Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott score Number 1 album with Manchester Calling: "It means everything"

The former Beautiful South members lead an albums chart chock-full of brand new entries.
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Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott have clinched their first Number 1 as a duo on this week’s Official Albums Chart with their new collection Manchester Calling.

The pair’s fourth album as a double act scores 20,500 chart sales – 94% of which are physical sales - to earn the former members of The Beautiful South this week’s Number 1.

Reacting to the news, Paul and Jacqui said:

“Thank you very, very much for making us Number 1. Thanks to everybody who bought it, the people who helped get it there, and Official Charts for giving us this lovely trophy. Thank you, thank you, thank you. It means so much. It means everything.”

As a duo, their previous three albums all landed in the Top 5, and as members of The Beautiful South they claimed three Number 1 albums: Carry On Up The Charts: The Best Of (1994), Blue Is The Colour (1996) and Quench (1998).

All the Official Albums Chart Number 1s


Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott with their Number 1 award for Manchester Calling. Credit: OfficialCharts.com

Meanwhile, American rapper Lil Uzi Vert’s surprise release Eternal Atake debuts at Number 3 to become his first UK Top 5 album. Scottish pop-rock band Deacon Blue earn their sixth Top 5 album with City of Love at Number 4, and claim Number 1 on this week’s Official Scottish Albums Chart.

Lauv lands at Number 9 with his debut album How I’m Feeling, which features collaborations with the likes of Anne-Marie, BTS and Troye Sivan; Jhené Aiko earns her highest-charting album so far with Chilombo at Number 13.

MORE: Lady Gaga's album is "the coolest sh*t that's going to drop in 2020"

Elsewhere, a live album from the late Rory Gallagher, Check Shirt Wizard: Live in ’77 comes in at Number 26; David Soul’s Gold greatest hits album is at Number 28; The Fizz return with Smoke & Mirrors at 29.

Finally, Doja Cat continues to rise with her second album Hot Pink following the Top 10 success of her hit song Say So, with the collection reaching the UK Top 40 for the first time after climbing three places to 38.

See the full Official Albums Chart Top 100 

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etin

0

%94 of which are physical sales .. if only this physical buyers can use streaming more effectively

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thierry henon

1

So happy for Jacqui and Paul: well deserved..i really didn't expect it!! And glad Doja Cat got her album into the top 40: hopefully Top 20 next week?

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Piran

3

I really need to pay more attention to this chart again, as I honestly didn’t even know the album that’s at #1 existed, haha. Congratulations to them though! :)

I know Lil Uzi Vert is a fairly new & upcoming trap artist, but I never expected a Top 3 for his new album! His music isn’t for me sadly, but it’s an impressive achievement regardless.