Liam Gallagher’s solo debut album As You Were (Warner Bros) is off to a blistering start in the U.K., while Post Malone and Camila Cabello slug it out for the singles crown.
According to the Official Charts Company, Gallagher’s LP is outselling the entire top 20 at the midway point with 79,000 units sold and streamed. It’s the type of performance not seen by any No. 1 album since Ed Sheeran’s Divide (Asylum), the OCC notes.
Gallagher is only too familiar with life at the top. As a member of Oasis, Gallagher hit No. 1 on the Official U.K. Albums Chart with eight separate titles, the third of which – Be Here Now – is an historic sales juggernaut, selling 696,000 units in just three days -- a record that still stands 20 years later. After splitting with Oasis, Gallagher formed Beady Eye whose two albums Different Gear Still Speedingand BE, peaked at No. 3 and 2, respectively.
As You Were owns No. 1 on the Official Albums Chart Update by a healthy margin and leads an all-new top five. Grime artist Giggs’ Wamp 2 Dem (No BS) mixtape starts at No. 2, Brit Award-winning rockers The Darkness’ fifth set Pinewood Smile (Cooking Vinyl) is at No. 3, Norwegian ‘80s pop hitmakers a-ha hit No. 4 with the acoustic MTV Unplugged: Summer Solstice (UMC), while Marilyn Manson’s 10th studio record Heaven Upside Down (Caroline) is at No. 5.
Following his untimely death at the age of 66, U.S. rock legend Tom Petty’sGreatest Hits cracks the chart for the first time. It’s at No. 16, while new releases from Jason Manford, AJ Tracey and Elvis Presley are poised to bow inside the top 20.
There’s a notable climb from Sam Smith’s debut album In The Lonely Hour,which rises 60-31 following the announcement of the soul singer’s second set,The Thrill Of It All.
On the midweek singles survey, Post Malone’s hit “Rockstar” (Republic) featuring21 Savage holds a slim advantage over Camila Cabello’s second-placed “Havana” (Epic/Syco). Just behind is Sam Smith's comeback track “Too Good At Goodbyes” (Capitol), which slips one place to No. 3;Dua Lipa's “New Rules” (Warner Bros) is unchanged at No. 4; and Avicii's “Lonely Together” (Positiva) featuring Rita Ora stays at No. 5.
