queen 11981†22x
90 Caustic Love Paolo Nutini 120142x
91 If You Wait London Grammar 220132x
92 Since I Saw You Last Gary Barlow 220132x
93 The Thrill of It All Sam Smith 120172x
94 Ghost Stories Coldplay 12014733,000 [26] 2x
95 Greatest Hits Guns N' Roses 12004†7x
96 Red Taylor Swift 12012695,0002x
97 Greatest Hits Westlife 420112x
98 Outta This World JLS 220102x
99 Direct Hits The Killers 520132x
100 Four One Direction 12014600,0002x

† Released before 2010; only sales from 2010 onwards included

Best-selling debut albums

No.Debut albumArtistPeak
position		Year of
release		Sales
1 In the Lonely Hour Sam Smith 120142,590,000
2 19 Adele 12008†2,450,000
3 + Ed Sheeran 120112,443,000
4 Our Version of Events Emeli Sandé 120122,430,000
5 Doo-Wops & Hooligans Bruno Mars 120101,870,000
6 Wanted on Voyage George Ezra 120141,420,000
7 Who You Are Jessie J 220111,330,000
8 I Cry When I Laugh Jess Glynne 120151,230,000
9 Human Rag'n'Bone Man 120171,220,000
10 Born to Die Lana Del Rey 120121,190,000
11 Up All Night One Direction 220111,160,000
12 Bad Blood Bastille 12013975,000
13 Disc-Overy Tinie Tempah 12010905,000
14 Chaos and the Calm James Bay 12015867,000
15 Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds 12011
16 Lights Ellie Goulding 12010841,000
17 Olly Murs Olly Murs 22010839,000
18 My World / My World 2.0 Justin Bieber 32010
19 Every Kingdom Ben Howard 42011
20 Jake Bugg Jake Bugg 12012
21 The Lady Killer CeeLo Green 32010
22 If You Wait London Grammar 22013
23 Heaven Rebecca Ferguson 32011669,000
24 Night Visions Imagine Dragons 22013
25 Home Rudimental 12013
26 The 1975 The 1975 12013
27 Seasons of My Soul Rumer 32010
28 Royal Blood Royal Blood 12014
29 Hozier Hozier 32014
30 Dua Lipa Dua Lipa 32017
31 All the Little Lights Passenger 32013
32 Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent Lewis Capaldi 12019547,000
33 Communion Years & Years 12015
34 The Wanted The Wanted 42010
35 Deleted Scenes from the Cutting Room Floor Caro Emerald 42011
36 The Lumineers The Lumineers 82012
37 Settle Disclosure 12013
38 Chapter One Ella Henderson 12014476,000
39 Good Ol' Fashioned Love The Overtones 42010
40 The Balcony Catfish and the Bottlemen 102014

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Sales
  2. ↑ The certifications are those given by the BPI as of December 2019. [5]

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References

  1. ↑ "The Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  2. ↑ Swash, Rosie (8 January 2007). "Old songs return to brave new singles chart". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  3. ↑ Copsey, Rob (11 February 2015). "UK's Official Albums Chart to include streaming data for first time". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  4. 1 2 Copsey, Rob (17 December 2019). "The UK's Official Top 100 biggest albums of the decade". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 December 2019.
  5. ↑ "Certified Awards". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  6. ↑ Ainsley, Helen (8 March 2021). "National Album Day: Adele named UK's best-selling female album artist of 21st Century". www.officialcharts.com. Retrieved 2021-03-09.
  7. 1 2 White, Jack (12 October 2019). "The UK's Official Top 40 biggest studio albums of the 21st Century". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 2 November 2019.
  8. ↑ Jones, Alan (25 November 2016). "Official Charts Analysis: Little Mix top albums chart with Glory Days" . Music Week . Intent Media. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  9. ↑ Paine, Andre (19 November 2019). "George Ezra passes one million sales for Staying at Tamara's" . Music Week . Intent Media. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  10. ↑ Garner, George (May 17, 2017). "Katy Perry confirmed to be a judge on American Idol". Music Week. Archived from the original on August 7, 2017. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  11. ↑ Jones, Alan (11 May 2018). "Charts analysis: Greatest Showman returns to albums summit". Music Week . Intent Media. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  12. 1 2 3 Myers, Justin (7 November 2018). "Olly Murs' Official Top 10 biggest songs revealed". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 8 November 2018.
  13. ↑ Myers, Justin (10 November 2017). "One hit album wonders – huge albums that were hard acts to follow". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 5 April 2018.
  14. ↑ Jones, Alan (23 August 2019). "Charts analysis: Ed Sheeran returns to albums summit". Music Week. Retrieved 23 August 2019.
  15. ↑ Jones, Alan (30 August 2019). "Charts analysis: Taylor Swift feels the love on streaming services" . Music Week. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  16. ↑ "Coldplay secure another entry in YouTube's Billion Views Club". Musicweek. Archived from the original on 27 January 2020. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  17. ↑ Jones, Alan (6 September 2019). "Charts analysis: Lana Del Rey scores fourth No.1, increases week one sales". Music Week. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
  18. 1 2 Myers, Justin (1 February 2019). "Pink's biggest albums and songs on the Official Chart". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  19. ↑ Jones, Alan (23 November 2018). "Charts analysis: Michael Buble scores year's second biggest artist sale so far" . Music Week. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  20. ↑ Copsey, Rob (5 September 2018). "Eminem's Top 10 biggest albums on the Official Chart". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  21. ↑ Paine, Andre (19 November 2019). "George Ezra passes one million sales for Staying at Tamara's" . Music Week . Intent Media. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  22. ↑ Jones, Alan (21 October 2016). "Official Charts Analysis: Kings of Leon score fifth No.1 album" . Music Week . Intent Media. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  23. ↑ Jones, Alan (25 May 2018). "Charts analysis: Greatest Showman bests Bay on albums chart" . Music Week . Intent Media. Retrieved 20 December 2019.
  24. ↑ Hanley, Jamea (21 October 2019). "High & Mighty: Noel Gallagher - The Music Week Interview" . Music Week. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  25. ↑ Copsey, Rob (15 November 2018). "Little Mix's Top 20 biggest singles on the Official Chart". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  26. ↑ Griffiths, George (19 October 2021). "Coldplay's Official biggest albums in the UK revealed". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 18 December 2021.
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