Steps win chart battle with Ultimate Collection

After a break of ten years, '90s pop heroes Steps skip straight to the summit of the Official Albums Chart to claim their third Number 1 with 'The Ultimate Collection'. They over take Arkansas rockers Evanescence who were race leaders in Wednesday’s Official Charts Update. The feat sets a triumphant seal on Steps’ reunion which sees them star in their own TV documentary series currently airing on Sky Living while they prepare for a reunion tour in 2012. 

There are no less than five other new entries in this week’s Official Albums Top 10: Evanescence are the next highest new entry with their self-titled album straight in at Number 4.Welsh mezzo-soprano Kathryn Jenkins is straight in at Number 6 with 'Daydream', her fifth Official Albums Top 10 hit. Miami native pop/R&B singer/songwriter Jason Derulo is straight in at Number 7 with his second album 'Future History' which features this year’s Number 1 single 'Don’t Wanna Go Home'. US rock singer/songwriter poet and painter Ryan Adams scores a personal best with thirteenth studio album 'Ashes & Fire' straight in at Number 9 and the evergreen Sir Cliff Richard scores his 39th Top 10 album – a record for a British act - with 'Soulicious', a collection of duets with various soul artists, straight in at Number 10.  Finally Cee Lo Green’s 'The Lady Killer' which peaked at Number 3 in January this year, bounces back into the Top 10 from last week’s Number 18 to this week’s Number 8.

In the Official Singles Chart, Rihanna holds firm at Number 1 for a second week with 'We Found Love' ft. Calvin Harris posting a week-on-week sales increase of 20% to break the 100,000 sales barrier. Maroon 5’s 'Moves Like Jagger' ft. Christina Aguilera spends its seventh week at Number 2.  But Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine gets a second piece of the action with US hip-hoppers Gym Class Heroes; their collaboration, 'Stereo Hearts' is the highest new entry, straight in at Number 3. Watch our video interview with the band here.

The Official Singles Top 10 sees two other new entries; X Factor 2010 winner Matt Cardle is straight in at Number 6 with 'Run For Your Life', the Gary Barlow-penned first single taken from forthcoming debut album 'Letters' and singer Charlene Soraia’s cover of The Calling’s 'Wherever You Will Go', taken from the Twinings Tea ad soundtrack, climbs from last week’s 20 to this week’s Number 7.  Christina Perri’s 'Jar Of Hearts' which peaked at Number 4 some nine weeks ago, re-enters the Top 10 at Number 4, up from last week’s 12, on the back of Liverpudlian X Factor contestant Craig Colton’s much praised performance of the song on the reality show. Ed Sheeran’s 'The A Team,' which previously peaked at Number 3, in June climbs from last week’s 13 to this week’s Number 9.