Adele scores biggest number one in three years with 'Hello'

Justin Bieber was forced into the number two slot with new single 'Sorry'

The new album, '25', will be released on 20 November

Adele has scored the biggest number one single in three years with comeback track “Hello”, shifting a massive 333,000 copies since its release last Friday.

The Oscar-winning singer-songwriter releases third album 25 on 20 November, which she describes as a “make-up record” about her transition into adulthood.

To date, “Hello” has been streamed a staggering 7.32 million times, breaking Justin Bieber’s previous record for “What Do You Mean?” by almost double.

Excluding X Factor and Pop Idol winners’ singles, Christmas numbers ones and charity campaign records, it is the second-biggest number one of the millennium after Shaggy’s “It Wasn’t Me” achieved 345,000 sales in 2001.

Martin Talbot, chief executives of the Official Charts Company, said: “The success of ‘Hello’ this week underlines what an extraordinary artist Adele is - a once in a generation artist, who appeals to kids, teenagers, mums, dads, aunts, uncles, grandmas and grandads.

“To make such an impact, across both streams and sales, is the sign of a truly universally popular artist.”

Elsewhere on the charts, Justin Bieber’s new song “Sorry” reached number two, Drake’s “Hotline Bling” is at number three, Sam Smith is at number four with Bond theme “Writing’s On The Wall” and The Weeknd’s “The Hills” completes the top five.