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Paul McCartney heading for first solo Number 1 album in over 30 years with McCartney III
Michael Ball & Alfie Boe and Taylor Swift are also vying for the Christmas Number 1 album.
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Sir Paul McCartney is on course for his first UK Number 1 album as a soloist in over three decades with McCartney III.
The Beatles legend’s 18th solo studio album is the third and final chapter in a trilogy of albums including his debut album McCartney from 1970 and McCartney II which followed ten years later in 1980; the former reached Number 2 on the Official Albums Chart, with the latter charting at Number 1. See where all Paul McCartney’s singles and albums charted.
McCartney III scored almost 25,000 chart sales over the weekend and may mark the artist’s first solo Number 1 album since 1989’s Flowers in the Dirt.
MORE: The Official Top 40 biggest albums of 2020 so far
It wouldn’t be the first time that Paul has claimed a Christmas Number 1 album – he last did so 20 years ago when The Beatles’ greatest hits 1 topped the Christmas charts in 2000, with the Fab Four earning a further six festive chart toppers during the 1960s.
MORE: Paul McCartney's Official Top 20 most-streamed songs revealed
The Official Christmas Number 1 single and album of 2020 will be revealed exclusively on BBC Radio 1’s The Official Chart on Christmas Day, from 2-4pm.
Also battling for the Christmas Number 1 album are Michael Ball and Alfie Boe with Together at Christmas (2), Taylor Swift with last week’s chart-topper Evermore (3), Classic Diamonds from Neil Diamond and the London Symphony Orchestra (4), and Gary Barlow’s Music Played By Humans (5).
Following the surprise release of the album’s B Side deluxe edition, Eminem’s Number 1 album Music To Be Murdered By – first released in January 2020 – is on track for a Top 40 return at Number 6.
Alternative rock band Shed Seven are on track for their sixth Top 40 album with live album Another Night, Another Town (12) and following his performance during the Strictly Come Dancing final last Saturday (Dec. 19), Robbie Williams’ holiday album The Christmas Present is heading back to the Top 40 (27).
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Blank
So it's his first #1 in the lifetime of the artist he's knocking off the top spot.
Jody Sargent
Cause Egypt station doesn't count???🤔
I think someone needs to check their sources, this is death rumors are started and persit🙄
#WhyThisGirlLovesHerPaul 💋
thierry henon
I do hope TAYLOR SWIFT can remain at number 1 for a second week!! Her new album is so much better than Paul's..Can't he retire once and for all??!!
P
pike
That is rather mean..
Taylor swift has many years to get another no1 .
And paul is an inspitation to us all thstvhe can still make it as his age!
BLL
Bob Lob Law
THats also just your opinion, I think Pauls album is better
DS
Dave S
tbh It's been to #1 here which is all she wanted. Much more importantly it sold 329K units in its first week to get it to #1 in the States, also folklore rose back to #3 still selling 133K units not far behind the #2 of Kid Kudi with 144K units.
As an aside there's a tweet from Paul congratulating Taylor and they interviewed each other for Rolling Stone magazine the other week too.
MB
Mork Blueberry
Paul could bring out an album of orchestrated stale farts and the lemmings would still drink the cool-aid. He really hasn't produced anything remotely popular or interesting in 30 years.
#justsaying
BLL
Bob Lob Law
Its not his best we all know that, Chaos in 05 is actually very good, my comment is just on people saying another album is better, no one can say that, music is different to everyone, so even you saying he has done nothing in 30 years is meaningless, thats just to you. I loved off the ground for example
BLL
Bob Lob Law
Actually i forgot about Flaming Pie in 97, great album
Bengy
Officially,
1 Paul McCartney - McCartney III 24,764
2 Michael Ball & Alife Boe - Together At Christmas 9,862
But will lockdown prevent further CD sales being purchased? HMV stores are temporarily closed.
Blank
All of them? I know a few are in the lower tiers where shops are allowed to open..but are HMV open?
Bengy
True. I should have said SOME ...