News ·
The King of Limbs is the UK's best-selling vinyl album of 2011
The King of Limbs is the best-selling vinyl album in the UK this year, with just over 20,000 copies sold to 8 October, about ten times Adele's 21 in second place. The Official Charts Company published the figures today.
It had already topped the half-year. From January to June it sold 20,771 vinyl copies, by the Entertainment Retailers Association's analysis of chart sales. The best-selling vinyl album of the same six months of 2010, Paul Weller's Wake Up The Nation, sold 1,446.
Vinyl album sales in the first half rose by about 55 per cent on 2010, to 168,296, with Record Store Day in April the other big push. By 8 October the year's total had passed 240,000, already more than in all of 2010, and at that pace 2011 would pass 300,000 for the first time since 2005.
A vinyl album costs about twice what a CD does, £16.30 on average against £7.82, and Kim Bayley of the retailers' association sees no harm in that. The success of vinyl shows music buyers will pay a premium if we deliver them a package they really love.
1
UK top 10 vinyl albums of 2011: first half, and the year to 8 October (Official Charts Company)
| Pos | January to June | Year to 8 October |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Radiohead, The King of Limbs (20,771) | Radiohead, The King of Limbs (just over 20,000) |
| 2 | Beady Eye, Different Gear, Still Speeding | Adele, 21 |
| 3 | Adele, 21 | Beady Eye, Different Gear, Still Speeding |
| 4 | Arctic Monkeys, Suck It and See | Arctic Monkeys, Suck It and See |
| 5 | Elbow, Build a Rocket Boys! | PJ Harvey, Let England Shake |
| 6 | Fleet Foxes, Helplessness Blues | Bon Iver, Bon Iver |
| 7 | Foo Fighters, Wasting Light | Alex Turner, Submarine (soundtrack) |
| 8 | Noah and the Whale, Last Night on Earth | Kate Bush, Director's Cut |
| 9 | The Vaccines, What Did You Expect from The Vaccines? | Elbow, Build a Rocket Boys! |
| 10 | Mumford & Sons, Sigh No More | Nirvana, Nevermind |
from the record
Lotus Flower · The promo, directed by Garth Jennings: Thom Yorke dancing, in one room.· Radioheadwatch on youtube →