UK-based boyband One Direction are continuing to enjoy phenomenal worldwide success, but Billboard's new article that compares their first week album sales to those of other internationally acclaimed boybands shows that their popularity might be quietening down.

Looking at first week sales figures from the heartthrobs' new album 'FOUR', which shifted 387,000 copies, it appears that the numbers are weak in comparison to those secured by the likes of the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC.

The Jonas Brothers, however, achieved similar sales (charts pictured below). 

The Backstreet Boys' fourth album sold just 291,000 copies, but the band's highest first week sales figures for an album released during their career was 1,591,000 copies, which was for 'Black & Blue' in '00. *NSYNC peaked with first week sales of 2,416,000 for 'No Strings Attached' in 2000 and Jonas Brothers managed to sell 525,000 copies of 'A Little Bit Longer' in 2008. 1D, meanwhile, peaked in 2013 with 'Take Me Home', which sold an impressive 546,000 in its first week. In comparison, this is fairly low. 

Billboard's article in question states: "It's worth keeping in mind that overall album sales are down 13 percent compared to the same time a year ago, so it's a challenge for anyone to sell albums."

The 'Steal My Girl' superstars, however, recently made U.S. chart history after becoming the first band to hit the albums chart top spot in America with their first four records.

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