Justin Timberlake, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Lead iTunes Year-End Sales Rankings

Beyoncé's new album may have the most buzz of any music release on iTunes at the moment, but Justin Timberlake has earned the title of the best-selling album of the year on the online music store.

Apple announced early Tuesday that JT's The 20/20 Experience moved the most copies, followed by Bey's recently-debuted self-titled effort and Imagine DragonsNight Visions.

Beyoncé's husband, Jay Z, ranks fourth, with Magna Carta…Holy Grail.

Apple also declared Justin its Artist of the Year, citing the two-part 20/20 Experience release, his tour with Jay Z, and "a sizzling performance at the iTunes Festival."

The Macklemore & Ryan Lewis disc The Heist was named Album of the Year. One of the hits off that album, "Thrift Shop," ranks as the top-selling single of the year on iTunes, followed by Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" and Imagine Dragons' "Radioactive."

It was Lorde's breakthrough single, "Royals," that Apple deems Song of the Year, calling it "subversive and self-assured."

On the strength of his Grammy-nominated album good kid, m.A.A.d city, rapper Kendrick Lamar was awarded the title of Breakthrough Artist.

On the entertainment front, the 2012 James Bond flick Skyfall was the year's top-selling movie, and the recently-concluded AMC drama Breaking Bad led the way in TV sales.

The most downloaded fiction book was Dan Brown's latest novel, Inferno. The highest-ranking non-fiction book was the female empowerment tome Lean In, by Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg. 

Candy Crush Saga and Minecraft — Pocket Edition were the most-downloaded free and paid apps, respectively.

Playlist