INQUISITR.COM / Entertainment

One Direction Squeak Past Justin Bieber In Race To Top U.K. Charts

By Alan Ewart
Published on: 02:34 PST, Nov 21, 2015

Speculation has been raging for weeks at to whether One Direction or Justin Bieber would top the U.K. album chart in the week of release. Bieber was reportedly furious when One Direction announced that their fifth, and possibly last, album was to be released on November 13. Bieber had already announced that his first album for three years was being released on that date and accused One Direction of trying to generate publicity for their release by choosing the same date.

There can be no doubt that these releases are hugely important one for both One Direction and Bieber. As every One Direction fan will be well aware, the boy-band are headed for an extended hiatus as soon as they complete the promotional round for Made In The A.M. so One Direction were desperate to leave their fans on a high note. Bieber has been on something of a charm offensive in recent months as the Canadian teen idol tries to assure his fans that he has done a lot of growing up since his last album release in 2012.

There was never any doubt that either One Direction or Justin Bieber would top the charts, but no one anticipated just how close the fight would be. According to the Official Charts Company, who compile the U.K. charts, One Direction has a substantial midweek lead, largely as a result of pre-sales. As announcement day came closer One Direction’s lead was shrinking fast, largely as a result of online streaming numbers. Bieber outperformed One Direction for online listens.

By the time the chart was compiled One Direction had a lead of just 2,593 over Bieber in what has been the closest race for a very long time. On Monday, One Direction’s lead sat at a comfortable 15,000 so the narrowing of the gap was a substantial one. The race against each other arguably boosted sales for both One Direction and Justin Bieber. The pair immediately leap to No’s 1 and 2 in the chart of the fastest selling albums of the year to date. One Direction scored total combined sales of 93,189 whilst Bieber achieved 90,596.

Perhaps ironically One Direction and Bieber passed the previously fastest selling album, Chasing Yesterday by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. As One Direction fans are all too aware, Gallagher has been less than complimentary about One Direction in the past. It was recently reported in Inquisitr that Gallagher launched a foul-mouthed attack on One Direction calling them “c***suckers” and claiming they were headed for rehab.

“Who gives a s*** what f***ing One Direction do? C***suckers, all of them in rehab by the time they’re 30.”

NME report that Made In The A.M. is One Direction’s fourth U.K. No 1 album. Only their debut album Up All Night failed to take One Direction to the top of the charts.

Bieber may not be too disappointed to lose out to One Direction in the race for the No 1 album. Bieber has just set an incredible U.K. chart record of his own. According to the BBC Bieber’s song “Sorry” has displaced Adele in the No. 1 single slot and incredibly Bieber has no fewer than eight songs for his new album in the U.K. top 40. Never before has a living artist had so many tracks in the chart simultaneously.

One Direction fans in the U.K. can help One Direction to celebrate their No. 1 album when the boys appear on Jonathan Ross’ chat show. Some details of the interview have already been leaked by the show is broadcast this evening.

[Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images]

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