In a triumphant moment marking their 30th anniversary, Shed Seven has secured their first-ever Official Number 1 album with โA Matter of Timeโ. The York-formed rock group, consisting of Rick Witter, Paul Banks, Tom Gladwin, Tim Wills, and Rob Maxfield, now holds the record for the longest gap between the debut album and the first Number 1 album for a British rock band, with an impressive 29 years and 3 months.
The journey to the top spot began in 1994 with their debut album โChange Giverโ which charted at Number 16, and the culmination in 2024 with โA Matter of Timeโ is a testament to the enduring appeal of Shed Sevenโs music. This achievement surpasses their previous success, which included four Top 10 albums on the Official Albums Chart, such as โA Maximum Highโ at Number 8 in 1996, โLet It Rideโ at Number 9 in 1998, โGoing for Goldโ at Number 7 in 1999, and โInstant Pleasuresโ at Number 8 in 2017, as well as 2020โs โAnother Night Another Townโ charting at Number 31 and 2001โs โTruth Be Toldโ missing out on the Top 40, peaking at Number 42.
In an exclusive statement to the Official Charts Company, Shed Seven expressed their excitement: โWeโre absolutely thrilled to be Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart with โA Matter of Timeโ. Itโs also our 30th anniversary. What better way to start proceedings? Weโre just getting started! Thanks to everyone for their support over the years, and especially for buying this record. Itโs much appreciated โ we shall see you on the road!โ
Adding to their accomplishments, โA Matter of Timeโ also dominates the Official Record Store Chart and the Official Vinyl Albums Chart. Sales through independent record shops accounted for over half of the albumโs total, making it the best-selling album of the week in UK independent record stores.
As Shed Seven revels in their success, last weekโs chart-topper, Lewis Capaldiโs โBroken By Desire To Be Heavenly Sentโ, maintains a strong position at Number 2. The Weeknd holds steady at Number 3 with โThe Highlightsโ, while Noah Kahan achieves a career-best at Number 4 with his third studio album โStick Seasonโ.
Rounding out the Top 5 is the ever-popular Taylor Swift with โ1989 (Taylorโs Version)โ, showcasing her enduring presence in the music scene.
Beyond the top spots, notable comebacks include Bustedโs โGreatest Hits 2.0โณ, surging back into the Top 20 following an extended Another Present for Everyone edition release. Dublin band, SPRINTS, achieved their first Top 20 album with their debut albumโLetter to Selfโ which charted at Number 20, claiming impressive positions on the Official Vinyl Albums Chart at Number 2 and Official Record Store Chart at Number 3.
Lastly, American singer-songwriter Teddy Swims makes a memorable debut in the UK Top 40 albums with โIโve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1)โ, featuring the breakout hit โLose Controlโ, landing at Number 24.
It seems the UK Official Albums Chart is crowning a new album each week. Considering it took Shed Seven 30 years to get to the top, it really could be anyone who follows suit, with the band effortlessly inspiring others and proving that hard work really does pay off.