MUMBAI: UK digital album sales have reached 10 million in 2011 so far and are expected to reach 20 million for the first time this year if downloads continue at the current rate, according to the Official Charts Company.

Digital album sales generated 22% of official UK record sales this year, compared to 17.8% for all of 2010. Artists such as Jessie J, Bruno Mars and the chart topping Adele have all played major parts in the sales surge. Adele's "21" is the biggest-selling digital album of the year so far.

As per the report, CDs still account for 80% of the market and the physical sales had declined to less than 10 percent.

Official Charts Company MD Martin Talbot said, These figures amount to 59,000 digital albums a day on average this year, compared to 42,000 in the first six months of 2010. It's also true, however, that we should prepare for digital albums to co-exist with physical albums for some time to come. But with digital accounting for just 22% of all albums sold, CD continues to be the mass market favourite....