List of best-selling albums of the 2010s in the United Kingdom
The UK Albums Chart is a music chart compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling artist albums of the week in the United Kingdom. Since 2005, the chart has been based on the sales of both physical and digital albums, on the condition that the album was available in both formats. In January 2007, the rules were changed so that legal downloads of all albums, irrespective of whether a physical copy was available, were eligible to chart. Further changes occurred in February 2015 when audio streaming was included for the first time.
On 11 December 2019, the OCC announced their list of the top 100 best-selling albums between January 2010 and December 2019. The best-selling album of the decade is Adele's 21, which sold over 5.17 million following its release in January 2011. Adele is also one of two artists to achieve three million-selling albums since 2010 with 19, 21 and 25. The other is Ed Sheeran with +, x and ÷. Sheeran is also the only artist to feature in the top 10 three times.
Best-selling albums since 2010
Title | Artist | Peak position | Year of release | Sales | No. of times Platinum | |
1 | 21 | Adele | 1 | 2011 | 5,170,000 | 17× |
2 | 25 | Adele | 1 | 2015 | 3,580,000 | 11× |
3 | x | Ed Sheeran | 1 | 2014 | 3,500,000 | 11× |
4 | ÷ | Ed Sheeran | 1 | 2017 | 3,400,000 | 11× |
5 | Christmas | Michael Bublé | 1 | 2011 | 2,950,000 | 9× |
6 | In the Lonely Hour | Sam Smith | 1 | 2014 | 2,590,000 | 8× |
7 | + | Ed Sheeran | 1 | 2011 | 2,443,000 | 8× |
8 | Our Version of Events | Emeli Sandé | 1 | 2012 | 2,430,000 | 8× |
9 | Progress | Take That | 1 | 2010 | 2,390,000 | 8× |
10 | The Greatest Showman | Various Artists | 1 | 2017 | 2,130,000 | 7× |
11 | Loud | Rihanna | 1 | 2010 | 1,997,500 | 6× |
12 | Crazy Love | Michael Bublé | 1 | 2009 | 1,890,300 | 6× |
13 | 19 | Adele | 1 | 2008 | 1,820,000 | 6× |
14 | Doo-Wops & Hooligans | Bruno Mars | 1 | 2010 | 1,713,000 | 5× |
15 | The Fame / The Fame Monster | Lady Gaga | 1 | 2009 | 1,578,000 | 5× |
16 | Sigh No More | Mumford & Sons | 2 | 2009 | 1,561,800 | 5× |
17 | Mylo Xyloto | Coldplay | 1 | 2011 | 1,536,700 | 5× |
18 | Wanted on Voyage | George Ezra | 1 | 2014 | 1,420,200 | 4× |
19 | Teenage Dream / ' | Katy Perry | 1 | 2010 | 4× | |
20 | The Defamation of Strickland Banks | Plan B | 1 | 2010 | 1,399,400 | 4× |
21 | Right Place Right Time | Olly Murs | 1 | 2012 | 1,380,000 | 4× |
22 | Who You Are | Jessie J | 2 | 2011 | 1,270,000 | 4× |
23 | Purpose | Justin Bieber | 2 | 2015 | 4× | |
24 | Lungs | Florence and the Machine | 1 | 2009 | 6× | |
25 | 1989 | Taylor Swift | 1 | 2014 | 1,259,100 | 4× |
26 | Halcyon / Halcyon Days | Ellie Goulding | 1 | 2012 | 1,200,000 | 4× |
27 | AM | Arctic Monkeys | 1 | 2013 | 4× | |
28 | A Head Full of Dreams | Coldplay | 1 | 2015 | 4× | |
29 | I Cry When I Laugh | Jess Glynne | 1 | 2015 | 4× | |
30 | Human | Rag'n'Bone Man | 1 | 2017 | 4× | |
31 | If I Can Dream | Elvis Presley | 1 | 2015 | 4× | |
32 | Babel | Mumford & Sons | 1 | 2012 | 4× | |
33 | Greatest Hits | Bon Jovi | 2 | 2010 | 3× | |
34 | Born to Die | Lana Del Rey | 1 | 2012 | 1,174,000 | 3× |
35 | Up All Night | One Direction | 1 | 2011 | 3× | |
36 | In Case You Didn't Know | Olly Murs | 1 | 2011 | 1,105,000 | 3× |
37 | Time Flies... 1994–2009 | Oasis | 1 | 2010 | 3× | |
38 | Greatest Hits... So Far!!! | Pink | 5 | 2010 | 1,050,000 | 3× |
39 | Glory Days | Little Mix | 1 | 2016 | 1,014,800 | 3× |
40 | Sunny Side Up | Paolo Nutini | 1 | 2009 | 1,033,000 | 3× |
41 | Take Me Home | One Direction | 1 | 2012 | 3× | |
42 | Talk That Talk | Rihanna | 1 | 2011 | 3× | |
43 | Recovery | Eminem | 1 | 2010 | 1,030,000 | 3× |
44 | Unorthodox Jukebox | Bruno Mars | 1 | 2012 | 3× | |
45 | Born This Way | Lady Gaga | 1 | 2011 | 1,020,800 | 3× |
46 | ' | ABBA | 1 | 1992 | 18× | |
47 | Legend | Bob Marley and the Wailers | 1 | 1984 | 12× | |
48 | 18 Months | Calvin Harris | 1 | 2012 | 3× | |
49 | Staying at Tamara's | George Ezra | 1 | 2018 | 1,000,300 | 3× |
50 | Rumours | Fleetwood Mac | 1 | 1977 | 13× | |
51 | ' | Eminem | 1 | 2005 | 7× | |
52 | The Ultimate Collection | Whitney Houston | 3 | 2007 | 5× | |
53 | Greatest Hits | Foo Fighters | 4 | 2009 | 4× | |
54 | Back to Black | Amy Winehouse | 1 | 2006 | 13× | |
55 | Bad Blood | Bastille | 1 | 2013 | 3× | |
56 | Midnight Memories | One Direction | 1 | 2013 | 3× | |
57 | Come Around Sundown | Kings of Leon | 1 | 2010 | 915,300 | 3× |
58 | Number Ones | Michael Jackson | 1 | 2003 | 9× | |
59 | The Truth About Love | Pink | 1 | 2012 | 907,000 | 3× |
60 | Nothing but the Beat | David Guetta | 1 | 2011 | 3× | |
61 | The Very Best of Fleetwood Mac | Fleetwood Mac | 6 | 2002 | 6× | |
62 | Disc-Overy | Tinie Tempah | 1 | 2010 | 3× | |
63 | The Element of Freedom | Alicia Keys | 1 | 2009 | 3× | |
64 | ' | Amy Winehouse | 1 | 2011 | 2× | |
65 | Never Been Better | Olly Murs | 1 | 2014 | 863,000 | 2× |
66 | Electric Light Orchestra | 1 | 2005 | 3× | ||
67 | Ceremonials | Florence and the Machine | 1 | 2011 | 2× | |
68 | Chaos and the Calm | James Bay | 1 | 2015 | 824,540 | 2× |
69 | Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds | Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds | 1 | 2011 | 864,600 | 2× |
70 | Get Weird | Little Mix | 2 | 2015 | 883,000 | 3× |
71 | Lights | Ellie Goulding | 1 | 2010 | ||
72 | Olly Murs | Olly Murs | 2 | 2010 | ||
73 | My World / My World 2.0 | Justin Bieber | 3 | 2010 | ||
74 | To Be Loved | Michael Bublé | 1 | 2013 | ||
75 | Science & Faith | The Script | 1 | 2010 | ||
76 | Every Kingdom | Ben Howard | 4 | 2011 | ||
77 | Jake Bugg | Jake Bugg | 1 | 2012 | ||
78 | A Perfect Contradiction | Paloma Faith | 2 | 2014 | ||
79 | 4 | Beyoncé | 1 | 2011 | ||
80 | Unapologetic | Rihanna | 1 | 2012 |
Released before 2010; only sales from 2010 onwards included