The UK Albums Chart is a music chart compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC) that calculates the best-selling albums of the week in the United Kingdom. Initially based solely on the sales of albums in the vinyl and CD formats, digital albums began being included from April 2006. Since March 2015, the chart has also been based on audio streaming figures, however the OCC still compiles a 'sales' (only) chart and still quotes these traditional sales figures in its features and articles.
This is a list of the 50 best-selling albums in the UK from 1 January 2000 onwards, as compiled by the OCC (sales that occurred before 2000 are not included). Of these, only two were originally released before the year 2000: White Ladder (1998) by David Gray and Gold: Greatest Hits (1992) by ABBA.
Back to Bedlam by James Blunt, which was the best-selling album of the 2000s decade, was also the best-selling album of the 21st century until August 2011 when it was passed in sales by Amy Winehouse's Back to Black, following Winehouse's death the previous month. Less than four months later, however, Back to Black was itself overtaken by Adele's 21. As of , 21 remains the biggest-selling album in the UK since 2000 (and second best-selling ever), having sold 6 million copies.
Best-selling albums since 2000
Sales figures from the OCC on the date given in the reference. The OCC differentiate 'chart sales' (which include streaming) from 'sales' (which are downloads and physical purchases and are quoted below).
Title Artist Peakposition Year ofrelease Copies sold(where available) No. of timesPlatinum 1 21 Adele 1 2011 5,400,000 18× 2 Back to Black Amy Winehouse 1 2006 4,200,000 14× 3 25 Adele 1 2015 3,560,00011× 4 1 The Beatles 1 2000 3,230,000 5 x Ed Sheeran 1 2014 3,380,000 6 Back to Bedlam James Blunt 1 2004 3,370,000 7 ÷ Ed Sheeran 1 2017 3,300,000 8 SpiritLeona Lewis 1 2007 3,180,00010× 9 Crazy Love Michael Bublé 1 2009 3,150,000 10 No Angel Dido 1 2000 3,090,000 11 White Ladder David Gray 1 19982000 (re-release) 3,040,000 12 A Rush of Blood to the Head Coldplay 1 2002 3,031,882 13 The Fame Lady Gaga 1 2008 3,000,000 14 Only by the Night Kings of Leon 1 2008 3,000,000 15 Number Ones Michael Jackson 1 2003 3,000,000 16 Life for Rent Dido 1 2003 2,900,0009× 17 Beautiful World Take That 1 2006 2,880,000 18 Gold: Greatest Hits ABBA 1 1992 2,569,600 19 Hopes and Fears Keane 1 2004 2,860,000 20 X&Y Coldplay 1 2005 2,829,776 21 Christmas 1 2011 2,780,000 22 Parachutes Coldplay 1 2000 2,780,836 22 Scissor Sisters Scissor Sisters 1 2004 2,760,000 24 Come Away with Me Norah Jones 1 2002 2,540,0008× 25 The Marshall Mathers LP Eminem 1 2000 2,440,000 26 In the Lonely Hour Sam Smith 1 2014 2,400,095 27 + Ed Sheeran 1 2011 2,400,000 28 Greatest Hits Robbie Williams 1 2004 2,320,000 29 Eyes Open Snow Patrol 1 2004 2,418,438 30 Never Forget – The Ultimate Collection Take That 2 2005 2,360,000 31 19 Adele 1 2008 2,450,000 32 Swing When You're Winning Robbie Williams 1 2001 2,430,000 33 Progress Take That 1 2010 2,375,300 34 Our Version of Events Emeli Sandé 1 2012 2,260,000 35 Hot Fuss The Killers 1 2004 2,153,5007× 36 American Idiot Green Day 1 2004 2,150,000 37 Rockferry Duffy 1 2008 2,220,000 38 The Circus Take That 1 2008 2,210,000 39 Sing When You're Winning Robbie Williams 1 2000 2,203,321 40Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not Arctic Monkeys 1 2006 2,100,000 41 Curtain Call: The Hits Eminem 1 2005 2,100,000 42 Greatest Hits Guns N' Roses 1 2004 1,947,000 43 Escapology Robbie Williams 1 2002 2,075,4416× 44 Employment Kaiser Chiefs 1 2005 2,048,500 45 Songs About Jane Maroon 5 1 2004 2,081,000 46 Loud Rihanna 1 2010 2,060,064 47 Good Girl Gone Bad Rihanna 1 2007 2,021,000 48 By the Way Red Hot Chili Peppers 1 2002 2,020,000 49 The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac 1 2002 2,032,000 50 Justified Justin Timberlake 1 2002 1,975,000 51 Stripped Christina Aguilera 2 2002 1,980,000 52 The Greatest Hits Texas 1 2000 1,974,890 53 I Dreamed a Dream Susan Boyle 1 2009 1,938,305 54 Born to Do It Craig David 1 2000 1,860,000 55 The Platinum Collection Queen 2 2000 1,831,000 56 ELV1S: 30 No. 1 Hits Elvis Presley 1 2004 1,861,800 57 Call Off the Search Katie Melua 1 2004 1,900,000 58 Legend Bob Marley and the Wailers 1 1984 1,825,000 59 Sunny Side Up Paolo Nutini 1 2009 1,824,000 60 Unbreakable – The Greatest Hits Volume 1 Westlife 1 2002 1,896,765 61 Demon Days Gorillaz 1 2005 1,894,803 62 AM Arctic Monkeys 1 2013 1,800,000
Originally released before 2000; position based on sales since 2000
See also List of best-selling singles of the 2000s (century) in the United Kingdom List of best-selling albums of the 2000s (decade) in the United Kingdom List of best-selling albums of the 2010s in the United Kingdom
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