BBC News Online: Entertainment

Spears tops the charts

The US singer's debut song Baby One More Time sold 124,000 copies on Monday alone - 1,000 more than Lenny Kravitz, the previous number one, had sold in six days.

Shops have even been running out of copies of the 17-year-old's single and her record company has had to press extra copies.

Spears said: "I'm so pleased that my British fans like my record - it really means a lot to me.

"I've only been to London once in my life and it's so great that people like me."

But it is not only the single that is doing well - her video of the song is selling just as fast.

Gennaro Castaldo, from the HMV chain, said: "It's absolutely flying out of the shops. The video is being played heavily on MTV and The Box and that seems to be driving a lot of it.

"She seems to be appealing equally to both sexes. A lot of girls seem to find it aspirational for girls of her age group because they can relate to it.

"And of course a lot of the guys are into Britney because she's a good-looking girl."

Spears has already had a number one single and album in the US. She calls herself a "devoted fan" of pop music and cites as her influences Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, and Whitney Houston.

Baby One More Time is the 12th single to top the UK charts in as many weeks, pointing to an ever more fickle record-buying public.

A new single from Blur, Tender, is being tipped to extend the record to 13. But the strength of Spears' sales could dampen their comeback.

Internet Links

Britney Spears

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.