Duffy Tops U.K. 2008 Album Sales
December 29, 2008
Duffy has scored the biggest-selling album of 2008 in the U.K. with "Rockferry" (A&M/Universal), according to the Official Charts Company. The pop vocalist's debut set moved 1,685,000 copies, beating off a late challenge from revived boy band Take That. The pop act's album "The Circus" (Polydor), released Dec. 1, sold rapidly enough to register a total sale of 1,446,000. - There were three other million-selling artists. Kings Of Leon's "Only By The Night" (Hand Me Down/RCA) is third followed by Leona Lewis' "Spirit" (Syco) in fourth place. Coldplay's "Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends" (Parlophone) was the fifth biggest seller.
Alexandra Burke‚ winner of TV music talent show "The X Factor," has the biggest-selling single of 2008 with her cover of "Hallelujah" (Syco). In two weeks, it sold 888,000 copies.
Burke pushed "The X-Factor" finalists' "Hero" into second place for the year, with sales of 751,000. In third place, Duffy sold 536,000 copies of her "Mercy" single (A&M/Universal).
The "Mamma Mia" movie soundtrack (Polydor) was the biggest-selling compilation, with sales of 1,007,000 - the only million-selling set by various artists.
Amy Duffy is set to be a big hit in 2008. Originally from the small coastal town Nefyn in Northwest Wales, she then moved to Pembrokeshire as a young teenager after her parents seperated. Her debut album, "Rockferry" is due to be released in March. Some of the songs on the album were written and recorded with former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler, some with Jimmy Hogarth - who has worked with James Blunt, James Morrison and KT Tunstall - and the rest with Steve Booker.
Duffys' recently released single "Mercy", the second single to be released from her debut album went straight to the top of the UK singles chart.