Shed Seven members celebrate record-setting Number 1 album with very...permanent surprise

Shed Seven, the current reigning Number 1 champions on the Official Albums Chart, have celebrated their record-setting victory with a reminder that's, lets say, very...permanent. 

Yes, that's right as well as becoming the band to set the longest-ever gap between a debut and Number 1 album (30 years) with A Matter of Time, Shed Seven have also become the first group to mark their victory with an official Official Charts tattoo!

Posting to their Facebook page, the band posted a statement, thanking their fans for helping them top the Official Albums Chart for the first time in their career, saying; "[this is all] thanks to you that we are celebrating this real moment in our 30-year-long career."

And if all that wasn't enough, the band's drummer, Maxi, went out of his way to mark the occasion in a way that will stay with him forever. Literally. Accompanying the post was a picture of Maxi's arm, which is now the proud owner of a tattoo of the Official Charts Official Number 1 album award.

MORE: Dive into Shed Seven's Official Charts history in full here

Speaking to Official Charts about his very special new ink, Shed Seven drummer Maxi says: "Honestly, I can't put into words what it means to have a number one album. It's something all musicians dream of, and I know that for myself and the rest of the band, it's been something that we've always dreamt of since starting our individual journeys into music.

"So, to finally achieve this after 30 years in the business just means the absolute world. I've always had tattoos done of proud moments in my life, and this is one of the most momentous things that has happened to me. It means I can always have my award with me as a reminder to never give up, never stop believing in yourself."

For once, we are literally speechless, but you do know that we love a chart first.

Previously, we've had acts celebrate their chart-topping LPs with very creative ways. Yungblud, for instance, melted his Official Number 1 award down into gold pins to give to fans, but this is the first case of an act having a permanent reminder - in ink! - of their chart success.

In the words of Loreen, it is quite literally stuck on him like a tattoo. 

Previously, Shed Seven have enjoyed 6 Top 40 albums in the UK, four of which went Top 10 on the Official Albums Chart including 1996’s A Maximum High (8), 1998 record Let It Ride (9), 1999 hits compilation Going for Gold (7) and 2017’s Instant Pleasures (8).

Their debut album, Change Giver, debuted at Number 16 in 1994, meaning there was 29 years, 3 months between the first Official Albums Chart appearance and landing their Number 1 LP with A Matter of Time. 

The Specials still hold the overall record for the longest gap between their Official Albums Chart debut and first Number 1 LP, with 39 years, 3 months between eponymous 1979 release The Specials (4) and 2019 chart-topper Encore.