The record sold 476,000 copies in its first seven days, despite leaking online more than three weeks ahead of release.

Jay-Z has now passed Elvis Presley to become the solo artist with the most number one albums in the history of the Billboard countdown.

Meanwhile, sales of The Beatles' albums soared following the release of their remastered back catalogue.

The band's albums, including those that weren't part of the reissue, sold 626,000 copies last week compared to just 21,000 the week before.

They now hold fifteen of the top 20 places on Billboard’s Pop Catalogue chart.

According to Neilson Soundscan, The Beatles have never sold less than one million albums in a year in the history of the Billboard chart.

(by Jason Gregory)