The Courteeners set for first chart-topping album with Anna

Manchester-based indie rockers The Courteeners look set to score their first ever Number 1 album, while Emeli Sande’s Our Version Of Events spends close to a year in the Official Albums Chart Top 10!

The Courteeners are on course for their first ever Number 1 album with Anna, according to today’s Official Albums Chart Update.

Follow the success of previous Top 10 albums, 2008’s St. Jude (Number 4) and 2010’s Falcon  (6), the Manchester indie rockers’ third full-length looks set to knock Biffy Clyro’s Opposites off the top spot this Sunday.

Lead singer Liam Fray makes no secret about his desire for chart success with the new record, telling NME this week “I never started this band to be a member of the 'alternative' crowd. I want people to hear our music. You don't make a living limping into the Charts at Number 89."

As of midnight last night, Anna is outselling its closest competitor, The Motion Picture Cast Recording of Tom Hooper’s big screen adaptation Les Miserables (Number 2) by nearly 2,500 copies.

Biffy Clyro’s Opposites is down two to Number 3, while Emeli Sande’s Our Version Of Events, which is expected to spend its 52nd consecutive week in the Official Albums Chart Top 10 this weekend, is at Number 4 on today’s Update. Jake Bugg’s eponymous debut album completes today’s Top 5.

New Entries

In addition to The Courteeners’ Anna ( 1), there are ten other new entries on today’s Official Albums Chart Update. Frightened Rabbit are also headed for a career best with their fourth album, Pedestrian Verse (7), which could give the Scottish rockers their first ever Top 10 album on Sunday. Eels are set for their 11th UK Top 40 album with Wonderful Glorious ( 9), and Dagenham MC Devlin debuts at Number 10 today with his second album, A Moving Picture.

Girls Aloud and Strictly Come Dancing star Kimberley Walsh’s collection of West End favourites, Centre Stage, is new in at Number 14 on today’s Update, closely followed by Richard Clayderman’s first new studio album in over a decade, Romantique (15).

This week’s Official Albums Chart Update‘s new entries are completed by The Mavericks’ In Time (19), Pure Love’s Anthems (27), Destiny’s Child’s new Greatest Hits collection, Love Songs (31), Ron Sexsmith’s Forever Endeavour (32) and Coheed And Cambria’s The Afterman – Descension (37).

The Official Albums Chart Update Top 40 is as follows:

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