One Direction score fastest-selling album of 2013 with Midnight Memories

The X Factor pop group kept current judge Gary Barlow from number one

One Direction have secured this year's fastest-selling album with Midnight Memories (Getty Images)

Pop group One Direction have scored the fastest-selling album of 2013 after Midnight Memories debuted at number one in the Official UK Albums Chart on Sunday.

The former X Factor contestants outsold judge Gary Barlow’s first solo album for 14 years, When I Saw You Last, by more than two to one, with 237,000 copies shifted in the last seven days.

One Direction thanked their 16.5 million followers in a video message posted on Twitter. “We just want to say a massive, massive thank you for making our album Midnight Memories number one,” said Liam Payne. “It’s absolutely incredible and I can’t believe the reaction, it really does mean a lot.”

French duo Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories recorded 165,000 sales in its debut week in May, but has now been overtaken by the boy band’s third album.

Gary Barlow was pleased with his second place result, despite failing to rival Take That band mate Robbie Williams, who took the 1000th number one album last week with Swing Both Ways.

Olly Murs’ Right Place, Right Time was in fourth place with Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP 2 in fifth.

Irish band Boyzone entered in sixth with 20th anniversary greatest hits compilation BZ20 while Britain’s Got Talent star Susan Boyle entered in ninth with Home For Christmas in what could be her worst chart performance to date.

The singles chart crowned DJ Calvin Harris’ collaboration with Alesso and Hurts, “Under Control” as this week’s top track, with Lily Allen’s cover of Keane’s “Somewhere Only We Know” dropping into fourth place.

Gary Barlow’s new single “Let Me Go” matched his album chart place by reaching number two.