Queen are champions in all-time UK album chart

LONDON, Nov 16 (Reuters) Queen's ''Greatest Hits'' was named Britain's best-selling album of all time today, eclipsing the Beatles, Pink Floyd and Michael Jackson.

In a list based on record sales rather than public opinion, the flamboyant rockers knocked the Fab Four's ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'' into second place.

While derided by critics as unhip purveyors of overblown ''pomp rock'', record buyers lapped up hits such as ''Bohemian Rhapsody'' and ''We Are The Champions''.

The band's second compilation of best-selling singles also made the top 10.

Researchers took six months to collate a top 100 from half a century of sales figures, said the Official UK Charts Company, which drew up the list.

Queen sold more than 5.4 million copies of their Greatest Hits album, compared to 4.8 million for Sgt. Pepper.

It was a rare defeat for the Beatles' eighth album, which is often hailed by critics as the greatest record ever released.

With groundbreaking songs such as ''A Day In The Life'' and ''Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds'', it has topped countless polls around the world since its 1967 release.

The Beatles also made the chart with Abbey Road (67th) and their collection of number ones ''1'' (24th).

Oasis came third with their second album ''(What's the Story) Morning Glory?'' The singles ''Wonderwall'', ''Roll With It'' and ''Don't Look Back in Anger'' helped it to sell 4.3 million copies in Britain.

Dire Straits clinched fourth place with ''Brothers in Arms'', while ABBA came fifth with ''ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits''.

There was no place on the top 100 for big names such as the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Sting and the Sex Pistols.

Completing the list at numbers 99 and 100 were Australian soap stars turned singers Kylie Minogue (Fever) and Jason Donovan (10 Good Reasons).

The full run-down will be broadcast on music channel VH1.

Top 10: 1) Greatest Hits - Queen (5,407,587) 2) Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - Beatles (4,811,996) 3) (What's The Story) Morning Glory? - Oasis (4,314,715) 4) Brothers In Arms - Dire Straits (3,956,704) 5) ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits - ABBA (3,943,950) 6) Dark Side Of The Moon - Pink Floyd (3,781,993) 7) Greatest Hits II - Queen (3,644,619) 8) Thriller - Michael Jackson (3,578,107) 9) Bad - Michael Jackson (3,554,301) 10) The Immaculate Collection - Madonna (3,402,160) REUTERS AKJ BD1658