Bruce Springsteen shows the Military Wives who’s The Boss

Bruce Springsteen today triumphs over a wave of new album entries to bag his ninth Official Number 1 album in the UK.

A flurry of new album releases hit the shelves this week ahead of the annual Mother’s Day shopping period, including the anticipated follow-up album by Christmas Number 1 title holders, the Military Wives, but it is veteran US rocker Springsteen that steals the glory with the critically acclaimed Wrecking Ball. Wrecking Ball is the week’s highest new entry, leading the Official Albums Chart by a margin of 18,000 copies, the album features contributions from Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello and Clarence Clemons.

New entries

Military Wives debut album, In My Dreams (2), was released on Monday following their Christmas single Wherever You Are which was the UK’s Official Christmas Number 1 of 2011, and also became the first classical recording ever to top the Official Singles Chart. It was announced in February that the track to date had raised over £500,000 for charity, and the Official Charts Company were also able to confirm that Wherever You Are was the fastest-selling charity single since Elton John’s Candle In The Wind. The Wives land today at Number 2.

With little movement in the middle of the Top 10 list, it is Lionel Richie’s new release Tuskegee that leads the next section of new album entries at Number 7, climbing up one place since Wednesday’s Official Chart Update.  Named after the singer’s hometown in Alabama where he was raised, Tuskegee features a collection of Lionel classics reworked as country duets, including appearances from the likes of Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson, Shania Twain and Pixie Lott.

Katie Melua’s is back with her new classical-inspired album, Secret Symphony (8) featuring covers of tracks by artists such as Francoise Hardy, Ron Sexsmith and Travis frontman Fran Healy.

Gilbert O’Sullivan’s The Very Best Of is brand new at 12, followed by a further flurry of new entries. Columbia Records duo Civil Wars enter at Number 13 with their first full length studio album Barton Hollow, followed by the wildly contrasting Justin Fletcher (AKA Mr Tumble), the popular children’s entertainer, who bounces into the Official Albums Chart with Hands Up – The Album (16). 

Dry The River’s debut album Shallow Bed is new at 28, with Sinead O’Connor’s How About I Be Me (And You Be You) (33), Doris Day’s The Ultimate Collection (36), Andre Rieu’s You Raise Me Up – Songs For Mum (38), and X Factor’s Mary Byrne (40) completing the Official Albums Chart Top 40.

See this week's Official Albums Chart Top 100 here after 7PM.

Bruce Springsteen - We Take Care Of Our Own on MUZU.TV.