U.K. MIDWEEKS: BEATLES HITS RULE

Reissues of The Beatles’ first greatest-hits compilations are fixin' to top the U.K.’s Official Albums Chart for the first time. Over on Singles, there’s a three-way battle for #1.

Expanded editions of 1967-1970 (Apple Corps), which peaked at #2 in 1973, and 1962-1966 are heading for #1 and #2, respectively, at the midweek mark. The latter is just 1k in sales behind, at #2. A boxed set of the two albums is poised to enter the U.K. Top 10 for the first time, at #9.

Chase & Status’ 2 RUFF, Vol. 1 (EMI) is #3, while a 10th anniversary edition of Passenger’s All the Little Lights (Cooking Vinyl) is #5.

New Order’s 1987 comp, Substance (Warner Music U.K.), is set for a re-entry at #6 thanks to a multi-format reissue.

Two acts could claim their first U.K. Top 10s; the debut from Baby Queen, Quarter Life Crisis (Polydor), is #7, and Chris Stapleton’s Higher (UMG) is #10.

On the U.K.’s Official Singles midweeks, “Now and Then” (Apple Corps) by The Beatles is still #1. However, with just 2k in sales separating the Top 3, the Fab Four have strong competition from “Lovin’ on Me” (Atlantic) by Jack Harlow at #2 and “Houdini” (Warner Records) by Dua Lipa at #3.

Noah Kahan’s first U.K. Top 10 hit, “Stick Season” (Mercury/Republic), is expected to reach a new high of #7. The singer-songwriter could earn a second Top 20 placement with new entry “Northern Attitude,” at #14.

Olivia Rodrigo’s “Can't Catch Me Now” (Geffen), taken from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snake, is up five to #13 today.

Chase & Status are spoiling for a third Top 20 single with “Selecta” f/Stefflon Don (UMG), at #19. “Nice To Meet You” (Warner Records U.K.), PinkPantheress’ team-up with Central Cee, is heading for #20.