2017 ALBUMS RULE U.K. Q1 CHART

The U.K. Official Charts’ best-selling albums list of 2018 is rather scant of new releases, with just one artist album issued this year, Camila Cabello’s debut, appearing in the Top 10. On the other hand, Singles has six fresh entries. Is it a sign of the times or a precursor for a fallow year in British music?

The best selling album of the last three months is The Greatest Showman soundtrack (Atlantic),followed by other 2017 releases until Camila (Syco) appears at #8. This time last year, new albums from Ed Sheeran, Rag’n’Bone Man, Stormzy and Drake all made the Q1 Top 10 and kicked off 2017 with a roaring start.

If it weren’t for George Ezra hitting #1 last week with his second album, Staying At Tamara’s (Columbia), The Greatest Showman would have claimed the albums top spot for nearly all 13 chart weeks so far in 2018, bar the first when Sheeran was still king. By this time in 2017, the U.K. charts had seen an eclectic mix of eight different #1 albums.

Last year, the Official Charts Company introduced limits and ratios in a bid to shake up the Official Singles Chart, but no such changes were made to the Albums list. Is an albums revamp on the way?

You’ll find the charts below with combined sales numbers for 2018 where issued.

Official Albums Chart 2018 Q1

1. The Greatest Showman (Atlantic) 503k
2. Divide, Ed Sheeran (Atlantic) 223k
3. The Thrill of it All, Sam Smith (Capitol) 105k
4. Human, Rag’n’Bone Man (Columbia) 100k
5. Dua Lipa, Dua Lipa (Warner Bros.)
6. Revival, Eminem (Polydor)
7. Beautiful Trauma, Pink (RCA)
8. Camila, Camila Cabello (Syco)
9. Glory Days, Little Mix (Syco)
10. The Architect, Paloma Faith (RCA)

Official Singles Chart 2018 - end of Q1

1. “God’s Plan” Drake (Island) 755k
2. “Perfect” Ed Sheeran (Atlantic) 556k
3. “These Days” Rudimental, Jess Glynne and Macklemore (Asylum) 520k
4. “Barking” Ramz (Polydor) 520k
5. “River” Eminem f/Ed Sheeran (Polydor) 509k
6. “IDGAF” Dua Lipa (Warner Bros.) 509k
7. “This is Me” Keala Settle (Atlantic) 451k
8. “Feel It Still” Portugal. The Man (Atlantic)
9. “Havana” Camila Cabello (Syco)
10. “Breathe” Jax Jones f/Ina Wroldsen (Polydor)