Charli xcx celebrates her second chart-topping album this week as BRAT finally claims Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart.
Following the release of its Brat and it’s completely different but also still brat remix album, featuring collaborations with the likes of Ariana Grande, The 1975 and Kesha, Charli’s sixth studio album finally takes the top spot in its 19th week on chart.
BRAT also tops the Official Vinyl Albums Chart, the week’s biggest seller on the format, and the Official Record Store Chart, the most-purchased LP of the past seven days in UK independent record shops.
The record joins 2022’s CRASH as Charli’s second UK Number 1, alongside her other Official Albums Chart successes: 2013’s True Romance (85), 2015’s SUCKER (15), 2019 release Charli (14) and 2020’s how i’m feeling now (33).
Having put up a strong fight throughout the week, former The Housemartins and The Beautiful South member Paul Heaton earns a 20th career Top 10 album with latest release The Mighty Several (2). Heaton previously enjoyed solo success with 2008’s The Cross Eyed Rambler (43), 2010’s Acid Country (51) and 2018’s The Last King of Pop (10).
Alongside The Beautiful South bandmate Jacqui Abbott, Heaton has earned Top 10s across five collaborative projects: 2014’s What Have We Become (3), 2015’s Wisdom, Laughter And Lines (4), 2017 release Crooked Calypso (2), 2020’s Manchester Calling (1) and 2022’s N.K-Pop (1).
It’s official – James Blunt can keep his given birth name.
The singer made a recent pledge that gripped the nation, vowing to legally change his name to one of the British public’s choosing (they chose ‘Blunty McBluntface’) should the 20th anniversary edition of his 2004 debut album Back to Bedlam return to Number 1 this week.
In a series of hilarious video posts on social media, fans have been following Blunt’s exploits as he prepares for the moment of truth. It can now be confirmed by Official Charts that the album has just missed the top spot but, landing at Number 7, Back to Bedlam secures its first Top 10 appearance in 18 years and continues James’s flawless run of Top 10 hits on the Official Albums Chart.
Congratulations, James!
Originally released in October 2004, the record became an Official Charts blockbuster that went on to spend 10 non-consecutive weeks at Number 1 and spawned the chart-topping single You’re Beautiful. 20 years on, Back To Bedlam remains one of the UK's best-selling albums of all time.
Elsewhere, following its release on physical formats, Lady Gaga’s Harlequin breaks into the Top 20 for the first time, vaulting to Number 11 this week. A ‘companion album’ to musical thriller movie Joker: Folie à Deux, which sees Gaga play DC Comics character Harley Quinn, the LP previously peaked at Number 59 in the UK.
The Last Dinner Party’s former chart-topper Prelude to Ecstasy scales the Official Albums Chart once again, with the release of its Acoustics & Covers edition seeing it rebound back into the Top 20 (14). Earlier this year, Prelude to Ecstasy earned the biggest opening week for a debut album by a band since 2015.
And finally, Wakefield indie-soul trio Skinny Living - made up of Ryan Johnston, Danny Hepworth and Will Booth - net their first-ever Official Top 40 album with Day by Day (24).
