Madness hope to earn first-ever UK Number 1 studio album with Theatre of the Absurd presents C’est La Vie

Madness look set to earn a third Number 1 album this week with Theatre of the Absurd presents C’est La Vie. 

The Camden-formed pop and ska outfit, comprising Chris Foreman, Mike Barson, Lee Thompson, Graham ‘Suggs’ McPherson, Dan Woodgate and Mark Bedford, take an early lead with their 13th studio LP, hoping to secure their highest-charting album since 2016’s Number 5-peaking Can’t Touch Us Now.

The record would also become the group's first-ever Number 1 studio album, following chart-topping compilations Complete Madness (1982) and Divine Madness (1992).

MORE: See where every Madness song and album has charted in the UK here

Country icon Dolly Parton could secure her fourth UK Top 10 record – and highest-charting in seven years – with Rockstar (3). A collection of rock cover versions, the album sees Dolly team up with the likes of Miley Cyrus (Wrecking Ball), The Beatles’ Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr (Let It Be) and Sting (Every Breath You Take). 

Following the release of a deluxe Scary Hours Edition of his former chart-topping album, Drake’s For All the Dogs looks to rebound back into the Top 5 this week (4). 

American rock group The National expect to earn their second Top 5 album of 2023, with Laugh Track eyeing a Number 5 entry this week. The band saw similar success with Number 4 album First Two Pages of Frankenstein in May of this year.

André Rieu & Johann Strauss Orchestra could claim a brand-new entry with Jewels of Romance this week (8), likely to mark the Dutch violinist and conductor’s 14th Top 10 LP to date.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Evanescence’s Fallen is set to return to the Top 20 for the first time since 2004 (12). The debut record from the Arkansas-formed rock group topped the Official Albums Chart after an eight-week climb in 2003.

Michael Bublé’s yuletide staple Christmas could leap 19 places back into the Top 20 this week (13), while Muse’s Absolution looks to return to the Top 40 for the first time since 2004 thanks to a 20th anniversary reissue (27). The English rock group’s third studio LP, Absolution reached the Official Albums Chart summit upon its release in 2003.

Scottish singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé eyes up a fifth UK Top 40 album with How Were We to Know (28), while The Kinks’ The Journey – Pt. 2 collection is set to become the group’s 16th (31).

Thanks to a new reissue, County Durham-born singer-songwriter Bryan Ferry could see his 1994 record Mamouna rebound back into the Top 40 for the first time in 29 years (34), while Thea Gilmore tracks for a potential career-best with her self-titled LP (35).

Electronic music legend Vince Clarke’s debut Songs of Silence looks to earn the singer-songwriter his first-ever solo Top 40 album (37), while Cher’s festive 2023 collection Christmas could enter the Top 40 for the first time as it’s released on physical formats (40).

See the Official Albums Chart Update Top 100 in full here from 5.45pm.