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Sales of Adele's 21 have overtaken Michael Jackson's Bad in the UK, says the Official Charts Company.

The singer's latest album has now sold 4.02 million copies, nearly 61,000 more than Jackson's 1987 album.

Adele broke the record after her Brits performance with 21 going back to number one for a 21st week.

"This is another incredible achievement to cap a year of incredible achievements," said Martin Talbot from the Official Charts Company.

"By overtaking Bad, 21 has officially cemented Adele's place among the all-time greats.

"Who would bet against her improving further on that achievement, by taking steps towards the all-time top five?"

Adele's album 21 has now spent 57 weeks on the Official Albums Chart and has not left the top 10 since its release last January.

It is now the biggest selling album of the 21st Century and the eighth biggest selling album of all time.

Next in line on the list is Pink Floyd's 1973 album Dark Side Of the Moon (seven) and Dire Straits' 1985 album, Brothers In Arms (six).

There was controversy last week after Adele gave Brits bosses the middle finger for getting host James Corden to cut short her acceptance speech.

She also suffered throat problems last year which forced her to cancel a string of live dates in the UK and US.

She had minor surgery to remove a benign polyp in November.

Best-selling albums in the UK are as follows:

1. Queen - Greatest hits (5,863,000)

2. The Beatles - Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (5,044,000)

3. Abba - Gold: Greatest Hits (4,989,000)

4. Oasis - What's The Story Morning Glory (4,517,000)

5. Michael Jackson - Thriller (4,248,000)

6. Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms (4,152,000)

7. Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon (4,114,000)

8. Adele - 21 (4,020,000)

9. Michael Jackson - Bad (3,959,000)

10. Queen - Greatest Hits II (3,887,000)