RECORD sales in Australia have hit an alarming low with a British metal band hitting the No. 1 spot with just 3600 album sales.

British hardcore metal band Bring Me the Horizon made a surprising debut at No. 1 on the ARIA album charts yesterday, with just 3600 copies sold nationally.

Listen to Bring Me The Horizon on MySpace

This is the lowest sales to achieve a No. 1 album in Australia.

The figure highlights the impact illegal downloading has had on record sales.

Last week's No. 1 by Linkin Park sold just 4056 copies. Even the new Robbie Williams compilation sold only 2816 copies last week to debut at No. 6.

Sales should pick up this week with the release of new albums by Kings of Leon and John Farnham, who will both battle to be No. 1 next week.

Expected big sellers for Christmas include a "best of" Pink, new albums by Taylor Swift, Kanye West, Rihanna and Jessica Mauboy, and a Susan Boyle Christmas album.

Bring Me the Horizon will tour here in February for the Soundwave festival with their album There Is a Hell, Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is a Heaven, Let's Keep It A Secret.

"To have a number one album, in a country we don't even live in, is amazing," frontman Oli Sykes said.