Ariana Grande’s eternal sunshine (Republic) has taken the early lead in the race for this week’s Official Albums #1 while Beyoncé is settling in for a full month atop singles.
Grande’s seventh album is in position to be her fifth chart-topper in the U.K. She most recently hit #1 in 2020 with Positions.
Eyeing a #2 debut this is Judas Priest’s Invincible Shield (Columbia). The 19th studio set from the Birmingham-born heavy metal band could earn them a career-best entry; their previous peak was #4 with 1980’s British Steel.
Bleachers is also looking at a personal best as the eponymous fourth studio album (Dirty Hit) from Jack Antonoff’s band is currently #3. A Bananarama compilation, Glorious—The Ultimate Collection (London), is #6 and potentially their first Top 10 entry in 36 years. Another blast from the past, Girls Aloud’s 2004 record What Will the Neighbours Say? (Polydor), is #10 following a 20th anniversary reissue on CD, vinyl and digital formats.
A 20th anniversary red vinyl edition of Kylie Minogue’s Body Language (Parlophone) has pushed it to #11; Grace Petrie’s Build Something Better (Robot Needs Home) is #17.
At singles, Beyoncé’s “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” (Parkwood/Columbia) is in position to become her longest-running chart-topper in the U.K. to date.
Grande has three eternal sunshine tracks in the Top 20: “yes, and?” is up seven to #4 while two new entries, “why can’t we be friends (wait for your love)” and “bye” are #6 and #11, respectively.
Billie Eilish’s Oscar-winner “What Was I Made For?” (Interscope) is already making a return to the Top 20 following its release on vinyl. Will the Academy Award victory push it even further up the chart?
The first partnership between former Oasis singer Liam Gallagher and Stone Roses guitarist John Squire—a bit of Mancunian rock royalty—goes to straight to #1 on the Official Albums Chart, outselling their closest competition 3:1. At singles, Beyoncé records her third straight week at #1.
Liam Gallagher & John Squire (Warner) earned 39,400 chart unit sales, 94% of which were physical and download sales. It was the week’s most-purchased album in the U.K.’s independent record shops; it tops the Official Vinyl Albums Chart as well.
Between his solo and band efforts, Gallagher now has 14 #1s; it is Squire’s first-ever U.K. chart-topper.
Coming in at #3 is The Mandrake Project (Duelist/BMG), the seventh solo album from Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson. Yard Act’s Where’s My Utopia? (Island) follows at #4.
The Kaiser Chiefs score their eighth Top 10 release as Kaiser Chiefs’ Eighth Album (V2) lands at #6. The seventh album from Manchester’s Everything Everything, Mountainhead (BMG), debuts at #9 followed by Skrapz’s Reflection (1&Only/EGA) at #10.
Following her impressive six wins at the BRIT Awards, RAYE’s My 21st Century Blues (Human Re Sources) rises 98 places to #5 and three of her songs climb into the Top 40 on Official Singles Chart: “Escapism” f/070 Shake is #13; her cassö and D-Block Europe collab “Prada” hits 18; and “Worth It” debuts at #38.
Atop the singles chart is Beyoncé’S “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” (Parkwood/Columbia) which becomes her longest-running #1 single in 17 years. Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things” (Warner) returns to its peak position of #2.
Moving up one slot each are Djo’s “End of the Beginning” (AWOL) to #4 and Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s “Carnival” (YZY) to #5.
Ella Henderson has her 10th Top 10 single as her Rudimental collab, “ALIBI” (Atlantic) hits, what else?, #10. At #26, Charli XCX’s “Von dutch” (Atlantic) is the highest new entry of the week.
Former Creation label boss and artist manager Alan McGee and producer-Killing Joke bassist Martin “Youth” Glover have founded a new label, Creation Youth, in collaboration with Richard England and Nick Lawrence.
Initial projects include music from Forgotten Pharaohs, Bad Fractals and Sonny E plus posthumous releases from Jamie Reid and Lee “Scratch” Perry. McGee will also curate a subscription-based singles club.
“I have been friends with Youth since 1980, he is my friend and also one of my heroes,” said McGee, whose Creation Records was home to Oasis, Primal Scream, Jesus and Mary Chain and My Bloody Valentine in the 1990s. “The first record we have made together for the label is the Forgotten Pharaohs album, which is already record of the year for me.”
Beyond McGee handling A&R and Youth overseeing production, England will be label manager while Lawrence is business/finance management boss.
Veteran music publishing exec Roberto Neri will take over as CEO of The Ivors Academy, replacing interim CEO Charlie Phillips. He starts 4/15.
Ivors Academy Chair Tom Gray said Neri “brings a huge breadth of industry experience, knowledge and leadership skills. His commitment—and ours to him—is to be the most influential voice for songwriters and composers in the world."
Neri was most recently CEO of the publishing arm of Believe, and was previously chief executive and COO at Utopia Music Services, EVP and head of Business Development at Downtown Music, and VP of International at Bug Music.
He has served on a range of music industry boards including chair of the Music Publishers Assn. and director for UK Music, PRS for Music, MCPS and PPL/PRS.
The BRIT Awards registered a record year on social media with 50m views on the day of the event, doubling the number of hits from the 2023.
More than half of the traffic came via Instagram where Bring Me The Horizon’s acceptance speech, RAYE’s performance and Miley Cyrus’s win for International Song of the Year were among the most watched clips.
The show was viewed live Saturday (3/2) on ITV1 and ITVX by 2.5m people.
Independent record stores in the U.K. have hit a 10-year high of 461 outlets in 2023 as vinyl sales reached £177.3m, nearly seven times higher than a decade ago.
Indies have dramatically increased their share of the physical music market, representing 23% of the total, according to figures in the ERA Yearbook. While the indie sector is growing, the number of physical outlets selling music in the U.K. has declined to 2,486 from 10,391 in 2014.
“In an entertainment market always full of surprises, this is in a class of its own,” ERA CEO Kim Bayley said. “Despite largely being run by owner managers, indies have seen off competition from some of the largest and best-funded companies in the land. Indies have found their niche and they are here to stay.”
Physical formats for entertainment accounted on 8% of revenue while digital formats—everything from music streaming to Netflix-style video services to downloaded games—pulled in 92% of the cash.
“Whilst supermarkets and other large retailers have gradually shifted focus from physical music, independent record stores have picked up the ball and ran with it, adapting to meet the market gap and capitalizing on growing fan demand.
“Record stores provide a unique space for music lovers to listen, collect and engage with their favorite artists in a way that taps into superfandom, and co-exists alongside digital streaming,” said Drew Hill, Deputy CEO at distributor Utopia Music. “It remains crucial that we continue to provide unbeatable service to thriving record retailers to maximize potential and ensure their bright future.”
The ERA Yearbook can be accessed here.
The first collaboration between former Oasis singer Liam Gallagher and Stone Roses guitarist John Squire is off to an early lead at the midweek mark on the Official Albums Chart as RAYE’s BRIT Awards wins have an immediate effect. Beyoncé, meanwhile has competition at singles from Benson Boone.
Liam Gallagher & John Squire (Warner) sits at #1 and, should it hold, would become Gallagher’s sixth #1 LP under his own name and Squire’s first. It leads a Top 5 of all new arrivals.
Iron Maiden leader singer Bruce Dickinson’s seventh solo record, The Mandrake Project (Duelist/BMG), holds the #2 slot and should easily become his first Top 10 entry. Kaiser Chiefs’ Kaiser Chiefs’ Easy Eighth Album (Kaiser Chiefs/V2) is #3; all of their previous efforts have landed in the U.K. Top 10.
Yard Act’s second album, Where’s My Utopia? (Island), sits at #4, one slot ahead of Everything Everything’s sixth album, Mountainhead (BMG). Skrapz’s fourth full-length, Reflection (1&Only/EGA), is currently #8 and vying to become the rapper’s first Top 10 entry.
Following six wins at Saturday’s BRIT Awards, RAYE’s My 21st Century Blues (Human Re Sources) rises 96 spots to hit #7 at the midweek mark.
At singles, Boone’s “Beautiful Things” (Warner) could reach a new peak as it challenges b’s “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” (Parkwood/Columbia) for the top slot. “Beautiful Things” previous peak was #2.
Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign's “Carnival” (YZY) looks to rise three to #6 while Calvin Harris & Rag'n'Bone Man's “Lovers in a Past Life” (Columbia) is expected to crack the Top 10 for the first time.
Olly Alexander's Eurovision entry “Dizzy” (Polydor) is on track to make a Top 20 debut at #13.
The Black Keys will be the first rock band to perform at Co-op Live, the U.K.’s largest live entertainment arena, during its opening week. The Oak View Group’s venue in Manchester has the duo booked for 4/27.
Comedian Peter Kay will open the arena with two shows (4/23-24). The opening season already includes a seven-night Take That residency, a five-night U.K. by The Eagles’ final ever tour, Barry Manilow's only U.K. arena show and Eric Clapton’s first Manchester performance in 10 years. Olivia Rodrigo, Elbow and Nicki Minaj are booked for the venue’s opening weeks. The Black Keys will release their 12th album, Ohio Players (Nonesuch) on 4/5.
“At Co-op Live our aim is to bring world-class talent to a city that lives and breathes music, and this line up epitomizes that ambition,” Co-op Live Executive Director and General Manager Gary Roden. “With our doors opening in a matter of weeks, we can’t wait to welcome the world to Co-op Live.”
Co-op Live is a joint venture between Oak View Group and City Football Group. We just hope there are house drinks named after Pep Guardiola and Erling Haaland.
