MUMBAI: Ed Sheeran's latest album 'X', has become the biggest selling album by an artiste in 2014, the Official Charts Company announced. The album, which is his second studio album, spent eight weeks in the top position on the UK chart since its release in June this year. 'X' also became be fastest selling album after it shifted more than 182,000 copies within its first week of sales, and has sold over 634,000 copies till date.

Speaking on his newest achievement, Sheeran said that he was happy that people were enjoying his album. He added that he is looking forward to playing the album live to his UK fans once his tour begins next week.

Prior to the release of 'X', the bestselling album belonged to Coldplay's 'Ghost Stories', which has so far sold around 470,000 copies. The band's sixth studio album is currently in third place.Also overtaking the 'Paradise' hitmakers is Sam Smith's debut 'In the Lonely Hour'. Since its release in May 2014, the album has been in the top two positions, and has sold 487,000 to date.

In fourth and fifth place on the list of biggest selling artiste albums are Paolo Nutini's 'Caustic Love' and Paloma Faith's 'A Perfect Contradiction', respectively. The list features nine out of ten British acts, which also includes Ellie Goulding (Halcyon), London Grammar (If You Wait), Arctic Monkeys (AM) and Bastille (Bad Blood). Pharrell William's 'G.I.R.L' is the only album by an international act to feature in the top 10 biggest selling artiste album list.

Official Charts Company MD Martin Talbot said, "It's been a good year for British talent. To get the kind of numbers that Ed Sheeran has is pretty impressive - it's more than the biggest selling album in the whole of last year did. Sam Smith breaking through as well has been fantastic for the market."