POSTHUMOUS VIOLA BEACH RELEASE STARTS STRONG

Viola Beach, the up and coming British band whose members were killed in a car crash in February, have one of the strongest new releases in Blighty this week. Their self-titled debut album was posthumously released today via their label Fuller Beans Records, and has rocketed to #2 on the U.K. iTunes Albums Chart.

“This is their legacy and we know deep in our hearts that the boys would want the world to listen to the music they poured everything into,” a statement from the band’s families reads.

"This was only the beginning for them and these nine songs were written with every intention to be shared, heard and most of all, enjoyed. We hope that it brings you as much happiness listening to it as we know it did to them making it.”

In the week of the accident, their first single “Swings & Waterslides” peaked at #11 on the U.K. Singles Charts. Parlophone’s Coldplay paid tribute to the band at Glastonbury with a rendition of second single “Boys That Sing”— the song's Spotify streams increased by 6,148% in the U.K. the Monday after Chris Martin urged the audience to seek it out.

Also making an early impact in Blighty today is Major Key by DJ Khaled at #4 on iTunes, and the debut from RCA singer NAO, For All We Know, at #6.

Khaled's album goes through Sony U.K. imprint Black Butter in Blighty, headed up by Henry Village and Joe Gossa. Since entering into a JV with Jason Iley in 2014, the label has been a home for developing artists only. Is this the first sign of them heading into major release territory?