Rapper Psy takes Number 1 spot with 'Gangnam Style' as Nick Clegg plummets to 104 in the charts

Rapper Psy became the first South Korean musician to make it to number one in the UK today with his single "Gangnam Style".

The pop track broke into the top 40 two weeks ago at number 37, four weeks after its release, and has been climbing steadily since ending up at number three in last week's chart.

The video that accompanies the single has amassed more than 253 million views in just two months and became the most "liked" video of all time on YouTube.

Psy, who is already an established star in South Korea having released six albums, taught Britney Spears his dance moves on US TV show Ellen earlier this month.

The track knocks last week's number one, Irish band The Script off the top spot to number two with their single "Hall of Fame", featuring Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas.

American rapper Flo Rida rounds off the top three with his single "I Cry".

There were no newly-released songs in the Official UK Charts Company top 10 singles, with the highest-reaching new entry being DJ Fresh's "The Feel" at number 13.

Meanwhile folk four-piece Mumford & Sons have gone straight to the top of the top 40 album chart with their new release Babel.

It follows their 2009 award-winning debut, Sigh No More, which also reappears in the top 40 this week at number 10.

The Official UK Charts Company said Babel has become the fastest-selling album of 2012 after selling 159,000 copies this week.

It outsold Green Day's Uno, which took the number 2 spot, by more than three copies to one and surpasses Lana Del Rey's Born To Die which achieved nearly 117,000 sales in its first week of release and Emeli Sande's Our Version Of Events which sold just over 113,000 in its debut week.

The Californian act, who first enjoyed mainstream success in the mid-90s, stormed in to second place with Uno, the first of a trilogy of albums with Dos and Tre to follow soon.

At the other end of the musical spectrum, opera duo Jonathan and Charlotte, contestants in the last series of Britain's Got Talent, went straight to number five with their debut album Together.

Last week's top two, Pink and The Killers were at three and four respectively with their new albums, The Truth About Love and Battle Born.

Other new entries include Californian ska punk act No Doubt, who return with their first album in more than a decade.

The band, fronted by Gwen Stefani who has been pursuing a solo career in recent years, go straight in at number 16 with Push and Shove, their first album since 2001's Rock Steady.

Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg appeared at number 104 in the charts after peaking at number 64 earlier in the week.

The spoof song is an autotuned version of the Liberal Democrat leader's two-and-a-half-minute video apology over his party's pledge on tuition fees.

The track - Nick Clegg Says I'm Sorry - entered the top 150 after he gave permission to the song's creator, satirical website www.thepoke.co.uk, to release it as a single.

All profits will be given to Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, of which his wife Miriam is a patron.

Psy, whose video has now been viewed more than 326 million times on YouTube, said: "Thanks to all the UK fans out there for supporting me and Gangnam Style."

PA