New data from the Official Charts Company shows that 117m single tracks have been sold so far in 2009, surpassing the previous record of 115.1m, set in 2008.

This total has been reached with 10 weeks of trading, including the vital Christmas period, still to run in 2009.

BPI chief executive Geoff Taylor says, "We've witnessed an astonishing transformation of the UK singles market during the last six years, with digital downloads rapidly overtaking sales of CD singles and cassettes ...