U.K. CHARTS: BLOSSOMS SPROUT, TOPPING CHART

Virgin EMI act Blossoms have become the second British band to top the Official Albums Chart with a debut this year as their self-titled set finishes the week 9.5k copies ahead of its nearest rival.

The success follows the first U.K. band to hit #1 with a debut last week—Viola Beach with their posthumously released album. Solo act Zayn is the only other artist to hit #1 with his first album in Blighty this year.

Blossoms have been developed by Clive Cawley’s team at UMG U.K. label Virgin EMI, and have enjoyed airplay and Record of the Week status on BBC Radio 1, Radio 2 and 6 Music.

This week's runner-up is London rapper Giggs. His fourth studio album, Landlord, released via own imprint SN1and distributed by Sony's Red Essential, is 19 places higher than his previous Official Albums Chart best, 2013'sWhen Will It Stop, which reached #21. BBC 1Xtra are so impressed with the record that they’ve put the entire thing on their A List.

The rest of the Top 5 is made up of Drake's Views (Island) which is up one place to #3, ELO's All Over The World—The Very Best Of (Epic) at #4, and Viola Beach at #5.

Continuing the excellent week for British bands are Domino rockers Wild Beasts, who scoop a second Top 10 album with Boy King at #9. B hit the Top 40 for the first time with second record Blush (Hopeless) at #10.

Over on the Official Singles Chart, Major Lazer, Justin Bieber and MØ's “Cold Water” (Because Music) has scored a third week at #1 in Blighty with 93k combined sales.

Bieber and DJ Snake’s “Let Me Love You” (Polydor) is a new entry at #2 with combined chart sales of 70k, including 40k downloads.

The rest of this week's Top 5 are last week’s down one place: Calum Scott's “Dancing On My Own” (Virgin EMI) at #3, Jonas Blue and JP Cooper's “Perfect Strangers” (Virgin EMI) drops at #4, and The Chainsmokers' f/Daya “Don't Let Me Down” (RCA) at #5.

Other new tracks making an impact include “Heathens” by twenty one pilots moving 11 places to #9, and Chainsmokers f/Halsey’s “Closer” (RCA), rising 21 spots to #12.