Pharrell reclaims UK charts top spot from Pitbull and Ke$ha

[January 13, 2014]  LONDON (Reuters) — Pharrell Williams and his song "Happy" reclaimed the number one spot in the British music singles chart on Sunday, knocking "Timber" by fellow Americans Pitbull and Ke$ha into second place, the Official Charts Company said.

Happy sold over 107,000 copies to occupy the top spot for a second non-consecutive week, having been dethroned by Timber the previous week. Pharrell Williams had scored the two biggest-selling singles of 2013.

Among the fastest climbers in the singles chart was Beyonce, whose "Drunk In Love", a collaboration with her husband Jay Z, jumped 17 places to take the number 10 spot. It was Beyonce's 16th top 10 hit in Britain.

British singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding held onto the number one spot in the official albums chart for a second week with "Halcyon", keeping Beyonce's self-titled album at bay in second place.

Goulding, who performed at the wedding reception of Prince William and Kate Middleton in 2011, was enjoying a good week after she was nominated on Thursday for three BRITs, the top music awards in Britain.

(Reporting by Estelle Shirbon; editing by Andrew Roche)

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