One Direction smash UK record for biggest first day sales of any music

One Direction are continuing to break new ground in the lead up to Christmas 2013 – storming to an all-time speed record with sales of their new video release This Is Us.

1D's  documentary/live movie This Is Us sold 170,000 DVD/Blu-ray copies in its first day of release in the UK yesterday (Thursday) – the biggest first day sales for any music DVD/Blu-ray in UK chart history.

The incredible launch compares to previous fastest starts for Michael Jackson’s This Is It (which sold 109,000 copies in its first two days on sale in February 2010) and Take That’s The Circus Live (which sold 95,000 in its first two days in November 2009). By the time the weekly chart is finalised on Sunday, One Direction’s This Is Us could even challenge Jacko’s This Is It’s first week record of 260,000 – based on just three days of sales.

This Is Us is also currently leading the overall video/DVD market for the week – after just 24 hours on sale it is already on course for Number 1 in the Official Video Chart this weekend, beating off competition in what is traditionally the biggest week of the year from Despicable Me 2, The Croods, Man Of Steel and the Manchester United Class Of 92 release.

This Is Us is an intimate all-access look at life on the road for the global music phenomenon that is One Direction. Directed by respected documentary film-maker Morgan Spurlock, it weaves live concert film with backstage footage and tells the story of Niall, Zayn, Liam, Harry and Louis' meteoric rise to fame. It was released in summer 2013, topping the UK and US box offices and grossing an estimated $60m-plus worldwide.

It all adds up to a stellar week (to end a stellar year) for One Direction, with their new album Midnight Memories leading the albums market in the run into the weekend – and looking favourites to be the Christmas Number 1 album of 2013. Though tough competition from Robbie Williams’ Swings Both Ways who trails by less than 3,000 copies means the race is by no means over just yet, anything could happen come Sunday’s final whistle.

Official Charts Company chief executive Martin Talbot says, “It has been quite a year for 1D and their fans – and they are continuing that right through into Christmas. Every act goes into the festive season hoping to secure the Official Christmas Number 1 album, but if they manage to pull off the album and video double at such a competitive time of the year – that will be some achievement. If current performance is maintained, we could be looking at a 1D Christmas in 2013!”

Watch the trailer for This Is Us: