Adele and Ed Sheeran led the way as sales of digital albums passed the 100 million mark.

Both Adele's hit album 21 and Ed's+ have sold more than 250,000 copies online already and take the top two places in a chart of the best selling digital albums of all time in the UK.

They are followed by Lady Gaga's The Fame, Kings Of Leon's Only By The Night and Rihanna's Loud. Lungs by Florence + the Machine, Mylo Xyloto from Coldplay, Sigh No More from Mumford & Sons, Plan B's The Defamation Of Strickland Banks and Bruno Mars' Doo-Wops & Hooligans complete the top 10.

Figures compiled by the Official Charts Company shows digital releases now account for more than a third (34 per cent) of the total albums market.

The surge in popularity of digital music has seen more than 50 million albums bought online in the last two years.

Geoff Taylor, chief executive of industry body the BPI, said: "Sales of digital albums are surging ahead as British consumers embrace the convenience, value and choice offered by online services.

"As our athletes compete against the best in the world, British artists have taken the gold and silver positions in the best-selling digital artist albums of all time, and six places in the top ten. With big releases to come from Rita Ora, The Script, Elbow, and Stooshe, digital album sales should continue to grow strongly."