WARNER MUSIC U.K. HITS Q1 MARKETSHARE HIGH (UPDATE)

Max Lousada’s Warner Music U.K. has cause for celebration with all-albums marketshare in Q1 2016 up 2.5% year over year to 18.7% and singles also hitting high at 18.6%, up 1.8% from the previous year. With releases from David Bowie, Jess Glynne, Coldplay and Lukas Graham amongst the label’s biggest sellers during the first three months of this year, Atlantic boss Ben Cook and Parlophone chief Miles Leonard deserve a pint and a packet of crisps down Lousada’s local.

In this story, we previously reported the all-albums figures including single streams, but have word that the industry standard way of reporting those stats in the U.K., as set by the Official Charts Company, doesn't include singles to ensure runaway hits don't skew a label's performance in the albums stakes. The albums numbers cover both artist albums and compilations, and don't include the streaming of its singles.

David Joseph’s UMG rules the roost as usual with albums marketshare in Q1 2016 at 31.6% (up 2.6% YoY), and singles at 37.1% (down 2.1% YoY). Jason Iley’s Sony clocks in second with albums marketshare at 21.8% (down 1.6% YoY) and singles down 1.1% to 22.4%.

The U.K’s indie sector boasts a share of 26.9% for all albums, down 0.9% YoY, with Lohan Presencer’s Ministry of Sound leading the pack thanks to its compilations business. The independents grab 21.9% for singles, up 1.4% from Q1 2015, with Adele's label, Richard Russell's XL, top of the leaderboard (a position it also takes in the artist albums stakes).

The best-selling singles and albums in the U.K. of Q1 2016 can be viewed below, with combined year-to-date sales stats, courtesy of the Official Charts Company, where obtained.

BEST-SELLING ALBUMS IN THE U.K. OF Q1 2016

1. 25, Adele (XL) #1 406k
2. Blackstar, David Bowie (RCA) #1 345k
3. Purpose, Justin Bieber (Virgin EMI) #2 269k
4. Best of Bowie, David Bowie (Parlophone) #1 220k
5. I Cry When I Laugh, Jess Glynne (Atlantic) #1
6. A Head Full of Dreams, Coldplay (Parlophone) #1
7. If I Can Dream, Elvis Presley (Sony Music CG) #1
8. Chaos and the Calm, James Bay (Virgin EMI) #1
9. Get Weird, Little Mix (SYCO) #2
10. Nothing Has Changed – The Very Best of, David Bowie (Parlophone) #5 109k

BEST-SELLING SINGLES IN THE U.K. OF Q1 2016

1. “7 Years,” Lukas Graham (Warner) #1 857k
2. “Love Yourself,” Justin Bieber (Virgin EMI) #1 668k
3. “Stitches,” Shawn Mendes (Virgin EMI) #1 649k
4. “Work,” Rihanna f/Drake (Virgin EMI) #2 595k
5. “Fast Car,” Jonas Blue & Dakota (Positiva) #2 576k
6. “Sorry,” Justin Bieber (Virgin EMI) #1
7. “Pillowtalk,” ZAYN (RCA) #1
8. “Lush Life,” Zara Larsson (Black Butter/Epic/Ten) #3
9. “I Took a Pill In Ibiza,” Mike Posner (Island) #1
10. “Light It Up,” Major Lazer f/Nyla (Because) #7