Tops In 2008: Best Selling Albums, Most Downloaded Songs

Nielsen has issued a year-end look at the most popular trends among Americans during 2008, covering everything from the top TV programs to the most popular consumer packaged goods.

Alicia Keys’ “As I Am” was the top selling album of 2008, according to Billboard and Nielsen.

Keys also had the most listened-to radio song of the year, “No One,” which drew 3.08 billion radio listeners between November 12, 2007 through November 16, 2008. 

“Low,” by Flo Rida, featuring T-Pain, was the most downloaded song of the year, through November 16.

According to Scarborough Research, a joint partnership with Nielsen and Arbitron, MP3 players are most prevalent in Washington D.C., where 40% of adults live in households with at least one player.  Nationwide, 30% of adults live in homes with MP3 players.

Top 10 Albums

Rank Album Artist
1 As I Am Alicia Keys
2 Noel Josh Groban
3 Tha Carter III Lil Wayne
4 Long Road Out of Eden Eagles
5 Taylor Swift Taylor Swift
6 Rock N Roll Jesus Kid Rock
7 Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends Coldplay
8 NOW 26 Various Artists
9 Carnival Ride Carrie Underwood
10 The Ultimate Hits Garth Brooks
Source: Billboard 200 / The Nielsen Company.
Note: Data is from Billboard’s Dec 1, 2007 issue through November 29, 2008 (including sales data from Nov. 12, 2007 through November 16, 2008).


Top 10 Most Listened-To Radio Songs

Rank Song Artist Total Listeners
1 No One Alicia Keys 3,084,014,000
2 Low Flo Rida Featuring T-Pain 3,025,670,000
3 Bleeding Love Leona Lewis 2,754,498,000
4 Apologize Timbaland Featuring OneRepublic 2,508,246,000
5 Lollipop Lil Wayne Featuring Static Major 2,365,270,000
6 With You Chris Brown 2,348,062,000
7 Love in this Club Usher Featuring Young Jeezy 2,280,490,000
8 No Air Jordin Sparks Duet With Chris Brown 2,170,133,000
9 Sexy Can I Ray J & Yung Berg 1,926,995,000
10 Take A Bow Rihanna 1,920,855,000
Source: Billboard Hot 100 Airplay / The Nielsen Company.
Note: Data is from Billboard’s Dec 1, 2007 issue through November 29, 2008 (including sales data from Nov. 12, 2007 through November 16, 2008).


Top 10 Most Digitally-Downloaded Songs

Rank Song Artist
1 Low Flo Rida Featuring T-Pain
2 Bleeding Love Leona Lewis
3 Lollipop Lil Wayne Featuring Static Major
4 I Kissed a Girl Katy Perry
5 Viva La Vida Coldplay
6 Love Song Sara Bareilles
7 Apologize Timbaland Featuring OneRepublic
8 No Air Jordin Sparks Duet With Chris Brown
9 Disturbia Rihanna
10 4 Minutes Madonna Featuring Justin Timberlake
Source: Billboard Hot Digital Songs / The Nielsen Company.
Note: Data is from Billboard’s Dec 1, 2007 issue through November 29, 2008 (including sales data from Nov. 12, 2007 through November 16, 2008).


Top U.S. Markets: Adults Living In A Household With An MP3 Player

Rank Market % Adults
Living In Households
With An MP3 Player
1 Washington, D.C. DMA 40%
2 Salt Lake City DMA 39%
3 San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose DMA 38%
4 Providence/New Bedford DMA 36%
5 Chicago DMA 36%
6 Seattle/Tacoma DMA 35%
7 New York DMA 35%
8 Denver DMA 35%
9 Honolulu DMA 34%
10 San Diego DMA 34%
  National Average 30%
Source: Scarborough Research, Scarborough USA+ Release 1 2008.

View the press release.

Relive the greatest hits of 2008 — stay tuned on Nielsen Wire for more Tops In 2008 coverage.

Look ahead to the new year with Nielsen Wire’s 2009 Industry Outlook series.

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COMMENTS

5 Responses

  1. Alicia Keys, Flo Rida Top Nielsen Year-End Charts MP3 nowości muzyczne 2008 listy przebojów najlepsze płyty torrent rapidshare said @ December 16th, 2008 at 1:55 pm

    [...] This year’s Nielsen numbers are in and Alicia Keys is a double gold medalist, securing both the year’s Top-Selling Album and Most-Listened-To Radio Song. Keyes’ As I Am was the year’s biggest seller, finishing ahead of Josh Groban’s Christmas ‘07 hit album Noel and Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III, which came in third despite a platinum-selling debut week. [...]


  2. “As I Am” von Alicia Keys ist meistverkauftes Album 2008 in den USA | rap2soul said @ December 16th, 2008 at 5:55 pm

    [...] Nielsen Company (hinter dem Link gibt es weitere Top 10 Listen) und Billboard Tags: Alicia Keys, Lil [...]


  3. Tops for 2008… « said @ December 18th, 2008 at 3:04 pm

    [...] for 2008… 18 12 2008 The Nielsen Company tracks the most popular trends among Americans - everything from music to TV shows to books and [...]


  4. Finance Geek » Most Downloaded Songs Of 2008: EMI Actually Makes List said @ January 1st, 2009 at 9:54 pm

    [...] recently released its list of the 10 most downloaded songs of 2008 (below). Unlike last year’s list, which contained seven (7!) tracks released by Universal [...]


  5. Most Downloaded Songs Of 2008: EMI Actually Makes List : VCsAndAngels - Venture Capital / VCs, Angel Investors, Startup News, Etc said @ January 1st, 2009 at 10:28 pm

    [...] recently released its list of the 10 most downloaded songs of 2008 (below). Unlike last year’s list, which contained seven (7!) tracks released by Universal Music [...]


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