James Arthur's official X Factor single sells thousands

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Page last updated at 12:15 GMT, Tuesday, 11 December 2012

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By Del Crookes
Newsbeat reporter

James Arthur comes from Saltburn-by-the-Sea near Middlesbrough

James Arthur's single has had the best sales start ever for an X Factor winner, says the Official Charts Company.

Impossible had been downloaded 187,000 times by midnight on Monday night.

Alexandra Burke's Hallelujah was the previous most popular X Factor winner selling 147,000 copies.

Matt Cardle's When We Collide in 2010 sold 112,000 and Leona Lewis' A Moment Like This in 2006 sold 101,000 during its first two days.

Last year's winners, Little Mix's Cannonball, had sold 69,000 at this stage of its opening week.

Shayne Ward had the fastest-selling X Factor winner's single in 2005 with That's My Goal although it can't really be compared to the tracks that came after it because it was released in the early days of digital music.

That's my goal had sold 46,000 copies on download by midnight on Monday but sold 289,000 copies on CD in one day on its way to a record X Factor opening week total of 742,000.

Whether Arthur will match Shayne Ward's 2005 total, only time will tell - but he has a fantastic chance

Martin Talbot Official Charts Company Managing Director

However, the singer's third album Obsession only made it to number 15 in the chart in 2010 and his record deal with Syco was not renewed last year.

Matt Cardle also "parted ways" with Columbia Records this year after the lead single from his second album only managed to make it to 175 in the chart.

Official Charts Company Managing Director Martin Talbot said: "There has been a lot said about X Factor's popularity this year and questions have been raised that perhaps its momentum is beginning to wane.

"But this amazing opening performance by James Arthur suggests that it remains the pre-eminent launch pad for new artists.

"Whether Arthur will match Shayne Ward's 2005 total, only time will tell - but he has a fantastic chance."

The other previous biggest opening week totals are Alexandra Burke's Hallelujah (576,000), Leona Lewis' A Moment Like This (571,000) and Joe McElderry's The Climb (451,000).