George Michael denies Kylie Minogue this week’s Number 1 album

George Michael has beaten Kylie Minogue in the race to this week’s Official Number 1 album to score his seventh UK chart-topper with Symphonica.

It was an epic battle pitting chart legend against chart legend, and fan against fan, but only one star could emerge victorious in the race to this week’s Official Number 1 album…

According to the Official Charts Company’s sales data, George Michael’s Symphonica has beaten Kylie Minogue’s Kiss Me Once (Number 2 today) to the top spot by more than 20,000 copies, earning the former Wham! star his seventh UK Number 1 album.

“Thank you so much!,” George told OfficialCharts.com upon hearing the news earlier today. “Symphonica is at this moment sitting at Number 1 in the UK, and it's so nice to be able to savour this wonderful moment. I am a lucky man!”

Symphonica is George’s first new album in nearly 10 years, and was recorded during the singer’s 2011/12 world tour. The album was co-produced by George and the legendary producer Phil Ramone (Liza Minnelli / Frank Sinatra / Sir Elton John) who tragically passed away last March following a brain aneurysm.

Pharrell Williams’ G I R L remains static at Number 3, Paloma Faith’s A Perfect Contradiction is down two to Number 4, and last week’s chart-toppers Elbow complete today’s Top 5 with The Take Off And Landing Of Everything (5).

New Entries

X Factor star Nicholas McDonald claims his first Top 10 album today with In The Arms Of An Angel. The 17-year-old, who came second to Sam Bailey on last year’s series, is new in at Number 6.

US rock band The Pretty Reckless, who are fronted by former Gossip Girl actress Taylor Momsen, score their second UK Top 10 album with Going To Hell (8), while Westlife’s Kian Egan clocks up his first solo Top 10 with Home (9).

Following the success of I’m A Freak, his recent Top 5 single with Pitbull, Enrique Iglesias is new in today at Number 11 with his tenth studio album, Sex And Love. US dubstep DJ and producer Skrillex enters at 13with his first full-length, Recess, and Glee star Lea Michele claims her debut solo Top 40 album today with Louder (16).

This week’s new entries are completed by The War On Drugs’ Lost In The Dream (18), Belinda Carlisle’s new Best Of, The Collection (24), American Authors’ Oh What A Life (26), Rend Collective’s The Art Of Celebration (28), and chart legend Engelbert Humperdinck’s  Engelbert Calling (31).

The Official Albums Chart Top 10 is as follows. Click here to see the Official Albums Chart Top 100 in full after 7pm.

© 2014 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.