Passenger leads nail-biting chart battle on Official Albums Chart Update

Plus there NINE new entries make up this week's Top 10, including albums by Bruce Springsteen and Shawn Mendes.

Passenger is leading a tight race at the top of this week’s Official Albums Chart, with less than 1,100 combined sales separating the Top 3.

Real name Mike Rosenberg, Passenger is on course for his first Number 1 album with Young as the Morning, Old as the Sea. He has previously earned three Top 20 albums, including his Platinum-selling debut solo album All the Little Lights which peaked at Number 3. Click here to view his full UK singles and albums chart history.

MORE: See this week's Official Albums Update Top 100 in full

Another strong contender this week is Bruce Springsteen with Chapter and Verse, the new compilation album that serves as a companion to his new autobiography Born to Run. Featuring five previously unreleased songs, it is less than 500 sales behind Passenger at Number 2.

Canadian heartthrob Shawn Mendes is heading for his first UK Top 10 album with his second collection Illuminate at Number 3 (his debut album Handwritten peaked at 12), and rock group Marillion are on the cusp of their highest charting album in 29 years with F E A R at Number 4, and last week's Number 1 Wild World by Bastille is at 5.

New entries and high climbers

Australian rockers Airbourne could score a new chart peak this week with Breakin' Outta Hell at 6, My Chemical Romance's anniversary boxset The Black Parade/Living with Ghosts could be the group's second Top 10 album at Number 7, and Joe Bonamassa is new at Number 8 with his 14th live album Live at the Greek Theatre.

All-female indie rock band Warpaint have a second Top 10 album in their sights with Heads Up at 9, David Bowie compilation Where Can I Be Now? (1974-1976) rounds out the Top 10 at 10, closely followed by Billy Bragg & Joe Henry's Shine a Light - Field Recordings from the Great American Railroad (12).

Also on today's update, the new deluxe edition of Fleetwood Mac's 1982 album Mirage (25), Vangelis' Rosetta (27), and Billie Marten's Writing of Blues and Yellows (30).

Finally, Chris de Burgh's 26th studio album A Better World starts out at 32, and Idina Menzel's fifth studio album idina. rounds out the new entries at Number 38.