One Direction's 'Midnight Memories' named best selling album of 2013

One Direction's 'Midnight Memories' album has been named as the best selling album globally in 2013.

Information provided by the BPI confirms that the X Factor boyband's latest album sold four million copies in just five weeks and taking them past Eminem's 'Marshall Mathers LP 2' to the top of the list. 'Midnight Memories' was Number One in 19 countries following its release in November 2013.

The data was collected by amassing physical sales figures as well as downloads and streams. Adele's '21' topped the same chart in 2012 and 2011.

The BPI's Gennaro Castaldo announced One Direction as Global Recording Artist of 2013, saying: "Around one in eight albums sold around the world are by British artists, and One Direction are certainly playing their part in maintaining this fantastic achievement.

"It all helps to add up to a golden decade of global success for British music, and with some huge albums out later this year, not least from the likes of Coldplay in May and a rumoured new release from Adele, there must be another good chance that a British artist will again top the global best-sellers list come the end of the 2014."