MusicTrax

Another record for Arctic Monkeys as fans download

The Arctic Monkeys have broken records again when 18 of the group's songs made it into the singles charts, including every track on their new album, ‘Favourite Worst Nightmare’, which has also topped the album chart.

It marks the first time an entire album has gone into the charts. The highest positioned track was the single ‘Brianstorm’, which fell from number two last week to number seven.

Their legions of fans have used the internet to download their favourite tracks with, all 12 songs from their second album entering the UK Top 200.

The new album looks likely to be the fastest-selling since the group's first album after selling 85,000 copies on its first day on sale - more than the rest of the top 20 albums combined.

The band is currently selling one in every seven singles bought and made their name on the back of an internet fanbase.

In January, chart rules were changed, and internet downloads are now counted as sales even if there is no physical single in shops .Downloads had counted towards the charts since March 2005, but only if there was a physical single either available or due to be released.

Digital technology has boosted the singles market massively over the past two years, Traditional single sales had plummeted from about 80 million a year in the late 1990s to 20 million in 2005.

However in 2005 there were 26 million downloads and by the end of last year they accounted for 80 per cent of the singles market and 52 per cent of the top 40 singles chart market.