Ariana Grande and Sam Smith go head-to-head for this week's Official Albums Chart Number 1

Sir Cliff Richard, The Style Council, Bring Me The Horizon, and Amy MacDonald have new entries in the midweek Top 10.

Ariana Grande and Sam Smith are locking horns in one of 2020’s biggest battles for Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart.

Just 577 chart sales separate the two acts on today (Nov. 2)’s Official Chart Update, making it tight at the top of the midweek sales flash.

In a prime ‘position’ after the weekend’s initial sales and streams is Ariana Grande. The US songstress’ sixth studio album Positions is the most streamed album of the week so far, and is battling to become her fourth consecutive UK Number 1 album following Dangerous Woman (2016), Sweetener (2018), and Thank U, Next (2019).

The album’s title track and lead single is currently heading for a second week at Number 1 on the Official Singles Chart, meaning a chart double could be on the cards for Ariana.

MORE: The Official Top 40 biggest albums of 2020 so far

Sam Smith is at Number 2 with Love Goes, the Londoner’s third studio album. Sam’s first two albums In The Lonely Hour (2014) and The Thrill Of It All (2017) both debuted at Number 1.

The UK’s best-seller of the week so far in terms of pure sales, Cliff Richard’s 41^st studio album Music… The Air That I Breathe opens at Number 3, and is in line to become Sir Cliff’s 46^th Top 10 album. See all of Cliff’s UK hit singles and albums.

Last week’s Number 1 Letter To You from Bruce Springsteen is at Number 4, while Long Hot Summers – The Story Of from The Style Council starts out at Number 5.

More collections heading for the Top 10 include: Bring Me The Horizon’s EP Post Human: Survival Horror (6), which has the most downloads so far the week; The Human Demands (7), the potential fifth Top 10 from Scottish singer Amy MacDonald; The Human Condition (8), what could be Black Stone Cherry’s fourth UK Top 10 album; M Huncho & Nafe Smallz DNA mixtape (9); and Dizzee Rascal’s seventh studio album E3 AF (10).

MORE: The Official Top 40 bestselling vinyl albums and singles of 2020 so far

David Bowie live album Ouvrez Le Chien is at 11 midweek, followed by a reissue of U2’s 2000 album All That You Can’t Leave Behind at 13, and Made in Lagos from Afrobeats star Wizkid which streams its way to 15.

Electronic duo CamelPhat are heading for a Top 20 finish with debut album Dark Matter at 16, Californian rock band Eels swim to 17 with their 13^th studio album Earth To Dora, and metal group Mr. Bungle thrash at 19 with The Raging Wrath of The Easter Bunny.

More expected Top 40 entries include Elvis Costello’s new album Hey Clockface ticking away at Number 21, and Jane McDonald’s Cruising with Jane McDonald - Volume 2 sailing towards Number 23.

Finally there are re-entries in the pipeline for Motorhead’s Ace of Spades (31) following its 40^th anniversary reissue, and Troye Sivan’s In A Dream EP (38) following its vinyl release.