Nines creeps closer to Number 1 in chart battle against The Lottery Winners and Jessie Ware

There's still all to play for in this week's race for the Official Number 1 album, as Nines creeps closer to nearest competitors The Lottery Winners.

The Harlesden-born rapper, real name Courtney Leon Freckleton, leaps just ahead of Jessie Ware in the latest chart update; with his fourth studio album Crop Circle 2 currently tracking for a Number 2 debut. Meanwhile, Jessie's fifth full-length release That! Feels Good! looks set to land at Number 3 as things stand.

And with just over 1000 chart units separating Nines and Jessie right now, it's going to be a tight race to the finish.

Previously, Nines has enjoyed three Top 5 LPs: 2017's One Foot Out (4), 2018 release Crop Circle (5) and 2020 chart-topper Crabs in a Bucket.

Jessie, meanwhile, boasts four Top 10 records: 2012's Devotion (5), 2014 album Tough Love (9), 2017 release Glasshouse (7) and 2020's What's Your Pleasure? (3).

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But the ones to beat this week are Leigh-formed indie-rockers The Lottery Winners, who remain ahead in today's update.

The group, comprising Thom Rylance, Robert Lally, Katie Lloyd and Joe Singleton, currently eye their first-ever Number 1 LP with fifth studio record Anxiety Replacement Therapy.

Speaking exclusively to Official Charts earlier this week, vocalist Thom explained a chart-topping record would mean 'everything' to the band.

He said: "I'm getting emotional at the thought of it. It means everything to us. It feels like fifteen years of hard work, not taking a wage, neglecting all of our financial and social responsibilities and pouring everything into something that we really believed it; it's affirmed that that was the right decision."

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On this week's close chart battle against the likes of Jessie, Nines and Freya Ridings, Thom added: "It's bananas. They're all really famous people, all over the TV all the time. We're not. Jessie Ware mentioned us [as competition] on stage [last week], and that's the first time I realise we were part of the conversation. Thank you so much, Jessie, for bringing us into it. As Jessie said, all is fair in love and war.

"Freya Ridings' album is amazing, Nines is a legend of his genre and his album's amazing. I love Reverend & the Makers' album, too. The song writing on that album is incredible.

"It's a truly amazing week for music and music fans."

Find out who's claimed this week's Official Number 1 album this Friday May 5 from 4pm on BBC Radio 1's The Official Chart with Jack Saunders and here at OfficialCharts.com.