One Direction Makes Chart History as “Midnight Memories” Debuts at #1

Maybe some people think One Direction is just some passing fad, but here's proof that they're not.  The group's new album Midnight Memories has debuted at #1 on the Billboard chart, and in the process, made some history. The British act is now the first group ever to have their first three albums debut at #1.

Midnight Memories' success follows the #1 debuts of the group's first two discs, Up All Night and Take Me Home.  Midnight Memories sold 546,000 copies in its first week in stores, more than those previous two sold in their first two weeks.

One Direction is also the first group to reach #1 period with their first three albums since 1967, when another group put together for TV did it: The Monkees.  Their first disc climbed to the top in 1966, and then within the next year, so did their next two albums, plus a fourth.

Elsewhere on the charts, the deep Black Friday discounts for many albums resulted in big sales increases, according to Billboard.  Sales of Katy Perry's PRISM were up 252 percent, thanks to pricing as low as $4.99 at Amazon.  Kelly Clarkson's Wrapped in Red was up 195 percent, thanks to $7 pricing at Target. Sales of Miley Cyrus' Bangerz, also priced $7 at Target, were up 228 percent.