The Greatest Showman becomes the UK’s longest-running Number 1 soundtrack in 50 years

The Greatest Showman soundtrack becomes the longest running Number 1 soundtrack since the Sound Of Music some 50 years ago, as it spends a 19^th (non-consecutive) week at the top of the Official Albums Chart, the Official Charts Company can confirm.

The Motion Picture Cast Recording has already notched up huge accolades, including the joint-longest consecutive stint at Number 1 of the last 30 years and being the best-selling album of 2018 so far, but breaks more ground today.

Featuring songs from cast members Hugh Jackman, Keala Settle and Zac Efron, the soundtrack today surpasses the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack’s 18 weeks at Number 1, making it the most successful chart-topping soundtrack since the late 1960s.

Back in the ‘50s and ‘60s, soundtracks were a regular mainstay at the top of the chart: the second album to ever top the Official Albums Chart was the soundtrack to Oklahoma!, the accompanying music to South Pacific spent a staggering 115 weeks at the top between 1958–1961, before the soundtrack to movie classic Sound Of Music managed 70 weeks at Number 1 between 1965-1968.

New entries and high climbers

BRITs Critics Choice winner Jorja Smith impacts at Number 3 with her debut album Lost & Found, one placing ahead of The Beach Boys. Following in the footsteps of Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison and releasing orchestral reworkings of their biggest hits, The Beach Boys with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra debuts at Number 4, their 15^th UK Top 10 album and highest charting since 1990’s Number 2-peaking Summer Dreams.

Kids See Ghosts, the self-titled collaborative album from the Kanye West/Kid Cudi supergroup launches at Number 7, one slot in-front of Lily Allen’s fourth UK Top 10 album No Shame (8).

Poldark actress Eleanor Tomlinson enters at Number 14 with her debut album Tales From Home, while Steps bop their way to Number 18 with live album Party on the Dancefloor: Live from SSE Arena Wembley. Tremonti collect their second Top 20 album with A Dying Machine at 19.

Gruff Rhys’ Babelsburg becomes the highest charting solo album from the Super Furry Animals star, new at Number 23, plus a deluxe reissue of Mansun’s former Number 1 album Attack of the Grey Lantern from 1997 sees the album return to the Top 40 at Number 28. Finally, former Spandau Ballet vocalist Tony Hadley lands at Number 40 with Talking To The Moon.

View this week's Top 100 Official Albums Chart in full