- Combined albums market down 3.5% overall in volume to 128.9m.
- 16.1m digital albums sold in 2009, 12.5% of albums market
- Singles market records best year – 152.7m singles sold, up 32.7% on 2008.
7th January 2010 - A strong release schedule and continuing investment in new digital services enabled the UK recorded music market to endure the worst of challenging trading conditions and the continuing damage from online piracy during 2009, new Official Charts Company data released today by the BPI revealed.
Combined albums market sales of 128.9m declined by 3.5% during 2009, with the drop arrested to a degree by the growth of the market for digital albums – 16.1m downloads in 2009, up 56.1% on the previous year. Digital albums now account for 12.5% of the entire albums market. A healthy stream of key releases sustained UK album sales, with big sellers coming from Susan Boyle, Lady Gaga, Michael Buble, Kings of Leon, Black Eyed Peas, JLS, Robbie Williams and Paolo Nutini.
2009 saw an increase in UK singles sales by 32.7%, with more than 152m singles topping the 2008 record of 115.1m. During 2009, 98% of singles, some 149.7m single tracks and bundles, were sold in digital formats - a testimony to the big investments made by UK retailers in music download stores in the UK. This performance in singles was underpinned by a strong release schedule that captured the public's attention and imagination, including big selling tracks from Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, Cheryl Cole, La Roux and Alexandra Burke - and the year-end Xmas chart battle between Rage Against The Machine and X-Factor winner Joe McElderry.
Following the demise of key UK retail chains Zavvi and Woolworths at the beginning of 2009, and the collapse of distributors EUK and Pinnacle, music companies worked with retailers to ensure sales of physical CDs migrated to other outlets on the high street, like supermarkets, and to digital retailers and online stores. The music retail market in 2009 was bolstered in part by sales of CDs from traditionally non-music outlets including fashion retailer Peacocks and video game specialist Game.
Geoff Taylor, BPI Chief Executive, said: “As the way in which consumers find and purchase music continues to evolve, it is vital that music companies can continue to invest in new artists and support new digital services. Meaningful action to tackle online piracy is more critical than ever before. Without it, investment in new services and new music will be stifled.
"Despite difficult trading conditions and the ever-present competition from illegal downloading, UK music sales remained relatively resilient during 2009. While sales of physical CDs continue to trend downwards, music fans are clearly responding to the explosive growth of digital retailers and outlets selling and streaming music in the UK - 2009's record singles result is clearly encouraging."
Kim Bayley, Director General of the Entertainment Retailers Association, said: "2009 started on a low note after the collapse of Woolworths and Zavvi, but entertainment retailers across the board worked with their suppliers to end the year with a far better result than anyone had expected.
"We are particularly pleased at the progress made by digital and internet retailers. The key to maintaining momentum in 2010 will be to maintain a flow of innovative and compelling product to the consumer."
ENDS
NOTES FOR EDITORS
All figures and charts in this news release must be credited to the Official Charts Company.
2009 top sellers
Singles
Title Artist Label / Company / Corporate Group
1 Poker Face Lady Gaga Interscope / Polydor / Universal Music
2 I Gotta Feeling Black Eyed Peas Interscope / Polydor / Universal Music
3 Just Dance Lady Gaga Interscope / Polydor / Universal Music
4 Fight For This Love Cheryl Cole Fascination / Polydor / Universal Music
5 The Climb Joe McElderry Syco Music / RCA Label Group / Sony Music
6 In For The Kill La Roux Polydor / Polydor / Universal Music
7 Boom Boom Pow Black Eyed Peas Interscope / Polydor / Universal Music
8 Killing In The Name Rage Against The Machine Epic / Columbia Label Group / Sony Music
9 Bad Boys Alexandra Burke ft Flo Rida Syco Music / RCA Label Group / Sony Music
10 Meet Me Halfway Black Eyed Peas Interscope / Polydor / Universal Music
Source: Official Charts Company
Artist Albums
Title Artist Label / Company / Corporate Group
1 I Dreamed A Dream Susan Boyle Syco Music / RCA Label Group / Sony Music
2 The Fame Lady Gaga Interscope / Polydor / Universal Music
3 Crazy Love Michael Buble Reprise / Warner Bros / Warner Music
4 The End Black Eyed Peas Interscope / Polydor / Universal Music
5 Only By The Night Kings of Leon Hand Me Down / Columbia Label Group/ Sony Music
6 JLS JLS Epic / Epic / Sony Music.
7 I Am Sasha Fierce Beyonce Columbia / RCA / Sony Music.
8 Sunny Side Up Paolo Nutini Atlantic / Atlantic Records UK / Warner Music
9 It’s Not Me It’s You Lily Allen Regal Recordings / Parlophone / EMI Music
10 Reality Killed The Video Star Robbie Williams Virgin / Virgin / EMI Music
Source: Official Charts Company
Combined Albums (artist and compilation)
Title Artist Label / Company / Corporate Group
1 I Dreamed A Dream Susan Boyle Syco Music / RCA Label Group / Sony Music
2 The Fame Lady Gaga Interscope / Polydor / Universal Music
3 Crazy Love Michael Buble Reprise / Warner Bros / Warner Music
4 The End B lack Eyed Peas Interscope / Polydor / Universal Music
5 Only By The Night Kings of Leon Hand Me Down / Columbia Label Group/ Sony Music
6 Now That’s What I Call Music 74 Various Artists EMI Virgin|UMTV / EMI TV|UMTV / EMI|Universal
7 JLS JLS Epic / Epic / Sony Music.
8 I Am Sasha Fierce Beyonce Columbia / RCA / Sony Music.
9 Sunny Side Up Paolo Nutini Atlantic / Atlantic Records UK / Warner Music
10 It’s Not Me It’s You Lily Allen Regal Recordings / Parlophone / EMI Music
Source: Official Charts Company
Market volumes – ten year trend
Albums Singles
2000 134.3m 55.7m
2001 144.9m 51.2m
2002 149.2m 43.9m
2003 159.3m 30.9m
2004 163.4m 32.3m
2005 159.0m 47.9m
2006 154.7m 66.9m
2007 138.1m 86.6m
2008 133.6m 115.1m
2009 128.9m 152.7m
Source: Official Charts Company
For further information on BPI
Please contact Adam Liversage on 0207 803 1326 or e-mail adam.liversage@bpi.co.uk
For further information on ERA
Please contact Steve Redmond on 07770 924720.
About BPI
The BPI is the representative voice of the UK recorded music business. We are a trade organisation funded by our members - which include the UK's four major record labels and hundreds of independent music companies. BPI members account for approximately 90% of all recorded music sold in the UK, and globally the UK's recorded music market is the third biggest.
The BPI also organises the annual BRIT Awards show as well as the Classical BRIT Awards show. The organising company BRIT Awards limited, is a fully owned subsidiary of the BPI. Substantial proceeds from both shows go to the BRIT Trust, the charitable arm of the BPI that has donated almost £15m to charitable causes nationwide, since its foundation in 1989.
About ERA
The Entertainment Retailers Association represents retailers of entertainment through physical stores and over the internet in both physical and digital formats. ERA members account for well over 90% of sales of video, games and music in the UK.
Its members range from specialists like HMV and Game, to supermarkets like Tesco and Asda, from internet retailers like Amazon and Play.com to digital retailers like emusic and 7digital and mobile operators such as Orange and T-Mobile.