The Detroit rap icon’s 12th studio album once again reigns over the Official Albums Chart, having beaten off tough competition from a former Olivia Rodrigo chart-topper.
Olivia’s second LP GUTS vaults 20 spots back into the Top 5 this week, following the release of its deluxe GUTS (spilled) edition on vinyl (2). GUTS tops the Official Vinyl Albums Chart, the most-purchased record on wax, and Official Record Store Chart, the most popular physical release in UK independent record shops.
This week’s highest new entry comes courtesy of SOFT PLAY, formerly known as Slaves. Punk duo Isaac Holman and Laurie Vincent’s fourth studio album, and first released under their new moniker, earns them a career-best (3). Under previous name Slaves, the group saw Top 10 success with Are You Satisfied? (8), Take Control (6) and Acts of Fear and Love (8).
On how they’ll celebrate their first-ever Top 3 LP, SOFT PLAY’s Laurie told Official Charts: “I might have a Belgian bun. I don’t really like cakes, so that would be a good time.”
“Yeah, a Belgian bun. Maybe a little spa day together,” bandmate Isaac chipped in.
Oxfordshire-formed rockers Glass Animals net a second Top 10 album with I Love You So F***ing Much (5). The group, comprising Dave Bayley, Drew MacFarlane, Edmund Irwin-Singer and Joe Seaward, previously enjoyed Official Albums Chart success with 2014’s ZABA (91), 2016’s How To Be A Human Being (23) and 2020 release Dreamland (2).
As it’s shortlisted for the 2024 Mercury Prize, Charli xcx’s BRAT shows its staying power with a seventh consecutive week inside the Top 10 (6). Can it remain there for the whole of ‘BRAT summer’?
Elsewhere, British heavy metal legends Deep Purple see their 23rd studio album =1 become their 26th UK Top 40 LP this week (12), while Cardiff-formed seven-piece Los Campesinos! log their first with seventh studio release All Hell (14). The pop outfit, comprising Gareth David Paisey, Neil Turner, Tom Bromley, Kim Paisey, Rob Taylor, Jason Adelinia and Matt Fidler, previously charted with 2008’s Hold On Now, Youngster (72), 2010 LP Romance is Boring (92) and 2017’s Sick Scenes (83).
Further down, East London rapper Morrisson earns his first Official Top 40 collection with debut record British Trap Royalty (28).
Lastly, Californian multi-hyphenate Childish Gambino’s final album Bando Stone and The New World becomes his third Top 40 release (33), following 2016’s “Awaken, My Love!” (34) and 2020’s 3.15.20, reissued earlier this year under the title Atavista (20).
