Ed Sheeran has achieved his ninth UK number one album with Play, placing him alongside Bob Dylan, Take That and Stereophonics as artists with the most number one albums ever, according to the Official Charts Company. The singer also topped the charts in 2023 with +=÷X (Tour Collection), –, and Autumn Variations. Previous chart-toppers include + in 2011, X in 2014, ÷ in 2017, No.6 Collaborations Project in 2019, and = in 2021.
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In this week’s albums chart, former Little Mix singer Jade debuts at number three with That’s Showbiz Baby!, the best-selling album of the past seven days in independent UK record shops. Sabrina Carpenter follows at number two with Man’s Best Friend, while American duo Twenty One Pilots and Sophie Ellis-Bextor take fourth and fifth place with Breach and Perimenopop, respectively. This marks Ellis-Bextor’s sixth top 10 album since her 2001 debut, Read My Lips. She commented: “This album’s called Perimenopop, but I think everybody can sometimes feel like they need to flip the script on the gloomy. It’s designed to put a little spring in your step and it’s wonderful to have done it with such an extraordinary, wise and rich community.”
On the singles chart, fictional K-pop band Huntr/x maintain their seventh week at number one with Golden, featured in the Netflix animated musical KPop Demon Hunters. Two other songs from the film also enter the top five: Saja Boys’ Soda Pop at number three and Your Idol at five. Olivia Dean takes second place with Man I Need, while her track Nice To Each Other rises two places to number six.
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Carpenter has three more tracks in the top 10 this week: Tears at four, Manchild at eight, and When Did You Get Hot? at nine. The charts highlight a strong showing for both emerging and established artists, demonstrating the continued popularity of diverse musical styles across the UK.
