ONE DIRECTION ON TOP OF US ALBUM CHART

One Direction have topped the US album chart again with their latest release Take Me Home.

In its first week it sold 540,000 copies giving the boy band their second American number one album this year.

"We just want to say a massive thanks to all the fans who have supported us," said Harry Styles.

"We can send tweets and thank them, but 140 characters is never going be enough to say how much it means."

Only two albums, Taylor Swift's Red and Babel by Mumford & Sons have sold more in the first week of release this year, with 1.2 million and 600,000 respectively.

Niall Horan says the group were "nervous" about their second album

The album has also topped the charts in more than 30 countries, including the UK, giving One Direction their first number one album in their home nation.

Their debut, Up All Night, reached number two in the UK although it did get a number one on the US Billboard 200 when it was released in March.

Despite the latest success, the band will not be celebrating too much as they prepare for their tour.

"We're finishing rehearsing soon and we're going home to bed," said Niall Horan.

"We were a little bit nervous about how people were going to take it.

"Everyone gets that second album syndrome."

The band, which also features Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson, will start a worldwide tour in February to support Take Me Home.