Ed Sheeran's X challenges Coldplay for fastest selling album of 2014

Nearly 100,000 copies of Ed Sheeran’s new album, X, have been purchased in the UK in the last 48 hours.

Ed Sheeran is on course to debut at Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart this weekend with his second studio album, X.

According to the Official Charts Company’s latest sales data, X (pronounced multiply) has already clocked up nearly 100,000 UK sales during its first 48 hours of release. At this midway stage, the album has also nearly equalled the entire first week sales tally of his 2011 debut +, which sold 102,000 copies in its opening week (1.8 million copies to date).

If its sales momentum continues, X, looks set to challenge Coldplay for the fastest selling album of 2014. The current record is held by the band's latest album, Ghost Stories, which sold more than 168,000 copies during its first week of release in May.

X features Ed’s recent singles One and Sing; the latter of which was produced by Pharrell Williams (Happy, Blurred Lines, Get Lucky) and became the 23-year-olds’s first Number 1 UK single earlier this month.

Meanwhile, Sam Smith’s former chart-topping album, In The Lonely Hour, climbs one place to Number 2, while reigning chart queen Lana Del Rey slides two places to Number 3 with Ultraviolence.

Coldplay’s Ghost Stories and Kasabian’s 48:13 complete today’s Top 5, remaining static at Number 4 and 5, respectively.

New Entries

In addition to Ed Sheeran’s X, there is one other new entry, and one re-entry on today’s Official Albums Chart Update.

US metallers Mastodon are on track for their highest charting UK album to date with Once More ‘Round The Sun. The Atlanta behemoths’ sixth studio album is currently at Number 7, beating their previous best of Number 19 set by 2011’s The Hunter.

And finally, Stevie Wonder’s 1976 classic, Songs In The Key Of Life, re-enters the Top 40 at Number 12 today. The album’s track, Another Star, is currently being used in the BBC’s World Cup coverage, while Stevie is set to play the Calling Festival in London this weekend.

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.

1	X	ED SHEERAN
2	IN THE LONELY HOUR	SAM SMITH
3	ULTRAVIOLENCE	LANA DEL REY
4	GHOST STORIES	COLDPLAY
5	48:13	KASABIAN
6	BLUE SMOKE - THE BEST OF	DOLLY PARTON
7	ONCE MORE 'ROUND THE SUN	MASTODON
8	THE HUNTING PARTY	LINKIN PARK
9	CAUSTIC LOVE	PAOLO NUTINI
10	+	ED SHEERAN
11	A PERFECT CONTRADICTION	PALOMA FAITH
12	SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE	STEVIE WONDER
13	WHISPERS	PASSENGER
14	LIQUID SPIRIT	GREGORY PORTER
15	LAZARETTO	JACK WHITE
16	XSCAPE	MICHAEL JACKSON
17	LOVE IN THE FUTURE	JOHN LEGEND
18	AM	ARCTIC MONKEYS
19	BORN TO DIE	LANA DEL REY
20	GIRL	PHARRELL WILLIAMS
21	WHILE(1<2)	DEADMAU5
22	IF YOU WAIT	LONDON GRAMMAR
23	MEET THE VAMPS	VAMPS
24	NEW EYES	CLEAN BANDIT
25	STAY GOLD	FIRST AID KIT
26	MECHANICAL BULL	KINGS OF LEON
27	WHAT HAVE WE BECOME	PAUL HEATON & JACQUI ABBOTT
28	TURN BLUE	BLACK KEYS
29	NATIONAL TREASURE - ULTIMATE COLLECTION	VERA LYNN
30	STOCKHOLM	CHRISSIE HYNDE
31	THE 1975	1975
32	SALUTE	LITTLE MIX
33	ALL THE LITTLE LIGHTS	PASSENGER
34	HALCYON	ELLIE GOULDING
35	HANK	HANK MARVIN
36	SELECTED WORKS 1972-1999	EAGLES
37	PRISM	KATY PERRY
38	TAPESTRY	CAROLE KING
39	BAD BLOOD	BASTILLE
40	A TOWN CALLED PARADISE	TIESTO