INTERNATIONAL CHARTS COVERAGE: Euro appreciation for Alesha.

Alan Jones

In the absence of any new phenomenon, U2's No Line On The Horizon is the world's biggest seller for the third week in a row.

Initially number one in upwards of 30 countries, it remains at the top of the charts in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland. Not on that list, you will note is Ireland. The Irish are normally very well disposed towards homegrown talent, particularly U2, but the album's two-week reign on home soil was ended not - as in the UK - by fellow Irishman Ronan Keating but by Lady GaGa's The Fame.

No Line On The Horizon's retreat is slow in most countries with it typically falling 1-2 in Austria, Norway, New Zealand and The Netherlands.

In sales terms, its best territories remain the USA (76,000 sales last week), the UK (30,000), Germany (19,000) and Canada (19,000). Its overall sales are now approaching 2m.

A number five hit here last November which went on to sell more than 300,000 copies domestically, The Boy Does Nothing by Alesha Dixon is now sweeping across Europe. It achieved success in Ireland in tandem with its UK success, though its peak there was a less lofty number 19 but it is now conquering the charts in ...