UK record companies are celebrating their best ever year for album sales, with a record 237 million sold in the 12 months to September.
The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) trade body said albums by the likes of Keane and The Streets had helped drive a 3% rise compared with last year.
It also said sales of single tracks were up thanks to the availability of legal download services.
Download sales would be added to the singles chart from next year, it added.
Around 1.75 million individual tracks were purchased from online services such as MyCokeMusic and Wippit between July and September 2004 - helping sales of single tracks increase by 9% on the previous quarter.
With online sales stripped out, singles sales were down by 12%.
However, sales of traditional 7" singles were up for the 11th quarter in a row, with sales topping one million in the year to September - an increase of 74.8%.
UK-based success
The top-selling album of the 12 months to September was Life For Rent by Dido, with Friday's Child by Will Young coming second.
TOP 10 ALBUMS
Of the 20 top albums of the year, 11 were by acts signed to UK-based labels, including Katie Melua, Busted, The Darkness and Scissor Sisters.
Some 60% of CD albums now sell for less than £10, which meant that although more albums were sold, their sales value fell slightly during the three months to September.
Music DVD sales were up by 41% on the same period last year, with a special DVD release of Oasis' Definitely Maybe topping the bestsellers.
BPI chairman Peter Jamieson said: "The British record industry's continued investment in new British talent is paying off.
"While albums from new British artists are selling well, the booming DVD market is making an impact and the legal download market shows that demand remains high for single-track purchases."
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