Entertainment

The Greatest Showman soundtrack highest-selling album of 2018

The album has had phenomenal chart success.
The album has had phenomenal chart success. The album has had phenomenal chart success.

The Greatest Showman soundtrack was the highest-selling album of 2018, having dominated music charts across the world.

Hugh Jackman led the cast of the hit film, which also brought huge success for the award-winning soundtrack.

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) confirmed the album outstripped sales of all other records in 2018.

Ed Sheeran and Lady Gaga were among the artists who failed to match its international success.

The musical’s soundtrack spent 24 consecutive weeks at number one in the UK charts, breaking Adele’s record for the number of weeks at the top this century.

IFPI chief executive Frances Moore said: “The Greatest Showman soundtrack was the jewel in the crown of a year that reminded us of the powerful role music plays in connecting audiences with the movies they love.

“Alongside the movie itself, we have seen the soundtrack truly embraced on a global scale.”

Brit Awards 2019 – Show – London
Brit Awards 2019 – Show – London Hugh Jackman played the lead role in The Greatest Showman (Victoria Jones/PA)

The soundtrack reached number one in Australia, the USA and Japan.

South Korean boy band BTS trailed behind The Greatest Showman soundtrack, with the second and third highest-selling records – Answer and Tear – worldwide.

Ms Moore said: “BTS’s ongoing phenomenal success is evidenced by them taking both second and third place in the album chart and demonstrates how their music has the power to engage with people all over the world.”

Lady Gaga’s A Star Is Born notched up the fourth highest number of sales worldwide, followed by late French singer Johnny Hallyday’s Mon Pays C’est L’amour.

UK star Sheeran was sixth with his album Division, and Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody was seventh.

Pink’s Beautiful Trauma, Kamikaze by Eminem, and another film soundtrack, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, rounded off the top 10.

The IFPI Global Album Chart combines global sales of physical and digital albums to rank the best-selling albums of the year. The chart includes physical and digital album unit sales only.