Ellie Goulding bags her third U.K. No. 1 album with Brightest Blue (Polydor), while “Head & Heart” skips past “Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)” to give Joel Corry and MNEK their first leader on the national singles chart.
Goulding’s collab-stacked new album bows at the summit of the Official U.K. Albums Chart, eclipsing the No. 3 peak of its processor, Delirium from 2015, and equaling the feats of her debut Lights from 2010 and its followup Halcyon from 2014.
Brightest Blue features a collaboration with the late rapper Juice WRLD, whose posthumous album Legends Never Die (Interscope), slips 1-2 on the current tally, while Bob Dylan’s former leader Rough And Rowdy Ways (Columbia) bounces 16-4 following its release on vinyl.
The Chicks complete their comeback with a top 5 debut and a career-best. The veteran country trio’s first album in 14 years, Gaslight (Columbia), opens at No. 5 for their highest-ever chart peak in the U.K.
Just one place behind, at No. 6, is the 40th anniversary reissue of Joy Division’s classic Closer (London) set, matching its chart peak from 1980.
Also new to the chart this week is neo-soul singer Lianne La Havas, whose self-titled set starts at No. 7, while Lancaster rockers Massive Wagons snag a first Top 10 with House of Noise, at No. 9.
Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker just misses out on a Top 10 berth with his new project, Jarv Is, as Beyond the Pale (Rough Trade) opens its account at No. 11.
Over on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, Joel Corry and MNEK’s dance track “Head & Heart” (Asylum/Perfect Havoc) climbs 2-1 to end the three-week reign of “Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat)” (RCA) by Jawsh 685 & Jason Derulo.
“Head & Heart” reports 68,000 chart sales, including 7.5 million streams, according to the Official Charts Company, nudging “Savage Love” to No. 2 on the survey.
Elsewhere, Harry Styles scores his third solo Top 5 as “Watermelon Sugar” (Columbia) lifts 6-5 in its 24th week, while DJ Khaled scoops the week’s top debut with the Drake-assisted “Greece” (Black Butter/Ovo/Republic) at No. 8.
A second track by Khaled and Drake, “Popstar,” is new at No. 11.
Drizzy makes another appearance in the top tier as a guest artist, this time with London rapper Headie One on “Only You Freestyle” (Relentless), new at No. 10.
It’s Headie’s third appearance in the Top 10, and Drake’s 22nd.
