Mixed news for albums and singles.(The Market)

Days after latest BPI figures showed that the total number of albums sold in the 12-month period ending September were the highest on record, sales in the run-up to Christmas 2004 continue to provide cause for concern.

Although the total number of albums sold last week, according to OCC data, was 4.77m--the highest tally of the year and a 19.2% increase week-on-week--it was 12.4% below the same week last year, when 5.45m albums were sold.

The weakness appears to be throughout the market--in the comparative week last year 103 albums (66 artist and 37 compilations) sold more than 10,000 copies, while last week saw only 82 (58 artist, 24 compilations) albums make five-figure sales.

Looking on the bright side, U2's How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb debuts atop the artist album chart outselling its 2003 counterpart--Westlife's Turnaround--by a hefty 30% margin, and its sales of 200,863 last week represent the fourth highest weekly tally by a number one album this year, trailing Norah Jones' 235,890 tally with Feels Like Home in February, George Michael's 274,816 opening with Patience in May and the 320,081 copies Robbie Williams' Greatest Hits ...