LONDON - The new album by the Arctic Monkeys sold well on its first day of release in Britain, but failed to match the pace of the rock quartet's debut release.

"Favourite Worst Nightmare" sold almost 85,000 units during its first day of release Monday, according to over-the-counter data collated by the Official U.K. Charts Company.

First-week sales "should certainly top the quarter million mark," said Melanie Armstrong, music manager at British music retailer HMV.

But the band's January 2006 debut, "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not," sold 363,735 copies during its week in Britain, including 108,000 on the first day alone.

"It was always going to be next to impossible beating the phenomenal day and week one sales of (the debut)," said Armstrong, who predicted "Favourite Worst Nightmare" would be well-placed to become the biggest album of 2007.

Last month, the Kaiser Chiefs' "Yours Truly, Angry Mob" moved 151,000 units during its debut week.

The Arctic Monkeys are gearing up for a world tour, beginning Friday with an appearance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in southern California.