Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abott have taken the lead on the U.K.’s Official Albums midweeks with Manchester Calling (Virgin EMI) outperforming its closest competitor by more than double. Over on singles, a new Aitch and AJ Tracey collaboration starts at #3.
Should Manchester Calling hold onto its midweek peak by Friday, Heaton and Abott will land their first chart-topper as a duo (they had three as part of The Beautiful South).
Scottish band Deacon Blue are new at #2 with City of Love (Ear Music), followed by Lil Uzi Vert’s Eternal Atake (Atlantic) at #4.
Further down, Smoke & Mirrors (MPG) by The Fizz (a spin-off from '80s group Bucks Fizz) opens at #6, while Lauv’s debut, How I’m Feeling (AWAL), is #11.
On the U.K.’s Official Singles midweeks, The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” (Island) is still holding onto #1 for a fifth week. Saint Jhn’s “Roses” (Ministry of Sound) follows at #2 with the Aitch, AJ Tracey and Tay Keith collaboration, “Rain” (NQ Records), as the highest new entry today, #3.
