Albums by U2, Snow Patrol and Nirvana were among the IFPI Platinum Europe Award winners in January, according to certifications unveiled this week by the international trade body. Platinum Awards are presented to those albums which surpass one million shipments across Europe.

U2 claimed their second IFPI Platinum Award for their retrospective ’U218 Singles’ (Mercury). The album picked up its first Platinum Award in December 2006, just one month after its release.

Meanwhile, Nirvana`s self-titled Geffen set took its second IFPI Platinum Award. The third posthumous release since Kurt Cobain`s death in 1994, ’Nirvana’ features the previously-unreleased track "You Know You`re Right."

Snow Patrol`s ’Eyes Open’ (Fiction/Polydor), earned its second IFPI Platinum Award during the month as its shipments sailed past the two million mark. The Scottish/Irish alterative rockers found mainstream success with 2003`s ’Final Straw’ and their follow up album ’Eyes Open,’ released May 2006, became the biggest-selling album of the year in the U.K.

One of the most celebrated U.K. albums of 2006, Arctic Monkey`s ’Whatever People Say That I Am That`s What I`m Not’ (Domino) is certified platinum. The debut set has earned multiple accolades this month, taking home best album and earning the band best group honors at the Feb. 14 Brit Awards.

Norah Jones` much-anticipated third album ’Not Too Late’ (Blue Note) gained its first Platinum distinction in January, shifting more than one million units across Europe in its first two weeks. Her latest effort also set the record for the most pre-ordered album on Amazon.com in its 11-year history.

Jamaican reggae artist Sean Paul`s third album ’The Trinity’ (VP/Atlantic) also picked its first Platinum accolade.

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