U.K. CHARTS: MICHAEL BACK AT #1

George Michael has returned to the top of the U.K. charts with what’s said to be the biggest week one sales for a reissue in British chart history. Listen Without Prejudice (Sony Music CG) sold 56k combined copies, and awards Phil Savill’s Sony imprint a third Q4 success story in as many years.

Elvis was the benefactor of Sony Music CG’s Q4 blockbuster, If I Can Dream, selling 79k during its first week in 2015, and The Wonder of You: Elvis Presley notching up 63k sales week one a year later. Look out for a similar effort from UMG next week in the second release from Ball & Boe, Together Again (Decca).

Listen Without Prejudice is a reissue of Michael’s 1990 album, Listen Without Prejudice vol.1, which hit #1 27 years ago. The original release spent 18 weeks in the Top 10 and went on to sell more than 8m copies worldwide. The late star oversaw the remastering of the album, which includes his MTV Unplugged set from ‘96 and a new version of “Fantasy” f/Nile Rodgers. It arrived alongside Michael’s documentary, Freedom, which was screened on Channel 4 last week in Blighty.

P!nk takes the second spot this week with Beautiful Trauma (RCA) sitting 30k combined sales behind. That gives you an idea of what Niall Horan’s debut, Flicker (Capitol), did in its first week, ending at #3.

Rap duo Krept & Konan are the third highest new entrants with two entries in the Top 10: 7 Days (Virgin EMI), at #6 and 7 Nights, at #9. Jessie Ware enters at #7 with her third album, Glasshouse (Island).

Over on the Official Singles Chart, Post Malone is celebrating a fourth week at #1 with “Rockstar” f/21 Savage (Island) selling 50k. Taylor Swift secures the highest new entry with “Gorgeous” (Virgin EMI) at #15.

Camila Cabello f/Young Thug’s “Havana” (Syco) is at #2, “Silence” (Ministry of Sound) by Marshmello f/Khalid has risen to enter the Top 5 at #3, followed by “Lonely Together” (Virgin EMI) by Avicii f/ Rita Ora at #4 and Sam Smith’s “Too Good At Goodbyes” (Capitol) at #5.