Pharrell's 'Happy' hits 1 million sales to top UK chart for third time

LONDON (Reuters) - Pharrell Williams's "Happy" returned to the top of Britain's music charts for the third time on Sunday, becoming the first single in 57 years to do so, the Official Charts Company said.

Only two other acts in history have secured the top spot on three separate occasions with the same song, the last being Guy Mitchell's "Singing the Blues" in 1957.

"Happy" also passed the 1 million sales marker this week, making Pharrell only the second act after the Beatles to notch up three million-selling singles in the UK within the space of a year.

Last week's chart-topper "Money On My Mind", by English singer-songwriter Sam Smith, slipped to second place in the singles charts while Clean Bandit's "Rather Be" featuring Jess Glynne held on to its number three spot.

In the album chart, British band Bastille retained the top spot with their record "Bad Blood", the Official Charts Company said, ahead of the Artic Monkeys second-placed "AM" and Ellie Goulding's "Halcyon" in third.

(Reporting by Kylie MacLellan; Editing by Catherine Evans)