Digital streaming behind biggest rise in UK music sales for two decades

Platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify plus renaissance in vinyl records help fuel fastest annual growth since 1998

A surge in music streaming via digital services including Spotify and Apple Music has prompted the fastest growth in UK music consumption since the late 1990s.

UK consumers bought the equivalent of more than 135m albums last year across all formats – which include CDs, vinyl, digital downloads and streams from subscription services.

                          1  Ed Sheeran – Divide 2  Rag’n’Bone Man – Human 3  Sam Smith – The Thrill Of It All 4   Little Mix – Glory Days 5   Pink – Beautiful Trauma 6   Ed Sheeran – x 7   Michael Ball & Alfie Boe – Together Again 8   Drake – More Life 9   Liam Gallagher – As You Were 10  Stormzy – Gang Signs & Prayer 

1            Ed Sheeran – Divide                                                   2            Liam Gallagher – As You Were 3            Fleetwood Mac – Rumours 4            Guardians Of The Galaxy  (soundtrack) – Awesome Mix 1 5            Amy Winehouse – Back To Black 6            Rag’n’Bone Man – Human 7            Pink Floyd – Dark Side Of The Moon 8            The Beatles – Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band 9            Oasis – (What’s The Story) Morning Glory 10         David Bowie – Legacy Vinyl artist album chart 2017 compiled by Official Charts Company