The billionth single was legally downloaded in the UK last night, 9 years after legal song downloads first became available, with sales of singles downloads increasing from 500,000 a week in 2004 to more than 3 million a week.
The Official Charts Company released the figures along with an all-time top 10 singles chart, with Adele‘s Someone Like You perched at number 1, with Australia’s own Gotye sitting at number 3 with Somebody That I Used To Know. The list is rounded out by such musical greats as Maroon 5, Black Eyed Peas and LMFAO, proving that even though we’re living in the digital age, nothing’s changed – singles are still purchased entirely by 14-year-olds.
Managing director of the Official Charts Company Martin Talbot said:
“The explosion in download sales over the past nine years means we are genuinely now living in the digital music age – with Adele as our queen! Over the nine years of legitimate digital music, more than 16 new tracks have sold 1 million copies, which emphasises just how popular digital music is in the modern age.”
One can only imagine what the top 10 all-time illegally downloaded singles chart would look like.
The All-Time Official Singles Chart Top 10:
1. Someone Like You – Adele
2. Moves Like Jagger – Maroon 5 ft Christina Aguilera
3. Somebody That I Used To Know – Gotye Ft Kimbra
4. I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas
5. We Found Love – Rihanna ft Calvin Harris
6. Sex On Fire – Kings of Leon
7. Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepsen
8. Party Rock Anthem – LMFAO/Lauren Bennett/Goonrock
9. Just The Way You Are (Amazing) – Bruno Mars
10. Price Tag – Jessie J
