Sam Fender’s manager has told Music Week that the industry “underestimated” the singer-songwriter, who’s become the fourth UK debut LP artist to hit No.1 so far this year.

Hypersonic Missiles opened with sales of 40,913, (Official Charts Company). Fender won the BRITs Critics’ Choice award in February.

“It’s been a slow build,” said manager Owain Davies, director of OD Management. “A lot of people probably underestimated him. It’s not like we’ve had any massive Top 40 singles, we’ve just built ...