News: One Direction album tops US charts

One Direction's Take Me Home has taken the British boys to the top of the US charts - and to new heights.
The London group's second album has sold 540,000 in its first week, according to Nielsen SoundScan - the year's third-highest debut behind Taylor Swift's Red, which sold 1.2 million units in its first week earlier this month and Mumford & Sons' Babel, which sold more than 600,000 albums in September in its debut week.

"We just want to say a massive thanks to all the fans who have supported us," band member Harry Styles, 18, said.

The album also debuted at No 1 in the UK this week. The fivesome's debut, Up All Night, came in at No 2 in last year; it was just released in March in America, where it hit No 1 and has achieved platinum status.

"We were a little bit nervous about how people were going to take it," 19-year-old Niall Horan said of the new album during tour rehearsals. "Everyone gets that second album syndrome."

But they say although they are excited, they will not be celebrating too much..."We're finishing rehearsing soon and we're going home to bed."

One Direction, who placed third on the UK version of The X Factor in 2010, is managed by Simon Cowell. In just a year, the band has become worldwide sensations, thanks to their feverish fans.

They released a book and have a Nickelodeon show and 3D movie planned. They also made the cut for Barbara Walters' most fascinating people of 2012 list.

The group - which includes Zayn Malik, Liam Payne and Louis Tomlinson - will launch a worldwide tour in February. They hope to work with Katy Perry and are still trying to adjust to the celebrity and fame that has taken over their lives.

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