Susan Boyle #1 artist at Sony

It’s safe to say that without the instant YouTube popularity of her Britain’s Got Talent TV appearance in 2009, Boyle would not be enjoying her current level of success.

However, the arrival of the Internet, and its global role in discovering talents has obviously changed the musical landscape in recent years. Justin Bieber and Susan Boyle are two great examples. For both, the transition from anonymity to stardom has occurred at the speed of light

To prove this, Sony awarded another honour to the Scottish singer celebrating her 50th birthday this year: top-selling international artist.

In just two albums, the second one dating back only two months, Boyle has managed to sell 14 million records at home and abroad.

She tells The Sun, "Words can’t describe how happy I am. I’ve loved every minute and I can’t wait to get back in the studio again and for all the other exciting projects in 2011."