How do Rag’n’Bone Man’s opening week sales of his debut album Human compare to other BRITs Critics’ Choice winners?

Rising star Rag’n’Bone Man has done it! His debut album Human has hit Number 1 on the Official Albums Chart.

What’s more, the collection is the fastest selling male debut album of the decade after racking up big sales across physical, digital and streaming platforms, hitting a whopping 117,000 sales. This makes the album the fastest selling of the last 12 months. 

But how do his opening week sales compare to those of previous BRITs Critics’ Choice winners?

Seven of the previous nine recipients of the award have reached Number 1 with their debut album, the exceptions being last year’s winner Jack Garrett, whose record Phase peaked at Number 3, and Jessie J’s Number 2-hitting Who You Are.

MORE: Who would win this year's BRIT Awards if they were decided on sales alone?

In terms of sales, the artist to beat was Emeli Sande, whose album Our Version Of Events landed straight in at Number 1 back in 2012 with first week sales of just over 113,000. Real name Rory Graham, Rag'n'Bone Man pipped Emeli to score the best first week sales for any BRITs Critics' Choice winner ever.

Jessie J also scored a huge opening week in March 2011 with Who You Are, with 106,000 sold in its first seven days, while Sam Smith’s In The Lonely Hour shifted an impressive 101,000 in its first week.

Meanwhile, the first ever Critics’ Choice winner, Adele, notched up 73,000 opening week sales for her 19 album back in 2008. It’s an impressive figure, though it now pales in comparison to her latest album 25, which notched up a record-breaking 800,000 sales in its first week in November 2015.

Here’s how the opening week sales of every BRITs Critics’ Choice winner compare:

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