iTunes: Coldplay, Leona Lewis topped sales in 2008

By Nekesa Mumbi Moody

NEW YORK – Coldplay was the hottest iTunes album download this year: Its “Viva la Vida” was crowned the best-selling album of 2008, while Leona Lewis’s “Bleeding Love” was named the top-selling single.

Coldplay’s CD has sold more than 2 million copies since its release in June, and has sold more than 500,000 copies digitally – most of which was through iTunes, according to the band’s representative. ITunes does not release its sales figures, its spokesman said in releasing its list on Monday.

Jack Johnson’s “Sleep Through the Static” was the No. 2 selling album, while the soundtrack to the film “Juno,” Lil Wayne’s “Tha Carter III” and Sara Bareilles’ “Little Voice” rounded out the iTunes top 5. Two more film soundtracks were in the top ten – “Once” and “Across the Universe” – while Jason Mraz’ “We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things,” OneRepublic’s “Dreaming Out Loud” and Leona Lewis’ “Spirit” rounded it out.

Lewis’ “Bleeding Love” sold 3.2 million digitally, according to her label, J Records. According to iTunes, the title track of Coldplay’s album was its No. 2 most downloaded track, followed by “Low” by Flo Rida (featuring T-Pain), Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” and Rihanna’s “Disturbia.”

Rihanna also made the top 10 singles with “Don’t Stop the Music,” while “Lollipop” by Lil Wayne and Static Major, “No Air” by Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown, Sara Bareilles’ “Love Song” and Natasha Bedingfield’s “Pocketful of Sunshine” also made iTunes top 10 downloaded singles list.

Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!

  • Catch the latest on University of Illinois news, sports, and more. Delivered every weekday.
  • Stay up to date on all things Illini sports. Delivered every Monday.
Thank you for subscribing!