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One Direction have made chart history in America.

Their third album, Midnight Memories, entered the US Billboard 200 at number one making them the only group to have their first three albums top the chart in their opening week.

According to Nielsen SoundScan the record has sold 546,000 copies since being released.

Midnight Memories also went straight to number one in the UK and is the fastest-selling album for two years.

The release sold 237,000 copies in its first week to get to the top of the Official Album Chart on 1 December.

The former X Factor group's third record sold 145,000 copies in three days, according to the Official Charts Company.

Their sales figures in the US mean One Direction are only the third pop group to sell more than 500,000 copies in a week in the Nielsen SoundScan era.

Only 'N Sync and Backstreet Boys have achieved the milestone since the company began tracking sales in 1991.

Midnight Memories is the follow-up to last year's Take Me Home, which also went to number one.

Their debut album, Up All Night, went to number two in the UK when it was released in 2011.

The group's latest track, Story Of My Life, is at number two in the Official Singles Chart.

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