One Direction's third album 'Midnight Memories' has been confirmed as the world's top selling record of the last year.

The British-Irish group released the effort in November 2013 and it became the UK's best-selling album of the year despite only being on sale for a matter of weeks.

The BPI have now confirmed that the group have replicated that feat across the world.

They have revealed that the record sold four million units across the globe, with 685,000 of that coming from the UK.

'Midnight Memories' reached No.1 in nineteen countries upon release and they became the first group to see their first three records hit the top spot in the States.

The second top selling album of the year worldwide was Eminem's 'The Marshall Mathers LP 2'.