U.K. MIDWEEKS: GAGA ON TOP

Lady Gaga is heading for her fourth #1 on the U.K.’s Official Albums chart with Chromatica (Polydor) outselling the entire Top 20 combined at the halfway point. She’s set to remain on top of singles, too, with Ariana Grande collaboration “Rain On Me.”

With 40k combined sales so far, Chromatica leads the race on all formats (physical, download and streaming) and has claimed 2020’s fastest-selling vinyl album based on just three days of sales.

Elsewhere on albums, Norwegian DJ Kygo is heading for his second U.K. Top 10 album—and first in four years—with Golden Hour (Sony) at #6. The 40th anniversary edition of Rush’s 1980 album Permanent Waves (UMG) is one place behind at #7.

The new EP from Manchester rapper Aitch, Polaris (NQ Records), is also eyeing a Top 10 debut at #9. The debut from Scottish indie group Vistas, Everything Changes In The End (Retrospect Records), starts at #11, while Christine and the Queen’s EP, La Vita Nuova (Because Music), is set for its Top 40 debut at #16 after being released on vinyl.

On the U.K.’s Official Singles midweeks, “Rain On Me” is one of three tracks from Gaga in today’s Top 40. “Sour Candy” f/Blackpink starts at #12, and “Alice” is #21.

“Breaking Me” (Virgin EMI) by German producer Topic and Swedish singer A7S is set to enter this week’s Top 10, currently up five places to #6, and a Tion Wayne, Dutchavelli and Stormzy collaboration, “I Dunno” (Atlantic), could be this week’s highest new entry at #11.

Finally, two songs are set to climb into this week’s Top 20: Harry Styles’ “Watermelon Sugar” (Columbia) is up four places to #17, and Regard and Raye’s “Secrets” (Ministry of Sound) jumps seven spots to #18.