Quantcast

U.K. MIDWEEKS: WILL DRAKE-FUTURE PREVENT GILMOUR FROM A CHART LOCK ?

While it’s very much available on Apple Music, the hype over the surprise Drake & Future mixtape What A Time To Be Alive has yet to reach Blighty, although it’s #1 at iTunes here. That could all be set to change tomorrow when its sales start counting towards the final Official Charts numbers released on Friday. The set is out via Universal in the U.K.; details and promo are sparse at the moment, but we understand the expiry date of Apple’s exclusive is imminent and the set will soon be available to stream on Spotify.

That should up the ante hugely on this side of the drink, where Pink Floyd's David Gilmour currently looks set for #1 on the albums chart, robbing Polydor’s Lana Del Rey of a chart-topping bow if the U.K. midweek Official Albums Chart is anything to go by. Gilmour’s Columbia-released fourth studio LP, Rattle That Lock, is 12K combined sales ahead of Del Rey, who’s battling it out with the veteran rocker with her third album, Honeymoon.

Gilmour drummed up hype with an appearance on CBS NewsThis Morning on Saturday alongside wife and collaborator Polly Samson (his first major U.S. TV interview), and will finish a sold-out European tour with five dates at London’s Royal Albert Hall from 9/23. It’s over nine years since Gilmour reached #1 with a solo release (On An Island did so in 2006) but he was at the summit 10 months ago with Pink Floyd’s The Endless River (the band’s sixth #1 album).

Polydor are hoping Honeymoon, which has so far been met with rave reviews, tips 25K sales in the U.K and 500K worldwide. It’s currently at #2 and Del Rey’s previous releases have all nabbed the top spot. Will the Universal label pull off a marketing move to try and secure another #1 before Friday?

Another veteran rock guitarist, Rolling Stones axeman Keith Richards, looks set to hit a solo chart peak, sitting at #5 on today’s update. His third LP, Crosseyed Heart, out via his Mindless label and distributed via Virgin/EMI, will be the guitarist’s first solo Top 40 entry since Talk Is Cheap peaked at #37 in 1988. Atlantic U.K.’s Jess Glynne is still sitting in the Top 5, where she’s been since her I Cry When I Laugh hit #1 after the first week of its release on 8/21.

All eyes were on the surprise track from Polydor’s Ellie Goulding, "On My Mind," to make a big impact on the U.K's Official Singles Chart this week, but the battle between Justin Bieber and Sigala is waging on. Goulding kicked off the Apple Music festival at London’s Roundhouse yesterday but it hasn’t yet been enough to propel the singer/songwriter to the chart summit with the first single to be lifted from her upcoming third studio album Delirium. That could all be set to change before Friday though. “On My Mind” is fast gaining traction at radio and on Spotify, as well as through its accompanying video on Vevo.

If it doesn't, Bieber could be set to secure his third week at #1 with Def Jam track "What Do You Mean". Bieber’s big comeback kicked off three weeks ago when he topped the chart, before being knocked off by "Easy Love" from Ministry of Sound producer Sigala (who’s track is currently sitting at #2). Columbia’s Calvin Harris & Disciples’ "How Deep Is Your Love" holds firm at #3 today, followed by R.City’s "Locked Away" feat. Adam Levine at #4 from Kemosabe/RCA.

Will Drake-Future upset the retail narrative in the U.K. as it did in the U.S.? We’ll know very soon.

UMG BROADENS SPOTIFY OFFERINGS
Sir Lucian and Daniel are in harmony. (3/28a)
THE COUNT: COLDPLAY IS HOT, COUNTRY'S COOKIN' IN THE U.K.
The latest tidbits from the bustling live sector (3/28a)
YTD MARKET SHARE
Zeroing in on the elite teams (3/28a)
TRUST IN THE TOP 20
Hip-hop is no longer hibernating. (3/28a)
SONG REVENUE:
A STYLISTIC STEW
MC, divas and singer-songwriters rub elbows. (3/28a)
THE NEW UMG
Gosh, we hope there are more press releases.
TIKTOK BANNED!
Unless the Senate manages to make this whole thing go away, that is.
THE NEW HUGE COUNTRY ACT
No, not that one.
TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN PLAYLIST
Now 100% unlicensed!
 Email

 First Name

 Last Name

 Company

 Country
CAPTCHA code
Captcha: (type the characters above)