The Official Charts have revealed the biggest debut albums of the decade.
Sam Smith’s critically-acclaimed number one debut In the Lonely Hour, which featured singles such as Stay With Me, I’m Not the Only One, Money on My Mind, Like I Can and Lay Me Down, ranked in first place with over 2.59 million sales.
The album reportedly sold “101,700 copies in its first week on sale, broke the record for most consecutive weeks in the Top 10 for a debut album – spending 69 weeks there from its initial debut in June 2014”.
In the Lonely Hour was nominated for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album at the Grammy Awards, winning the latter, and sold over 12 million copies worldwide. It was also the third best-selling of 2014 in the United States.
Ed Sheeran – who ranked as the UK’s Number 1 artist of the decade – came in second place with his debut +, while Emeli Sande’s Our Version of Events ranked as the biggest-selling debut album by a female artist.
Doo-Wops & Hooligans by Bruno Mars and Wanted on Voyage by George Ezra complete the top five – check out the full list below.
1 | IN THE LONELY HOUR | SAM SMITH |
2 | + | ED SHEERAN |
3 | OUR VERSION OF EVENTS | EMELI SANDE |
4 | DOO-WOPS & HOOLIGANS | BRUNO MARS |
5 | WANTED ON VOYAGE | GEORGE EZRA |
6 | WHO YOU ARE | JESSIE J |
7 | I CRY WHEN I LAUGH | JESS GLYNNE |
8 | HUMAN | RAG’N’BONE MAN |
9 | BORN TO DIE | LANA DEL REY |
10 | UP ALL NIGHT | ONE DIRECTION |
11 | BAD BLOOD | BASTILLE |
12 | DISC-OVERY | TINIE TEMPAH |
13 | CHAOS AND THE CALM | JAMES BAY |
14 | NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS | NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING |
15 | LIGHTS | ELLIE GOULDING |
16 | OLLY MURS | OLLY MURS |
17 | MY WORLD | JUSTIN BIEBER |
18 | EVERY KINGDOM | BEN HOWARD |
19 | JAKE BUGG | JAKE BUGG |
20 | THE LADY KILLER | CEE LO GREEN |
21 | IF YOU WAIT | LONDON GRAMMAR |
22 | HEAVEN | REBECCA FERGUSON |
23 | NIGHT VISIONS | IMAGINE DRAGONS |
24 | HOME | RUDIMENTAL |
25 | THE 1975 | 1975 |
26 | SEASONS OF MY SOUL | RUMER |
27 | ROYAL BLOOD | ROYAL BLOOD |
28 | HOZIER | HOZIER |
29 | DUA LIPA | DUA LIPA |
30 | ALL THE LITTLE LIGHTS | PASSENGER |
31 | DIVINELY UNINSPIRED TO A HELLISH EXTENT | LEWIS CAPALDI |
32 | COMMUNION | YEARS & YEARS |
33 | THE WANTED | WANTED |
34 | DELETED SCENES FROM THE CUTTING ROOM | CARO EMERALD |
35 | THE LUMINEERS | LUMINEERS |
36 | SETTLE | DISCLOSURE |
37 | CHAPTER ONE | ELLA HENDERSON |
38 | GOOD OL’ FASHIONED LOVE | OVERTONES |
39 | THE BALCONY | CATFISH & THE BOTTLEMEN |
40 | WHAT DID YOU EXPECT FROM THE VACCINES | VACCINES |