Research by the BPI has indicated that one in ten albums sold in the USA in 2008 was by a British act. This means that the market share for UK artists has grown for the fourth consecutive year, and is up from 8.5% in 2007.
This represents a significant achievement for British musicians, as America is a notoriously hard commercial nut to crack. Coldplay's Viva La Vida was the biggest selling UK album there last year, followed by AC/DC's Black Ice (the band qualify because they have dual nationality).
Other UK artists to achieve significant stateside success include Leona Lewis, Amy Winehouse, Duffy and Radiohead. Notably, Robert Plant was the only solo performer to make an impact - and his album, Raising Sand, was a collaboration with Alison Krauss.
The top 10 UK albums in the US in 2008 were as follows:
1. Coldplay - Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends
2. AC/DC - Black Ice
3. Leona Lewis - Spirit
4. Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
5. Duffy - Rockferry
6. Radiohead - In Rainbows
7. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
8. Natasha Bedingfield - Pocketful Of Sunshine
9. Led Zeppelin - Mothership
10. AC/DC - Back In Black
“It didn’t even represent what we were doing. Even the guitar solo has no business being in that song”: Gwen Stefani on the No Doubt song that “changed everything” after it became their biggest hit
"There was water dripping onto the gear and we got interrupted by a cave diver": How Mandy, Indiana recorded their debut album in caves, crypts and shopping malls
“It didn’t even represent what we were doing. Even the guitar solo has no business being in that song”: Gwen Stefani on the No Doubt song that “changed everything” after it became their biggest hit
"There was water dripping onto the gear and we got interrupted by a cave diver": How Mandy, Indiana recorded their debut album in caves, crypts and shopping malls
