U.K. CHARTS: ROD WRANGLES 10TH #1

Rod Stewart has emerged victorious in a tight chart battle with Robbie Williams and The Who, claiming his 10th U.K. Official Albums #1 with You’re In My Heart (Rhino) rising one place to #1. Over on singles, Tones & I makes chart history.

In reaching #1, Stewart sets a new U.K. chart record as the oldest male solo artist to top the Official Albums Chart. At 74 years and 11 months old, he beats previous record-holder Paul Simon by three months.

With just 750 copies between them, Williams’ The Christmas Present (Columbia) sits at #2 and, despite a midweek lead, The Who settle for third place with WHO (Polydor).

Rod said of the achievement, “A new government and a new Number 1 for Sir Rod. Thank you once again to my legions of fans who I will never take for granted. Bless you all and a Merry Christmas. Well done Robbie, well done Boris, no hard feelings Pete Townshend!”

The news was an extra special birthday present for Stewart's longtime manager Arnold Stiefel.

Britain’s Got Talent winner, 89-year-old Colin Thackery, finishes at #13 with Love Changes Everything (Decca); Camila Cabello Romance (Syco) charts at #14, and Liam Payne’s solo debut, LP1 (Capitol), is new at #17.

On the Official Singles Chart, Tones & I now claims the longest-running #1 single by a female artist in U.K. chart history with “Dance Monkey” (Parlophone) spending an 11th week at the top. The feat was previously jointly held at 10 weeks by Rihanna’s “Umbrella” (2007) and Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” (1992).

Stormzy f/Ed Sheeran and Burna Boy’s “Own It” (Atlantic/Merky) is up one place to #2, and Dua Lipa has moved up to #3 with “Don’t Start Now” (Warner Records). Lewis Capaldi and Arizona Zervas complete the Top 5 with “Before You Go” (Virgin EMI) and “Roxanne” (Columbia) respectively.

Despite looking like a contender for the Christmas #1 single on Monday, Ellie Goulding has slipped down from #2 at the midweek point to #8 today with her cover of Joni Mitchell’s “River” (Polydor). Harry Styles’s “Adore You” (Columbia) is the highest new entry at #11.