Ariana Grande has 65k combined first week sales with thank u, next (Island) debuting atop the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart, while breaking her own record for most album streams ever by a female artist in seven days with 59m. Over on singles, “Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored” is her fifth #1.
The feat marks a triumphant week for UMG overall, which has five of the Top 10 albums, and all of the Top 5 singles. thank u, next is Grande’s third #1 in the U.K. and her biggest opening week to date. It’s the third most streamed album first week of all time, behind Ed Sheeran’s Divide and Drake’s Scorpion.
On the Official Singles Chart, “Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored” has 85k combined sales to debut at the top. With “7 Rings” dropping to #2, Grande is the first female artist in U.K. chart history to replace herself at the top of the chart — Madonna is the only other who has held #1 and #2 simultaneously, with “Into The Groove” and “Holiday” in ’85.
"Break Up" is Ariana’s third #1 in four months, meaning she joins an elite group of artists who have racked up three chart-topping singles in under 100 days–only Elvis Presley, John Lennon and Justin Bieber have previously managed it. Here’s another fun fact: “Needy” also debuts in this week’s Top 10 at #8, making Ariana the first female since Ruby Murray way back in '55 to have three Top 10 singles as a lead artist in the same week. Phew.
