Sam Smith makes a triumphant return to the U.K. singles scene, as his new track “Too Good At Goodbyes” (Capitol/Universal) enters at No. 1. The National go straight to the top of the album listing with their first bestseller, Sleep Well Beast(4AD).
The Official Charts Company reports that Smith's song, his sixth No. 1, logged 4.4 million streams and sales of 33,000 downloads. Dua Lipa's former chart-topper “New Rules” (Warner Bros./Warner Music) holds steady at No. 2, as Taylor Swiftfalls to No. 3 with “Look What You Made Me Do” (EMI/Universal) after two weeks at the summit.
Pink's “What About Us” (RCA/Sony) is down 3-4 in the new data, while “Dusk Till Dawn” (RCA/Sony) by Zayn featuring Sia arrives at No. 5. There's a first top ten hit for Camila Cabello, whose “Havana” (Epic/Syco Music/Sony), featuring Young Thug, climbs 11-10.
The National's previous best showing on the U.K. album chart was their No. 3 peak with Trouble Will Find Me in 2013. Sleep Well Beast holds off the challenge of Broken Machine (RCA/Sony) by English alternative rock five-piece Nothing But Thieves, which debuts at No. 2. Its self-titled predecessor reached No. 7 in 2015.
Ed Sheeran's ÷ (Asylum/Warner) falls 2-3, while there's an 8-4 climb for Rag 'n' Bone Man's long-running Human (Best Laid Plans/Columbia/Sony Music). Last week's new entry at No. 1, the Script's Freedom Child (Columbia/Sony), falls to No. 5.
Three veteran acts claim new top ten titles. Neil Young's Hitchhiker (Reprise/Warner Music) new at No. 6, his eighth top ten album in the U.K.; Sparksenter at No. 7 with Hippopotamus (BMG), their best showing since Kimono My House reached No. 4 in 1974; and their BMG labelmates the Waterboys start at No. 10 with Out Of All This Blue. That's their first top ten album since The Whole Of The Moon reached No. 3 in 1991.
