Can Kaiser Chiefs topple Sam Bailey this weekend?

This week’s race to Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart is incredibly close. But who’s ahead in the midweeks – the Kaiser Chiefs or Sam Bailey?

It’s The Voice vs The X Factor in the race to the top of the Official Albums Chart, as the Kaiser Chiefs aim to topple Sam Bailey from the summit.

Ricky Wilson’s band have taken an early lead over reigning chart queen Sam Bailey’s The Power Of Love with their fifth album, Education, Education, Education & War, going straight in at Number 1 on today’s Official Chart Update.

Should the Leeds indie rockers maintain their current pace, it could become the band’s second UK chart-topping album, following 2007’s Yours Truly, Angry Mob. However, the race remains too close to call at this midway stage, with the Kaiser Chiefs less than 700 copies ahead of the former X Factor winner (Number 2 today), according to Official Charts Company sales data.

Meanwhile, Johnny Cash could be on track for his highest charting album in some 45 years this weekend. The country legend, who passed away in 2003, has entered today’s midweek update at Number 3 with Out Among the Stars (Number 3). The album is made up of lost recordings from the 1980s with producer Billy Sherrill, which were recently discovered by Johnny’s son, John Carter Cash.

George Michael’s Symphonica slides two places to Number 4, while Christina Perri completes this week’s Official Albums Chart Update Top 5 with her second studio album, Head Or Heart (Number 5). Featuring her recent Top 20 hit, Human, the new album is the follow-up to her 2011 Top 10 debut Lovestrong.

New Entries

Steel Panther are heading for their first ever UK Top 10 album this weekend. The LA-based shock rockers, who are known for their OTT, ‘80s-inspired stage shows and outrageous song lyrics, are new in today at Number 6 with their fourth album, All You Can Eat.

Southampton rockers Band Of Skulls look set to replicate the chart performance of 2012’s Sweet Sour with new offering, Himalayan (Number 14), while Lacuna Coil are on track for their highest charting UK album to date; Broken Crown Halo, the Italian metallers’ seventh full-length, is at 27.

And finally, The Robert Cray Band’s In My Soul is new in at 29 today, with Runrig’s new live album, Party On The Moor - 40th Anniversary Concert, entering at 30 midweek.

The Official Albums Chart Update Top 40 is as follows. The Official Albums Chart Top 100 will be posted in full, here, on Sunday at 7pm.

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