Girls Aloud top Christmas charts

Girls Aloud celebrated their pop victory with a party after learning they had beaten their boy band rivals to be the Christmas No1.

And boys were allowed, too, as One True Voice joined in the celebrations at LWT studios after a special programme last night.

The girls of Popstars: The Rivals made the No1 sign to fans and threw kisses at everyone after learning that their single Sound of the Underground broke all records as a new pop group's fastest chart-topper last night.

The two TV-inspired bands had been involved in a war of words before the run-up to yesterday's chart when the girls beat even the Spice Girls as the quickest new female act to debut at the top of the charts.

Band members Nadine Coyle, Cheryl Tweedy, Nicola Roberts, Sarah Harding and Kimberley Wash sold 213,000 copies since last Monday compared with One True Voice's 147,000 for Sacred Trust.

Millions of TV viewers watched as DJ Dr Fox, dressed as Santa, ran down the final countdown to the Pepsi chart. Delighted Sarah gasped: "Oh my God" after being told of their success.

Popstars host Davina McCall told Girls Aloud: "It is the quickest a band has ever gone from being formed to getting to No1. They are also the first girl band ever to debut at number one. Fantastic."

Defeated Daniel Peace of One True Voice said: "Congratulations to them. We're now going to concentrate on our debut album - after a few days off, of course."

However, it may be a question of enjoying their success while they can. Music experts poured scorn on their success by pointing out the Girls Aloud single had actually recorded by far the lowest first week sales of any act thrown up by the Popstars format.

Lee Thompson of TV channel The Box said: "Girls Aloud's bosses would have been hoping for at least double the total."

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