Following the publication of the IFPI’s Digital Music Report 2014 last week, the BPI can reveal that One Direction’s Midnight Memories was the top selling global album last year, selling 4m copies world-wide in the space of just five weeks (685,000 copies in the UK) following its release on 25th November.
The group just edged out Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP 2 to claim the top spot.
This means that UK acts have now claimed the top-selling artist album globally in six of the last seven years and seven of the last ten:
TOP SELLING ARTIST ALBUMS 2004-2013: * UK artists/releases in bold
2013: One Direction Midnight Memories
2012: Adele 21
2011: Adele 21
2010: Eminem Recovery
2009: Susan Boyle I Dreamed A Dream
2008: Coldplay Viva La Vida
2007: Amy Winehouse Back To Black
2006: Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium
2005: Coldplay X&Y
2004: Usher Confessions
One Direction enjoyed another stellar twelve months in 2013 – prompting the IFPI, the body that represents record industry trade organisations world-wide, to name them ‘Global Recording Artist of 2013’ in recognition of their international popularity across downloads, physical format sales and streaming services. The band’s success and appeal in the UK was also confirmed at last month’s BRIT Awards, where they collected two awards – for Global Success (for the second year running) and Best British Video.
One Direction’s Midnight Memories International success and end-of-year chart positions:
• Nineteen No.1 official chart positions around the world, including in the UK, US, Australia, Canada and Ireland.
• No.1 album in the UK and biggest-selling artist album of the year – selling 685,000 copies in just 5 weeks.
• Entered the US chart at No.1 in December, making One Direction the first group in US chart history to debut at the top with their first three albums. 12th biggest album release of the year overall.
• Biggest selling international album in Japan and 18th best-seller overall, peaking at No.3 in the charts.
• 10th biggest-seller in Canada overall, and another No.1 album.
• 8th best-selling album in Italy, peaking at No.2, where all three of 1D’s albums featured in the top 60 albums of the year. Also the most successful of any UK artist.
• 8th best-selling album in the Netherlands - the best-selling album by a UK act – reaching No.2 in the Dutch charts.
• No.1 album in Spain and the 6th high-seller overall. All three of the band’s albums made the annual top 30.
• 36th biggest selling album in France, where it gained a No.2 chart position.
