U.K. MIDWEEKS: ATEEZ IN THE LEAD 

K-pop group ATEEZ is battling Peter Gabriel for this week’s Official Albums #1. Over on singles, Wham! leads a Christmas chart invasion.

THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL (KQ) by ATEEZ is #1 at today’s halfway point. However, Gabriel’s i/o (Bright Side Mix) (Real World) is just 1.5k sales behind.

Pink’s former #1, TRUSTFALL (RCA), looks set to return to the Top 5 at #5 following the release of its Tour Deluxe Edition. Cher’s Christmas (Warner Records) could reach a new peak at #7 on Friday.

On the U.K.’s Official Singles midweeks, Wham!’s “Last Christmas” (Epic) has taken an early lead for #1. The top spot is all to play for, however: “All I Want For Christmas Is You” (Columbia) by Mariah Carey is less than 1.5k sales behind at #2. “Fairytale of New York” (Rhino) by The Pogues f/Kirsty MacColl is #3.

Other Christmas tracks that could rise into the Top 10 this week include Sam Ryder’s “You’re Christmas to Me” (East West/Rhino) at #4; Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” (MCA) at #6; Ed Sheeran and Elton John’s “Merry Christmas” (Atlantic/EMI) at #7; Michael Bublé’s “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” (Reprise) at #8; Jorja Smith’s cover of “Stay Another Day” (FAMM) at #9; and Shakin’ Stevens’ “Merry Christmas Everyone” (Epic) at #10.