Michael Jackson’s posthumous album Xscape set to debut at Number 1

Michael Jackson is well on his way to claiming the Official Albums Chart Number 1 this weekend with his second posthumous release Xscape.

Back in March it was announced Epic Records had teamed up with the late Michael Jackson’s estate to compile an album of previously unheard tracks.

Xscape features ‘contemporised’ versions of the original track recordings and high-profile producers include Timbaland, Rodney Jerkins, JRoc, Stargate and John McClain.

Michael Jackson has an impressive chart history scoring 30 Official Albums Chart Top 40s and nine Number 1s, to date. And, selling over 25,000 copies so far this week, Xscape looks on track to be the late King Of Pop’s 10th UK Number 1 album.

New in at Number 2 on today’s Official Albums Chart Update is American rock duo, The Black Keys, with their first UK album release since 2011, Turn Blue. Fellow new entry Foxes follows at Number 3 with her debut studio album, Glorious, while Paloma Faith’s A Perfect Contradiction is a non-mover on the Update this week, holding firm at Number 4.

Finishing off the Top 5 at this midway stage is former Official Albums Chart Number 1, Paolo Nutini’s Caustic Love, which drops a further two places from last week’s chart position.

New Entries and High Climbers

There are a whopping nine further new entries this week. American singer/songwriter, Tori Amos, enters the chart at Number 9 with Unrepentant Geraldines, followed closely by British singer/songwriter Nick Mulvey, with First Mind (10).

Swedish band Little Dragon are in at 11 with their fourth studio album, Nabuma Rubberband, while American rock legends, Blondie, take the Number 12 spot with Blondie 4(0)-Ever: Greatest Hits Deluxe Redux/Ghosts Of Download.

And, after scoring second place in Saturday’s Eurovision Song Contest, The Netherlands’ The Common Linnets enter the Official Albums Chart Update at 27, with their debut self-titled album, followed closely by Canadian electrofunk duo, Chromeo, with White Woman (28).

To Be Kind, from American experimental group, Swans’, enters at 36 at this midway stage and, rounding out the Top 40 is Bruce Springsteen with The Spirit Of Radio, a collection of broadcasts of the singer from early 70s.

Post Eurovision, ABBA’s Agnetha Faltskog re-enters the Official Albums Chart on today’s update with 2013 release A.  And finally, jumping a massive 31 places at this midway stage is The Black Keys’ 2011 release, El Camino, which climbs from Number 44 to 13 giving the duo’s their second appearance on the Official Albums Chart update today.

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.

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