iTunes scores 80 per cent of UK downloads

Apple now sells eight out of every 10 music tracks downloaded in the UK, according to new figures from the Official Charts Company.

Although Apple didn't put figures on the number of songs sold in Blighty - it incorporates them into its international figures - recent statistics from music industry body the BPI said 13 million tracks have been sold in the UK this year.

Apple has sold more than half a billion songs to date through its iTunes stores in Europe, Japan and the US.

Rival music service Napster also recently released its figures for the UK, announcing users have streamed or downloaded 55 million songs since the service launched 15 months ago.