Ed Sheeran makes Official Albums Chart history, The Greatest Showman spends eighth week at Number 1

Ed Sheeran sets a new record on this week’s Official Albums Chart, becoming the first artist in UK chart history to have three different albums each log a whole year inside the Top 10. 

Since his arrival in 2011, Ed has consistently proven himself as an artist with staying power in the charts. The singer-songwriter’s latest album ÷ is Number 2 on this week’s chart, spending its 52^nd week inside the Top 10. Ed’s debut album, +, has spent a total of 56 weeks inside the Top 10 since its release in 2011, while his second album X – also back into the fold today at Number 10 – has logged an incredible 98 weeks in the Top 10.

Prior to Ed’s record-breaking achievement, The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel were the only other acts to have more than one album spend a year in the Top 10. The Beatles managed it with Please Please Me and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, as did Simon & Garfunkel with Bridge Over Troubled Water and their Greatest Hits collection. View a full list of the albums that have spent the longest in the Top 10 here.

Ed is no stranger to the history books; just some of his other achievements include his single Shape Of You being the UK’s most streamed song ever, and scoring the fastest-selling album ever by a male solo artist with ÷.

Meanwhile, The Greatest Showman’s Motion Picture Cast Recording is Number 1 for an eighth week on the Official Albums Chart, while Dua Lipa holds firm at Number 3 with her self-titled debut album, matching the peak it achieved after The BRITs last week.

Rag’n’Bone Man is at Number 4 this week with Human, while the BRITs uplift continues for Album Of The Year winner Stormzy - Gang Signs & Prayer rises five to Number 5; the grime star’s debut album reached BPI-certified Platinum status last week.

New entries and high climbers

Sam Smith’s former chart topper The Thrill Of It All rebounds five places to Number 6, and there’s also a climb for Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics; the orchestral dance album with Jules Buckley and the Heritage Orchestra rockets 52 positions to a new peak of Number 11.

Elsewhere in the Top 20, Oasis’ greatest hits Time Flies soars 12 slots to Number 15, and there’s a new entry from US rapper 6ix9ine, whose debut mixtape Day69 bows at Number 20. Imagine Dragons are not far behind with Evolve, charging 23 spots to Number 22 in response to their UK arena tour.

Australian artist Vance Joy earns his second UK Top 40 album with Nation of Two at Number 32, Bob Marley & The Wailers’ Legend returns to the Top 40 at Number 35, and finally, UK hip hop MC Ocean Wisdom secures his first Top 40 record with Wizville at Number 39.

View this week's Top 100 Official Albums Chart in full (from 5:45pm)