Which UK Artists Sold The Most Albums Worldwide In 2015?

New research from global currency business Centtrip has shed light on the sales figures of UK artists last year, finding that 30% of the best-selling albums worldwide in 2015 belonged to British artists, selling an amazing 33.5 million copies combined. The Brits, it appears, are alright.

1
 

George Ezra

If we’re not counting Adele’s (more on her later) ’21’ placing at number 37, then the first British artist to break into the top 40 of Centtrip’s top-selling album list is George Ezra, who sits one place up in 36th. The adopted-Bristolian’s debut record, ‘Wanted On Voyage’, sold 895,000 copies last year, despite being released in June 2014. Good going, George.

2
 

Florence and the Machine

Next up is Florence Welch and her Machine, charting at an impressive 23rd in the list. Her third album, ‘How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful’, sold just over a million copies in 2015 after its release in May, proving that there’s quite an appetite worldwide for Florence’s big vocal style.

3
 

James Bay

This week’s NME cover star performed more-than-admirably with his debut album ‘Chaos and the Calm’, selling 1.03 million records since its release in March 2015. Those figures account for Bay’s placing at 22 in this list of best-sellers.

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4
 

Mumford & Sons

Ditching banjo-chic worked wonders for Marcus Mumford and co. in 2015, as the band’s third album ‘Wilder Mind’ sold 1.35 million copies and lifted the band to number 14 in the list of global best-sellers. Surely solid proof for other bands that a change in musical direction can work out for the better?

5
 

Coldplay

After they conquered the Super Bowl halftime show, Coldplay have extra reason to celebrate this week – their 1.81 million sales of seventh album ‘A Head Full of Dreams’ in 2015 places the band at number eight in the best-sellers list. Its sales like this that further validate the quartet’s soon-to-be-accepted honour as NME‘s 2016 Godlike Genius.

6
 

Sam Smith

The Spectre singer may not have released an album in 2015, but that didn’t stop album-buyers worldwide from ravaging the digital shelves to purchase Smith’s 2014 debut ‘In The Lonely Hour’. Selling an incredible 3.38 million records last year, it’s enough to place the London crooner at number 4 in the best-sellers list.

7
 

Ed Sheeran

He may not have all the glitz and glamour of your typical pop star, but Ed Sheeran’s loveable charm is something that millions around the world are happy to buy into. Like Sam Smith, Sheeran didn’t release an album last year – but that didn’t matter, as his second record ‘X’ (released June 2014) sold 4.24 million copies in 2015, placing him at number 3 in the list.

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8
 

Adele

No prizes for guessing who topped Centtrip’s list of best-sellers for 2015 – Adele’s all-conquering third album, ’25’, wiped the floor with the rest of the list, selling an eye-watering 14.97 million records last year alone. And by last year, we mean the 41 days in total that ’25’ was available to buy in 2015, having been released on 20th November. Simply staggering.

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