Adele has sent more records tumbling after her album 21 outsold Michael Jackson’s Thriller, becoming the fifth biggest-selling album of all time in the UK.

Thriller has long been recognised as one of the most iconic albums of all time − there is now no doubt that 21 can be spoken of in the same breath

Sales figures from the Official Charts Company show the Rolling In The Deep singer’s second album has sold 4,274,300 copies − 500 more than the landmark Michael Jackson album − and is continuing to sell an average of 20,000 copies a week.

“To add to her many landmark records, Adele’s achievement in overtaking Thriller in the all-time sales list is truly remarkable,” said the Official Charts Company’s managing director Martin Talbot.

“Thriller has long been recognised as one of the most iconic albums of all time − there is now no doubt that 21 can be spoken of in the same breath.”

Adele’s album has spent 23 weeks at number one since its release and has outsold hit albums including Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon and Dire Straits’ Brothers In Arms.