Ed Sheeran pips Elvis Presley to Albums Number 1 in one of the year's closest chart races
Plus there are new entries from Kesha, dodie, The Cribs and Martine McCutcheon.
The Top 2 on this week’s Official Albums Chart were separated by just 35 combined sales, and it is Ed Sheeran who scoops his 16th (non-consecutive) week at Number 1, denying Elvis Presley an extension of his Official Chart record.
Ed’s third studio album ÷ and reissued Elvis compilation The 50 Greatest Hits were neck-and-neck all week, but Ed has pipped Elvis to the post at the final whistle.
Elvis’ collection, re-released in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of his death, reaches a new peak of Number 2 following its previous best of Number 8 achieved in 2000.
Elvis holds the record for the most Number 1 albums ever achieved by a solo artist; he topped the Official Albums Chart last year with his 13th Number 1 album The Wonder Of You, his collaborative collection with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
MORE: View this week's Top 100 Official Albums Chart in full
Elsewhere in this week’s Top 5, the late Glen Campbell drops to Number 3 with Adios, Kesha scores her highest charting album ever in the UK with Rainbow at Number 4, and Rag’n’Bone Man’s huge album Human falls one place to Number 5.
New entries and high climbers
YouTuber dodie achieves a personal best on the Official Chart with her new EP titled You, debuting at Number 6 today. Her debut EP, Intertwined, peaked at Number 35 last November.
The Cribs’ new album, 24-7 Rock Star S**t, enters at Number 8, while Grime star Chip scores his third Top 20 album, and first since changing his name from Chipmunk – League Of My Own II bows at Number 12.
MORE: The Official biggest albums of 2017 so far revealed
Rat Boy’s debut album Scum lands at Number 15 this week, while Martine McCutcheon’s new album Lost And Found scores the singer/actress her highest chart placing since 2000 at Number 17.
Mansun vocalist Paul Draper enters at Number 19 with his debut solo album Spooky Action, and finally, guitarist Richard Thompson hits the Top 40 for a tenth time in his career with Acoustic Classics II at Number 24.
View this week's Top 100 Official Albums Chart in full
Look back at every Official UK Number 1 album 2017 so far below:
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Sunshine Gal
well congrats to ed! and to those of you whining and complaining about him 'messing up' the charts, you all are getting mad @ the wrong person ;). he can't help it if people like and buy his music and how the charts will rank him and other artists.
Mark Willmott
16 weeks! Lol
I Am A Stegosaurus
*reads headline*
Right, Jack James will be having the biggest of his life while Alan Lee will be hunting out all the buyers of Divide.
DG
David Gibbs
I am very sad. Really thought the King might do it.However still a wonderful achievement to get to number 2 in the face of such modern opposition in the form of the ubiquitous Ed Sheeran.I have nothing against him.He is a talented musician but I wonder if he will be bothering the charts in 60 years time..
JJ
Jack James
Ed
T
TW
Fantastic achievement by Elvis to get within 35 copies of no.1 40 years after his death and with a re-issue. Will hopefully be no.1 for Xmas with the new orchestral Christmas album.
braindeadpj
only no.1 due to streaming (Elvis only at 52!) Elvis is no.1 in sales (Ed at 3).
JJ
Jack James
Also now Divide has spent 20 weeks at #1 in Ireland as well congrats Ed Sheeran 2017 is a very big history making year for you.
Mark Willmott
A lot closer than certain people on here thought it would be.
JJ
Jack James
Ed Sheeran has nothing left to prove he took on Elvis Presley with a 5 month old album and won.
Brian Quinn
Shame. The King should have been No.1.
JJ
Jack James
He did and his name is Ed Sheeran.
Guillermo F. Perez-Argüello
I agree 1,000 percent!
JJ
Jack James
16 weeks at #1 for Divide the best album of 2017.
JJ
Jack James
All hail the new digital era King Ed Sheeran congrats.