ALBUMS
In a volatile Top 10, which sees six debuts, including an all new top three, Kings Of Leon's Mechanical Bull charges to the top of the chart, delivering the American group its fourth straight number one album on sales of 71,765.
Youth And Young Manhood - the first studio album by the familial quartet comprising brothers Nathan. Caleb and Jared Followill and their cousin Matthew - debuted at number five in 2003 on sales of 33,741. Follow-up Aha Shake Heartbreak sold 58,369 copies debuting at number three in 2004. All debuting at number one, Because Of The Times sold 70,451 copies in 2007, Only By The Night sold 220,879 in 2008 and Come Around Sundown sold 183,298 copies in 2010.
Mechanical Bull's comparatively slow start reflects the sluggish sales of first two excerpts Supersoaker and Wait For Me, which reached numbers 32 and 31 respectively on the singles chart, though a resurgent Supersoaker jumps 68-37 (6,918 sales) while Wait For Me sags 48-69 (3,400 sales) in the wake of the album's release. Kings Of Leon's overall UK album sales now stand at 6,305,248, with Only By The Night's sales at 2,809,804 in its own right, nearly 2m ahead of closest challengers Come Around Sundown (888,346) and Because Of The Times (879,691) - though Because Of The Times leaps ahead of Come Around Sundown if given a third share of the 126,520 copies that 2009's Boxed (in which it is joined by Youth And Young Manhood and Aha Shake Heartbreak) has sold. A more recent issue - The Collection Box - contains the first five KOL albums, and has sold 1,807 copies.
While second single Hold On, We're Going Home (feat. Majid Jordan) climbs 7-4 (39,788 sales) to reach a new peak, Canadian rapper Drake debuts at number two with third album, Nothing Was The Same. The album sold 61,194 copies last week, easily surpassing the 36,980 copies his second album, Take Care, sold when it debuted at number five in 2011, and the 14,167 copies his debut release Thank Me Later sold when it debuted at number 15 in 2010.
Although Hold On, We're Going Home is a big hit, with sales to date of 219,763 copies, Started From The Bottom - the first single from the album - was less well received, peaking at number 25. It follows a tradition of underachieving by first singles from Drake albums - Over, the first single from Than Me Later reached number 50, while Headlines, from Take Care, flatlined at number 57. Despite this, the albums both went on to achieve decent sales - Thank Me Later has sold 188,573 copies so far, and Take Care has sold 323,648 copies. Drake has no fewer than 13 songs on the Top 200 this week, primarily due to cherry-picking of tracks from Nothing Was The Same. In addition to Hold On, We're Going Home and Started From The Bottom - which surges 146-46 (5,170 sales) - other tracks from the album to make the Top 200 are From Time (feat. Jhene Aiko, number 56, 4,527 sales), Too Much (feat. Sampha, number 86, 2,890 sales), The Motion (number 93, 2,728 sales), Furthest Thing (number 95, 2,675 sales), Pound Cake/Paris Morton Music 2 (feat. Jay-Z, number 111, 2,160 sales), All Me (feat. 2 Chainz & Big Sean, number 112, also 2,160 sales), The Language (number 143, 1,592 sales), Come Thru (number 149, 1,493 sales), Own It (number 163, 1,390 sales) and Tuscan Leather (number 183, 1,270 sales). The title track from Take Care (feat. Rihanna) is also resurgent, re-entering the chart at number 57 (44,207 sales).
Jessie J's first two singles from second album Alive - Wild (feat. Big Sean and Dizzee Rascal) and It's My Party - were substantially bigger than Kings Of Leon's, both reaching the top five, but the album itself makes a lesser impact than expected, debuting at number three on sales of 39,270 copies, compared to the number two arrival on sales of 105,859 of her 2011 debut Who You Are. Three other tracks from Alive enter the Top 200: Sexy Lady (number 22, 10,671 sales), Excuse My Rude (feat. Becky G, number 124, 1,844 sales) and I Miss Her (number 194, 1,201 sales).
Despite yielding back-to-back top two singles - current number one Talk Dirty (feat. 2 Chainz) and The Other Side - Jason DeRulo's third album, Tattoos, was never in contention to top the chart. It actually sold fewer copies on its first week than its predecessors, although it tops their peak positions. It opens at number five (14,972 sales), compared to DeRulo's eponymous debut album, which opened at number eight on sales of 16,362 copies in 2010, and follow-up Future History, which debuted at number seven on sales of 15,646 in 2011. Two tracks from the album join Talk Dirty and The Other Side (39-40, 6,557 sales) in the Top 200. They are Marry Me (number 52, 4,788 sales) and Fire (feat. Pitbull, number 162, 1,390 sales).
While introductory single Wings dips 16-17 (13,706 sales), Birdy's second album, Fire Within debuts at number eight (12,573 sales). That's a higher debut on lower sales than the 17 year old's eponymous first album, which opened at number 13 on sales of 18,069 copies in 2011. It has thus far sold 141,428 copies.
Despite the fact their two chart singles to date - Gun and The Mother We Share - fell short of the Top 30 - Glasgow trio Chvrches debut at number nine (12,415 sales) with debut album The Bones Of What You Believe. Both tracks are on the album. The Mother We Share may yet reach a new peak - it holds at number 38 (6,633 sales) on its second week on the list.
Going back to his roots, Sting debuts at number 14 (7,516 sales) with The Last Ship, his first album of original songs since 2003's Sacred Love. In the interim, he came over all medievally moody for Songs From The Labyrinth (number 24, 2006), Christmassily classical for If On A Winter's Night... (number 15, 2009) and symphonically sublime for Symponicities (number 30, 2010). 62 on Wednesday (2nd October), the former Police man comes over all Geordie on The Last Ship, on which he is aided and abetted by fellow North Eastern folk, including Jimmy Nail, Becky Unthank and Brian Johnson.
Recording artists since 1989, American progressive metal legends Dream Theater have managed to come up with proper titles for their 11 previous albums but settle for eponymy for their latest set. Their ninth, 10th and 11th albums all reached new peaks for the band, and Dream Theater does likewise, debuting at number 15 (7,266 sales).
15 years in the making - the first sessions took place in 1997, and the last in 2012 - American rockers Mazzy Starr's fourth album Seasons Of The Day finally dropped last week. The gestation was clearly worthwhile, because the band - who haven't previously made the Top 50 - debut at number 24 (4,255 sales) with Seasons Of Your Day. Unless they slow down or speed up, their next album should appear around 2029.
Also returning to the crease after a long absence, Roy Harper debuts at number 44 (2,588 sales) with Man And Myth. Comprising seven self-penned tracks, it is the 22nd studio album for the 72 year old Mancunian, arriving after a 13 year recording hiatus some 47 years after his debut. It is Harper's fifth chart album. His first, Valentine, reached number 27 in 1974. Like Man & Myth, his last, Whatever Happened To Jugula, got to number 44 in 1985. His highest charting, Bullinamingvase, got to number 25 in 1977
New Model Army last convened more recently - in 2009 - but their last four albums fell short of the Top 75, and the one before - 1998's Strange Brotherhood - only reached number 72, so their new album, Between Dog And Wolf (number 34, 3,077 sales) is their highest charting set since The Love Of Hopeless Causes got to number 22 some 20 years ago. It is the Bradford band's ninth charted album in a chart career that dates back to 1984.
Newly released in a 20th anniversary 2CD deluxe edition, Nirvana's classic 1993 album In Utero re-enters the chart at number 28 (3,610 sales). It is the album's first Top 75 appearance since 2002, and its highest chart-placing since April 1994. The album has sold 526,751 copies since Millward Brown started compiling the chart for OCC in February 1994, but debuted at number one nearly four months earlier when Gallup were compiling the chart. It has therefore undoubtedly sold well in excess of 600,000 copies.
Four survivors from last week's Top 10 remain in the top tier: Arctic Monkeys' AM dips 1-4 (34,641 sales), Avicii's True descends 2-6 (14,482 sales), London Grammar's If You Wait falls 5-7 (12,889 sales) and Rod Stewart's Time ticks 8-10 (8,383 sales). Dropping out of the Top 10: Ketevan by Katie Melua (6-11, 7,986 sales), The Diving Board by Elton John (3-13, 7,706 sales), The 1975 (10-16, 5,692 sales), Rewind The Film by Manic Street Preachers (4-18, 5,143 sales), From Here To Now To You by Jack Johnson (7-31, 3,125 sales) and Old Souls by Deaf Havana (9-74, 1,329 sales).
Now That's What I Call Music! 85 is the number one compilation for the 10th week in a row (16,652 sales).
Overall album sales are up 7.96% week-on-week at 1,424,544 - 15.05% below same week 2012 sales of 1,676,843, and 49.95% below same week 2003 sales of 2,846,004. The number one album that week - Muse's Absolution - sold 71,597 copies. That is fewer than Kings Of Leon's new album sold last week - but the market had strength in depth in 2003 with the Top 31 artist albums and the top three compilations each selling more than 10,000 copies. Last week, only nine artist albums and four compilations sold more than 10,000 copies.
SINGLES
Jason Derulo continues to Talk Dirty at the top of the singles chart, where his 2 Chainz collaboration spends its second week at the summit on sales of 75,732 copies. Katy Perry's former chart-topper Roar also repeats at number two (60,396 sales
Several Top 10 singles enjoy upward momentum, with OneRepublic's Counting Stars climbing 4-3 (55,613 sales), Drake's Hold On, We're Going Home (feat. Majid Johnson) sprinting 7-4 (39,788 sales) and Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' Same Love (feat. Mary Lambert) growing 9-6 (29,388 sales) but Ben Pearce's debut hit What I Might Do is growing faster than all of them. After jumping 25-13 last week, it now rises to number seven (29,243 sales).
Elsewhere in the Top 10:Avicii holds at number five with You Make Me (38,970 sales) and falls 6-8 with Wake Me Up! (28,852 sales), Jessie J's It's My Party falls 3-9 (27,106 sales) and Ellie Goulding's Burn falls 8-10 (25,003 sales).
Sub Focus debuts at number 14 (15,998 sales) with Kele Bloc Party collaboration Turn It Around. It is the fourth hit from Sub Focus' second album Torus which drops today (30th). Ditto Californian quartet Haim, who debut at number 16 (14,219 sales) with The Wire - a track whose percussion patterns invoke memories of Eagles' Heartache Tonight - to secure the best chart placing of their career. The Wire joins previous Haim hits Don't Save Me (number 32), Forever (number 75) and Falling (number 30) on their debut album, Days Are Gone, which is also out today.
Another Californian band, Capital Cities, land their first hit with Safe And Sound debuting at number 42 (6,177 sales). It is from their debut album, In A Tidal Wave Of Mystery - which is out today.
After peaking at number 24 four weeks ago, Take Back The Night rebounds 57-30 (7,722 sales) for Justin Timberlake while his latest, TKO, jumps 89-58 (4,096 sales). Both songs are from The 20/20 Experience 2 Of 2 which - guess what? - is another new release today.
Number 32 in March 2012, Demi Lovato's Skyscraper returned to the chart at number 59 last week after being covered on The X Factor. It now trumps its original chart peak, jumping to number 13 (18,521 sales). Lovato's only bigger hit was last single Heart Attack, which reached number three in May.
There are new peaks this week for Robin Thicke's Give It 2 U (feat. Kendrick Lamar, 61-34, 7,271 sales) and Daft Punk's Lose Yourself To Dance (feat. Pharrell Williams, 66-50, 4,852 sales) - the follow-ups to the year's two biggest hits.
Two novelty singles enter the Top 75 - Norwegian duo Ylvis' YouTube sensation The Fox (88-65, 3,556 sales) and Chip Chocolate's Cookie Dance (number 68, 3,416 sales). Also new to the Top 75, What Doesn't Kill You (number 44, 5,477 sales), the first single from Jake Bugg's upcoming second album Shangri La; Don't Sell Out (number 70, 3,353 sales) by Tinie Tempah and 12 year old Jasmine Thompson's cover of Chaka Khan's Ain't Nobody (117-72, 3,340 sales), as used in the current TV campaign by supermarket chain Sainsbury.
Overall singles sales are down 2.84% week-on-week at 2,853,527 - 11.66% below same week 2012 sales of 3,229,875. It is their lowest tally since 2,756,346 were sold in sales week ending 13 August 2011, 111 weeks ago.
Having reached record levels, the singles market seems to have run out of steam recently. Unadjusted sales for the first 39 weeks of 2013 - which exclude the unidentified products that are ultimately added to known products for the official final tallies - are up a mere 0.64% at 131,192,408. Year-to-date album sales are showing more modest declines than in recent years, with a 2013 to-date tally of 59,756,215 - 2.80% down on 2012. Amazingly, the compilation sector has grown 9.36% year-on-year, and accounts for 22.73% of sales, compared to 20.21% at the same stage of 2012.
