So the top selling albums in the UK in 2008, according to the Official Charts Company, were:
4) Spirit – Leona Lewis
Two of these made our Top 50 Albums Of 2008 list – Kings of Leon, contentiously, given its 2.5 stars rating, and Girls Aloud. (Duffy, for the record, would have been No 55, but given Top 50s only go as far as 50 by definition, she didn't make it.)
Six of the Top 10 were North American imports.
Duffy sold 1,685,000 copies of Rockferry, which was produced by Bernard Butler and released through A&M, part of Polydor. The major label group, owned by Universal, was also responsible for Take That, Girls Aloud and the million-selling Mamma Mia! soundtrack, the year's bestselling compilation album.
Critics' favourites Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, TV On The Radio, Amadou & Mariam and Elbow (Polydor's Mercury winners) were nowhere to be seen. Nor, in fact, were any releases from independent labels.
For the record, the two biggest selling tracks of the year helped line Simon Cowell's pockets a little more. The top 10 were:
1) Hallelujah – Alexandra Burke
2) Hero – X Factor finalists
3) Mercy – Duffy
4) I Kissed A Girl – Katy Perry
5) Rockstar – Nickelback
6) American Boy – Estelle/ Kanye West
7) Sex on Fire – Kings of Leon
8) Now You're Gone – Basshunter
9) 4 Minutes – Madonna/ Justin Timberlake
10) Black & Gold – Sam Sparro
Are you thrilled? Surprised? Despairing? Did you buy any of these?
