Bruce Springsteen and Harry Potter work magic for Bloomsbury

Fans of The Boss helped digital revenues rise for Bloomsbury. Picture: Greg Macvean

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The unlikely combination of Harry Potter and Bruce Springsteen helped pump up revenues at publisher Bloomsbury in the first quarter as sales at the group's digital division picked up pace.

Bloomsbury said total revenues rose 19 per cent in the three months to 31 May, or 13 per cent on a constant currency basis.

Top-selling titles in the period included JK Rowling’s evergreen Harry Potter series, Neil Gaiman’s Norse Mythology and A Court Of Wings And Fury by Sarah J Maas.

Sales in digital resources, which features the recently launched Bloomsbury Popular Music, rose 16 per cent. The resource has been a hit with music students and features artists including US rock star Springsteen, nicknamed The Boss.

Bloomsbury noted that the first quarter traditionally generates the smallest profit of the financial year, but the board expects annual profit to be in line with its expectations.

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The boy wizard’s magic will be worked again this year after the firm celebrated the 20th anniversary of the first publication of Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone in June.

Two new books are being published in October with the British Library to accompany its Harry Potter exhibition.

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