Ed Sheeran claims first Number 1 single and album of 2018 on the Official Chart

Ed Sheeran has claimed the first Number 1s of 2018 on both the Official Singles Chart and the Official Albums Chart.

Perfect was the most downloaded and streamed track of the last seven days, and spends a fifth consecutive week at Number 1. By also topping the Official Albums Chart with ÷, this marks the fourth time the album and one of its tracks have scored the Official Chart double. ÷'s return to Number 1 is its seventh separate stint at the top, a record among solo males.

÷ ended 2017 as the most purchased record on CD, vinyl, and download formats, and was also the most streamed album of the year. Check out the Top 40 biggest albums of 2017 on the Official Chart here.

Official Singles Chart

As the multitude of Christmas songs exit the Official Chart, several tracks make big gains this week, 11 of which reach new peaks. The highest charting track to score a personal best is Big Shaq’s Man’s Not Hot, up three to Number 3.

Clean Bandit and Julia Michaels’ I Miss You (6), 17 by MK (7), and Ramz’s Barking (8) all scale the Top 10 higher than ever before, while there are new Top 20 peaks for: Craig David & Bastille’s I Know You (15); Dave’s No Words ft. MoStack (17); and Jason Derulo’s Tip Toe ft. French Montana, which becomes Jason’s 16^th Top 20 entry at Number 19.

Decline by Raye ft. Mr. Eazi and Not3s’ My Lover both re-enter the Top 40, hitting new highs at Numbers 22 and 23 respectively, while Jax Jones’ latest single Breathe featuring Ina Wroldsen makes its Top 40 debut at Number 24. P!nk’s Beautiful Trauma is one slot behind at Number 25, jumping 17 places.

Next, three new Top 40 entries sit back-to-back: This Is Me by Keala Settle and The Greatest Showman Ensemble is at 28; J Hus scores his fourth Top 40 hit with Bouff Daddy at 29, and lovebirds G-Eazy and Halsey are at 30 with Him & I.

Portugal The Man’s Feel It Still lifts to a new PB of Number 35 in its 23^rd week on chart, two placings ahead of Camila Cabello’s Never Be The Same at Number 37. Finally, The Greatest Show, another single from The Greatest Showman soundtrack is at Number 40, gifting Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron and Zendaya their first chart credits. Check out the Top 40 biggest singles of 2017 on the Official Chart here.

View this week's Top 100 Official Singles Chart in full

Official Albums Chart

Speaking of The Greatest Showman OST, the collection leaps a whopping 35 positions to Number 4 this week, and is the first Motion Picture Cast Recording to hit the Top 5 since La La Land’s soundtrack was Number 1 in February 2017.

Elsewhere, Taylor Swift’s Reputation returns to the Top 10 at Number 8, and Pete Tong, Jules Buckley and the Heritage Orchestra’s Ibiza Classics secures a new chart best at Number 15.

Further down, Dua Lipa’s self-titled debut returns to the Top 40, leaping 21 places to Number 24, Tears For Fears greatest hits album Rule The World rebounds 14 spots to 29, and Post Malone’s Stoney vaults 23 places to Number 33. 

View this week's Top 100 Official Albums Chart in full

Article image: Rex