February 16, 2009

By By Andre Paine, London

Coldplay's "Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends" (Parlophone/EMI) was the best-selling album of 2008 globally, according to new figures from the IFPI.

The international recording industry organization said the U.K. melodic rock act's fourth studio set sold 6.8 million units worldwide. It sold more downloads than any other album in digital history within a month of release.

Veteran rock act AC/DC made number two in the global sales list with their fifteenth studio album "Black Ice" (Columbia). "Mamma Mia! The Movie Soundtrack" (Universal Music) was in third place.

Welsh pop act Duffy, at No. 4, was the biggest-selling new artist of the year with "Rockferry" (A&M/Universal). The debut album was the biggest-seller of the year in the U.K., moving 1.68 million copies according to the Official Charts Co.

Metallica claimed fifth spot with "Death Magnetic," released by Warner Bros in the U.S. and Mercury/Universal in Europe.

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