King of the swingers Robbie Williams scores UK’s historic 1000th Number 1 album

Robbie Williams scores the Official Albums Chart's 1000th Number 1 with Swings Both Ways, and equals Elvis Presley’s tally of UK chart topping albums!

Robbie Williams claims an historic Official Albums Chart milestone as Swings Both Ways becomes the UK’s 1000th Official Number 1 album, the Official Charts Company can confirm.

57-and-a-half years after Frank Sinatra’s Songs For Swingin’ Lovers became the UK’s first ever Number 1 album, Robbie Williams brings the classic genre full circle and back to the top of the chart with new album Swings Both Ways.

Robbie tells OfficialCharts.com "I am over the moon that Swings Both Ways is Number 1! And such an honour to be the 1000th album in that spot too, following Frank Sinatra who was the first person in that spot and my hero. Thanks to everyone who bought the record, see you all on the tour next year!”

With a staggering 18.6 million UK album sales across his solo career, and 55 million, globally, Robbie is no stranger to albums success. But now he can also count a UK chart-topping tally to match Elvis Presley among his many achievements. 2013’s king of the swingers, Robbie, today draws level with The King himself, boasting 11 Official Albums Chart solo Number 1s apiece.

You can check out all of the UK's 1000 Number 1 albums to date, here.

Martin Talbot, the Official Charts Company’s chief executive says: "Congratulations to Robbie Williams on claiming the 1000th Official Number 1 Album. He couldn't be a more suitable victor, both as one of the all-time greats of the Official Albums Chart (now tied with Elvis Presley as the male solo artist with most Number 1 album) and with his Swings Both Ways providing a beautiful symmetry with the very first number 1 in 1956, Frank Sinatra's Songs For Swingin' Lovers.

"In topping nearly 109,000 sales in its first week, Swings Both Ways is also confirmed as a bona fide smash - and is well placed to be the album of choice for music fans and gift purchasers at Christmas 2013."

Swings Both Ways is Robbie’s second swing album. He previously topped the Official Albums Chart back in December 2001 with Swing When You’re Winning (which included the Number 1 single Something Stupid FT Nicole Kidman). The album went on to become Robbie’s second best-selling album of all time in the UK, shifting 2.3 million copies on these shores. The new album finishes this week’s race a clear margin of 67,000 copies ahead of Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (Number 2).

New entries

Nottingham singer/songwriter Jake Bugg scores this week’s second highest new entry. The 19-year-old’s Rick Rubin-produced (Adele, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Eminem) second album, Shangri La, is new in at Number 3. JLS follow three places behind with Goodbye – The Greatest Hits (6). The Best Of collection features all 12 of the X Factor stars’ Official Singles Chart hits.

This week’s new entries are completed by choirmaster Gareth Malone’s Voices (23) and Gabrielle’s Now And Always – 20 Years Of Dreaming (38).

The Official Albums Chart Top 10 is as follows. Click here to see the Official Albums Chart Top 100 in full after 7pm.

© 2013 Official Charts Company. All rights reserved.