Avicii keeps Harlem Shake off number one

Image caption, YouTube says up to 4,000 Harlem Shake videos are being uploaded every day

Electro track Harlem Shake, which has sparked an online dance craze, has been held off the top of the UK charts by Swedish dance artist Avicii.

Harlem Shake, by Brooklyn DJ Baauer, has inspired countless videos, in which one person, often in a mask, dances alone, ignored by those around them.

But when the chorus kicks in, the room erupts, with dancers wearing outrageous headgear or holding blow-up animals.

It reached number three, but could be a contender for next week's number one.

Martin Talbot, director of the Official Charts Company called the song "a bone fide phenomenon".

"At the start of the week, it wasn't even selling enough to make the Top 20, but it is now one of the UK's most popular tracks," he noted.

Video caption, What is the Harlem Shake?

The Harlem Shake is a dance move that originated in Harlem in the early 1980s, which involves wiggling one's body and arms from side to side.

up to 4,000 videos recreating the 30-second dance "meme" are being uploaded every day.

New entries

The song that held Baauer off the top of the charts was I Could Be The One, by Avicii vs Nicky Romero.

It sold just 8,000 copies more than the record at number two, Thrift Shop, by American hip-hop artist Macklemore.

Rihanna's ballad Stay climbed four places to reach number four, while dance act Disclosure dropped to five with their club track White Noise, featuring Aluna Francis from 91热爆 Sound Of 2013 runners-up AlunaGeorge.

It was a busy week for new entries, with Gabrielle Aplin and Bruno Mars going straight into the top 10.

German DJ Zedd, who is producing Lady Gaga's forthcoming new album Artpop, also scored his first UK chart hit with Clarity, featuring vocals from London singer-songwriter Foxes.

Indie rockers Foals and US pop star Justin Timberlake both had new entries, while Adele's Bond theme Skyfall re-entered the top 40 following her success at the Grammys last week.

Folk band Mumford and Sons also received a sales bump. Babel, which was named album of the year at the awards bash, climbed from 17 to number five in the charts.

The Les Miserables soundtrack held firm at number one, while there were new entries for Foals, Bullet For My Valentine and Emilia Mitiku.

Next week's charts could receive a shake-up after the Brits, which are held in London on Wednesday.

Olympic performer Emeli Sande has the most nominations - four in total. Her debut album, Our Version Of Events, which was the UK's biggest-seller in 2012, is currently at number three.