07/09/2011 - Adele breaks Official Charts history with 3 million album sales

The Official Charts Company can confirm that Adele has today broken Official Charts history, becoming the first artist in music history to hit 3 million sales of an album in one calendar year.

The album, 21, which was released 24 January 2011 achieved phenomenal success this year, not least being recognised in last night's Mercury Music Prize. Despite being pipped to the post yesterday for the prestigious accolade by fellow British singer/songwriter PJ Harvey, Adele can instead today celebrate being the youngest female to hit the 3 million sales mark with an album, and doing so in one calendar year, a music industry first.

21, Adele’s second studio album has now also become the third best selling album by a British female artist, surpassed only by Leona Lewis's 2007 debut release, Spirit, which shifted 3.03m copies, and Amy Winehouse's Back To Black (3.29m), which last month overtook James Blunt’s Back To Bedlam to become the highest selling album of the 21st century.

Adele, who was in attendance at the 2011 Mercury Music Prize yesterday evening at London's Grosvenor House, told how she was "gutted" not to be able to perform due to a chest infection. However, with a nominated album that has today arrived at the 3 million sales milestone amid an outstanding run in the Official Albums Chart, the singer has plenty of reason to be happy.

By this Sunday, 21 will have spent an impressive 33 weeks in the Top Five of the Official Albums Chart, racking up an average sale of almost 91,000 copies per week across the period. On sale for a total of 227 days so far, that is equivalent to over 13,000 albums sold per day.

Martin Talbot, managing director of the Official Charts Company says: "Three million albums in a year is a simply extraordinary achievement by Adele, who is now occupying an unparalleled position in the history of British music. In reaching such an elevated landmark so quickly, 21 has eclipsed any other album previously released in the UK - superceding even the likes of Sgt Pepper, Thriller, Dark Side Of The Moon, Brothers In Arms. There is no questioning now that Adele has joined the ranks of British music legends."

Click here to see the Official Singles and Albums Charts.

Source: Official Charts Company.

And that's legal downloads..what about the illegal ones?

Everyone must own a copy....I'm getting a bit fed up with her now to be honest.

muirdo said:

I'm getting a bit fed up with her now to be honest.

Not me. I've never heard of her.

My dad plays her music almost every day , it's getting annoying! lol

I love Adele but sometimes her voice sounds like a sneaker squeaking on a gym floor. Anyone know what I mean??? Think back to gym class...

You can hear it a few times in Rolling In The Deep.

Impressive milestone though! I can't believe she sold this much without even releasing a super deluxe patinum edition.

MidniteMagnet said:

I love Adele but sometimes her voice sounds like a sneaker squeaking on a gym floor. Anyone know what I mean??? Think back to gym class...

You can hear it a few times in Rolling In The Deep.

Impressive milestone though! I can't believe she sold this much without even releasing a super deluxe patinum edition.

Or even showing a bra strap.

Its nice to see real music win in this era of gimmicks.