X Factor: 10 mind-blowing Official Chart facts about the show's biggest acts

The X Factor. Love it or hate it, it’s been responsible for a lot of Official Chart moments over the years.

With the live shows for the fourteenth season now under way, we've looked back to bring you some eye-popping #ChartFacts from the show's finalists, winners, losers, runners-up...the lot.

It's Time. To Face. The Trivia...

There have been 14 winners of The X Factor UK

14 acts have won over the public since 2003, comprised of three from the Overs category, two Groups, six Boys and three Girls.

They are: Steve Brookstein, Shayne Ward, Leona Lewis, Leon Jackson, Alexandra Burke, Joe McElderry, Matt Cardle, Little Mix, James Arthur, Sam Bailey, Ben Haenow, Louisa Johnson, Matt Terry and Rak-Su.

All the winners up until 2015 had hit Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart with their winners' single, while Louisa placed at Number 9, Matt Terry at 3 and Rak-Su at Number 2.

Little Mix have scored the most Number 1 singles for a winning act

The first group to win The X Factor, Little Mix have topped the Official Singles Chart more times than any other winning act. Their winners single Cannonball, first proper single Wings, Black Magic and the empowering Shout Out To My Ex all hit Number 1. That's one more than Leona Lewis. Well done ladies! 

MORE: Look back at all of Little Mix's single and album artworks from across their career

However, runners-up JLS have the most chart toppers overall

That's right - Aston, Oritse, Marvin and JB have bragging rights when it comes to the Official Chart. Finishing second place in 2008, JLS went on to have monumental success between 2008 - 2013.

JLS' tracks Beat Again, Everybody In Love, The Club Is Alive, Love You More and She Makes Me Wanna all topped the chart, putting them one ahead of Olly Murs, One Direction and Little Mix.

MORE: See JLS' full UK singles and albums chart history

42 singles by X Factor alumni have reached Number 1

The very first was Steve Brookstein's Against All Odds, and the most recent is Harry Styles' 2017 solo smash Sign Of The Times.

Some finalists who didn't win but made it all the way to the top anyway include Chico, Diana Vickers, Cher Lloyd, Zayn Malik, and Ella Henderson.

Discounting the X Factor charity singles that featured the entire series lineup, Ella has the honour of being the act to leave the competition the earliest but still bag a Number 1.

MORE: View every Official Singles Chart Number 1 ever in our definitive list

The biggest X Factor winners' single is...

James Arthur's Impossible. James' story about rising from his bedsit in Salburn-by-the-Sea to the bright lights of the show (with a stop-off in Deadlock territory) all the way to the title captured the hearts of the nation. With combined sales of 1.5 million, Impossible surged ahead of Alexandra Burke's Hallelujah (1.38 million) in 2017.

MORE: The biggest X Factor winners' singles revealed

Leona Lewis has the show's fastest-selling post-X Factor single with Bleeding Love

There's always lots of attention on the first original song released after the winners' single, and the UK went crazy for Bleeding Love in 2007. 218,805 copies were sold in its first week on sale, ahead of Alexandra Burke's Bad Boys (187,100). The only other winners' single to pass 100,000 sales in week one is Little Mix's Wings, with 106,766.

MORE: See where all of Leona Lewis's singles and albums have charted

The most Top 40 singles by an X Factor act is...

When it comes to X Factor alum and their Top 40 success, Little Mix rule the roost, with 20 UK Top 40 hits.

MORE: Revisit One Direction's back catalogue of hits

25 Number 1 albums have come from X Factor acts

7 X Factor winners have scooped Number 1 records on the Official Albums Chart (Steve Brookstein, Shayne Ward, Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke, Little Mix, James Arthur and Sam Bailey) and a further eighteen have come from the likes of G4, Journey South, Ray Quinn and Jahmene Douglas. Olly Murs and One Direction lead the way however, with four apiece.

Leona Lewis' debut album is the fourth best-seller EVER from a British female solo artist

The best-selling album from an X alumni is Leona Lewis' debut album Spirit. The collection has sold over 3 million copies and is the fourth biggest selling by a British female, behind Adele's 21, Amy Winehouse's Back To Black and Adele's 25.

MORE: 9 unforgettable X Factor auditions that sent the songs back up the Official Chart

Six X Factor stars have achieved four UK Top 10 albums

Some X Factor winners haven't managed a Top 10 album, but incredibly, six acts (five of which didn't win) have four under their belts. Joe McElderry was the latest to achieve it in July 2017, while Little Mix managed it when their first Number 1 album Glory Days was released in November 2016.

In October 2016, Rebecca Ferguson also showcased her enduring appeal when Superwoman became her fourth. JLS, Olly Murs and One Direction have even managed five each.

Want more X Factor? View our gallery of best, worst, weird and wonderful judges from TV talent shows from across the world: