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Ed Sheeran's ÷ is coasting towards a return to the top of the Official Albums Chart
Linkin Park, Erasure and Engelbert Humperdinck are vying for a Top 10 placing this Friday.
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Ed Sheeran has had a few weeks off from being Number 1 in the charts, but he could divide and conquer the Official Albums Chart competition once again this week.
In today's Official Albums Chart Update, Ed's third studio album ÷ leads the way, with some 2,400 combined chart sales putting him ahead of his nearest rivals Linkin Park - their seventh record One More Light is new at Number 2 on today's mid-week sales flash.
Should Ed hold on to his lead, ÷ will have sat at Number 1 for 10 non-consecutive weeks.
MORE: The Official Top 40 biggest albums of 2017 so far
Last week's Number 1 album from Harry Styles is not far behind at Number 3 today, while synth pop heroes Erasure are occupying Number 5 with their 17th studio LP World Be Gone.
MORE: See this week's Top 100 Official Albums Chart Update in full
New entries and high climbers
Engelbert Humperdinck's latest compilation album 50 has landed at Number 8 following three days on sale, which would make his ninth Top 10 should it hold firm until Friday. As the name of the album suggests, the release is to commemorate Engelbert's 50 years in music.
Blink-182's Number 1 album California is on course to return to the Top 10 at Number 9 following the release of a new deluxe edition with 10 additional tracks, while The Kooks' greatest hits The Best Of So Far is just outside at 11.
The 40th anniversary deluxe edition of Jethro Tull's Songs from the Wood sees the classic album rise the ranks once more to Number 13, two places ahead of Papa Roach's Crooked Teeth, which has its grip on Number 15.
There's more rock music from Rammstein - their live album Paris is at 21 and is followed by Iron Maiden's Complete Albums Collection at 31. Finally, Liverpudlian singer Jane Weaver is hoping to secure her first UK Top 40 entry at 34, and Scouting For Girls' 10th anniversary re-issue of their self-titled debut album sits at Number 36.
Check out the Top 100 Official Singles Chart Update in full
Article image: Rex/Shutterstock
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MC Virgo
I think most look at Ed Sheeran and think... he's a ginger-white dude who's probably suffered a lot of anti-ginger racism growing up in the UK. Yet here he is... dominating the charts recently, and performing with his little guitar and looper pedal to sell-out audiences. Plus, his songs are easy to sing to on an acoustic guitar with no one else around to know you actually like his music.
Boaby Bawz
Nope, I look at him and think what a disgusting, ugly, ginger state
MC Virgo
I look at you and think what a disgusting racist you are.
Boaby Bawz
Gingerness isn't a race, it's a disease, we've had this conversation already McVIRGIN
I Am A Stegosaurus
I hope Ed Sheeran gets it back instead of Linkin Park. Their new album is one of the biggest sellouts of all time, and Heavy and Good Goodbye are simply poor.
JJ
Jack James
The King is coming back to the top don't worry.
MC Virgo
Yeah, it's called needing to make a living out of what you do with your life. They all have families to provide for now.
L
luca
The king of what?
JJ
Jack James
UK music charts in the 2010's Adele is the Queen.
JJ
Jack James
King Ed Sheeran is about to return to his throne while Harry Pink will be flopping like I knew he would.
MC Virgo
That dude in your profile looks like he has Schizotypal personality disorder leading to Schizophrenia via too much drugs taking: who is he?
JJ
Jack James
Yes he did but I really like his music he was the great Syd Barrett of the band Pink Floyd.