Bon Jovi's Forever challenges Charli xcx's BRAT for UK's Number 1 album

It’s an Official Albums Chart battle for the ages this week, as rock legends Bon Jovi challenge hyperpop savant Charli xcx for Number 1. 

Forever, the 16th studio collection from the New Jersey icons, takes an early lead at the midweek mark; currently tracking to become the group’s sixth chart-topper in the UK. Bon Jovi previously saw Number 1 success with 1988’s New Jersey, 1992’s Keep The Faith, 1994 hits compilation Cross Road, 1995’s These Days and 2000 release Crush.

The fellas face some competition, though, as chaotic pop queen Charli xcx sits fewer than 2,500 chart units behind them midweek and is firing hard on the promotion.

MORE: See where every Bon Jovi song and album has charted in the UK

BRAT, Charli’s sixth studio collection, currently sits at Number 2 midweek, but tracking firmly ahead of Bon Jovi on streams, plus with a further expanded version of BRAT dropped today containing three extra tracks, it’s very much all still to play for right now.

Could a second Number 1 be within reach for Charli xcx? Her previous record CRASH topped the Official Albums Chart in 2022.

MORE: See where every Charli XCX song and album has charted in the UK

As she takes The Eras Tour to stadiums across the UK, Taylor Swift’s former Number 1 The Tortured Poets Departments is expected to hold strong in the Top 5 (3). Taylor’s back catalogue’s reaping the rewards of the tour, too; Lover looks to lift nine (10), Midnights might jump ten (16), Reputation rebounds 17 midweek (19) and folklore could find itself back inside the Top 20, up five (20). 

Norwegian singer-songwriter AURORA is expected to earn a career-best with her fifth studio LP What Happened To The Heart? this week (5). The star, born Aurora Aksnes, previously enjoyed Top 40 success with 2016’s All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend (28), 2019’s A Different Kind Of Human – Step 2 (32) and 2022 release The Gods We Can Touch (8). 

Elsewhere, Californian blues musician Seasick Steve could earn a sixth Top 10 record with A Trip A Stumble A Fall Down On Your Knees (6), as Meghan Trainor is predicted to claim a third with Timeless (7). 

Incheon-born, Berlin-based DJ, singer, songwriter and producer Peggy Gou hopes to celebrate her first-ever Official Albums Chart entry with debut LP I Hear You (12), as Chappell Roan could see her first full-length collection The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess lift into five the Top 20 for the first time (18). 

South London post-punk trio Goat Girl are on course to match their previous Official Albums Chart peak with Below The Waste (24), while current Official Afrobeats Chart-topper Tems expects to net her first Top 40 record with debut Born In The Wild (28). 

Californian rockers Eels eye their highest-charting LP in six years with 15th studio release Eels Time! (32), as Haitian-Canadian rapper, singer, and producer KAYTRANADA looks to mark his third UK Albums Chart appearance with TIMELESS (33). 

Finally, Bedfordshire-born singer-songwriter Alfie Templeman could claim a second Top 40 record with Radiosoul this Friday (35).

See this week's Official Albums Chart Update Top 100 in full here from 5.45pm.