The Top 10 biggest global recording artists of 2013 revealed!

One Direction beat Eminem and Justin Timberlake to Number 1 on international recorded music trade body’s annual chart.

One Direction have fought off tough competition from the likes of Eminem, Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars and Katy Perry to be crowned the world’s biggest recorded music artist of 2013.

Complied by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), the chart combines both digital and physical music sales, as well as on-demand audio and video streams from 66 countries around the globe, including the UK’s very own Official Charts.

One Direction debuted at Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart with their third full-length, Midnight Memories. The album went on to beat Emeli Sande’s Our Version Of Events to become the UK’s biggest selling album of last year after just five weeks on sale.

Midnight Memoires also went straight in at Number 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in the US (their third chart topper there) as well as Australia’s ARIA Albums Chart.

“It’s incredible news!” said 1D’s Niall Horan. "It’s great to have a chart that includes everything from iTunes and record stores, to YouTube and Spotify. Again a huge thank you to all of our fans for such an amazing 2013.”

After enjoying a Number 1 single on the UK’s Official Singles Chart with The Monster FT Rihanna, and a Number 1 album on the Official Albums Chart with The Marshall Mathers LP 2, Eminem finished the year in second place.

Justin Timberlake, whose single Mirrors and album The 20/20 Experience both reached Number 1 in the UK in March, is in third place, while Bruno Mars (4) and Katy Perry (5) complete the Top 5.

The full Top 10 biggest global recording artists of 2013 are as follows: