Skindred have scored their first ever UK Number One album with ‘You Got This’, and it now looks like Noah Kahan is on track to beat Foo Fighters to the top spot with his new record ‘The Great Divide’.
Last week saw a close chart-battle between Welsh metal stars Skindred and pop star Jessie Ware, who both eyed up the Number One position on the UK Album Charts.
At the start of the week, Skindred soared up the charts with their new album ‘You Got This’, but soon faced tough competition from Ware and his sixth album ‘Superbloom’, which overtook them on Tuesday (April 21). Now, following them both calling on their respective fan groups to help them reach the top of the charts, the Newport band have secured their first Number One album.
The trio, formed of Benji Webbe, Mikey Demus and Arya Goggin, have come close to topping the charts before, with their 2023 album ‘Smile’ narrowly missing out on the milestone – coming in second to Cian Ducrot’s ‘Victory’ by just 150 units.
“All of us in the band are absolutely blown away by the amazing reaction and support to our new album,” the band told Official Charts. “We want to say thank you to everyone that came out this week to buy a copy, especially all of those in our extended family in the rock and metal communities.”
They also added that they chose the title for the album after seeing a personal trainer using the phrase to support one of their clients who was recovering from a stroke. “It’s a positive message to everyone going through a tough time, or suffering with their mental health. It’s a message also of belief, to hopefully help empower every young band or artist, and to help them to keep going and push on through,” they revealed.
“So to be the first Welsh Ragga Metal Punk band from Newport to hit Number One really is a special moment. It really is a Fairytale of Newport. We would also like to send our congratulations to Jessie Ware on her amazing new album, from all of us in Skindred.”
Ware’s ‘Superbloom’ finished the week in the Number Two spot and became her highest-charting album to date. Her 2012 debut album ‘Devotion’ secured the Number Five spot, and her last two records 2020’s ‘What’s Your Pleasure?’ and 2023’s ‘That! Feels Good!’ both came in at Number Three.
The rest of last week’s leaderboard featured Olivia Dean’s ‘The Art Of Loving’ at Number Three – the album’s 30th consecutive week in the Top Five – Zayn’s fifth studio album ‘KONNAKOL’ at Number Four, and Michael Jackson’s ‘The Essential collection’. The latter has secured the Number Five slot following the release of the new biopic, Michael.
Last week’s Official Albums Chart Top Five was:
Skindred – ‘You Got This’
Jessie Ware – ‘Superbloom’
Olivia Dean – ‘The Art Of Loving’
Zayn – ‘Konnakol’
Michael Jackson – ‘The Essential Michael Jackson’
Now, it is Noah Kahan’s ‘The Great Divide’ that is on track to top in the midweeks of the Official Albums Chart, although it is being given a run for its money from Foo Fighters and their 12th album ‘Your Favorite Toy’.
‘The Great Divide’ is the fourth record from the Vermont songwriter and the highly anticipated follow-up to his 2022 hit record ‘Stick Season’, which recently celebrated its 150th week on the Top 100.
If Dave Grohl and co. are to overtake him with their new album, it will mark their seventh chart-topping record, following on from 2002’s ‘One by One’, 2007’s ‘Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace’, 2011’s ‘Wasting Light’, 2017’s ‘Concrete and Gold’, 2021’s ‘Medicine at Midnight’ and 2023’s ‘But Here We Are’.
Also on track to round out the Top Five on the UK album charts this week include ‘Michael: Songs From The Motion Picture’ which is at Number Four – sat behind Olivia Dean’s ‘The Art Of Loving’ which currently remains at Number Three – and Paul Weller’s ‘Weller At The BBC Vol.2’, which is at Number Five.
Other entries moving up the chart include Ringo Starr’s ‘Long Long Road’, the soundtrack to the EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert film, and Pink Floyd’s ‘Live From The Los Angeles Sports Arena, April 26th, 1975’ which has been given a standalone release having featured on ‘Wish You Were Here 50’.
This week’s Official Albums Chart Top Five so far is:
Noah Kahan – ‘The Great Divide’
Foo Fighters – ‘Your Favorite Toy’
Olivia Dean – ‘The Art Of Loving’
Michael Jackson – ‘Michael: Songs From The Motion Picture’
Paul Weller – ‘Weller At The BBC Vol.2’
Foo Fighters dropped their new album on Friday (April 24) and celebrated the launch in London, with Grohl and Pat Smear surprising fans at the listening party.
NME gave the record three-and-a-half stars, writing: “Vocally, Grohl has rediscovered his roar, but lyricism has never been his strongest suit, and much of it here is throwaway. […] But a fascinating exception is ‘Child Actor’, on which Grohl – who’s come to relish the spotlight after 30 years as the Foos’ frontman – unflinchingly examines his need for validation; it is the sound of somebody who has knocked themselves off their own perch searching for answers in the mirror.”
“‘Your Favorite Toy’ is a few more tracks of that depth away from being the most vital Foo Fighters record since 1997’s ‘The Colour and the Shape’,” it added. “For now, at least, they have remembered that no-frills punk, played fast and loud, suits them much better than middle-of-the-road dad-rock.”