The US star’s single sold almost 150,000 copies, making it the biggest-selling single release in January since Babylon Zoo’s ‘Spaceman’ in 1996.

In 2010, only three singles achieved bigger first week sales – the biggest being Helping Haiti’s ‘Everybody Hurts’, which sold 453,000 copies.

Mars’ second chart-topping single comes just two days after tickets for his first headlining UK tour sold out in minutes.

The only other new entry inside the top-10 was JLS’s Tinie Tempah-featuring single ‘Eyes Wide Shut’, at number ten, according to the Official Charts Company.

Meanwhile, in the album chart, Rihanna retained the number one position for a third week with ‘Loud’.

There were also two new re-entries inside the top-10: Adele’s ‘19’ at number six and Eliza Doolittle’s self-titled debut at number nine.

(by Jason Gregory)