HMV had said it expected the album to sell around 150,000 copies in the UK on its first day of release based on its own calculations but Progress, the band's first album with Robbie Williams in 15 years, far exceeded that, according to OCC sales flashes.

The sales mean Progress is certain to top the charts on Sunday and the album has already beaten the best first-week sales for 2010, established by Kings Of Leon's Come Around Sundown in October. ...