U.K. MIDWEEKS: TIGHT RACE FOR THREE SINGLES

Interpol’s Marauder (Matador) is looking like the week’s highest new albums entry in the U.K., currently sitting at #4. Over on singles, Calvin Harris and Sam Smith are eyeing the top spot with “Promises” (Columbia) just under 200 combined sales behind George Ezra. So where are BTS?

Should Interpol hold on to their midweek position, Marauder will be the band’s second highest charting album in Blighty after Our Love to Admire hit #2 in 2007.

Mamma Mia—Here we go Again (Polydor) is back up to #1, followed by The Greatest Showman soundtrack (Atlantic) at #2. Friday’s #1, Ariana Grande with Sweetener (Island), has moved down to #3, and Ezra completes the Top 5 with Staying at Tamara’s.

The second highest new entry is currently Rainier Fog (BMG) by Alice In Chains at #7, while BTS start at #10 with the third and final installment in their Love Yourself series, Answer (BigHit). The South Korean boy band have the highest new entry on the Official Singles midweeks with “Idol” starting at #13, thanks in part to its record-breaking 24-hour video view count and a new remix by Nicki Minaj.

Elsewhere on the Official Singles midweek update, the Top 3 is a tight race. Besides Ezra’s “Shotgun” and Harris & Smith’s “Promises" running neck and neck, Benny Blanco f/Halsey and Khalid’s “Eastside” (Virgin EMI) is just over 1k combined sales behind at #3.