Sir Paul McCartney was given a lifetime achievement award

Sir Paul's outstanding contribution award resulted in sales of Memory Almost Full up by 515% on Thursday with best male Mark Ronson's album up 271%.

Ronson's Version was closely followed by best international female Kylie Minogue's X - up by 242%, HMV said.

Sales of Beautiful World, by double winners Take That, were up 159%.

That was despite the album already selling two million copies.

The Arctic Monkeys - the only artists to win both best British album and best British group in two consecutive years - saw a 151% rise in sales of Favourite Worst Nightmare.

THE BRIT AWARDS BOOST Sir Paul McCartney, Memory Almost Full - sales up 515% Mark Ronson, Version - 271% Kylie Minogue, X - 242% Take That, Beautiful World - 159% Arctic Monkeys, Favourite Worst Nightmare - 151% Source: HMV

HMV spokesman Gennaro Castaldo said the Brits' effects on sales were becoming "more pronounced each year".

"The Brits can also remind us of our musical heritage, allowing younger fans in particular to discover the brilliance of established stars, as appears to be the case this year with Paul McCartney, Take That and Kylie," he added.

Sales of Amy Winehouse's Back To Black were up 46% after she performed with Ronson on their hit collaboration Valerie, as well as with her own band on Love Is A Losing Game.

In the US album chart, meanwhile, Back to Black has shot up from number 24 to number two - its highest position - following Winehouse's performaces via satellite at the Grammys on 10 February.

Winehouse's album, which helped her to win five Grammy Awards, sold 115,000 copies in the US last week.

Jazz veteran Herbie Hancock's album, River: The Joni Letters, which took the album of the year Grammy, shot up from number 159 to number five in the Billboard 200.