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Billboards Announces Top Selling Albums and Songs of 2012

21-AdeleDepending on where your heart aligns with music, 2012 was either an excellent year or a terrible year musically for you. That’s the beauty of music. Billboard, early Thursday, announced the top selling albums and songs of 2012, based on their records and compilation of sales. Longevity is all that matters in the eyes of Adele fans, as “21,” although released in 2011, was the top selling album of 2012 with 4.41 million records sold. She took home the honor in 2011, as well. Rounding out the Top 10 was Jason Aldean’s, “Night Train.”

Related | YakkityYaks Best of 2012 in Television, Movies, Music, & More

Sales were compiled from Jan 2, 2012 and ended on December 30, 2012. Billboard notes that “21” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart way back on the list March, 21, 2011. It has yet to leave the tally and has never been absent from the weekly top 40. Trailing behind Adele, in the No. 2 spot, was “Red” by Taylor Swift (3.11 million sold), which is pretty significant seeing that the album was released in October 2012. It’s the fourth time Swift has had an album ranked among a year’s top three sellers. Also making the list were One Direction, Justin Bieber, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie and Mumford and Sons. One Direction marks the first time, since SoundScan began keeping track in 1991, that an act has two albums that debuted in the same year taking two of the top five spots. Swift and Garth Brooks have come close to such an honor. 2012 also marks the first year that more than four country albums hold a place in the top ten, as 5 of the Top 10 albums of 2012 are country albums.

In 2012, overall album and physical CD sales decreased a little bit, while digital downloads expectantly increased. The top selling digital album of 2012? “21” by Adele, as well. Also of note, Billboard notes that for the fifth consecutive year, more vinyl albums were sold than in any other year since SoundScan launched in 1991. Finally, 2012 was a record year for digital downloads where a record 1.336 billion tracks were sold digitally, an increase of 5% from 2011. Check out the full list of the top album and song sales of 2012 below!

Top 10 Album Sales of 2012

“21” – Adele, 4.41 Million
“Red” – Taylor Swift, 3.11 Million
“Up All Night” – One Direction, 1.62 Million
“Babel” – Mumford & Sons, 1.46 Million
“Take Me Home” – One Direction, 1.34 Million
“Believe” – Justin Bieber, 1.34 Million
“Blown Away” – Carrie Underwood, 1.20 Million
“Tailgates & Tanlines” – Luke Bryan, 1.10 Million
“Tuskegee” – Lionel Richie, 1.07 Million
“Night Train” – Jason Aldean, 1.02 Million

Top 10 Song Sales of 2012

“Somebody That I Used To Know” – Gotye (feat. Kimbra), 6.80 Million
“Call Me Maybe” – Carly Rae Jepsen, 6.47 Million
“We Are Young” – fun. (feat. Janelle Monae), 5.95 Million
“Payphone” – Maroon 5 (feat. Wiz Khalifa), 4.76 Million
“Starships” – Nicki Minaj, 3.98 Million
“What Makes You Beautiful” – One Direction, 3.89 Million
“Some Nights” – fun., 3.84 Million
“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” – Kelly Clarkson, 3.82 Million
“Gangnam Style” – Psy, 3.59 Million
“One More Night” – Maroon 5, 3.46 Million

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Hurricane Sandy Affects Primetime TV Scheduling

Before we give you the lay down on how Sandy is impacting television this week, we want to be sure to send our thoughts and prayers to all of those who are in one way or another affected by Sandy this week. You’re in the Yak’s thoughts.

Now, those of you hoping to get CBS’s comedy block and Hawaii Five-0 last night found out the hard way. CBS pre-empted their original programming and aired a CBS News special on Sandy, since those on the east coast likely were not able to enjoy the same laughs you might have. The original episodes of How I Met Your Mother, Partners, 2 Broke Girls, Mike & Molly and Hawaii Five-0 will air next Monday, November 5.

ABC and NBC have also made some moves. NBC’s special Halloween episodes of Go On and The New Normal, slated to air Tuesday at 10/9c after The Voice, have been pre-empted. ABC has also pre-empted Private Practice on October 30. Both NBC and ABC will air special coverage of Hurricane Sandy instead. Private Practice will return November 13th (next week is Election coverage) and there is no word when NBC will air their Halloween comedy specials.

The irony between much of the country being unable to see Revolution last night is not lost on NBC. The peacock has opted to pre-empt their Thursday comedies (30 Rock, Up All Night, The Office and Parks & Rec) to air a repeat of Team Adam and Team Cee Lo’s Knockout Round on The Voice, which aired Monday night. Monday night’s Revolution will air Friday November 2 at 8pm ET, followed by an all-new Grimm. NBC will, however, air an ORIGINAL 30 Rock Wednesday Oct 31, since the episode is a continuation from last week’s election themed plotline. This will give Tina Fey and Co. to finish off that story before next week’s actual Presidential election. This 30 Rock episode knocks off the final episode of already cancelled Animal Practice.

Phew. Got all that? That about covers it … check your DVRs.