Low cost helps keep singles top of charts

Rumours of the death of the humble music single are greatly exaggerated, according to research findings.

Digital download sales figures reveal that 10 music tracks each sold more than a million copies this year.

Adele’s Someone Like You and Somebody That I used to Know by Goyte featuring Kimbra were among those identified by the Official Charts Company as having achieved the feat, despite the fact that CD singles are almost as rare as cassette tapes.

It follows a continued upward trend in the sale of music singles with 190m sold this year versus 178m last year.

Industry analysts indicate that this popularity is down to pricing, with consumers able to pick and mix their favourite tracks for 99 cent rather than fork out up to €10 for full album CDs.

The data formed part of a 60th anniversary list of all 123 hits to sell more than 1m copies since formation of the British singles chart in 1952.

Elton John’s Candle in the Wind, released in the aftermath of Princess Diana’s death, continues to top the list since its release in 1997.

The list of the bestselling singles shows that 123 hits have sold more than one million, compared to just 76 a decade ago.

The 1990s were the golden era, with 32 singles selling over a million, although the noughties look set to eclipse this figure soon.

The top 10 is full of hits from the ’70s above any other era, with only one Beatles track.

In the total list the Beatles appear six times while Rihanna appears three times.