Adele's 21 album showed best sale figures in seven years

Adele's second studio effort 21 has sold 5.6 million copies in US this year, says report by Nielsen Soundscan, tracking system that supervises music market. It is the best result among all artists in 2011. Moreover, 21 is the first album since 2004's Confessions by Usher that has reached 5 million mark within one year.

According to the report by Nielsen Soundscan, music sales this year increased by three per cent comparing to 2010, and digital market alone has grown by 10 per cent. According to the official statement by the company, Adele's contribution to this result is significant.

"In 2004, you had one massive album driving sales. This year is similar in that you have one really great story that everyone is talking about", says the statement.

Recently it was announced that 21 was named the biggest selling album of 2011 in Britain. Moreover, the record – that was bought 3.4 million times – has become the most demanded disk of the whole 21st century in UK.

Second place for year 2011 also belongs to Adele – her first studio effort 19 that hit the stores in 2009 was sold 1.1 million copies. Bruno Mars became third with his debut record Doo Wops & Hooligans (976 000 copies).