Adele’s new album ‘fastest selling record in British history’

Adele is officially the UK's biggest selling artist, as her new album becomes the fastest selling record in British history.

25, the third full-length record from the Oscar-winning Skyfall singer, has sold 800,307 copies in the first week of its release — surpassing Oasis's previous 18-year record.

The Britpop band, fronted by Liam and Noel Gallagher, shifted 696,000 copies of their third album, Be Here Now, in its debut chart week in August 1997.

The album, which features the Number One single Hello, has enjoyed one of the biggest first day sales totals ever — selling more than 300,000 copies in 24 hours.

25 — which Adele described as a "make up album" and comes four years after 2011's 21 — is also the UK's most downloaded Number One album in history, having sold 252,423 digital copies. The previous record was held by Ed Sheeran's x, which has 95,709 sales in summer 2014.

The sales success of 25 — which has sold more than the last 19 Number One albums in the UK combined — meant the album has already received a double platinum certification from the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).

It has also smashed sales records in the US, having sold 2.8 million copies in the first five days, including 1.45 million digital sales, according to Nielsen Music.

25, which will be accompanied by Adele's first tour dates in five years, has enjoyed more success than its predecessors, 21 and 19.

21, which was out in January 2011 and included singles such as Rolling In The Deep, Rumour Has It and Someone Like You, sold 208,000 copies in its first week, while Adele's debut, 19, had first week sales of 73,000 when it was out in February 2008.
Martin Talbot, from Official Charts Company, said: "The massive impact of 25 this week marks the moment that Adele has transformed herself from a phenomenon of our age to an all-time great.

"The statistics surrounding the album are staggering, topped by the simple fact that no album has ever sold 800,000 copies to reach Number One in the history of British music."

Elvis Presley's album If I Can Dream takes second spot in the UK albums charts, with Justin Bieber's Purpose, Enya's Dark Sky Island and One Direction's Made In The AM rounding off the Top Five.

Meanwhile, Bieber continues his record-breaking streak as he made UK history by dominating the top two positions simultaneously with Sorry and Love Yourself.

The Canadian pop star becomes the first act to achieve this feat in 30 years, taking over from Madonna, who occupied the slots with Into The Groove and Holiday in 1985.

Adele's Hello takes the third spot, followed by Bieber's What Do You Mean? and Fleur East's Sax.