U.K. MIDWEEKS: TIGHT RACE FOR #1

The BRIT Awards, which had an average of 5.4m TV viewers in Blighty on Wednesday, has further moved the needle for a host of acts dominating the Top 5 Official Singles and Albums spots mid-week. But it’s British breakthrough grime star Stormzy leading a very tight race for #1.

Gang Signs & Prayer (Merky) is less than 2k sales ahead of Rag’n’Bone Man’s Human (Columbia) on the Official Albums midweek update. The former’s sales are majority led by digital downloads (58%), while physical CDs count for 23% and streams 20%. The latter continues to fly off the shelves: 75% physical sales, 23% downloads and less than 3% streams. With four full chart days to go, it’s all to play for.

BRIT performer Ed Sheeran is up one place to #3 with x (Atlantic), while George Michael’s Ladies & Gentlemen—The Very Best Of (Epic) has surged seven places to #4 after the late star’s moving tribute. Bruno Mars’ smooth grooves, meanwhile, have helped surge 24K Magic (Atlantic) to #5 from #12 while British Female Solo Artist winner Emeli Sande lifts 17 slots to #9 with Long Live The Angels (Virgin EMI).

Over on the Official Singles midweek update, it’s again all about the BRITs. Sheeran’s “Shape of You” (Atlantic) is #1 and intriguingly two versions are counting toward that overall placing. Major Lazer and Stormzy released remixes of the song, which has been downloaded more times over the last three days than it was throughout last week. Stormzy’s version is one of his eight tracks that appear in the Top 40 today.

Following their BRIT Awards collaboration, The Chainsmokers and Coldplay are at #2 with “Something Like This” (Parlophone), followed by Katy Perry’s “Chained to the Rhythm” (Virgin EMI) at #3. Rag’n’Bone Man’s “Human” (Columbia) is at #4, while Sheeran is at #5 with “Castle on the Hill” (Atlantic).