A lot of things happened in 2006, but which albums were the best-sellers (also read the 10 best-selling paperback books blog)? We run down the list here and find out how many copies some of these best-selling UK albums sold.
Listen along with us to each of the best-selling UK albums of 2006 below.
1. Snow Patrol – Eyes Open
Eyes Open is the fourth studio album by Snow Patrol. It was the band’s first album without bassist Mark McClelland and the first to feature bassist Paul Wilson and keyboardist Tom Simpson. Six singles were released from the album, including ‘You’re All I Have’ and ‘Chasing Cars’. The latter the two came to worldwide attention when it was featured during the season 2 finale of Grey’s Anatomy. It went on to sell over 5 million copies worldwide and has spent a total of 166 weeks on the UK Singles Chart, more than any other song in history.
2. Take That – Beautiful World
Beautiful World was the band’s first studio album in 11 years. It was also their first album to be released as a four-piece, without Robbie Williams. Five singles were released from the album: ‘Patience’, ‘Shine’, ‘I’d Wait for Life’, the European-only single ‘Reach Out’, and ‘Rule the World’, which appeared on the deluxe tour edition. The album was number one in Ireland and the UK and was very well received critically.
3. Scissor Sisters – Ta-Dah
The release of Ta-Dah in the United Kingdom was preceded by the release of the single ‘I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’’. The song reached number one on both the UK Singles and Download charts in September 2006. Other singles on the album included ‘Land of a Thousand Words’, ‘She’s My Man’, ‘Kiss You Off’, and ‘I Can’t Decide’. The album entered the Irish Albums Chart at number one, followed by a number one entry in the UK Albums Chart. In the United States, it debuted at number 19 on the Billboard 200, with first-week sales of 42,000 copies.
4. Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not
Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not is the debut studio album by Arctic Monkeys. The album surpassed Elastica’s self-titled album to become the fastest selling debut album in British music history. It shifted over 360,000 copies in its first week, and remains the fastest selling debut album by a band. The album includes tracks from the band’s original EP, Five Minutes with Arctic Monkeys. It also includes their first two singles and UK number ones, ‘I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor’ and ‘When the Sun Goes Down’.
5. The Kooks – Inside In / Inside Out
Inside In / Inside Out is the debut studio album by The Kooks. It contains the singles, ‘Eddie’s Gun’, ‘Sofa Song’, ‘You Don’t Love Me’, ‘Naïve’, ‘She Moves in Her Own Way’, and ‘Ooh La’. The album reached no. 2 in the UK Albums Chart, the album has sold over 2,000,000 copies worldwide since its release.
6. Razorlight – Razorlight
Razorlight is their self-titled second album which debuted at number 1 in the UK Albums Charts. The band achieved their first and only number one hit from this album, with ‘America’ peaking at the top of the UK Singles Chart in October 2006. Other singles from the album include ‘Before I Fall to Pieces’, ‘In the Morning’, and ‘Hold On’.
7. Oasis – Stop The Clocks
Stop the Clocks is “retrospective collection” made up of an 18-track double album with the featured songs chosen by Noel Gallagher; however, it does not actually include their song Stop the Clocks after which the album is named. It went 5x Platinum in the UK with sales better than any Oasis release since Be Here Now. The album debuted at number two in the UK charts selling over 50,000 copies in its first day of release and 216,000 in its first week of release, surprisingly not selling enough to knock The Love Album, by Irish boy band Westlife from the number 1.
The Love Album is a cover album, as the name suggests songs on the album center on the theme of “love”. The first and only single released was The Rose, originally recorded by Bette Midler—it debuted at No. 1 in Ireland and the UK. It was the band’s 14th No. 1 single.
9. Pink – I’m Not Dead
I’m Not Dead is Pink’s fourth studio album. The release of I’m Not Dead was preceded by its controversial lead single, Stupid Girls, a top 20 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 the video of which earned Pink an MTV Video Music Award. The single U + Ur Hand, reached the top ten and became a significant chart success. Who Knew subsequently was re-released to critical and commercial acclaim, Subsequent singles include Nobody Knows, Leave Me Alone (I’m Lonely) and Dear Mr. President. The album debuted at number three in the United Kingdom and was the ninth best-selling album of 2006 in the UK the album later re-entered the UK top 100 in October of the following year.
10. James Morrison – Undiscovered
Undiscovered is James Morrison’s debut album. The first single of this album was You Give Me Something, the second single was Wonderful World followed by The Pieces Don’t Fit Anymore. It sold 847,135 copies in the United Kingdom in 2006.
We love a good album, and some of these entries on the best-selling UK albums of 2006 are no exception.
