Blur heading for sixth Number 1 album with The Magic Whip

Blur are whipping up a storm on this week’s Official Album Chart Update with their latest collection The Magic Whip.

The band’s eighth studio album and first in 12 years has charged into the lead on this week’s Official Albums Chart, currently outselling the rest of the Top 5 combined.  

If it holds on to its position, it will be Blur’s sixth Number 1, following Parklife (1994), The Great Escape (1995), Blur (1997), 13 (1999) and Think Tank (2003). See Blur's full Official Chart history here.

Meanwhile, last week’s Number 1 Stages by Josh Groban is at 2, and Paul Simon’s Ultimate Collection is at 3.

Completing the Top 5 are Ed Sheeran’s X (4) and Sam Smith’s In The Lonely Hour (5).

New entries and high climbers

Maroon 5’s fifth studio album V leaps from 17 to Number 6 on today’s Update, and Kodaline’s Coming Up For Air re-enters the Top 10 at 9. The Irish band’s second album previously peaked at Number 4 back in February.

Scottish duo The Proclaimers are on course for their highest-charting album in 21 years with their tenth studio album Let’s Hear It For The Dogs, and Blake singer and Holby City star Jules Knight starts at 19 with his debut solo album Change Of Heart.

Further down the chart, MG – aka Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore – debuts at 27 with MG, Mew are at 27 with their first album in six years, +-, and rock supergroup Emerson, Lake & Palmer are at 38 with Trilogy. The record previously peaked at 2 when it was first released in 1972.

View this week's Official Albums Chart Update Top 100 here (from 4pm)