On Monday, the Official Charts Company in Britain issued a special report on the biggest selling albums of the CD era (October 1982 to today) to celebrate its thirtieth birthday.
ABBA Gold
ABBA is the big winner over the last three decades as their Gold: Greatest Hits has sold four-million copies in the U.K. but whether it will keep that crown much longer is in question. Adele’s 21 is now the second biggest selling CD, just 400,000 copies behind. Both continue to chart in the weekly top 100 so a horse race could soon be coming.
Coldplay is the biggest selling artist of the era, scoring three albums in the top 30 (A Rush of Blood to the Head (#13), X&Y (#19), Parachutes (#21)). Robbie Williams is the second biggest artist of the CD era, also with three albums (I’ve Been Expecting You (#25), Greatest Hits (#26), Swing When You’re Winning (#27)). Dido is the only other artist to have multiple albums on the list (No Angel (#6), Life For Rent (#11)).
The CD era in Britain hasn’t been that kind to veteran artists. Beyond ABBA, the only other ones to make it are the Beatles (1 (#12)) and George Michael (Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of (#30)).
The top thirty
- Gold: Greatest Hits – ABBA
- 21 – Adele
- What’s the Story Morning Glory? – Oasis
- Back to Black – Amy Winehouse
- Back to Bedlam – James Blunt
- No Angel – Dido
- Come On Over – Shania Twain
- Spirit – Leona Lewis
- Urban Hymns – Verve
- White Ladder – David Gray
- Life For Rent – Dido
- 1 – Beatles
- A Rush of Blood to the Head – Coldplay
- Beautiful World – Take That
- Hopes and Fears – Keane
- Crazy Love – Michael Buble
- Scissor Sisters – Scissor Sisters
- Talk on Corners – Coors
- X&Y – Coldplay
- The Man Who – Travis
- Parachutes – Coldplay
- The Fame – Lady Gaga
- Come Away With Me – Norah Jones
- Only By the Night – Kings of Leon
- I’ve Been Expecting You – Robbie Williams
- Greatest Hits – Robbie Williams
- Swing While You’re Winning – Robbie Williams
- The Marshall Mathers LP – Eminem
- Eyes Open – Snow Patrol
- Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of – George Michael
