O Brother, it's number one

George Clooney (R) stars in the movie comedy

The movie soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou? has topped the US album charts, weeks after becoming a shock winner at the Grammy Awards.

The album picked up four awards at the prestigious music awards, ensuring it was brought to the attention of the record-buying public more than a year after its release.

Sales were high enough to keep R'n'B star Brandy off the top from the top spot with her new album Full Moon, her first in four years.

O Brother, featuring music-styles such as bluegrass, roots, mountain music and old-time country, has continued to climb the charts.

The characters became singing stars in the film

It has sold 159,000 copies to take it to number one this week, according to SoundScan sales trackers.

The previous week it shifted 209,000 but Alanis Morrisette's album beat it to top position. Her album Under Rug Swept is now at number three.

Kylie Minogue's Fever album has dropped from number three to nine, while fellow Australian Natalie Imbruglia went in at number 35.

Art house

The Oh Brother album was released 63 weeks ago and has sold about 4.4m copies in that time.

The quirky comedy O Brother, Where Art Thou? was written and directed by Joe and Ethan Coen and is based on Homer's Odyssey. George Clooney.

Starring George Clooney, the film was an arthouse hit but was not considered to have mass market appeal.

The album has almost taken on a life of its own, separate from the film.

An O Brother concert took place in Nashville, followed by a documentary that had its own soundtrack, a United States tour and an O Sister album.

The Grammy Awards of 2002 brought it international attention as it picked up best album, best male country vocal performance, best country collaboration with vocals and best film soundtrack.