McCartney joins Clapton as gold disc record holder
( 2001-07-06 08:50 ) (7 )

More than 30 years after the Beatles split up, Paul McCartney is still holding his own as one of the top-selling artists in the US.

McCartney's latest album, "Wingspan: Hits and History", has earned the British rock icon his 21st gold disc in the United States.

McCartney shares the record for the recording artist with the highest number of gold discs with fellow British rocker Eric Clapton, McCartney's publicist Geoff Baker told Reuters on Wednesday.

"According to Billboard magazine Paul and Eric Clapton are tying with 21 gold albums each," Baker said.

The discs were awarded by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

Clapton earned his 21st gold disc for the album "Reptile".

A gold disc represents sales of 500,000 copies and McCartney's album has since gone double platinum with sales of two million, Baker said.

"He'll be dead chuffed (delighted)," Baker told Reuters. "And I'll tell you what, he'll get his 22nd (gold disc) when his new album comes out."

The next album, as yet untitled, will be McCartney's first featuring new songs since "Flaming Pie" in 1997, Baker said.