Eminem's latest album has become the biggest seller of the year in the US with more than 7.4 million sales, according to figures from the country's chart compilation body.

The Eminem Show beat its nearest rival - Nellyville, by Nelly - by more than 2.6 million sales, Nielsen SoundScan said on Thursday.

In third place with 3.9 million sales was Avril Lavigne's Let Go, followed by Home, by the Dixie Chicks, in fourth place and Eminem's 8 Mile film soundtrack in fifth.

Eminem is enjoying continued popularity worldwide with his third solo album and his debut movie role.

The rapper had a number one single in the UK this month

He reached number one in the UK singles chart earlier this month with his track Lose Yourself.

The song is taken from 8 Mile, in which he plays a Detroit rapper struggling to make the big time.

His album success in the US defied a sharply downward trend as CD sales fell by 9% to 624.2 million for the year up to 22 December.

The top two albums were made by Universal Music Group, consolidating its position as the biggest record company in the US.

Universal claimed 28.9% of the total album sales market in 2002, compared with to 26.4% in 2001.

Shania Twain's latest album was one of the year's biggest sellers

Its other top 10 successes included Ashanti's self-titled debut at number seven, the Grammy-winning O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack at nine and Shania Twain's album Up at 10.

Coming in just behind Universal was BMG, with hits including Avril Lavigne, Pink's three million-selling Missundaztood and Drive by Alan Jackson.

In the battle of the music giants, Sony weighed in third, followed by Warner Music Group in fourth.

Troubled EMI's share fell sharply, from 10.6% in 2001 to just 7.3% this year.