Lady Gaga, Adele Help Album Sales Rise for First Time in 7 Years

Music sales in the United States are up during the first half of the year for the first time since 2004, Nielsen Soundscan reports.

The report notes that album sales grew 3.6% from 214 million to 222 million,....

thanks to new releases from Adele, who shifted 2.5 million copies of 21 and Lady Gaga, who sold more than 1.8 million albums with The Fame Monster and Born This Way. Other big sellers include Mumford & Sons, Jason Aldean and Bruno Mars.

Year-to-Date Albums
1. Adele – 21 (2,517,000)
2. Lady Gaga – Born This Way (1,540,000)
3. Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More (982,000)
4. Jason Aldean – My Kinda Party (763,000)
5. Bruno Mars – Doo Wops & Hooligans (686,000)
6. Justin Bieber – Never Say Never: The Remixes (EP) (676,000)
7. Chris Brown – F.A.M.E. (646,000)
8. Various Artists – Now 37 (637,000)
9. Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday (609,000)
10. Katy Perry – Teenage Dream (600,000)
Lady Gaga – The Fame (Monster) (264,000)

Overall music sales, which include albums, singles and music videos, are up 11% to 661 million. Pop star Katy Perry leads digital single sales with over 7 million downloads of her hits such as “E.T.” and “Firework,” followed by Lady Gaga with 5 million and Adele with 4 million.

Year-to-Date Singles
1. Katy Perry feat. Kanye West – E.T. (4,120,000)
2. Adele – Rolling in the Deep (4,089,000)
3. Cee Lo Green – F**k You (Forget You) (3,229,000)
4. Lady Gaga – Born This Way (3,029,000)
5. Rihanna – S&M (2,734,000)
6. Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull – On the Floor (2,669,000)
7. The Black Eyed Peas – Just Can’t Get Enough (2,462,000)
8. Chris Brown feat. Lil Wayne & Busta Rhymes – Look at Me Now (2,442,000)
9. Bruno Mars – Grenade (2,355,000)
10. Katy Perry – Firework (2,283,000)
Lady Gaga – The Edge of Glory (1,150,000)
Lady Gaga – Judas (720,000)