Mamma Mia! Abba's album of greatest hits is Britain’s best selling CD album EVER as sales hit four million since it was released 30 years ago

It would appear that Brits cannot help but love the sound of the Seventies.
Today it was revealed that Abba's greatest hits collection, aptly called Gold, is the only CD to ever sell more than four million copies in the UK, half a million more than Adele, who took second place with her album 21.
And after singing about money, money, money, Abba will surely be rolling in cash now that their compilation is Britain's best ever selling CD.
The Swedish pop group split up in 1982, the year the compact disc was launched, but its greatest hits album did not appear for another ten years in 1992.

Money, money, money: Left to right: Bjorn Ulvaeus, Agnetha Faltskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson as ABBA, whose greatest hits have topped the sales charts

Gimme, gimme, gimme! ABBA's greatest hits are a favourite of many Brits' collections

However, since then it has become a staple of millions of record collections, making Agnetha Fältskog, Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Anni-Frid Lyngstad winners who have most definitely taken it all.
They are joined by James Blunt, Dido, The Beatles and Coldplay in the top 30 albums that make up the average Briton's CD collection.
The sales figures have been compiled by The Official Charts Company for the music industry body, the BPI, to celebrate the CD format's 30th anniversary.
Despite the rise of downloads and file sharing, two thirds of albums are still sold on CDs, often to older music fans who prefer the physical format complete with a sleeve to read.
However, the list ranges from easy listening pop like David Gray and Michael Buble to Britpop classics from The Verve and Oasis to edgier rap from Eminem.
It also includes a handful of greatest hits albums including those by George Michael and The Beatles and a trio of albums from Robbie Williams plus one from Take That.

Music to the ears: Singers Adele and the late Amy Winehouse also feature in the bestselling CD list

Abba's album is the earliest release of the top 30 while Adele's 21, in second place, is the most recent.
The second album from Oasis - What's the Story Morning Glory - is in third place 17 years after its release in the middle of its Britpop war with Blur.

HOW THE CHARTS ARE COMPILED

The Official Charts Company compiles various 'official' UK record charts, including the UK Singles Chart, the UK Albums Chart, and the UK Official Download Chart, as well as genre-specific and music video charts.
It produces its charts by gathering and combining sales data from retailers through a market research company, Millward Brown. 
OCC claims to cover 99% of the singles market and 95% of the album market, and aims to collect data from any retailer who sells more than 100 chart items per week.
It is operated jointly by the British Phonographic Industry and the Entertainment Retailers Association.

Those raised on buying music online may not realise just how significant the launch of the CD was 30 years ago when it replaced the scratchy sound of vinyl.
BPI chief executive Geoff Taylor said: 'It represented a great leap forward in sound technology, becoming one of the most successful consumer products in history.
'Music fans embraced its sound quality, durability, instant track access and ease of use.
'Even thirty years after its launch, it still remains the leading album format in the British music market.'
The top 30 also includes three albums by Coldplay and three from Robbie, while 21 are from British artists (including eight of the top ten).
The reason there are not more compilation albums in the list is because a lot of big selling artists release more than one greatest hits album, so sales are shared round.
And while mixed compilations like the Now That's What I Call Music franchise often top the charts when released, they hit a peak quickly but then stop selling.
The best selling of these is Now 44 at number 102 in the all time list with just 1.4 million albums sold.

WHO MADE THE TOP 30? BESTSELLING LIST REVEALS UK'S MUSIC TASTE

1. Gold: Greatest Hits - Abba (1992) - 4.04m
2. 21 - Adele (2011) - 3.55m
3. What’s The Story Morning Glory - Oasis (1995) - 3.43m
4. Back To Black - Amy Winehouse (2006) - 3.23m
5. Back To Bedlam - James Blunt (2004) - 3.21m
6. No Angel - Dido (2000) - 3.03m
7. Come On Over - Shania Twain (1997) - 3.03m
8. Spirit - Leona Lewis (2007) - 2.95m
9. Urban Hymns - The Verve (1997) - 2.90m
10. White Ladder - David Gray (2000) - 2.88m
11. Life For Rent - Dido (2003) - 2.86m
12. 1 (one) - The Beatles (2000) - 2.85m
13. A Rush Of Blood To The Head - Coldplay (2000) - 2.76m
14. Beautiful World - Take That (2006) - 2.74m
15. Hopes And Fears - Keane (2007) - 2.73m
16. Crazy Love - Michael Buble (2009) - 2.73m
17. Scissor Sisters - Scissor Sisters (2004) - 2.71m
18. Talk On Corners - The Corrs (1997) - 2.65m
19. X&Y - Coldplay (2005) - 2.61m
20. The Man Who - Travis (1999) - 2.55m
21. Parachutes - Coldplay (2000) - 2.48m
22. The Fame - Lady Gaga (2009) - 2.48m
23. Come Away With Me - Norah Jones (2002) - 2.47m
24. Only By The Night - Kings of Leon (2008) - 2.40m
25. I’ve Been Expecting You - Robbie Williams (1998) - 2.38m
26. Greatest Hits - Robbie Williams (2004) - 2.27m
27. Swing When You’re Winning - Robbie Williams (2001) - 2.32m
28. The Marshall Mathers LP - Eminem (2000) - 2.23m
29. Eyes Open - Snow Patrol (2006) - 2.22m
30. Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best Of... - George Michael (1998) - 2.20m

Source: Official Charts Company