Robbie Williams claims Christmas 2013’s biggest selling album

Robbie Williams beats One Direction and Gary Barlow to the Official 2013 Christmas Number 1 Album with Swings Both Ways.

Congratulations to Robbie Williams who has claimed the Official 2013 Christmas Number 1 Album today with Swings Both Ways.

The Take That star’s latest full-length, which returned to the Official Albums Chart summit last Sunday, was neck-and-neck with One Direction’s Midnight Memories and Gary Barlow’s Since I Saw You Last midweek in an incredibly close race. However, it’s Robbie who’s the undisputed king of the swingers this Christmas, with One Direction trailing behind in second place with a gap of less than 200 copies, and Gary Barlow, third.

It has been a battle royal between the Take That men and 1D, as all three albums have sold over 116,000 copies over the last seven days, with Swings Both Ways and Midnight Memories clocking up more than 126,000 sales apiece.

One Direction now have the biggest selling artist album released in the UK in 2013. If sales continue at this rate, the 1D boys could overtake Emeli Sande’s Our Version Of Events as the overall biggest album of 2013 come the end of the year.

Swings Both Ways, which became the UK’s 1000th Number 1 album after debuting at the top spot last month, is Robbie’s second big band album. He previously topped the Official Christmas Albums Chart in 2001 with Swing When You’re Winning.

Meanwhile, Olly Murs’ Right Place, Right Time and Beyonce’s new self-titled album remain static at Number 4 and Number 5, respectively.

The week’s highest climber is The Killers’ Direct Hits, which climbs 15 places to Number 10 today.

The Official Albums Chart Top 10 is as follows. Click here to see the Official Albums Chart Top 100 in full after 7pm.

© 2013 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.