The Beatles’ iconic Sgt Pepper album returns to the top on its 50th birthday
50 years after its topped the Official Albums Chart, The Beatles' classic album Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is back at Number 1.
A 50th anniversary special of the LP was released last Friday, with multiple editions on CD and vinyl containing remastered and remixed material in addition to unreleased session tapes. A combined sales total of 37,000 was amassed across the week to take it back to the top.
Sgt Pepper’s has now spent 28 weeks at Number 1 on the Official Chart. The record is also the best-selling studio album ever in the UK, and the third biggest selling of all-time, behind Queen's Greatest Hits and ABBA Gold, having sold a huge 5.2 million UK copies in its lifetime.
Paul McCartney said: "Wow! Who would have thought that good old Sgt.Pepper would be back at number one 50 years on? It's great news and all of us are well chuffed. Pepper rules!"
MORE: The Beatles' Sgt Pepper at 50: 12 awesome facts about the iconic record
By returning to Number 1 some 50 years after it first topped the Official Albums Chart, Sgt Pepper claims the record for the longest span between an album first reaching Number 1 in June 1967 and returning to the summit in June 2017.
Sgt Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band is also Number 1 on this week's Official Vinyl Albums Chart, and shifted more copies on vinyl than on digital download, with 5,300 units sold. View the Official Vinyl Albums Chart Top 100 here. The album was also the best-selling release in indie record shops this week.
MORE: Check out this week's Official Albums Chart Top 100
New entries and high climbers
Elsewhere in the Top 5, The Charlatans score their tenth Top 10 album with Different Days, new at Number 4. In turn, it becomes the band's highest charting release since 2001's Wonderland, which peaked at Number 2.
Reading rock group The Amazons have made an impressive start to their careers as their debut, self-titled collection enters at Number 8, while American R&B star Bryson Tiller secures his first UK Top 40 entry with True To Self at Number 11. Another new entry, Elkie Brooks' Pearls: The Very Best Of impacts at Number 14.
Two Oasis albums scale this week's Official Albums Chart Top 40 in the aftermath of the Manchester attack and the debut of frontman Liam Gallagher's first solo single. Time Flies: 1994-2009 vaults 20 positions to Number 19, and (What's The Story) Morning Glory? leaps 25 places to Number 37.
Also in this week's Top 40, Kraftwerk's live album 3-D The Catalogue lands at Number 24, David Bowie's Hunky Dory returns at Number 25 following a gold coloured vinyl release, and Ariana Grande's My Everything makes its first appearance since 2014 in preparation for this Sunday's One Love Manchester concert (35).
Finally, Kings of Leon's Walls flies from Number 71 to this week's Number 39 following their headline slot at BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend.
Check out this week's Top 100 Official Albums Chart in full
Look back through every Official UK Number 1 of 2017 so far below:
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Josée Larose
Well, that's something else. The Beatles still at the top 50 years later, and with the same record! They appeal to so many generations and nationalities, through their music but also through their unique personalities and of course their extremely touching and tragic story. The Beatles cheer, inspire, comfort the individuals and unite the communities. They are boundless, it is truly amazing. Bravo.
Tim Rodriguez
The Beatles with another first. The greatest band in the rock and soul era never ceases to amaze.
I Am A Stegosaurus
Kind of sad it's probably gonna get thwarted by Dua Lipa next week...
M
Marcus
What was the previous biggest gap between appearances at Number 1?
C
Caligari
Well done Brits Pepper is back where it belongs.
Mark Willmott
I don't think we'll see Ed going back to number one again.
Brian Quinn
Never liked The Beatles. I think they are really overrated.
T
Terry
Thanks Brian.
LD
Lucas Diego
If Beatles it's overrated, Ed Sheeran it's what?
Sir-Boobsytitwank Top G
Each to their own.
Mick g
You are obviously one of the tone deaf commenters. almost a billion record sales so far and overrated? yeah right.
I Am A Stegosaurus
That's just further proof they are overrated.
I Am A Stegosaurus
Learn to type.
JJ
Jack James
I love The Beatles so much they are the best congrats.