James, the Mancunian nine-piece band led by Tim Booth, is celebrating a significant milestone as they achieve their first-ever Number 1 studio album on the UK Official Albums Chart with “Yummy”. This achievement marks their 18th studio LP and their second chart-topper, following their 1998 hits compilation “The Best Of”. With a career spanning over four decades, James has amassed a loyal following, and their fans have shown incredible support by propelling “Yummy” to the top spot.
In an exclusive interview with the Official Charts Company, the band expressed their gratitude to their dedicated audience: “We really appreciate this. We’d really like to thank our amazing audience who’ve stuck with us for 42 years. Thank you so much for going out and buying our ‘Yummy’, delicious record, and long may it all continue. Thank you so much. Much appreciated, this means a lot to us!”
Not only did “Yummy” claim the top spot on the album chart, but it also dominated the Official Vinyl Albums Chart and the Official Record Store Chart, reflecting the band’s continued appeal across various music formats.
In addition to James’ success, other notable entries on the charts include Mark Knopfler’s new album “One Deep River”, which debuted at Number 3, and Linkin Park’s hits compilation “Papercuts (Singles Collection 2000-2023)”, marking their first Top 5 album since the passing of Chester Bennington.
British rock outfit Kris Barras Band secured their first-ever Top 5 record with “Halo Effect”, while English Teacher’s debut album “This Could Be Texas” entered the Top 10 at Number 8.
GUN, the Glaswegian rockers, celebrated their first Top 10 album in 30 years with “Hombres”, which marked a significant comeback for the band after their last Top 10 success with “Swagger” in 1994. The charts also saw notable returns and debuts, including Future and Metro Boomin’s “WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU” at Number 11, Maggie Rogers’ “Don’t Forget Me” at Number 12, and Nia Archives’ debut “Silence Is Loud” at Number 16.
On top of that, Manic Street Preachers’ 2004 album “Lifeblood” has seen a resurgence thanks to an anniversary vinyl release, seeing the album chart at Number 27; it originally peaked at Number 13 two decades ago. Another returnee is Lana Del Rey with “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd”, charting at Number 38 after her awesome headline Coachella set last weekend; the album was a chart-topper last year. That’s not all, though, Chris Brown’s “11:11” also returns to the UK Top 40 at Number 39 following a deluxe release, it previously peaked at Number 11 at the end of last year—a perfect chart number if you ask us for this specific album.
With diverse entries and impressive comebacks, the UK Official Charts showcase a vibrant and dynamic music landscape, highlighting the enduring appeal of established artists and the emergence of exciting new talents. We can’t wait to see who will top the chart next, we expect Taylor Swift to hit the top spot as she’s recently released her brand new album.