Keane land fifth Official Albums Chart Number 1

By Lauren Kreisler

Keane today land their fifth consecutive Official Albums Chart Number 1, a record run beaten only by music legends The Beatles.

The East Sussex rockers, whose first three albums – 2004’s Hopes And Fears, 2006’s Under The Iron Sea and 2008’s Perfect Symmetry – and their 2010 EP, Night Train, have all debuted at the top of the Official Albums Chart.  Now their fifth release Strangeland bags the top spot once again outselling its nearest competitor, Emeli Sande’s Our Version Of Events (2), by two copies to one.

The Beatles still hold the record for most consecutive Number 1s from a debut release onwards (seven albums), from 1963 album Please Please Me, through to Revolver in 1966. Robbie Williams also managed an impressive five consecutive Number 1 albums, though debut solo album Life Thru A Lens did not debut in the top spot; it climbed there the year after its release.

Following her performance on The Voice this past weekend, Emeli Sande’s Our Version Of Events climbs six places to Number 2, while Adele’s mega-selling 21 album slips one place to Number 4 and Lana Del Rey‘s Born To Die rests at 5.

Fresh from last week’s appearance on Later with Jools Holland, Richard Hawley, scores his highest ever solo chart position. The Sheffield-born singer, songwriter and producer, has this week released his seventh studio album, Standing At The Sky's Edge, debuting on the Official Albums Chart at Number 3.

New Entries and high climbers

Keane (1), Richard Hawley (3) and The Cribs’ In The Belly Of The Brazen Bull (9) lead eight new entries on this week’s Official Albums Chart Top 40. Barbados popsters Cover Drive debut inside the Top 20 at Number 14 this weekend with their debut album Bajan Style, while Atlanta rapper B.o.B.’s new album, Strange Clouds, which features the Top 10 single So Good, is new at 30. 

Scottish twins Charlie and Craig Reid, AKA The Proclaimers, are back with their first new material in almost three years. The duo’s latest album, Like Comedy today enters at 31, while seminal Irish rockers My Bloody Valentine are at Number 33 with EPs 1988-1991, which collects together three of their Creation Records EPs.

London ‘glam-folk’ dandy King Charles looks set to enter the Official Albums Chart at Number 36 with his debut album, Loveblood.

Labrinth’s Electronic Earth is this week’s highest albums climber, up 15 places to 28.

Beastie Boys

Finally, following the untimely passing last week of hip hop pioneer Adam Yauch, fans have been paying tribute to the late Beastie Boys star by picking up some of the band’s most celebrated singles and albums.  There are three re-entries for the Beastie Boys in the albums Top 200.  Ill Communication (122), Licensed to Ill (136), and Paul’s Boutique (140).  Over on singles there are re-entries for Intergalactic (168), (You Gotta) Fight For Your Right To Party (176) and Sabotage (196).

You can see the Official Albums Chart Top 10 below. Click here to see the full Top 100 (after 7pm today).