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Bruce Springsteen makes Official Chart history as he scores his 12th Number 1 album with Letter To You
The Boss reaches a seriously impressive milestone after his latest collection goes straight to the top.
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Bruce Springsteen makes Official Chart history this week as he scores his 12th Number 1 album with Letter To You.
Outselling the rest of the Top 5 combined, The Boss’ twentieth studio collection is the fastest-selling album of 2020 so far, with 95% of his 51,800 chart sales made up of physical and download sales. Lady Gaga’s Chromatica still holds the title for the biggest opening week overall for an album this year, debuting at Number 1 in June with 53,000 chart sales.
The entry means Springsteen is the first credited solo artist to have a Number 1 album in five consecutive decades, topping the charts in the 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s and 20s. Paul McCartney, John Lennon, David Gilmour and Paul Weller have also achieved the feat, but only when including their work in groups alongside their solo material.
With 12 Number 1 albums, Bruce Springsteen is now tied with Madonna for chart-topping albums – Robbie Williams and Elvis Presley are the only solo artists to have had more Number 1 albums in the UK. See all of Bruce Springsteen's Number 1 albums and more on his Official Charts History
MORE: Bruce Springsteen's most streamed songs in the UK
At Number 2, animated alt-rockers Gorillaz land their sixth Top 5 album with Song Machine, Season One: Strange Timez, their seventh studio album and released as part of their Song Machine web series featuring different guest artists. Southend rock band Nothing But Thieves earn the most streamed new release of the week with their third studio album Moral Panic at Number 3.
Blossoms claim their second Top 5 album this year with their lockdown covers album In Isolation at 5 - the band are the only act this year to have had two different Top 5 UK albums. In February their album Foolish Loving Spaces debuted at Number 1.
Elsewhere in the Top 10, Faithless enter at Number 6 with All Blessed, their first studio album in ten years, blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa’s Royal Tea debuts at Number 7, and Russell Watson’s anniversary album 20 comes in at 10. Harry Styles’ Fine Line flies up nine places to Number 9 following the release of the album’s latest single Golden.
Further down, more new entries come from folk rock vocalist This Is The Kit, who earns her first Top 40 with Off Off On (21), The Nolans’ Gold album (25), 91 Days in Isolation by The Slow Readers Club (33) and the Kidz Bop Kids, who are back with Kidz Bop 2021 (36).
Finally, US jazz singer Melody Gardot debuts at Number 40 with Sunset In The Blue, her fourth Top 40 collection.
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DG
David Gibbs
I hope Elvis gets a couple of number albums soon to keep ahead of the dross that is Williams and Springsteen two vastly overrated singers.
TJ
Todd Jenkins
You know Elvis is dead, righty?
DG
David Gibbs
No.Tell me it aint so.
DG
David Gibbs
The King will never die. In a way of course.
ES
Eddie Sanders
How appropriate:
Bruce Springsteen at number one, the same week the right-wing narcissist faces the American electorate.
No music artist in history, has highlighted the plight of the blue-collar worker in America, better than the Boss.
thierry henon
OMG: The Vamps dropping from number 1 to 72!! is it the biggest drop from number 1 in the UK album chart? anyone knows?..
Blank
Unless you count Now 13 dropping out of the top 100 due to chart rules change making it ineligible?
Probably.
Velvet Android
Wow, yes even by modern standards that is stupendous!
🧡 oliviasnoodles 🍜
oh no, why did the overrated bruce springsteen have to get number 1 album over gorillaz. awful! he’s only a “boss” at being a s**t singer. gorillaz deserved.
thierry henon
well said coolocelot101!
AR
Arthur Rubio
He's not Overrated by those who appreciate his decades of consistency. He's actually UNDERRATED by those whojust don't appreciate what makes him worthy of every accolade that comes his way.
S
Skarppi
Lool stop talking nonsense. Bruce is the Boss and one of the greatest songwriters and musicians of all time and you can't do anything about it. It's okay to not like his music bc music is very subjective but at least show some respect.
Augustus Doministrix
Bullsh*t, he doesn’t have to, “show respect”, if he doesn’t like the guy’s music. He can wonder why he’s lauded so much like myself as such if he likes, because as you say, music is subjective, but so is liking the artist. One of the greatest songwriters and musicians of all time? Aye right. He only knows about 4 chords and plays them incessantly in every song he does. So yeah, he’s massively overrated. And he. Can’t. Sing.
Augustus Doministrix
Despite the fact he couldn’t shout coal up a back alley with a voice like his
🧡 oliviasnoodles 🍜
yes, because someone with twelve uk number 1 albums is underrated.
AR
Arthur Rubio
Having a great rock & roll voice doesn't necessarily mean being technically gifted with range. Not everyone can sing like Steve Perry. TECHNICALLY speaking, Bing Crosby could sing circles around Sinatra. But he lacked a soul, a certain SOMETHING that felt authentic on a way more talented crooners lacked.. I'll take Bruce and Neil young singing their songs overBarry Manilow or Tom Jones any day.
ok_246
Bruce is a great musician and if you knew anything about him you would agree with him and me too. The fact that you are saying he can only play 4 chords tells a lot about the knowledge you have on Bruce. There's a reason why he has been/is so succesful
Augustus Doministrix
He doesn’t have a great voice at all. Rock and roll or not, he’s just awful. Entirely. And well Sinatra and Crosby were as well, just old crooners, when it comes to vocal ability, crooners are mostly all tone deaf. Sinatra was a GOD AWFUL singer, he only got to where he was through his mafia connections. Barry Manilow and Tom Jones are actually good singers though. I’m not even what you’d call a fan of theirs either but no I’d much rather listen to them actually singing songs than Springsteen yelling in my ears. Shouting isn’t singing. Would give me a headache.
Augustus Doministrix
No I wouldn’t. I know plenty about his music and have heard enough of it thanks very much. Never got the success at all. Worst of all, all his songs are boring and are the exact same. Plenty of overrated sh*te gets successful, just look at Cher for God’s sake
Not having a go at you personally though, these are just my opinions. To each their own and if you enjoy his music that’s fair enough however
AR
Arthur Rubio
I specifically singled out those who are critical of the man in general. People who had nothing to do with those #1 albums. Obviously when taking everyone into account he's been widely acclaimed. And rightly so. It only falls into the category of "overrated" when it isn't warranted. I don't even know what the argument is over. WANTING an artist of your liking to be #1 or thinking someone is more "deserving" is entirely beside the point. The guy sold more units. Period. Game decided. Doesn't make him artistically superior, of course. And if you want to argue a given award as bring deserving, have at it. But this is an achievement based on a concrete tangible. When the Gorillaz or WHOEVER sells more units in a given week and does so on a consistent basis for decades ythen THEYLL be deserving of the praise. Until then don't hate, CONGRATULATE.
ok_246
No worries. I think this just shows how music taste varies between people. And ofc it's good that people like different things. But I can agree with you about Cher xd
Velvet Android
Hey, don't go knocking Cher now :)
Velvet Android
It's an endless argument, really. I love Tom Jones, the man is a phenomenal singer. But then I also have quite a lot of time for Sinatra, who may not have been a great singer in the conventional sense (he certainly couldn't hold a candle to the melted-chocolate voice of his peer Sammy Davis Jr, say) but was a phenomenal vocalist - which is no irrelevant distinction. His greatest asset was his matchless phrasing and timing: it's no coincidence that he started out as a trumpeter, because that that was what gave him the superb breath control that enabled his later effortless vocal...elasticity, you could perhaps call it? So somehow there's a certain 'tone' to it that transcends (or defies) mere notes. Different strokes for different folks, though, of course.
Velvet Android
And I agree that Springsteen can (increasingly?) descend into that sort of gruff bark thing that isn't hugely appealing necessarily. He does though have a softer and more melodic register that I for one tend to enjoy more - as heard in, say, My Hometown, I'm On Fire, Streets Of Philadelphia or Secret Garden to name but four, all of which are quite lovely.
🧡 oliviasnoodles 🍜
oh please. this is purely my opinion and to me, he shouldn’t have got it. also, is he really one of the greatest musicians of all time? you wish. to me he sounds like a drunk man yelling in a pub and he has more number ones than he deserves. i mean he has some okay songs here and there but overall, he’s overrated as .
🧡 oliviasnoodles 🍜
at least you agree :)
S
Skarppi
Fair enough your opinion is your opinion, I accept that. What I don't understand is the brains you haters carry in your head. What makes you think it's necessary to talk unnecessary s**t about Bruce and use hateful words when you could've just talked in a friendly manner.
TJ
Todd Jenkins
He shouldn't have "got it"? lol it's based on album sales. He sold more than everyone else.
Augustus Doministrix
Oh yeah of course I’m just not a fan personally is all 😅 Cher is awful but she just sings in the one monotone, well, tone 😂😂😂 Although Gypsies, Tramps And Thieves was a good song though :p
Augustus Doministrix
I agree as well but I’m not a fan so
Augustus Doministrix
Yeah I agree with different opinions with people, we like who we like so that part of the argument is pointless as it’s not gonna change anyone’s taste in who they like :) for me I just think with especially Sinatra (and Bruce) he was just, god awful. I can’t stand to listen to either of them.
thierry henon
Faithless or even Gorillaz should have been our new number 1!! Not again the overrated Bruce!! Hopefully he will be out of the Top 10 next week and then we can have someone who deserves it at number 1 spot!!
🧡 oliviasnoodles 🍜
i can only hope he drops out, his music is hella overrated. gorillaz were indeed robbed. hope all is well by the way!
thierry henon
hi coolocelot101! long time no speak!! how are you? any new album to recommend lately? was listening to KEIINO: if you like pop music...you will love it and DERMOT KENNEDY: his album is just sublime! his voice...enjoy your week end
🧡 oliviasnoodles 🍜
thank you thierry. i do indeed really like dermot kennedy: giants did have to grow on me but i’m glad it did so well in his native ireland. to be honest, his whole album is amazing. :)