But they were at their second highest level so far this year, at 6.62m, trailing only the 7.20m albums that were sold six weeks earlier, when boosted by the Grammy awards telecast.

Sales of nearly 276,500 were enough to for Britney Spears' Femme Fatale to debut at number one in the latest frame, becoming the 29-year-old's sixth number one from seven releases. The odd one out: 2007 comeback album, Blackout, which peaked at number two.

While Spears' victory was never ...