U.K. CHARTS: BTS CONQUER BLIGHTY 

BTS have hit the top of the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart with Map of the Soul: Persona (BigHit) on 26.5k combined sales, 68% of which were physical. Over on singles, Lil Nas X has ended Lewis Capaldi’s long reign at #1.

BTS are the first Korean act to score a chart-topping album in the U.K. and Map of the Soul: Persona is their fourth to hit Top 40. The release arrives ahead of a world tour, which will visit London’s 60k capacity Wembley Stadium for two dates in June.

Chemical Brothers have the second highest entry this week with No Geography (Virgin) at #4. That’s followed by Marty Wilde retrospective, Dreamboats and Petticoats Presents: The Very Best Of Marty Wilde (Universal), at #7, Dogrel (Partisan) from Irish post-punk group Fontaines D.C. at #9, and Emma Bunton’s My Happy Place (BMG) at #11.

Over on the compilations chart, the 102nd edition of the Now That’s What I Call Music! franchise is the fastest-selling album so far this year with 80.5k combined sales.

On the Official Singles Chart, Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” (Columbia) moves up to #1 with 80k combined sales and 9.9m streams this week.

Capaldi’s “Someone You Loved” (Virgin EMI), which is the most downloaded track of the week, drops to #2.

Avicii’s first posthumous single, “SOS” f/Aloe Blacc (Virgin EMI), is the highest new entry at #12, followed by BTS & Halsey’s “Boy With Luv” starting at #13.

Russ & Tion Wayne’s single, “Keisha & Becky” (Virgin EMI), rises 23 places to #7 following the release of a remix featuring fellow rappers Aitch, JAY1, Sav’O and Swarmz.