Pop beats rock in 2014 genre sales for the first time since 1999

The Official Charts Company and BPI have announced that sales by pop artists overtook artists from rock genres for the first time in over a decade.

Figures show that pop’s market share in the charts were at its highest since 1999, with acts such as Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, and Paloma Faith making up 34.5% of album sales. Rock acts such as AC/DC, Kasabian and Royal Blood took a third of album sales, with rock single sales making it’s biggest share in four years.

Pop’s rule continued with compilations (48.8%) and singles, with a 36% share keeping a six year dominance intact. Elsewhere, dance singles represented their highest for over a decade (16.2%) and country music’s share in the album charts was a respectable 2.3%, an increase on previous years.

Read more about the 2014 figures at the Official Charts Company website.