Cynics might suggest that Kanye West could have released a single, more substantial album if he had combined his latest solo release Ye, which dropped a fortnight ago, and Kid Cudi collaboration Kids See Ghosts, which followed a week later. Each album has seven tracks and a playing time of less than 24 minutes, whereas the last big new rap album before them, Post Malone’s Beer Bongs & Bentleys, has more material than the two of them added together, with 18 tracks and a playing time of 64 minutes.
Of course, West’s decision means we have two albums to track – and Ye now adds debuts at No.1 in Australia, Canada and USA, No.2 in Denmark, No.3 in The Czech Republic, No.4 in Slovakia, No. 7 in Switzerland, No.11 in Finland, No.12 in Austria and No.19 in France after opening at No.1 in Ireland and New Zealand, No.2 in The UK, No.3 in The Netherlands and Norway, No.5 in Sweden, No.6 in Flanders, No.18 in Italy and Wallonia and No.25 in Germany last week. It makes second week decline in all of the latter list of countries, apart from New Zealand, where it remains at No.1; Norway, where it advances 3-2; and Sweden, where it is static at No.5.
The Kids See Ghosts album makes a less stellar start, opening at No.3 in New Zealand and Norway, No.5 in The Netherlands, No.7 in The UK, No.13 in Sweden, No.14 in Flanders, No.33 in Germany, No.41 in Wallonia and No.42 in Italy.
The aforementioned Beer Bongs & Bentleys, incidentally, is what keeps Kanye off the top of Norway’s first all-rap Top 3, and is also still No.1 in The Czech Republic and Denmark seven weeks after it was released.
Its introductory chart placings in seven territories itemised here last week, British singer/songwriter Ben Howard’s third album, Noonday Dream now adds debuts at No.23 in Australia, No.38 in Austria, No.39 in Switzerland, No.61 in Canada, No.90 in The Czech Republic, No.126 in France and No.138 in The USA, while edging 101-93 to reach a new peak in Wallonia.
Lily Allen’s fourth album, No Shame, opens at No.8 in The UK, No.20 in Ireland, No.40 in New Zealand, No.41 in Flanders, No.65 in Germany and No.68 in The Netherlands and Wallonia.
Radiating a pleasing urban vibe, 21-year-old West Midlander Jorja Smith’s debut album, Lost & Found, is off to a bright start, especially considering her limited singles track record. The album opens at No.3 in The UK, No.12 in Flanders and The Netherlands, No.14 in Ireland, No.16 in New Zealand, No.22 in Wallonia, No.57 in Sweden and No.61 in Germany.
Best known as the lead singer of The Who, 74-year-old Roger Daltrey’s ninth studio album, As Long As I Have You, had a quartet of debuts last week, and now opens at No.34 in both Austria and Switzerland and at No.194 in USA.
Finally, while death metal band Ghost’s Prequelle is bumped 1-3 in their native Sweden and 1-7 in neighbouring Norway, it completes an impressive Nordic treble by entering at No.1 in Finland but fails to bring home the bacon in Denmark, where it debuts more quietly at No.22.
