Brandon Flowers' album has The Desired Effect on the Official Albums Chart

The Killers frontman scores his second solo Number 1, plus there are six new entries including Paul Weller and Mariah Carey.

It’s been a close battle between two rock stars all week on the Official Albums Chart, but in the end it was Brandon Flowers’ album that had The Desired Effect, finishing at Number 1 on this week’s tally.

The Killers’ frontman finished 5,000 combined chart sales ahead of his competitor, Paul Weller’s Saturns Pattern, which at Number 2 becomes the former Jam singer’s 16th Top 10 album.

The Desired Effect marks Flowers’ second solo chart-topper, following 2010’s Flamingo, and sixth overall including The Killers’ four Number 1 records: Hot Fuss (2004), Sam’s Town (2006), Day & Age (2008) and Battle Born (2012).

Meanwhile, last week’s Number 1 Wilder Mind by Mumford & Sons is at 3, Taylor Swift’s 1989 hold at 4, and Sam Smith’s In The Lonely Hour completes the Top 5.

New entries

US rock band Faith No More score their fourth UK Top 10 album this week with Sol Invictus, new at Number 6, and Mariah Carey earns her first Top 10 album in seven years this week with her retrospective #1 To Infinity at Number 8. Her last Top 10 entry was back in 2008 with E=MC2, which reached Number 3.

Electronic music band Hot Chip are new at Number 13 with their sixth album Why Make Sense?, and Twenty One Pilots score their first UK Top 40 album today with Blurryface at 14.

Finally, British rockers Whitesnake enter at Number 18 with their 12th record The Purple Album, and following their recent reunion tour, S Club 7 re-enter the Top 40 at 35 with Best – The Greatest Hits.