Emeli Sande, Rihanna & Nicki Minaj Lead British Album Sales In 2012

As far British album sales went last year, Pop was most definitely the name of the game- it has emerged today.

For, figures released by Official Charts Company reveals that it was the ‘most purchased’ genre in 2012, helped in part by units moved by Rihanna, Nicki Minaj and ‘Our Version Of Events’.

Facts and figures below…

For a second consecutive year, sales of Pop music led the genre pack accounting for 33.5% of all sales made in the year,  while Pop singles followed suit with a market share of 38.5%, thanks to Carly Rae Jepson‘s ‘Call Me Maybe’ and Minaj’s quadruple Platinum, ‘Starships’.

Unfortunately for R&B, it dropped on spot to become the fourth highest purchased genre in the country, overtaken by ‘Easy Listening’ after its sales dropped 3% from its 2011 market share of 7.9%- despite releases from the likes of Frank Ocean, Ne-Yo and singer/songwriter Brandy, whose latest album ‘Two/Eleven’ peaked at #3 in the US in October.

So, who reigned supreme on an album’s front?

Well, with 1 million sold in the market alone, Sande’s ‘Events’ was the highest selling Pop LP of the year, while Rihanna helped drive sales of R&B with her #1 album, ‘Unapologetic’, which spawned the Sia penned single ‘Diamonds’ back in September.

Combined with sales moved by Nicki Minaj‘s ‘Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded‘, the Pop trio topped lists tallied in their respective genres, as seen below:

The U.K.’s top-selling albums by genre in 2012, according to the OCC/BPI:

Pop, Emeli Sandé, ‘Our Version Of Events’
Rock, Mumford & Sons, ‘Babel’
MOR / Easy Listening, Michael Bublé, ‘Christmas’
R&B, Rihanna, ‘Unapologetic’
Dance, Calvin Harris, ’18 Months’
Classical, Andre Rieu, ‘Magic Of The Movies’
Hip Hop, Nicki Minaj, ‘Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded’
Country, Lady Antebellum, ‘Need You Now’
Folk, The Civil Wars, ‘Barton Hollow’
Jazz, Michael Bublé, ‘Sings Totally Blonde’
Reggae, Various Artists, ‘Now That’s What I Call Reggae’
Blues, Jools Holland, ‘The Golden Age Of Swing’

The U.K.’s top-selling singles by genre in 2012, according to the OCC/BPI:

Pop, Carly Rae Jepsen, “Call Me Maybe”
Rock, Gotye ft Kimbra, “Somebody That I Used To Know”
Dance, David Guetta ft Sia, “Titanium”
R&B, Rihanna, “Diamonds”
Hip Hop, Nicki Minaj, “Starships”
MOR / Easy Listening, Gary Barlow And The Commonwealth Band, “Sing”

Source.

 Your thoughts?

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  1. My forehead tho January 14, 2013

    Emali Sande album was the best album of the decade

    It should have sold Adele #s

  2. Blue A** Ivy January 14, 2013

    where is Flopyawnce..I guess she is baby feeding her a** daughter 🙁

    • Oh La La January 14, 2013

      ^^^^

      I SMELL NO LIES

      LOL

      • Next ????????????? January 14, 2013

        Beywance should pop out more babies like F****** Carey and join her in the Idol.

        Kah Kah Kah

  3. Monstarebel (F** Boy) January 14, 2013

    “Hip Hop, Nicki Minaj, “Starships”
    I love Nicki but death at them classifying this s*** as hip hop….lol

    but anyways I’m glad my girls are starting off the year slaying instead of dropping lukewarm singles like Nuclear & Suit&Tie Grrrrrrrl congratulations Nicki & Rih #NavyLife #Barbzz

    • PSA (FAF) January 14, 2013

      They’re talking about the ALBUM, not the song…..

      • zed January 14, 2013

        actually they also mentioned the song ‘starships’ as being hop hop. i agree with f** boy, the song is pop! no way hip hop!

  4. The Navy January 14, 2013

    Beyonce who??????? 😀

    • Pathetic To The Core January 14, 2013

      Flopyawnce- a has-been diva who cant even get top 20 hit in the USA for the last 2 years.

      • Cougar January 14, 2013

        ohhh…must hurt their ego. pity them, right?

    • zed January 14, 2013

      beyonce did not have a single or album in 2012, it was her gap year. giving birth etc, dumbass!

  5. The Real Xoxo January 14, 2013

    Bey stans will cry today. Nice !!!!

  6. Oh yeah January 14, 2013

    Get that hit…Riri !!!!!!!

  7. Lana Del Slay January 14, 2013

    The girls showed up and showed out! Yass get those coins EmNickianna.

  8. My forehead tho January 14, 2013

    Reading these comments, you can’t help but feel sorry for these Rihtards.

    Simple question, did Beyonce release an album in 2012?

    • RICHANDBLACK11 January 14, 2013

      I’M TRYING TO DIGEST THAT MYSELF

    • Monsters January 14, 2013

      no, because she is a has-been just like your mum.

  9. OH baby January 14, 2013

    LOOOOOOOL riri is rnb – I almost had a heart attack

    • zed January 14, 2013

      i agree, rihanna and nicki w**** minaj are POP.

  10. Bad Girl Riri January 14, 2013

    Slay Riri, makes the jobless haters mental today ……

  11. ,. January 14, 2013

    Nice.

  12. LALALALALALALALALA January 14, 2013

    THANKS RIRI- YOU HAVE PUT BEYONCE AND MARIAH OUT OF JOBs.

    • I LOVE RIHANNA!!! January 14, 2013

      Please leave mariah out of this please!!

      • zed January 14, 2013

        beyonce is due for a big comeback within the next few months, album possibly april 2013. mariah carey has a job on american idol. now u must think your a dumbass for your retarded comment!

  13. My forehead tho January 14, 2013

    Adele’s ass didn’t even make the list -_-

    And that b**** had the best selling albums of 2011 & 2012

    Rihanna slays another irrelevant list..smh

    • Nice Try, Sis January 14, 2013

      Who cares about Flopywance’s “4” generic album of the decade?

      😀

      • zed January 14, 2013

        adele had the 2nd best selling album of 2012, and for some reason nicki minaj is mentioned rather than her? nicki minaj didnt even make top 30 selling album of 2012. adele was no.1 in 2011 and no.2 in 2012. now thats epic!

  14. BEYONCE PAID FOR GRAMMY BY DADDY January 14, 2013

    ANOTHER YEAR..ANOTHER HIT…WHO ELSE????????? 😉

  15. JJFan1814 January 14, 2013

    The haters finding every possible, irrelevant excuse as to why Rihanna topped this list….Whatever excuse you use hun, doesn’t take away the fact that Rihanna is a force to be f***** with. Well that’s the truth tea for today!!!!!!!

    • zed January 14, 2013

      rihanna did not top the list. first of all her album just scraped top 10 best selling album i UK. Emeli sande outsold both of rihannas albums (talk that talk ) and unapologetic. the editor of the post loves riri aswell hence dramatically making it seem shes top of the list when in fact no where near. adele was no 2 best selling UK album ad lana del rey no.3, cant see them being mentioned

  16. QUEEN MINAJ January 14, 2013

    B****** STILL THINK IM FLOPPING LMAOOOOO

    • truth(slayer of icki funky ass stans B****!!) January 14, 2013

      h**

    • zed January 14, 2013

      of course your flopping, didnt even make top 30 best seing album in UK. and nicki minaj is hip hop??? LOOOOL, more like pop! of course if u put her as hip hop, she would easily top the chart since theres hardly any hip hop artists around, no eminem last year, no dr dre, no 50 cent last year etc.

      • QUEEN MINAJ January 15, 2013

        shut up b****
        you think i care no
        i dont give a f*** if you dont think im hip hop
        my pockets are still full of cash
        and i got mansions in Malibu
        #dismissed

  17. HOTSTUFF January 14, 2013

    “singer/songwriter Brandy” LOL THANKS FOR THE LAUGH – ‘PUT IT DOWN’ HER FLOP SINGLE WAS WRITTEN BY SEAN GARRETT- WHY DON’T YOU MENTION IT ? LOL

  18. TeamBreezy January 14, 2013

    Damn, Unapologetic came out in November and still sold more than all your faves?

    #fierce

  19. NICK January 14, 2013

    how is Rihanna R&B, please help me understand this? hahaha, EMELE album is amazing & her TALENT is real/raw – go hea NICKI, she is the ONLY hip hop out rite now tho, luv me sum Nicki, BUT back to Rihanna a R&B, who makes these rules??? hahahaha

    • zed January 14, 2013

      rihanna is not RNB ..I agree, she is pop! but your deluded if you think nicki minaj is hip hop! she is also POP!

  20. Music Soul Harmony January 14, 2013

    What does Beyonce have to do with this post? *blank stare* her album came out in 2011.

    • I LOVE RIHANNA!!! January 14, 2013

      And it didnt make the 2011 or 2012 list of best selling anything!!

  21. the real xoxo January 14, 2013

    Sam tried it. Roman Reloaded sold mediocre numbers in the UK, its not even platinum yet and it is NOT a hip hop album!
    Well done Emeli Sande!

    • JOHNVIDAL January 14, 2013

      It´s not Sam´s fautl though. It´s really clasified that way

  22. KingBey January 14, 2013

    But y’all bringing beyonce in this for what ?
    Did she release an album in 2012 ?

  23. nicko January 14, 2013

    Hip Hop, Nicki Minaj, ‘Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded’ >>>>>> The Queen is WINNING.

  24. JOHNVIDAL January 14, 2013

    It makes you want to cry… 🙁 Only crap was listed here with one single exception
    Except for Emeli Sandé success, but she has not done it outside the UK, has she? Just asking
    Oh and Sam: see what you got? Only crazy Rihanna fans (kids) are now commenting on your blog, hating on anything that can smell like talent. it should be sad for you

    • zed January 14, 2013

      ACTUALLY she has! she has sold well in Australis and accross Europe. Her album WAS 12TH best album WORLDWIDE well ahead of rihanna and nicki minaj s****! even if emeli sande didnt make rest of world, shes sold 1.4 million in UK alone, rihanna would have to sell 4/5 albums and add the all together to get anywhere near emeli sande. come 10/20 years down the line, people will be taking about albums like ’21’ and ‘our version of event’s not bloody rihanna’s rushed albums (none of which are written by herself)

      • JOHNVIDAL January 14, 2013

        Really? I´m glad she got love in more countries. And yaaaaaas about Ritry and everything .)

  25. g January 14, 2013

    good to see the lavly Mrs Sande on this page. She is the star of 2012

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