X Factor winner smashes sales records

SINGER James Arthur has smashed X Factor sales records with the release of his debut single Impossible.

Despite a decline in viewers for this year’s ITV1 show, the 24-year-old has notched up the fastest-selling winner’s single at this point in its release.

According to the Official Charts Company, by midnight last night there were 187,000 digital sales of Impossible, which went on sale on Sunday evening immediately after Arthur was crowned X Factor winner.

The CD version of the single goes on sale tomorrow.

The sales overtake those of all other X Factor winners - Alexandra Burke’s debut Hallelujah sold 147,000, Matt Cardle’s When We Collide sold 112,000 and last year’s winner Little Mix sold 69,000 during the same time period.

Leona Lewis’s track A Moment Like This sold 101,000 during the first two days on sale.

Based on opening-week sales, Shayne Ward’s That’s My Goal is the all-time fastest-selling X Factor winner’s single with 742,000 copies.

His single only sold 46,000 copies on download by Monday midnight, but this was in the early days of digital.

Official Charts Company managing director Martin Talbot said: “There has been a lot said about X Factor’s popularity this year and questions have been raised that perhaps its momentum is beginning to wane.

“But this amazing opening performance by James Arthur suggests that it remains the pre-eminent launch pad for new artists. Whether Arthur will match Shayne Ward’s 2005 total, only time will tell - but he has a fantastic chance.”

Arthur tweeted: “Wow just seen the figures for the single sales and it’s blowing my mind!”.

The new album by X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos just scraped into the top 40 at 35, despite the singer performing on the show.