A new generation of female artists including Adele, Jessie J, Rumer, Florence + The Machine, Katy Perry, Christina Perri, Birdy, Lykke Li and Lady Gaga, has taken the music industry by storm this year accounting for a record share of sales, according to exclusive new Official Charts Company data released by BPI today.
Female artists now account for one in three (33.3%) albums sold in the UK - the highest ever share in Official Albums Chart history, the new data reveals.
Year-to-date UK sales of albums by female artists have been boosted by home-grown British talent, including Adele, Birdy, Katherine Jenkins, Rumer and BRIT Awards Critics’ Choice winner, Jessie J. Together with international stars Rihanna, Katy Perry, Caro Emerald, Christina Perri, and Beyonce, they smash the previous 2009 record of 25.1% driven by Susan Boyle, Lady Gaga’s debut album, Lily Allen, Cheryl Cole and others. It also surpasses shares recorded in 1997, the heyday of the Spice Girls.
The release of the data comes as Florence + The Machine this week take the Number 1 spot in the Official Albums Chart. The album, Ceremonials, becomes another album by a female solo artist to sell more than 100,000 copies in 2011. In the period covered by the analysis, 21 albums have achieved this coveted Gold status.
New releases from Susan Boyle, Cher Lloyd and Birdy are all expected to enter the Official Album Charts this weekend. The Christmas release-schedule will also see titles released by Rihanna, Pixie Lott, Kate Bush, Emeli Sande, Lianne La Havas, The Saturdays, Parade and former X-Factor contestant Rebecca Ferguson.
Titles by women account for 29 of the top 100 artist albums this year. And of all albums released by female solo artists this year, British female acts account for an impressive 58% of the market segment.
BPI Chief Executive, Geoff Taylor, said,
“2011 has seen outstanding releases from British female artists across a range of musical genres. The exceptional talent of female artists such as Adele, Jessie J and Rumer strengthens the UK’s position as a leader on the international music stage.
“The success achieved by these young women demonstrates the positive opportunities music offers to young people from all backgrounds. It will inspire a future generation of female performers and shows that raw talent and hard work can take you to the very top."
But the incredible success of female solo artists alone (32.6% of sales) has not been replicated by all-female groups, whose share has fallen to just 0.7% of sales. In the last 12 years, the collective share of female groups has only topped 3% on three occasions. In 2011 so far, only 10 of the top 1,000 albums are by female groups with The Pierces’ You & I by some margin the biggest seller.
Male groups’ share of the albums market has also suffered, dropping from 45% in 2005 to just over a third of sales in 2011 – its lowest point since 2000.
ENDS
For more details visit www.theofficialcharts.com
For further information on BPI, please contact:
Lynne McDowell – BPI Industry Relations Manager – 0207 803 1395 – lynne@bpi.co.uk
For further information from the Official Charts Company, please contact:
Lauren Kreisler – Brand Manager – 07789 886263 – lauren@theofficialcharts.com
NOTES FOR EDITORS
The analysis is based on sales of the top 1,000 artist albums of each year from 2000 to 2010 and sales of the top 1,000 artist albums for the weeks 1-42 in 2011. Compilation albums are not included in the analysis.
Official Top 20 Female Artist Albums 2011
Pos Title Artist
1 21 Adele
2 19 Adele
3 Loud Rihanna
4 Born This Way Lady Gaga
5 Who You Are Jessie J
6 4 Beyonce
7 Teenage Dream Katy Perry
8 Back to Black Amy Winehouse
9 The Fame Lady Gaga
10 Seasons of my Soul Rumer
11 Light Ellie Goulding
12 Deleted Scenes from the Cutting Room Floor Caro Emerald
13 Greatest Hits so Far Pink
14 Simply Eva Eva Cassidy
15 On A Mission Katy B
16 Mayhem Imelda May
17 Eliza Doolittle Eliza Doolittle
18 Lungs Florence + The Machine
19 Pink Friday Nicki Minaj
20 Killer Love Nicole Scherzinger
© Official Charts Company. The above chart reflects 2011 albums sales to week 44 (Saturday November 5)
About BPI
The BPI is the representative voice of the UK recorded music business. The BPI is a trade organisation funded by its members - which include hundreds of independent music companies and the UK’s four major record labels. The BPI’s members account for approximately 90% of all recorded music sold in the UK, and globally the UK's recorded music market is the fourth biggest. The BPI also organises the annual BRIT Awards show as well as the Classic BRIT Awards show. The organising company, BRIT Awards Limited, is a fully owned subsidiary of the BPI. Substantial proceeds from both shows go to the BRIT Trust, the charitable arm of the BPI that has donated almost £15m to charitable causes nationwide since its foundation in 1989.
About Official Charts Company
The Official Charts Company is a joint venture between record labels' body the BPI and ERA, the Entertainment Retailers Association; responsible for the commissioning, distribution and marketing/promotion of the UK's industry standard music and video charts and sales data. All its charts data is compiled from sales information gathered across all key distribution (or entertainment) channels including all major high street retail chains, independent stores, supermarkets, mail order internet retailers and digital music service providers. This market research sample equates to 99% of the total UK singles market; 98% of the total UK albums market and 90% of the total UK DVD market.
The Official Charts Company’s new consumer-facing chart news and features portal, www.theofficialcharts.com, attracts 550,000 unique visitors a month.